The Swifts: A Garden of Vipers

AHHHH!!! D: :D Here's Beth Lincoln's "The Swifts: A Garden of Vipers."

["In the depths of winter, Shenanigan Swift and her family are summoned to America, where Daisy’s brother, Dandelion DeMille, is in danger.

Racing to DeMille family home – a 72-storey greenhouse in the heart of New York City – Shenanigan is too late to stop a murder. But it’s Dandelion’s Uncle Charlie who has fallen victim to a mystery assassin.

As a snowstorm rages outside, Shenanigan, Felicity, Phenomena and Erf must uncover both motive and means. But when every room is packed with poisonous plants and deadly creatures, how will they ever uncover what really happened in The Greenhouse?"]

Another family with perfectly fitting, if not too-on-the-nose names. I'm still obsessed. It shouldn't work. In any other book, calling the family chef Cook, would be too cliched and immediately nixed. But in this world, where a florist family in which every member is named after flora? It's perfection!

And the characterization itself! You never know who to trust! You hate this person, and they turn out to be good; you love this person, and they hurt you; you don’t know about this person, and they surprise you in the best of ways. It’s lovely and skilled and frustrating as hell. 

Glad to know that Shenanigan is still having her existential crisis in book three. Nothing like not knowing who you are and what you’re meant to do being sooo relatable across so many generations. 

#theswifts #theswiftstheseries #theswiftsadictionaryofscoundrels #adictionaryofscoundrels #theswiftsagalleryofrogues #agalleryofrogues #theswiftsagardenofvipers #agardenofvipers #bethlincoln #thriller #yathriller #murdermystery #yamurdermystery #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooksv

The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Young Ladies of Mad Science: The Jungle of Carabanana

AHHHH!!! D: :D Here's "The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Young Ladies of Mad Science: The Jungle of Carabanana." Written by Kate McKinnon...sort of. ;) This Millicent Quibb book is technically by G. Edwina Candlestick (and "as told by" by Kate).

["The Porch sisters are going on a trip– this time, to the beautiful almost-French city of ParisToo.

Between baguettes, berets, and one very big bug– what could go wrong?

Everything, of course. You see, there’s just one problem with it’s where the evil KRA is planning to execute their most dastardly plan yet!

It’s up to Gertrude, Eugenia, Dee-Dee, and their dear mentor Millicent Quibb, to stop those nefarious mad scientists from taking over the world. Though coming up with a plan is easier said than done when danger– like a tree that throws coconuts, a suspicious pile of sausage, or a glaring aunt– lurks around every corner.

If Millicent Quibb and the sisters Porch are going to defeat the KRA once and for all, they’ll need to uncover long buried secrets (including some that might just change everything…) and tap into the world of mad science like they never have before.

At any and all costs, the KRA MUST! BE! STOPPED!"]

YES! YESSS! I'm obsessed with these books. They're fabulous and funny. They're silly and serious with all the right amount of (mad) science. All of the made-up words and general weirdness and sisterhood. It's all a mesh-mash of odd perfection. Not to mention the sheer amount of times one literally lols. 

I still want more Lavinia-Steve…

#themillicentquibbschoolofetiquetteforyoungladiesofmadscience #secretsofthepurplepearl #thejungleofcarabanana #gedwinagandlestick #katemckinnon #childrensbooks #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

The Barbarian's Musician (Savagely Sweet #3)

Here's Amy Padilla's latest: "The Barbarian's Musician." It's the third novel in her Savagely Sweet series, which is a Not-So-Savage Barbarian's spin-off.

["After the gronnok attack, my life was never the same. I was left scarred, ashamed, and certain I would spend the rest of my days alone.

Then Henry arrived.

Blind since childhood, he somehow sees me more clearly than anyone ever has. Where others flinch, Henry offers kindness. His music seems to be the only thing that puts my heart at ease and allows me to finally rest.

But Henry was never meant to stay.

His life is already complicated enough without the hardship and uncertainty of our nomadic lifestyle. If I want any chance of keeping him, I’ll have to convince him that it’s possible for him to build a life here with me and with the clan. Because if I fail, I won’t just lose Henry. I’ll be left to face the darkness alone."]

Oh. My. Goddess.

This book was somehow even sweeter than the rest. Which is saying something. These two were so utterly devoted to each other. They were so alike in so many ways. They both felt isolated and unwanted, unloved. But they saw something in each other that was so strong and powerful and beautiful. They saw love and hope and a future. It was...beautiful.

Plus all of the accommodations just being...life? An all of the found family, continuing to grow and grow? And Simon being Simon? I'm obsessed with all of it. 

#barbariansheart #escapingtothebarbarians #thebarbariansmusician #savagelysweet #savagelysweetseries #notsosavagebarbarians #notsosavagedbarbariansseries #amypadilla #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Goodbye, May!

May was looong as hell. It was never ending. One crazy moment after another, not to mention the weather not knowing what was going on (same, though, same).

2026 Resolutions:

     (1) Don't stop reading
            (b) Complete Monthly Reading Challenge(s)
     (2) Make memories
     (3) Share love of books/reading
     (4) Be kinder to myself

(1) Book's Read This Month: 53 (though, I might squeeze one more in before midnight).

    (b) Monthly Reading Challenge(s): Shape = Taurus. Got some A-Z stuff recorded. Some ARCs. Got a lot of Beat The Backlog done.

(2) May Memories: Lots and lots of books. Some actual time off. My best friend's baby turned one. The book fair season finally ended for the summer.

(3) Posts this month (including this one): 47.

(4) Not too bad overall. I didn't eat the best, but I didn't eat the worse. There were a lot of Sunday-Blues moments and a lot of late-night saddies, but most of the month was I-got-this and I'm-a-baddie, so...

Anyone still holding onto their resolutions?

Any exciting June reads? Any existing 2026 reads?
Anything I should check out?

#newyearsresolutions #goodbyemay #hellojune #hello2026 #dontstopreading #makememories #shareloveofbooks #shareloveofreading #bekindertomyself #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Open Liner (Alchemy Ink #1)

Here's "Open Liner" by Katherine McIntyre. Its the first books in her Alchemy Ink series, which is in the same universe as the Brannon Boys series and the Hot Under the Collar series

["The firefighter who saves August from a kitchen grease fire happens to be hot, single…and his ex-girlfriend’s brother.

August
When Serena dumps me, I barely have time to process before a sexy firefighter busts into my kitchen. Mostly because of the grease fire, but damn, he snags my attention at once. Then I find out he’s Serena’s brother. And the hits keep coming, because my parents drop the news that they’re moving down South. I’m about to be utterly alone, and I’m tempted to move too.

Drake
I’m in a rut. Work is fine, but I’m just floating through it. Meanwhile, my siblings are out there changing the world. So when the fire chief asks me to come up with a new idea for our charity event, I jump in feet-first with a charity concert. Of course, the one person who can help me is the gorgeous tattoo artist my sister used to date.
Turns out, we get along too well. So well that I can’t stop thinking about him naked. So well that I want to spend every spare second with him.
Except he’s not looking to stay, and I can’t hurt my sister by crossing that line."]

My fuck these two were cute. All of the chemistry and the similar interests and the meet-cute. It was all a little awkward but their connection pushed through. It was also healing, both of them finding the perfect partner for them, that person seeing them, zero judgement. 

Not to mention the generally low angst. I’ve been reading a lot of angst lately, and I didn’t know I needed a break until now. 

CanNOT wait for the next one!! 

#arc #advancedreadercopy #arcteammember
#inkcaps #openliner #strokefrequency #katherinemcintyre #alchemyink #alchemyinkseries #brannonboys #brannonboysseries #hotundertehcollar #hotunderthecollarseries #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Accidentally Living With The Captain (Chicago Awakenings #3)

Here's Lexi Amber's "Accidentally Living With The Captain." It's the third novel in her Chicago Awakenings series.

["Hudson
I thought I was living the dream—captain of my NHL team, married to a model, planning to finally become a dad—the last thing I was expecting was to be served divorce papers.
All the plans I’d been making, all the ideas of what our family would look like, gone, just like that.
Thank God for Adrian, he always knows what to do. My ex kicked me out and Adrian offered to let me stay in his spare room while I figure out what comes next. My future hasn’t felt this uncertain since I entered the draft, but with Adrian offering to help, I feel like I can breathe again, like the unknown might not be the worst thing after all.

Adrian
Living with the perfect man is a cruel and unusual sort of torture.
Hudson walks around half-naked all the time, showing off his perfect hockey body, it’s obscene. And then there’s the teasing. It isn’t new, but I'd assumed he would stop now that we’re roommates and there’s no one else around. He hasn’t.
He’s straight, and I don’t know how much more platonic flirting my little gay heart can take.
I know that our time together is limited. Hudson wants to be a dad more than anything, and he deserves the family he’s always wanted, the future he’d dreamed of. I know that future won’t include me, and I want Hudson to be happy. Even if that means giving up our time together, helping him move on.
He was never mine, so why does the thought of saying goodbye feel like it might break me?
I’m screwed."]

That was a rollercoaster of all of the ways. It was sweet and soft, but it was also piney as helll. There was so much romance angst and waiting for the right moment and everyone else knowing what they feel before they did.  

I loved how they fell in love slowly but also so quickly. It was inevitable but it was on purpose. They were perfect for each other, right from the very first page. 

I wouldn't say no to a fourth book in the series...

Trigger Warnings: sudden divorce, discussion of a parent having a major disabling stroke, mention of being a souse to someone who needs full-time care, discussion of off-page past neglect/emotional abuse from parents for being queer, mention of being homeless 18yo teen, pregnancy/birth complications, and more.

#accidentallyjoininghiscult #accidentallyfallingformybestfriend #accidentallylivingwiththecaptain #chicagoawakenings #chicagoawakeningsseries #lexiamber #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Hat Trick (Punk as Puck #5) (Legends and Fury #2)

Here's EM Lindsey's "Hat Trick." It's the fifth novel in her Punk as Puck series (and also the second novel in the Legends and Fury series?).

["“For five million dollars, would you send a relative to jail?”
"Bud, I would pay five million dollars to send a few there."

Problem number one: Almost everything the world thinks they know about me is a lie.
Problem number two: Two people know the truth.
Problem number three: One of those two is a stalker and he's having a blast using that information against me to get his way.

The good news is, the second person who knows the truth about who I am seems pretty dedicated to taking my stalker down.

The bad news is, it’s NHL goalie Vanya Maximov, and he and I had a one night stand that I can’t stop thinking about. And while Vanya might be walking sunshine so bright he can make even my blind ass see light, we have no business being together.

I’m a mess, and while Vanya is everything I’ve ever wanted in a partner, he deserves better than me.

If only he was willing to listen to reason. If only he was less stubborn and able to give up on a lost cause.

But with his ability to give me exactly what I want—a little pain with my pleasure—and his refusal to treat me like I’m fragile, something dangerous starts happening.

I’m beginning to think that maybe—just maybe—he’s right, and I am worth everything he sees."]

Annnd I forgot how broken all of this boys are and how much it hurts to read about them struggling. Micah was hurting in so many ways and hiding it from everyone. And everyone (for a while at least) believed in his lies and believed he was fine (no one is fine when they say they're fine). He damn well had me tearing up during the entire novel.

But Vanya was a balm for all of it. He was kind and patient and perfect, which of course made Micah even more weary. As did the “pretty little goalie” nickname, that made me swoon haaarrrd. 

Trigger Warnings: ableism, on-page injury and resulting hospital stay, past and current narcissistic parenting, on-page descriptions of having a parent with Alzheimer's, stalking, bullying, threats, mentions of past sexual assault, on-page panic attacks, and more

#zeropucks #puckedup #absolutelypucked #stickaround #hattrick #emlindsey #punkaspuck #punkaspuckseries #legendsandfury #legendsandfuryseries #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks