Privacy Settings

Jul. 15th, 2025 11:00 am
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Posted by Patrick Kearney

I’m in my early twenties, and I’m looking to start exploring kink further, especially since my hometown is in a metropolitan area with a large kink community. I have no shame or fear about entering kink spaces beyond the typical nerves any beginner might have. I was lucky to be raised by some really awesome … Read More »

The post Privacy Settings appeared first on Dan Savage.

Accidents Will Happen.

Jul. 15th, 2025 11:00 am
[syndicated profile] savagelove_feed

Posted by Nancy Hartunian

The woman in a married couple that does not want children accidentally got pregnant. This happened once before, and she learned that her husband is against abortion on religious grounds. Should she tell him she will end this pregnancy, or keep it secret from him? Do accidents happen in BDSM? They sure do! Hear the … Read More »

The post Accidents Will Happen. appeared first on Dan Savage.

[syndicated profile] smartbitches_feed

Posted by Amanda

Happy Tuesday!

This is quite a busy week for new releases; we have a dozen on our radar. Things do calm down as we get closer to the end of the month.

Which releases are you excited for this week? Let us know in the comments!

A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping

A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna

Author: Sangu Mandanna
Released: July 15, 2025
Genre: , , ,

An enchanting novel about a witch who has a second chance to get her magical powers—and her life—back on track, from the national bestselling author of The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches.

Sera Swan was once one of the most powerful witches in Britain. Then she resurrected her great-aunt Jasmine from the (very recently) dead, lost most of her magic, befriended a semi-villainous talking fox, and was exiled from her magical Guild. Now she (slightly reluctantly and just a bit grumpily) helps Aunt Jasmine run an inn in Lancashire, where she deals with her quirky guests’ shenanigans, tries to keep the talking fox in check, and longs for the magical future she lost.

When she learns about an old spellbook that holds the secret to restoring her power, she turns to Luke Larsen, a gorgeous historian who might just be able to help her unlock the book’s mysteries. Luke, who has his own reasons for staying at the inn, never planned on getting involved in the madcap goings-on around him and definitely had no intention of letting certain grumpy innkeepers past his icy walls, so no one is more surprised than he is when he not only agrees to help, but also finds himself thawing.

Running an inn, reclaiming lost magic, and staying one step ahead of the watchful Guild is a lot for anyone, but Sera is about to discover that she doesn’t have to do it alone… and that the weird, wonderful family she’s made might be the best magic of all.

Amanda: Is this a Grumpy/Grumpy romance?!

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

Atonement Sky

Atonement Sky by Nalini Singh

Author: Nalini Singh
Released: July 15, 2025 by Berkley
Genre: ,
Series: Psy-Changeling #9

The hunt for a stealthy predator takes a damaged J-Psy to the heart of falcon territory in this new Psy-Changeling Trinity novel from New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh…

Justice-Psy Eleri Dias knows the end is near for her, her mind one step away from fatal psychic exposure. In the short time that remains, she is determined to atone for an act of omission that has haunted her for a long, cruel decade. But that decision not only means facing a powerful changeling wing leader, but also putting herself in the path of a serial killer.

Falcon wing leader Adam Garrett is fiercely protective of his family and his clan. After losing his parents as a teenager in a shocking act of malice, Adam has no forgiveness in him for the J-Psy who betrayed him, betrayed them, at the most painful moment of his life. But the evil that stalks his territory will allow him no respite, forcing him once more into contact with the J he has never been able to forget.

Everything that could’ve been between Eleri and Adam was lost years ago, a shimmering promise crushed. As they work to uncover a monster, the moment of reckoning looms ever closer. Soon, there may be no more time left for either atonement…or love…

Sarah: The whole world is based on understanding empathy, which, yes please – AND the hero does a lot of emotional heavy lifting in this one!

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

The Bewitching

The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Author: Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Released: July 15, 2025 by Del Rey
Genre: , ,

Three women in three different eras encounter danger and witchcraft in this eerie multigenerational horror saga from the New York Times bestselling author of Mexican Gothic.

“Back then, when I was a young woman, there were still witches”: That was how Nana Alba always began the stories she told her great-granddaughter Minerva—stories that have stayed with Minerva all her life. Perhaps that’s why Minerva has become a graduate student focused on the history of horror literature and is researching the life of Beatrice Tremblay, an obscure author of macabre tales.

In the course of assembling her thesis, Minerva uncovers information that reveals that Tremblay’s most famous novel, The Vanishing, was inspired by a true story: Decades earlier, during the Great Depression, Tremblay attended the same university where Minerva is now studying and became obsessed with her beautiful and otherworldly roommate, who then disappeared under mysterious circumstances.

As Minerva descends ever deeper into Tremblay’s manuscript, she begins to sense that the malign force that stalked Tremblay and the missing girl might still walk the halls of the campus. These disturbing events also echo the stories Nana Alba told about her girlhood in 1900s Mexico, where she had a terrifying encounter with a witch.

Minerva suspects that the same shadow that darkened the lives of her great-grandmother and Beatrice Tremblay is now threatening her own in 1990s Massachusetts. An academic career can be a punishing pursuit, but it might turn outright deadly when witchcraft is involved.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia is back with some more Gothic spookiness. 

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

The Enchanted Greenhouse

The Enchanted Greenhouse by Sarah Beth Durst

Author: Sarah Beth Durst
Released: July 15, 2025 by Bramble
Genre:
Series: Spellshop #2

New York Times bestselling author Sarah Beth Durst invites you to her new standalone novel set in the world of The Spellshop! Follow her to The Enchanted Greenhouse, a cozy fantasy nestled on a far-away island brimming with singing flowers, honey cakes, and honeyed love.

Terlu Perna broke the law because she was lonely. She cast a spell and created a magically sentient spider plant. As punishment, she was turned into a wooden statue and tucked away into an alcove in the North Reading Room of the Great Library of Alyssium.

This should have been the end of her story . . . Yet one day, Terlu wakes in the cold of winter on a nearly-deserted island full of hundreds of magical greenhouses. She’s starving and freezing, and the only other human on the island is a grumpy gardener. To her surprise, he offers Terlu a place to sleep, clean clothes, and freshly baked honey cakes—at least until she’s ready to sail home.

But Terlu can’t return home and doesn’t want to—the greenhouses are a dream come true, each more wondrous than the next. When she learns that the magic that sustains them is failing—causing the death of everything within them—Terlu knows she must help. Even if that means breaking the law again.

This time, though, she isn’t alone. Assisted by the gardener and a sentient rose, Terlu must unravel the secrets of a long-dead sorcerer if she wants to save the island—and have a fresh chance at happiness and love.

Funny, kind, and forgiving, The Enchanted Greenhouse is a story about giving second chances—to others and to yourself.

More cozy fantasy from Sarah Beth Durst. 

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

Everyone is Lying to You

Everyone is Lying to You by Jo Piazza

Author: Jo Piazza
Released: July 15, 2025 by Dutton
Genre:

The #tradwife murder mystery we’ve all been waiting for. From the bestselling author of The Sicilian Inheritance and the creator of the Under the Influence podcast comes an explosive thriller about two estranged friends, a grisly murder, a sudden disappearance, and the truly shocking revelation that everyone is lying to you about something . . .

Lizzie and Bex were best friends in college. After graduation, Bex vanished, leaving Lizzie confused and devastated.

Fifteen years later, Bex is now Rebecca Sommers, a “traditional” Instagram influencer with millions of followers who salivate over her perfect life on her ranch with her five children and handsome husband, Gray. Lizzie is a struggling magazine writer, watching reels while her young children demand her attention.

One night out of the blue, Bex calls Lizzie with a career-making proposition—an exclusive interview with her about her multimillion-dollar business venture and an invitation to MomBomb, the high-profile influencing conference.

At the conference, Bex goes missing and Gray is found brutally murdered on their ranch. Lizzie finds herself plunged into the dark side of the cutthroat world of social media that includes jealousy, sordid affairs, swingers, and backstabbing. She must learn who her old friend has become and who she has double-crossed to try to find her, clear her name, and maybe even save her life.

Piazza’s master storytelling and razor-sharp insight into the world of social media brings us a pulpy, juicy, and cleverly plotted read that will have you guessing all the way through and leave you gasping for more.

Sarah: Trad wife murder mystery – and if you’re familiar with mommy bloggers and/or influencers, this is a JUICY fun book.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

Hit Me with Your Best Charm

Hit Me with Your Best Charm by Lillie Vale

Author: Lillie Vale
Released: July 15, 2025 by Viking Books for Young Readers
Genre: , , ,

“Enchanting, flirty, and crafted from pure practical magic!”—Julian Winters, award-winning author of Right Where I Left You

The occasionally magic, always superstitious town of Prior’s End is famous for three whimsical charm at the annual Fall Festival, the legend of the wishing well hidden in a forest bristling with secrets, and Nova Marwood’s missing hiker father.

Every year without him, it gets easier to pretend Nova doesn’t believe in myth and magic. Easier to pretend she’s doing okay. Easier to pretend she doesn’t have a secret crush on the girl she fake-hates.

Kiara Mistry is the luckiest girl in town and the thief of every crush Nova had her heart set on first. In theory, Nova should resent Kiara. But it’s getting harder to deny her feelings.

When Nova lays an unintended hex on Kiara at the Fall Festival, and one misfortune after another swiftly follows, soon Kiara’s very survival is at stake. To reverse the bad luck, Kiara’s exes turned BFFs commence a quest for the miraculous wishing well. There’s only one person who can get them there . . . Nova.

But to save Kiara—and maybe find her dad, too—she’ll have to believe in something much stronger than magic. Nova will need to believe in herself.

Tara: I think it sounds really cute.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

How to Sell a Romance

How to Sell a Romance by Alexa Martin

Author: Alexa Martin
Released: July 15, 2025 by Berkley
Genre: ,

Romance is the biggest scheme of them all in this laugh-out-loud romantic comedy from beloved author Alexa Martin.

Emerson Pierce loves everything about being a kindergarten teacher except the painfully low salary. It isn’t until she hears about Petunia Lemon—an opportunity to sell makeup products, make some extra money, and meet a group of skin-care aficionados—that she begins to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Sure, it sounds a little too good to be true, but what’s the worst that could happen?

Investigative reporter Lucas Miller didn’t always have a chip on his shoulder…until his wife joined Petunia Lemon, drained their savings, and filed for divorce. Now he’s a little bitter, a lot single, and determined to expose the company. After infiltrating their largest convention yet, the last thing he expects is to lose sight of his mission for one night with the gorgeous woman at the bar.

When Emerson and Lucas learn that she’s his daughter’s teacher, they decide to ignore their scorching chemistry. Until things with Petunia Lemon turn downright diabolical and Emerson turns to Lucas for help. They work together to bring the company down but can the two come out on top in this pyramid scheme of love?

Dahlia: I’m already a Martin fan from The Playbook series, but even if I weren’t, everything about this book looks hilarious and utterly cathartic for anyone who’s ever wanted to see multi-level marketing schemes taken on.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

In the Veins of the Drowning

In the Veins of the Drowning by Kalie Cassidy

Author: Kalie Cassidy
Released: July 15, 2025 by Little, Brown and Company
Genre: , ,
Series: The Siren Mage #1

An “atmospheric and evocative” (Rachel Gillig) romantasy debut about a threatened Siren who forges a bond with a brooding, self-righteous king in order to flee the king who raised her, for fans of One Dark Window and For the Wolf. 

The monster is always slain…

Imogen Nel is in hiding. Hiding from a cruel kingdom that believes Sirens are monstrous, blood-hungry creatures. Hiding from a king and his captain who viciously hunt her kind. Hiding from her own alluring abilities. By keeping herself from the sea, Imogen’s bloodlust is dulled, and her black wings remain hidden beneath her skin.

When a neighboring king comes to visit, Imogen can no longer hide. He knows precisely what she is, and he believes she can save both their kingdoms from an even greater monster. But Imogen’s power threatens to violently reveal itself, and the two form a blood bond that protects them both. They flee the kingdom together, traversing waters teeming with the undead. As the lines between duty to their people and desire for each other begin to blur, Imogen worries her own ancestral powers may not be enough to kill what hunts her—the only way to defeat a monster may be to become one herself.

Amanda: I’m clicking buy because of the siren heroine.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

Maid for Each Other

Maid for Each Other by Lynn Painter

Author: Lynn Painter
Released: July 15, 2025 by Berkley
Genre: ,

A millionaire and a house cleaner are a match maid in heaven in this sparkling new romantic comedy by Lynn Painter, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Happily Never After.

As a professional cleaner, Abi Mariano never thought her apartment would have any sort of infestation, but because of a building-wide outbreak, she now needs somewhere to stay for a week. As a part-time student with two jobs, she doesn’t have many options. Then the solution presents itself: the owner of the penthouse she cleans is out of town for the week. She normally wouldn’t consider it, but he’s literally never around (she hasn’t even met him). It goes great…until one morning she finds two strangers in the kitchen. They’re the parents of the penthouse owner and they seem to think they’ve heard all about Abi—not as their son’s maid, but as his girlfriend.

Declan Powell has always put his career first, working his way up to become an executive at his company, but he still has his sights set on the next level. When his parents mention that they met his girlfriend, “Abby,” he all but chokes on his escargot. As wonderful as it sounds that she was just darling, he doesn’t actually have a girlfriend—he made her up to get everyone off his back. When Dex finds out who Abi really is, he makes her a proposition: pretend to date him, and he’ll provide everything she needs during their little arrangement. What harm would it do? It’s purely business, no pleasure…right?

Lara: This is a romance with an old-school vibe with none of the cringe/offense that comes with reading an actually old romance. Review incoming!

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The Odds of Getting Even

The Odds of Getting Even by Amanda Sellet

Author: Amanda Sellet
Released: July 15, 2025 by St. Martin's Griffin
Genre: ,

A fling with a mysterious stranger leads to a rollicking adventure in the wilds of South Dakota in this madcap and romantic follow-up to Amanda Sellet’s Hate to Fake it to You.

The last thing reluctant resort employee Jean Harrington expected to find on a middle-of-the-night towel run was a bashful scientist in desperate need of company . . . and clothes. Charmed by his awkwardness and endearing tangents about reptiles, she returns the next day to give the handsome mystery guest she knows only as “Charlie” lessons in poker.

He’s reserved and she’s chaotic, but together, the two of them just click. It’s like a honeymoon without the hassle of a wedding, until Jean discovers there’s a lot more to Charlie’s story than shyness and snakes—and she isn’t the only person with a pressing interest in his whereabouts, not to mention his secretly scandalous dating history.

When Charlie has the audacity to abandon her without a word, Jean has a score to settle. She’ll do whatever it takes to get him back—no, get back at him—even if it means chasing him across an ocean to brave the wild west of his remote hometown, and the famous family business he neglected to mention. With flames from their pasts raising the stakes, Jean is gambling she can get the upper hand before Charlie calls her bluff.

The real trick will be remembering what they’re playing for, when the biggest risk is putting all their cards on the table.

Dahlia: Sellet is one of the wittiest writers out there, and after the clever romp that was Hate to Fake it to You, I am totally ready for this follow-up. (Plus, reserved guy/chaotic girl is my favorite hetero pairing.)

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

Roll for Romance

Roll for Romance by Lenora Woods

Author: Lenora Woods
Released: July 15, 2025
Genre: ,

Two fledgling tabletop gamers find themselves falling for each other—both in and out of their weekly D&D sessions—in this charming, fantasy-tinged romance.

“Sweet, charming, and wonderful!”—Sarah Beth Durst, author of The Spellshop

When Sadie Brooks unexpectedly loses her marketing job, she flees New York City to spend the summer with her best friend in small-town Texas, where joining his Dungeons & Dragons campaign is the perfect distraction while she plans her next steps.

In the game, she becomes Jaylie, a powerful human cleric blessed by the Goddess of Luck. But in real life, Sadie believes her luck has run out—until she meets Noah Walker, the outgoing bartender roped into joining their party as Loren, an adventurous and charismatic lute-strumming elf. Just as Jaylie finds herself succumbing to the bard’s charms over the course of their party’s travels, Sadie also begins to fall under Noah’s spell.

As their relationship progresses in both worlds, Sadie wonders if what they have might last beyond the game. But like his traveling bard character, Noah never stays in one place for long. When a new opportunity arises in New York, Sadie must face the truth about why she lost her job in the first place—and whether she and Noah have found something in Texas worth staying for. Torn between her career dreams in the city and the exciting uncertainty of a new adventure, she will have no choice but to roll the dice.

Elyse: I’ve never read a D&D romance before but I am here for it!

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

Taste the Love

Taste the Love by Karelia Stetz-Waters

Author: Karelia Stetz-Waters
Released: July 15, 2025 by Forever
Genre: , ,

A delicious, heartwarming romantic comedy about big dreams, life-changing friendships, and the people who bring out your best.

Six years ago, eco-chef Alice Sullivan and her culinary-school rival almost gave into the burning tension between them. But those kisses? Just the heat of competition boiling over. Sullivan never expected to see Kia after graduation . . . until Kia crashes back into her life with a plan to buy Sullivan’s beloved Portland greenspace.

Kia has worked hard building her social media empire as the big-hearted glitter-bomb queen of the food-truck scene. Now she’s one step away from opening a foodie utopia for underrepresented culinary talents. But Kia’s plans catch the attention of a bulldozer-happy food conglomerate, and now both Kia and Sullivan’s dreams are on the line. When a legal loophole turns out to be the only way to save what they each love most, they’re left with one pull off a very public fake marriage to obtain the deed to the land and keep their old rivalry under control.

As the line between fake and real love blurs, can Kia and Sullivan set aside their differences and find the perfect recipe for happily ever after?

Tara: I love fake relationship romances, so I’m looking forward to this one.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

Happy Bastille Day!

Jul. 14th, 2025 11:43 pm
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May the prison you liberate have more than seven prisoners.
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[personal profile] james_davis_nicoll


Charts hold back chaos, and we should sing their praises!

Why Do I Love Charts? Let Me Count the Ways.

Bundle of Holding: Hearts of Wulin

Jul. 14th, 2025 02:08 pm
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This new Hearts of Wulin Bundle presents Hearts of Wulin, the tabletop roleplaying game of Chinese wuxia action melodrama from Age of Ravens Games.

Bundle of Holding: Hearts of Wulin

Fae, Bookish Romances, & More

Jul. 14th, 2025 03:30 pm
[syndicated profile] smartbitches_feed

Posted by Amanda

By the Book

By the Book by Jasmine Guillory is $3.99! This is a Beauty and the Beast inspired contemporary romance and we’ve had the cover on Cover Awe before. Have you read this one?

A tale as old as time—for a new generation…

Isabelle is completely lost. When she first began her career in publishing right out of college, she did not expect to be twenty-five, living at home, still an editorial assistant, and the only Black employee at her publishing house. Overworked and underpaid, constantly torn between speaking up or stifling herself, Izzy thinks there must be more to this publishing life. So when she overhears her boss complaining about a beastly high-profile author who has failed to deliver his long-awaited manuscript, Isabelle sees an opportunity to finally get the promotion she deserves.

All she has to do is go to the author’s Santa Barbara mansion and give him a quick pep talk or three. How hard could it be?

But Izzy quickly finds out she is in over her head. Beau Towers is not some celebrity lightweight writing a tell-all memoir. He is jaded and withdrawn and—it turns out—just as lost as Izzy. But despite his standoffishness, Izzy needs Beau to deliver, and with her encouragement, his story begins to spill onto the page. They soon discover they have more in common than either of them expected, and as their deadline nears, Izzy and Beau begin to realize there may be something there that wasn’t there before.

Best-selling author Jasmine Guillory’s reimagining of a beloved fairy tale is a romantic triumph of love and acceptance and learning that sometimes to truly know a person you have to read between the lines.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

The Jasad Heir

The Jasad Heir by Sara Hashem is $2.99! This is book one in The Scorched Throne series. I heard about this one through a reading newsletter one of my friends sends out. She isn’t a big romance reader, but had great things to say about this fantasy romance.

Ten years ago, the kingdom of Jasad burned. Its magic outlawed; its royal family murdered down to the last child. At least, that’s what Sylvia wants people to believe.

The lost Heir of Jasad, Sylvia never wants to be found. She can’t think about how Nizahl’s armies laid waste to her kingdom and continue to hunt its people—not if she wants to stay alive. But when Arin, the Nizahl Heir, tracks a group of Jasadi rebels to her village, staying one step ahead of death gets trickier.

In a moment of anger Sylvia’s magic is exposed, capturing Arin’s attention. Now, to save her life, Sylvia will have to make a deal with her greatest enemy. If she helps him lure the rebels, she’ll escape persecution.

A deadly game begins. Sylvia can’t let Arin discover her identity even as hatred shifts into something more. Soon, Sylvia will have to choose between the life she wants and the one she left behind. The scorched kingdom is rising, and it needs a queen.

In this Egyptian-inspired debut fantasy, a fugitive queen strikes a deadly bargain with her greatest enemy and finds herself embroiled in a complex game that could resurrect her scorched kingdom or leave it in ashes forever.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

My Feral Romance

My Feral Romance by Tessonja Odette is $2.49 on Amazon! Book one in the series was on sale for Prime Day. If you picked that one up and want to have book two queued up and read, now’s your change.

A painter in need of a model.
A matchmaker seeking a subject.
An arrangement that will tangle their hearts.

Fae shifter Daphne has landed the opportunity of a illustrating her favorite author’s steamy romance novels. If only she could master male physiques…and other essential anatomy. What she needs is a model. Yet how does the socially awkward fae with a tendency to bite find a man she can comfortably paint in the nude?

Self-proclaimed matchmaker Monty Phillips is a hopeless romantic, but only when it comes to others. Meddling in the love lives of strangers via his popular advice column keeps romance a safe distance away. Yet when he’s tasked with proving his tips on modern courtship work, he’ll need to step out from behind the pen and into someone’s love life.

And he knows just the perfect plaything.

The last time Daphne saw Monty, he broke her heart and discarded their friendship. Now he wants to drag her into one of his idiotic matchmaking games—where she’s the subject! But when he promises to pose as her model in exchange, she can’t refuse. At least it’s only temporary. If he’s the expert he claims to be, she can replace him with a lover in no time.

Painting sessions and flirting lessons commence, rekindling their friendship. But when instructional seduction turns their platonic spark into burning desire, will either have the courage to fan the flames?

Bridgerton meets My Fair Lady and a dash of He’s Just Not That Into You in My Feral Romance , a spicy standalone fantasy romcom in the Fae Flings and Corset Strings series. If you like fae bargains, friends-to-lovers romance, and cozy fantasy worlds, you’ll love this sizzling tale.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Book People

Book People by Jackie Ashenden is 99c! This contemporary romance came out at the end of January and we mentioned it on Hide Your Wallet. Did any of you add this to your TBR pile?

Don’t miss this utterly charming, spicy, enemies-to-lovers rom-com from Jackie Ashenden!

When Kate, a fledgling bookseller, decides to open a bookshop that celebrates the kinds of genre fiction she loves to read (popular and fun!), she’s surprised to find that not everyone in the town is as excited as she is.

Least excited of all? Sebastian, owner of the highbrow bookshop across the road, who has rules for everything: the kind of books he sells, the clothes he wears, and the people he dates (no-one local).

When the pair find themselves working together on the town’s literary festival, their growing attraction becomes harder and harder to ignore. Professional rivalry aside, just one steamy kiss can’t mean anything, can it?

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

BEWARE THE CON RATS

Jul. 14th, 2025 01:00 pm
[syndicated profile] cakewrecks_feed

Posted by Jen

Summer is the reward students get for successfully completing another year of educational excellence. Or for partying all year and flunking out. (Nobody said life was fair, kids.)

So while graduation season may be over, I think it's time our bakers had a little summer schoolin'.

 

Bakers? Welcome to "How-To-Spell-'Congratulations'-101."

I can see it's going to be a long day.

 

Alright, let's practice: C-O-N-G-R-A-T-U-L-A-T-I-O-N-S. See? Now you try.

I dare you to read that aloud.

("Comgratatum?")

 

Try again.

G, you shouldn't have.

No, really.
 

And don't think I'm not on to your latest scheme, bakers. You know, the one where you just pipe a heap of scribbles halfway through the word and hope no one notices?

Cheater.

The best part is how you can still clearly see those last two are misspelled. Next time just chuck some High School Musical flotsam on there.

 

At this point, even I have forgotten how to spell it. I would "COHGRADULITTE" you, bakers, but I don't think I can handle that level of irony.

 

Let's try a new approach: just shorten it to "Congrats!" That's easy enough, right?

*sigh*

What is wrong with you people?

 

For a wild, hopeful second there I thought this had something to do with comic conventions starting up week:

"Watch out for those Con Rats!"

...but then I realized I it was a different kind of "con." Rats.

Well, you've all failed the course, bakers. So, hey, get out there and continue collecting a paycheck for brutalizing the English language! Woo! Yeah!

Oh, and kids? Stay in school. Or don't.
Honestly, your bakery manager probably won't give a con rat's @ss.

 

Thanks to Nancy H., Jessica E., Julia L., Michelle W., Meghan H., Amanda N., Julie D., Elizabeth B., & Bailey for the pep talk!

*****

P.S. Here's a (hilarious) reminder that English is almost as confusing as these cakes:

P Is for Pterodactyl: The Worst Alphabet Book Ever

*****

And from my other blog, Epbot:

Clarke Award Finalists 2005

Jul. 14th, 2025 10:27 am
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2005: The Ulster Volunteer Force struggles to grasp the meaning of the term “ceasefire”, Britain is astonished by the unlikely coincidence that every known WWI veteran is over 100 years of age, and in what some experts hope is a sign Britain has begun to emerge from chaos after the retreat of the Roman Empire, Dr Who is revived.

Poll #33355 Clarke Award Finalists 2005
Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 34


Which 2005 Clarke Award Finalists Have You Read?

View Answers

Iron Council by China Miéville
11 (32.4%)

Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell
11 (32.4%)

Market Forces by Richard Morgan
6 (17.6%)

River of Gods by Ian McDonald
9 (26.5%)

The System of the World by Neal Stephenson
14 (41.2%)

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
11 (32.4%)



Bold for have read, italic for intend to read,, underline for never heard of it.

Which 2005 Clarke Award Finalists Have You Read?
Iron Council by China Miéville
Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell
Market Forces by Richard Morgan
River of Gods by Ian McDonald
The System of the World by Neal Stephenson

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

Cover Snark: Juicy Pickle

Jul. 14th, 2025 07:00 am
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Posted by Amanda

Welcome back to Cover Snark!

A Duke Never Tells by Suzanne Enoch. A smarmy duke on a hot pink background and a lime green title.

Sarah: What the hell.

Kiki: No, thank you.

I don’t want it.

Sarah: Who is designing these covers. Like what the ever loving crap

Are they trying to be like Indies? Single dude on the cover? They’ve got it all wrong. He needs to be bald, grimy, dehydrated, and looking at his junk.

Elyse: Is that a Jonas brother?

Betrayed by the Alpha by Blue Thorne. A shirtless man with long brown hair tossed over his right shoulder. His arms are covered in dark tattoos and he has on a pair of jeans. He's standing in forest of dead trees. At the top of the cover is a pair of wolf eyes.

From Karen: His left forearm is really creepy. It looks to me as if he has a growth of some kind that he really should have looked at. The tattoo (is that feathers?) seems to emphasize the lumpiness. I can’t not notice it though I wish I could.

Sarah: Definitely has some swelling that should be looked at. That is what I look like after any encounter with greenhead flies.

Elyse: That tattoo is for sure infected.

Juicy Pickle by JJ Knight. A nondescript white dude in a white button down leans against a palm tree.

Amanda: It’s part of the “Top 100 bestselling Pickleverse”

Sarah: This is a weird timeline.

Elyse: So it’s him and the pickle on a deserted island?

Claudia: Pass!

Freed by the Marquess by Stevie Sparks. Lots of muddied colors! A man in a suite with a pink pocket square and baby blue tie wraps his arm around a curvy blonde woman. She has on a short pink corseted dress, a baby blue silk scarf, and is holding a yellow feather fan. The sky is orange and pink with the Statue of Liberty in the background. The ground is weirdly very purple and flowers are blooming everywhere.

Kiki: Hey, here’s a question: why doesn’t this woman have eyes?

Also is that man Bryan from Rachel Lindsay’s season of the bachelor?

Also why does it, ya know, look like that?

Sarah: What is happening? Some kind of pollen apocalypse? How bad would your allergies be if you were in this picture, Amanda?

Amanda: Very bad.

Claudia: I fear that the feather fan is also bad news!

Elyse: This feels like an image where you’re supposed to find hidden objects in the picture.

 

Sunday Sweets: C'est Bon!

Jul. 13th, 2025 01:00 pm
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Posted by Lindsey

Bonjour, mon amis! Today's sweets are mostly inspired by Marie Antoinette, so you know what that means: Prepare your eyeballs for an over-the-top feast of excessiveness!

(And no, we won't be having any gruesome headless sweets commemorating Marie's rather gruesome end. Sheesh. Get your mind out of the guillotine.)

Yep, it's all decadence and girliness from here on out! And yay for that, because have I mentioned I've been helping my husband Matt at football camp all week? Yes, I've been sharing a house with 25 teenage boys for the last five days. I could use a little girliness up in here.

 

Fortunately this first beauty is a sight for my pink-deprived eyes:

By Cakes By Tess

And how appropriate that it includes a fabulous fondant fan, because I'm already feeling the need to fan myself!

[Swoon!] Such loveliness!

 

And here's the lady of the hour herself...

By CakeCentral member Lindasuus

...sweetly putting to shame every Barbie-torso-stuffed-in-a-cake ever made.

 

This one is so absolutely flawless and stunning, I'm convinced it doesn't really exist.

By Cake Coquette (More detail shots at the link)

We've all just collectively dreamed it or something. (We have excellent imaginary taste, you and I!)

 

Now here's a solution to that pesky problem of how to hide plastic cake pillars: Simply pipe a decorative cage of icing between the tiers for an elaborate camouflaging exoskeleton of awesomeness!

By Edible Art by Kate

Er, on second thought, you might want to just leave that to the pros.

 

I thought this Fabergé Egg cake was a winner on its own ... (Seriously, doesn't it look like a 1st place trophy to you? Or is that the football camp talking?)

...but then I scrolled down and realized the egg was only one quarter of the whole cake!

By Fire and Icing

Wow. The layers look like carved marble or porcelain, and I love those unique shapes, too. It's hard to believe the tiers wouldn't shatter when you went to cut a slice!

 

I think more food should be adorned with edible pink tassels, don't you?

By Deborah Hwang Cakes

I love this color scheme so much; fun, flirty, and fit for a queen. I bet ol' M.A. would lose her head over it!

 

Oooh, sorry Marie. Too soon?

Submitted by Anne Marie B. and made by Rosey Confectionary Sugar Art

Oh, don't stare at me with that doleful expression. Turn your attention instead to the amazing miniature dessert table in your boudoir. And hey, is that rug edible too? Incredible.

 

Here comes another amazing egg cake. I'm not really sure if fancy eggs are a Marie Antoinette thing, but they're both similarly lavish, so it works for me.

By Cakes Du Soleil

Just gorgeous. If I was serving this cake, I don't think I'd let them eat it, youknowwhatI'msayin?
(Like "Let them eat cake?" Marie's famous line? You know? Yes? Never mind.)

 

This is probably my favorite cake today:

Submitted by Devon C; by Cake Opera Co.

I thought it was Marie masquerading as a... um... masquerader, while holding a kangaroo for fun, but the website informs me that this is actually an 18th century French figurine, masked to conceal her illicit rendezvous, and juxtaposed by the fawn in her arms meant to represent birth and innocence.

So, I was close.

 

All of these fanciful confections make me want to host a Marie Antoinette party! How about you? Here's a checklist of everything we need:

By Cakes by Erin

Powdered wigs, macarons, frilly shoes, masks, more fancy eggs (I guess they really are a thing) tiny top hats, (pretty sure that's NOT a thing, but I'll go with it), and of course, cake!

 

Does this cake remind you of a hot-air balloon, too?

Submitted by Promise W. and made by Ganache Patisserie

And did you know that the first manned hot-air balloon ride took place in front of Marie Antoinette and the French court? And that it was "manned" by a sheep, a rooster, and a duck?

True story.

Here's another one: this cake is fantastic! Do you see the little movie-scene applique? Too cool.

 

I'm not sure how inspired by Marie Antoinette this final cake is, but it's incredible. At over three feet tall and almost two feet wide, I'm pretty sure this is the cake they serve you when you die and go to heaven:

By Sweet Thing Black Orchid

Oh, wait. Actually this is the signature cake for the Hilton Hotel in Silver Spring. Which, after a week at football camp, sounds enough like heaven to me.

Happy Sunday!

*****

If today's Sweets are right up your style alley, then I have JUST the tea for you:

Nina's Marie Antoinette Tea


This blend is made in France using the roses and apples grown in the Versailles palace garden. Omigosh! If that's not tea fit for royal-tea, I don't know what is. Plus it comes in that gorgeous pink tin. Talk about a perfect gift for any tea-lover.
******

And from my other blog, Epbot:

SBTB Bestsellers: June 28 – July 11

Jul. 13th, 2025 07:00 am
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Posted by Amanda

The latest bestseller list is brought to you by warm cookies, ice cream, and our affiliate sales data.bestse

  1. Not in Love by Ali Hazelwood Amazon | B&N | Kobo
  2. A Bride for the Prizefighter by Alice Coldbreath Amazon | B&N | Kobo
  3. Hell for Hire by Rachel Aaron Amazon | B&N
  4. Temple of Swoon by Jo Segura Amazon | B&N | Kobo
  5. Change of Heart by Kate Canterbary Amazon | B&N
  6. A Rivalry of Hearts by Tessonja Odette Amazon | B&N
  7. The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren Amazon | B&N | Kobo
  8. Servant of Earth by Sarah Hawley Amazon | B&N | Kobo
  9. Molly Molloy & the Angel of Death by Maria Vale Amazon | B&N | Kobo
  10. Give Me Butterflies by Jillian Meadows Amazon | B&N | Kobo

I hope your weekend reading was scrumptious!

Sunday Sale Digest!

Jul. 13th, 2025 06:00 am
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Posted by Amanda

This piece of literary mayhem is exclusive to Smart Bitches After Dark, but fret not. If you'd like to join, we'd love to have you!

Have a look at our membership options, and come join the fun!

If you want to have a little extra fun, be a little more yourself, and be part of keeping the site open for everyone in the future, we can’t wait to see you in our new subscription-based section with exclusive content and events.

Everything you’re used to seeing at the Hot Pink Palace that is Smart Bitches Trashy Books will remain free as always, because we remain committed to fostering community among brilliant readers who love romance.

Sunday Secrets

Jul. 13th, 2025 12:08 am
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Posted by Frank

Sunday Secrets began 20 years ago. This week I did not receive enough postcards to share back. Free your secrets today.

The post Sunday Secrets appeared first on PostSecret.

Huh

Jul. 12th, 2025 12:02 pm
james_davis_nicoll: (Default)
[personal profile] james_davis_nicoll
This is probably in no way significant, but it just occurred to me to check to see where WorldCon was the years I was nominated:

2010: Melbourne, Australia
2011: Reno, USA
2019: Dublin, Ireland
2020: Wellington, New Zealand
2024: Glasgow, Scotland

(I was nowhere near the ballot in 2009, Montreal)

At a guess, those are years where vote totals were a bit lower?

Read more... )
james_davis_nicoll: (Default)
[personal profile] james_davis_nicoll


Four books new to me.Two are SF, one is fantasy, one is a mix of both. I don't see anything unambiguously labelled as series works.

Books Received, July 5 — July 11

Poll #33350 Books Received, July 5 — July 11
Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 39


Which of these look interesting?

View Answers

Secrets, Spells, and Chocolate by Marisa Churchill (December 2025)
14 (35.9%)

Spread Me by Sarah Gailey (September 2025)
14 (35.9%)

The Forest on the Edge of Time by Jasmin Kirkbride (February 2026)
14 (35.9%)

The Universe Box by Michael Swanwick (February 2026)
18 (46.2%)

Some other option (see comments)
1 (2.6%)

Cats!
31 (79.5%)

April 2017

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