Reading Roundup #47: Dangerous Desires

What would you do to protect the ones you love? To protect yourself? All the books in this week’s Roundup seem very different on the surface, but if you look closer, they’re all asking similar questions. Whether its the lost memories of a wanderer, princesses choosing between love and magic, or romantic heroes racing to save the women they love… everything comes with a cost, and every choice brings you nearer uncomfortable truths.

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke: Piranesi has received a lot of favorable buzz since its release last year, and deservedly so! The story is deceptively simple, but what matters here is not plot but execution. Clarke’s ideas, the beauty and wistfulness, are as enchanting as the mysterious House our protagonist inhabits. I look forward to reading this again and again… but first, I think it’s time to finally tackle Clarke’s first novel, Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell. *cracks knuckles*

The Leavenworth Case (Mr. Gryce #1) by Anna Katharine Green: You know I enjoy going back to early mystery novels, and this is a fun one! One of the first American detective novels — and written by a woman! Apparently, there was a big to-do over the authorship because people *cough*men*cough* couldn’t believe a woman could write such a story, with such a firm grasp of criminal law. But write it she did! Not only is the mystery delightfully twisty and intricate, but the plot is driven by its characters, each hiding their own secrets and desires. Watching it all unfold was highly entertaining. And as a bonus, I listened to this book via one of my favorite podcasts, the ever-excellent CraftLit, hosted by Heather Ordover. If you’re looking for a fun book, solid literary commentary, and a dash of crafty talk, I highly recommend listening to it here because Heather is wonderful, and the reader, Kevin Green, is wonderful, too.

Princess Tales, edited by Nora Kramer: This is one of my favorite fairy tale collections, with cheeky retellings of classics like Rapunzel and The Twelve Dancing Princesses. It’s an old Scholastic publication from the 1970s that a friend of the family picked up and passed along to me many, many years later, to my everlasting delight. It’s no longer in print, which is a true shame, as it’s just a sweet little book that I would gladly share with all my friends — especially the ones with young children who want to see princesses saving themselves. As it is, my own well-worn copy is starting to crumble, and I’m beginning to think I’ll have to find a way to digitize it. Or, if the pages continue to fall out, I may just finish the job, laminate the yellowed pages, and rebind it myself. It’s worth preserving.

Wilde Ways #1+3 by Cynthia Eden: These were a little more possessive-alpha-male than I usually prefer, but what the heck, they were fun! *shrug* Some funny moments, a bit of steam (okay, a lot — it was somehow too much and not enough? I dunno), and a few thrills and chills. Who doesn’t enjoy some good “I’ve kept my distance despite loving her for years, but now that she’s in danger, I won’t back down” action? I certainly do!

Love Me Like You Do by Rhian Cahill: This book is just… sweet. And I don’t mean sweet in a too-sweet, saccharine way but in a gentle, comforting way. The leads are adorable muffins who are pretty much in love from the start but just take an unconventional route to realizing it, and there’s plenty of humor and feels, without ever getting too heavy. I liked it. I might even read it again someday, when I just want comfortable and cute. My one complaint, however, is that it never truly delivered on the leads’ chemistry — after all that build-up, I wouldn’t have minded being around for the payoff! As my favorite dramatic ursine would say, “Needs more bang.” 😂

—b