Swoon City Debuts in Seattle *YAY*, Odessa File on TV, Powells Books Layoffs, What Fury Brings by Tricia Levenseller, A Theory of Dreaming by Ava Reid, Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry and A Confluence of Obsidian by Lydia M Hawke

Welcome to November, my fellow bibliophiles! A lot is going on this month, and to be honest I'm glad that October, which was a tumultuous month in my household, is finally over, and we're headed towards Thanksgiving, my sons birthday and mine, and Christmas. I love the holiday season, not the least for the fact that I am presented with books and cozy nightgowns and socks, and that its the season to snuggle under the covers and read until dawn. The air outside is cold and the rain keeps the skies gray, which is great for napping, and for mood lighting and fireplace fires, which add to the cozy atmosphere. Anyway, here's the latest tidbits and reviews. 

 

I'm so thrilled that this is a trend now, with more than a few romance only or romance focused bookstores opening around the country. This ones's in Seattle, and while I've not been able to visit, I'm hoping that my son will take me there for my birthday (I'd also like to visit Barnes and Noble and Half Price Books). 

 

Swoon City Debuts in Seattle, Wash.

"Opening a store had been in the back of my mind for years and years,"

said Marissa Coughlin, owner of Swoon City, a romance-focused bookstore

and craft store that debuted in Seattle, Wash., on October 18.

Located at 1716 N.W. Market St. in Seattle's Ballard neighborhood, Swoon

City spans about 2,250 square feet and carries a wide assortment of

romance titles. According to Coughlin, there are large sections devoted

to contemporary romance and romantasy, along with "decent-sized"

sections for historical romance, dark romance, and erotica. Graphic

novels and manga, as well as sports romance, LGBTQ romance, western

romance, and others, have smaller sections. Alongside the store's

romance offerings, a limited selection of general-interest titles are

available, and there is a "very minor" children's section of around 25

titles.

The crafting side of the business, Coughlin explained, came from its

previous incarnation as a store called Monster, which was a "sort of

gift shop, art gallery, and crafting studio." Coughlin purchased

Monster, a community fixture in Ballard, from its previous owners, and

though she has changed the name and added romance books, she has

retained the crafting inventory, crafting events, and focus on

community.

The crafting inventory, she continued, consists of things like knitting,

embroidery, and felting kits, as well as materials for watercolor

painting and screen printing. Coughlin noted that she has also brought

in new nonbook items like candles, enamel pins, silk scarves, jewelry,

and skincare products; her philosophy behind those additions is to

"celebrate what you love."

I remember watching the original Odessa File movie when I was a teenager, and I'll be interested to see what they do with the "fresh take" series on one of the streaming services.

 

TV: The Odessa File

Zero Gravity Management (Ozark) is teaming with Romulus Films for a TV

series based on Frederick Forsyth's novel The Odessa File.

Deadline reported that the conspiracy thriller adaptation "will follow

freelance journalist Peter Miller as he infiltrates a shadowy

organization of former Nazi SS officers in 1960s Germany, putting

himself on a collision course with one of history's most notorious war

criminals."

Currently in development, the series will be executive-produced by

Jonathan Woolf and Nick Varley for Romulus Films and Simon Fellows,

alongside Leon Clarance (Sense8) for Zero Gravity Management. Simon

Fellows (Steel Country) wrote the adaptation of the book, which had been

previously adapted in the 1974 movie starring Jon Voight.

The new project "is currently being packaged for talent and Zero Gravity

says it is in discussions with broadcasters and streaming networks for

what is envisioned as an initial eight-episode season with plans for

three subsequent seasons that will carry the story through to the

present day," Deadline wrote.

"This is not a remake; it's a totally fresh take," said Fellows. "We're

combining several genres--period, conspiracy, thriller, action, and a

touch of the revenge western--all revolving around a 1960s

autobahn-fueled road movie to catch a monster."

This is so sad, that the Northwest's mecca for bibliophiles in Oregon is losing staff due to higher costs and fewer sales...come on people, we need to spend more at Powells...and keep in mind that they accept your used titles for store credit, so book shopping there is affordable.

 

Powell's Books Layoffs Total 31 Since June

Powell's Books, Portland, Ore., has conducted

another round of layoffs, letting 13 people go in October, according to

the Oregonian.

After three rounds of summer layoffs, a total of 31 staff members have

been let go. Jeremy Solly, Powell's chief marketing officer, confirmed

the layoffs, saying that "these changes were not limited to our

stores, the majority affected management and business services positions

across departments."

Solly explained the cutbacks this way: "As with many businesses right

now, we're seeing expenses rise faster than sales. This has been an

ongoing challenge since the pandemic, and while we've taken many steps

to grow revenue and control costs, this most recent action was an

unfortunate but necessary step to help ensure the long-term stability of

Powell's Books."

 

What Fury Brings by Tricia Levenseller is a spicy, deliciously-bold feminist romantasy that is as rare as hen's teeth these days in the world of romantic fantasy/adventure stories. Finally, a book worthy of the fancy cover and beautiful illustrated end papers! Here's the blurb: Author Tricia Levenseller makes her adult debut in What Fury Brings, a sexy, empowering romantasy featuring a warrior general who must kidnap and train a husband in order to take her rightful place as queen.

There's a shortage of men in the kingdom of Amarra. After a failed rebellion against the matriarchy, most noblemen in the country are dead. Now the women of Amarra must obtain their husbands (should they want one) by kidnapping them from other kingdoms.

Olerra, a warrior princess vying for the throne, is determined to prove her worth by kidnapping a husband. And not just any husband. To outmaneuver her treacherous cousin, she needs the best. Fortunately, the second-born prince of their greatest enemy is widely known for both his looks and his sweet, docile temperament. He's the perfect choice to secure her claim to the throne.

Sanos, heir to the Kingdom of Brutus, has nothing but contempt for the idea of a society run by women. Trained from birth to fight, lead, and follow in his father's overbearing (misogynistic) footsteps, his path has always been set. Until he takes his younger brother's place in a drunken prank and finds himself kidnapped, carted off to the Amarran Palace, and informed that he is to become the husband of Queen Potential Olerra. Sanos needs to escape before anyone learns his real identity, but the more he gets to know his captor, the less sure he is of what he truly wants.

This was an un-put-downable book that had me hooked from the first page to the last. I loved the larger woman protagonist, Olerra, who kicked arse as heir apparent to the feminist kingdom of my dreams. I adored the way that Olerra schooled Sanos, raised by an abusive misogynist in a toxic patriarchal culture, in everything from sex and pleasure for women and men, to seduction and how not to be a toxic masculine douchbag. There's a lot of witty dialog, and the prose is like refined gold, shining and precious, while the plot was swift and full of adventure, battles and intrigue. I wish that there were 100 more books like this out there, because this was satisfying on a soul-deep level, while still being smart and whimsical. A magical spicy tale that manages to be cozy without being twee, I'd give this fantastic fantasy an A, and recommend it to all the romantasy readers who are tired of the "tiny and introverted virgin with big breasts" trope of female protagonists who fall for the nasty, creepy and nearly pedophilic male protagonist no matter how evil he is, just because he is good looking. 

 

A Theory of Dreaming by Ava Reid is a YA dark academia fantasy that is reminiscent of AS Byatt's Possession, which I read decades ago. The book is beautifully produced, with an elegant cover design and bookish end papers that are colorful and perfect for collectors. Here's the blurb: 

Return to the immersive dreamlike world of the dark academia fantasy A Study in Drowning as the aftermath of their first discovery pulls Effy and Preston on a final adventure and brings their haunting love story to its end in this stunning sequel and final book in the duology. This collector’s edition features stunning foil case design, antique-style endpapers, filigree cover, and gorgeous designed edges.

All stories come to an end.

Effy learned that when she defeated the Fairy King. Even though she may never know exactly what happened at Hiraeth, she is free of her nightmares and is able to pen a thesis with Preston on the beloved national fairytale Angharad. She has finally earned a spot at the literature college, making her the first woman in history to enroll.

But some dreams are dangerous, especially when they come true. The entire university—and soon the entire nation—is waiting for her to fail. With the Fairy King defeated and Myrddin’s legacy exposed, Effy can no longer escape into fantasy. Who is she without her stories?

With Effy under threat, Preston is surprised to discover a rage simmering inside him, ringing in his ears like bells. He begins to dream of a palace under the sea, a world where he is king—visions that start to follow him even in waking.

As the war between Llyr and Argant explodes, Effy and Preston find themselves caught in the crossfire: Effy losing her dreams and Preston losing himself in his.

Are dreams ever truly just dreams?

This drowsy darkish tale is in the end, something of a feminist polemic as well as a tale of love and doing what is right, no matter how hard of painful it may be. Poignant plot that is helped by the glistening, ephemeral prose. While I didn't love it, because the female protagonist, Effy, is such an anorexic weakling, and the male protagonist a possessive jerk, bent on rescuing his beloved, I also didn't hate it, and in the end, the HEA came about in a fairly organic fashion. I'd give this dreamy, gauzy story a B-, and recommend it to anyone who likes Seanan MacGuire's October Day fantasy stories.

 

Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry is an epic romantasy that is beautifully produced with a gilded cover design and pretty end papers. I had high hopes for this novel that were, unfortunately, dashed. Here's the blurb: Shield of Sparrows is a slow-burn, high-stakes romantasy—where enemies become lovers, monsters stalk a cursed realm, and a forgotten princess finds the strength to tear off her crown and become the warrior she was never meant to be.

The gods sent monsters to the five kingdoms to remind mortals they must kneel.
I’ve spent my life kneeling—to their will and to my father's. As a princess, my only duty is to wear the crown and obey the king.

I was never meant to rule. Never meant to fight. And I was never supposed to be the daughter who sealed an ancient treaty with her own blood.

But that changed the fateful day I stepped into my father’s throne room. The day a legendary monster hunter sailed to our shores. The day a prince ruined my life.

Now I’m crossing treacherous lands beside a warrior who despises me as much as I despise him—bound to a future I didn’t choose and a husband I barely know.
Everyone wants me to be something I’m not—a queen, a spy, a sacrifice.

But what if I refused the role chosen for me? What if I made my own rules? What if there’s power in being underestimated?
And what if—for the first time—I reached for it? 

 

This book starts with an engrossing premise of "what happens when a young woman who has been ignored her whole life by her family (in favor of a perfect sibling) suddenly becomes The Chosen One, by happenstance, and political maneuvering, and is sent on a mission bound to fail? I was looking forward to the female protagonist kicking some butt, but unfortunately, as the plot progresses, it veers into dark fantasy/horror, and by the last quarter of the book its full on battle gore and torture porn..blech. The ending was abrupt and unsatisfying, making it obvious that there's a tortuous sequel in the works, and I feel that the author got carried away with her gory descriptions, to the point of nausea, which is sad. There appears to have been no editor around to trim the bloated paragraphs describing every detail of death on the battlefield. You'll need a strong stomach to make it to the end of this overwritten tome. I'd give it a B-, and recommend it to those who love Stephen King or other horror related fantasies.

 

A Confluence of Obsidian by Lydia M Hawke is an urban fantasy thriller, book 3 in the series that I've read and enjoyed so far. Here's the blurb: 

The enemy of her enemy is not her friend ... but they may be her only hope.

Sister Monica has defeated the dark Mages' attempts to seize the magickal stone she holds ... so far. But victory has come at great personal cost, and one of her own has been kidnapped.

Now, in exchange for Talia's return, Monica's enemy demands not just the stone, but the ancient and powerful Methuselah to wield it for them. If she hands them over, the Mages will have unimaginable, awful power. If she doesn't, Talia will die.

But a second faction of Mages has emerged to offer Monica their help. She knows she can't trust them, but with no idea where to look for Talia, she may have no choice but to accept the alliance ...

And then hope to hell she can beat them at their own power game before they destroy the very fabric of the universe.

The novels in this series are short and fascinating,(clean and concise prose with an action-fueled plot that really moves) and are also page-turners that you will want to read in one sitting. Sister Monica is an older gal who still, despite all the problems, physical and mental, that come with age, manages to kick butt and rout the nasty male mages, bent on taking the stones of power and using them for evil.  I love how protective she is of her trans ward, and how she is so noble, and willing to give her last breath to save the other nuns and their followers. It's also important to note that a lot of the action takes place in Canada, and the good people are all Canadians who give selflessly to the nuns cause. The other nuns also kick rump, with several of them being Molotov cocktail experts and others able to wield weapons that most would think they're too old and infirm to use. These books always end in a defeat of the bad guys and a small win for the good gals, which is delightful. I'd give this novella (under 300 pages) an A, and recommend it to anyone who has read any of the other obsidian books.