time travel — Blog — lindsay emory

Reminder/ Caveat/ Disclaimer: This is my (hopefully) monthly list of books I’ve read and enjoyed. These are not reviews, I do not include books I didn’t enjoy because life is too short to speak badly of books!

Yes, dear reader, I skipped my BBTRN post for February. Life, man. Also, DNFs. Also... I was catching up on some of my favorite series and I didn't want my whole blog post to be about book 9 and 10 of a great series...

Like Darynda Jones' Charley Davidson series. I wrote about this series before and like I said then, I don't know how I got behind (except, y'know, LIFE) and obviously it took me longer than I'd like to catch up but oh man, Darynda just never disappoints. In The Dirt on Ninth Grave and The Curse on Tenth Grave Charley and her ragtag crew of (other)worldly friends are still funny, loyal, sexy and mysterious. Exactly what I love to read. And yes, I'm already behind again because Eleventh Grave in Moonlight is already out and waiting for me...

Y'all.

Those of you who have seen me in person have probably already heard me gush about the Winston Brothers series, about seven (mostly bearded) sexy siblings. From the humor to the dialogue to the fantastic covers, I loved these up and down. For some reason, I read book 3, Beard Science, and then book 1, Truth or Beard and I can attest to the fact that you will love the Winston Brothers in all the various birth orders. Do not amble, stroll, mosey or otherwise lollygag, RUN to your local internet book retailer and start (wherever you please) with these books and then come talk to me about them and we can sigh and giggle over them together.

Right after I saw Ms. Quarles win the RITA for Must Love Chainmail last year in San Diego, she popped it on sale and I nabbed it. I like time travel historicals (oh hai Jamie Fraser) but I hadn't read a medieval book in decades, probably, so I just needed to be in the right mood, which I was in February (probably because I had an inexplicable urge to put on armor and grab a very big weapon and fight against tyrannical kings.) I chomped this one down fast. The historical details were fascinating and well-researched, the romance lovely, the suspense immediate. I like the slight twist on the typical time-travel ending (it's an HEA, don't worry) and the fact that the two characters couldn't understand each other immediately (modern day English is very different from 13th century English). I'm definitely going to pick up her other books in this series, Must Love Breeches and Must Love Kilts to tide me over until Outlander returns...

Big Little Lies was my book club selection for January/February and mostly because I saw the HBO show was starting and remembered I always wanted to read a Liane Moriarty book. I'm pretty embarrassed it took me this long but... um... see my Darynda Jones delays. I'm a busy woman. I can't read everything! I loved the book. I found it refreshing, suspenseful and real and I've got a couple of episodes saved up to binge watch this weekend. (I've heard great things - are you watching?)

As always, I'd love to hear about what you're reading, watching and loving lately. Hit me up on my Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter and Facebook. And are you subscribed to my newsletter? I hope to have some announcements about new books coming soon!

P.S. I'm also participating in a multi-author contest this week featuring books with women sleuths! Check it out here to win 45+ books!

Um...how did it get to be summer already? The kids are out of school, the weather is getting too sticky for my walks and I'm finding myself reaching for a beautiful chilled rose instead of a cup of tea.

Summer is such a fabulous reading time, isn't it? You've got trips and vacations and lazy days by a pool or the lake and we all need reads that will take us away.

Once again, I've got an interesting mix this month. I dug up some reads from my TBR pile, took a chance on a new trope and indulged in continuing a series.

Silent in the Sanctuary / Silent on the Moor by Deanna Raybourn

First up? Two more Lady Julia Gray mysteries! My husband and I were able to escape to Cabo San Lucas for a quick getaway to celebrate my birthday. I posted pics on my

instagram

and our trip was as heavenly as it looked. I have this (strange?) affinity for reading about rainy, cold locations while sweltering by a pool so reading about Lady Julia Gray at Belmont Abbey and on the Yorkshire moors was perfect for me.

Silent in the Sanctuary

kept me guessing the entire time and

Silent on the Moor

was an unusual mystery in that it was piecing together a mystery from the past. Two more winners from Ms. Raybourn.

A Bollywood Affair by Sonali Dev

Shamefully, this book has been in my Kindle for YEARS. YEARS. Y'all know how that happens. You one-click a book because of rave reviews and a gorgeous cover and then... life. Other books. Pretty soon, your new pretty book is on page four or five in your Paperwhite and you keep thinking, "why haven't I read

A Bollywood Affair

" when you see the constant recommendations on Twitter. So because I'm awesome like that, I finally opened this one... and I couldn't put it down.

It's a contemporary Indian romance, set in the U.S. (... mostly) but the characters are wholly influenced by their culture and history back in India. There's a complicated relationship between the hero and heroine - you know, your typical "my brother's annulled child bride" trope. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the unique cultural and plot points and Ms. Dev truly shines in writing characters jump off the page, fully realized and nuanced and loveable.

Simply Irresistible by Rachel Gibson

Speaking of tropes, the secret baby trope is... not my favorite. Especially in contemporary romance. A few years ago, I gave one a shot and, um. Let's just say I was not planning on reading another one. Until I was listening to the

Avon on the Air podcast

and Sarah MacLean said this was the secret baby book that would convert people who didn't like secret baby books and while I respect Ms. MacLean's professional expertise, I was dubious. Because SECRET BABY, y'all. But I bought it because HOCKEY PLAYER HERO. You see where my priorities lie.

Turns out, Sarah MacLean was right. *sigh* This book is a joy, the characters totally made me believe in the secret baby and I'm *semi* converted to secret baby books if they're recommended by Ms. MacLean.

*Note* on Avon on the Air. I'm trying really hard to be respectful here and call Lucia Macro and Sarah MacLean by their proper names. Because when I listen to this podcast, I'm totally calling them "Lu" and "Mac" and discussing books in my head with them (or whoever's on the podcast.) I just love talking books, even if its an imaginary conversation.

See

, also, this blog. If y'all know of any other awesome book podcasts, let me know because I'll happily talk to other podcasters in my head.

Or if you know other good secret baby books, let me know about those, too. I will readily admit that I could be, maybe, a little wrong about secret babies.

The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley

Here's another from the TBR pile. This one, unlike A Bollywood Affair was not buried in my kindle. It was on my bookcase. Because it was an actual, physical hardcopy of the book (shocker, right?) that my mom had 'loaned' to me a few years ago. I always knew I'd like Susanna Kearsley's timetravel-esque book about 18th century Scotland because I have a well-documented love for other time-travelly 18th century Scotland books. *cough* Outlander *cough*

On a side note, this season's

Outlander

is KILLING ME. Just knowing what is coming at the end of the season is preliminarily devastating me. I'm texting my friends after each episode asking them for comfort because the end is going to be so exquisitely terrible and then we'll have to wait a stupid amount of time before Season 3 starts...

or maybe not

So yes, Ms. Kearsley's novel did not disappoint. It flips back and forth between the past and present and while no actual time-travel takes place, you, the reader, feels as if it has. I can't wait to read another Kearsley novel, especially after I heard her

interview on the SMART BITCHES podcast.

(another podcast where I talk to another Sarah in my head all the time. I swear, I'm completely normal.)

And that's it for this month! I'm not sure I'll have an official BEST BOOKS TO READ NOW post in July. I'm doing a lot of non-fiction research for a new book I'm writing and I'll be headed to RWA nationals in San Diego (where I'll be sure to add to my TBR pile, natch). I may do a Best of Best Books post instead and then my usual post RWA roundup.

Oh! I'm also busy getting this little baby out the door.

The Last Plus One

Her release date is 6.13.16 and you can read more about it here. If you're not already, make sure you like

THE LAST PLUS ONE facebook page

and

. We're doing a few giveaways, posting excerpts and talking about weddings and you don't want to miss any of that.

As always, keep reading and let me know if you read something amazing!

Best Books to Read Now - March 2017

Best Books to Read Now - June 2016