906 — What is your SC’s response to stress?

I'll take Frances as my SC in this case, from 'Fight for the Future'.

She grew up on a farm with six younger sisters and loving parents, so she looks first for someone to lean on, but then she steps up without complaint. She'll retreat at first from overwhelming stress, but gather herself and come back to face it.

#PlannedPossibilities #Shapeshifter #Werewolves #SFRomance #Lancashire #SF

#QueerRomanceClub June selection— Navigational Entanglements

I do like a novella (I resent paying upper-end novel prices for novellas, but that’s a different story), and I especially like Aliette de Bodard’s Xuya universe. I thought I’d been quite patchy at reading them but looking at the titles, I realise I’ve read almost all of them over time.

This one is typical of the rest — deep and very effective Viet-influenced world-building without wasting too many words explaining it, a plot that involves juniors in a strict hierarchical structure having to in some way rebel against their elders, with a low-key f/f romance woven through it. Nice to have an almost entirely female cast too. Was not sure why a navigation clan needed assassins, though, but it was taken at face value, so I guess the politics are just robust (as we go on to learn…but then, why the shock from the juniors then…)

De Bodard often has a f/f dynamic which is older/powerful/mysterious woman and younger, wide-eyed girl, so it was nice to have a relatively equal flaws-compliment-each-other relationship, and I liked the way mutual trust played into the finale.

But the downside of a novella is that there’s not always the full depth devoted to the relationship, so it all happens a bit fast. Also, I didn’t always follow why the characters were getting annoyed at each other eg we’d be told Nhi was being unpleasant but the dialogue just didn’t *sound* that unpleasant (this is likely just me being accustomed to sassy banter).

Annoyingly, and no fault of the author’s, Sư phụ (master) displayed as S ph on my Kobo ereader, and feel like if the publisher is charging that much, they could have afforded having a minion check that.

@queerromanceclub @bookstodon #SFF #SFRomance

Queer Romance Club — Ocean’s Echo by Everina Maxwell

Very mild spoilers to end of part 1, but I know some readers don’t want even very mild spoilers, so into the secret-sauce box it goes…

I’m thoroughly enjoying this so far. I did have a moment where I thought, mind control powers are acceptable but mind-reading is despised, that seems unlikely, but then I realised in a military-dominated society, that’s pretty much exactly how it would go. I’ll be interested to see Tennal (or someone) do a deep-read.

I like both characters. I like Tennal and his self-described “rich-kid bullshit” — he’s annoying as shit, and IRL I would avoid him like the plague, but in fiction, very distinct from contemporary settings, I can enjoy his stubborn malicious-compliance tactics. I’m assuming there’s more than what feels like ADHD-driven historical adolescent conflict with his aunt behind his behaviour and bad habits, possibly to do with the unaccounted-for gen-parent.

I fully appreciate that he’s following the rules as a little shit and Surit is following the rules as a good little soldier, to the same effect, and then the commander waltzes in and swats them both like bugs with a fine-boys-we’ll-follow-the-rules-then strategy.

1/2

#QueerRomanceClub @queerromanceclub
@bookstodon #books #LGBTQRomance #SFRomance

Celebrating the Summer Solstice, I'm part of this awesome The Solstice Day FREE eBook Event! (Starts today!)

Lots of SciFi, Fantasy and Romance subgenres of both.

https://sffbookblast.com/event/

Space Rogues 1 is included in the group!
#spaceopera #bookstodon @bookstodon #scifibooks #Fantasybooks #SFROmance

I just finished my e-ARC of @skyekilaen 's Too Dangerous to Keep, the 3rd novella in her 5-novella science fiction thriller/romance series for adults (All These Gifts), and it was so much fun! I can't wait for #4. Here's my full Goodreads review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5303622906

#bookstodon #SF #SFRomance #ScienceFiction #Novella #Bookstodon #SapphicRomance #SapphicSF

Ooh, this new flash-fiction story from @jennreese is such a lovely, quiet, perfect SF romance: https://www.flashfictiononline.com/article/it-begins-with-raven

#SFRomance #ShortStories

I have my yearly giveaway going right now until Christmas. Sign up to win signed books and other prizes!

Link: https://www.jcandrijeski.com/post/jc-s-big-holiday-2022-giveaway

#Bookstodon #giveaway #scifi #sfromance #romance #paranormal #mystery #apocalypse

Ich habe für #TORonline was über #Romantasy geschrieben, was es da aktuell gibt, inkl. #SFRomance, und warum es wohl keine Romantasy-Flut wie vor über zehn Jahren geben wird:

https://www.tor-online.de/magazin/fantasy/liebe-sex-und-magie-trends-der-romantasy