I’m addicted to trashy romance novels.
But I’m on meds, so it’s OK.
When I say “trashy romance,” it encompasses everything from preachy inspirationals to sappy historicals to M/M suspense to really kinky BDSM stuff. Haven’t yet found all of those in a single book, though.
I have a degree in journalism and half a master’s in library science, and my day job is Code Geek and writer/editor of Boring Corporate Stuff. Other than that, I have no actual literary qualifications beyond reading lots and lots and lots of books.
Read this important stuff:
- The official disclosures and disclaimers about how I’m too noble and high-minded for all that ‘”paid review” bullshit.
- The long-winded, self-important and mostly useless analysis of how I assign letter grades.
Things that make me happy:
Rochester: GOOD
- Heroines named Minerva
- Bluestockings
- Smartass heroines
- Beta heroes
- Historical heroes who have actual jobs
- Scholarly, artistic and/or nerdy heroes
- Friends-to-lovers plots
- Enemies-to-lovers plots
- Smartass heroine vs. uptight hero plots
- Atmospheric settings with believable world-building
- Baseball players
- Book trances
Examples: My Desert Island Keepers (DIKs)
Things that piss me off:
Heathcliff: BAD
- Asshole “heroes” and manwhores
- Misogyny
- Spineless and/or clueless heroines
- Lazy writing mechanics
- Bad editing and formatting
- Mistoricals
- Misogyny
- Magical Orgasm Cures
- Misogyny
- Big Misunderstandings
- Secret Babies
- Misogyny
Examples: The List O’ What-The-Fuckery
And just so I don’t sound like a complete bitch: No matter how bad a book is, that author is a hell of a lot braver than I am, because it takes serious balls to write and publish fiction.
