Owlcrate Subscription Box

OwlCrate is a YA subscription box service that ships out one book a month, plus several gift items, all sticking with a theme. Now, I’m a fan of YA lit and I’m a fan of getting shit in the mail and I know a lot of people who would enjoy something like this as a gift, so I wanted to check it out. I am sad to report that OwlCrate is not actually delivered by owls, which is disappointing but makes sense logistically.

Like most subscription box services, you can sign up for one box, three boxes or six boxes at a time. The more you buy at once, the cheaper they are. Individual boxes are $29.99 plus shipping, which varies based on destination. For me, with domestic US shipping, one box costs $36.98. A three month subscription, plus a 10% newcomer discount, totaled $33.09 per box when shipping was factored in. Most subscription box services that I’ve looked into range from $30 to $50 so this was about what I was expecting.

I was very excited when June’s box came because I was having an exhausting day and coming home to find a present that I knew contained a book brightened my spirits considerably. I poured a glass of wine and tore that box open.

The theme for June was “Royalty.” The book for June was My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows. As a fan of historical fiction and a fan of the Tudor era, I was very happy to see this book. Also included were three magnetic bookmarks by Crafted Van. I immediately looked them up on Etsy and found this wedding card which will be the only wedding card I ever buy again. There was also a paper crown and card with a quote from Red Queen ( A | BN | K | G | ARe | iB ) on it.

Further digging revealed a Funko Mystery Mini Disney figurine. I will own up to not understanding the appeal of Funko Pop. I kind of the think the figurines heads look like the head of a dick that someone drew eyes on. I opened my mystery mini and got Elsa from Frozen, and that made me happy, too, because I like Elsa.

Inside a bag from Rich Love Shoppe was a metal bracelet featuring a quote from Cinder ( A | BN | K | G | ARe | iB | Au | Scribd ): “Even in the future the story begins with once upon a time.” Lastly there was a coupon for $10 off a bookmark from My Bookmark Shop.com.

Overall I was happy with my first box. I liked the book, I liked the bookmarks, I really liked the bracelet, and the Elsa figurine was actually pretty cute. I thought the paper crown was fine, but it’s one of those things that’s going to get trashed pretty quickly. The card with the quote from Red Queen was pretty, but I wasn’t going to do anything with it. I looked up the website for the bookmark coupon and discovered that the bookmarks retailed for $25. Even after $10 off, I am not spending $15 on a bookmark.

A | BN | K | ARe | iB

Assuming the lowest price for everything that’s $43.16, so I came out ahead in terms of monetary value. But I wasn’t going to make a judgement based on one box.

The theme for July was “Good vs Evil” and since I’m pretty solidly Team Evil, I had hoped that’s the box I would get. I was a little bummed to get the “Good” box, but hey, the OwlCrate people don’t know me personally so…

Both July boxes featured the book This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab ( A | BN | K | G | ARe | iB ), plus a signed bookplate by the author. I’d actually had this book sitting in my Amazon cart, but hadn’t clicked buy yet on the off chance it would be the selection for OwlCrate so I was pretty excited and proud of my psychic abilities. This book is about MONSTERS people!

The box also came with an Alice in Wonderland bookmark from Jane’s Tiny Things, a 4 x 6″ vinyl sticker with the quote “You have me. Until the last star in the galaxy dies, you have me” from Illuminae by Amie Kaufman ( A | BN | K | G | ARe | iB ), a Millennium Falcon necklace by Vector Engraving, a small coloring book, and a Dobby Funk Pop.

Now, I still don’t get Funko Pop and even if I did, I think the Dobby one is hideous, but I friggin’ loved that Millennium Falcon necklace. Look how gorgeous it is:

Pricing this box out, the book is $10.36  and Funko Dobby is $10.99 on Amazon. The bookmark goes for $4.00 and the necklace for $16.00 on Etsy. Even though Dobby is getting regifted, I’m still coming out about $10 ahead.

For me, OwlCrate is worth it. I read enough YA to enjoy the book selection, and for two months in a row I’ve loved the jewelry and the bookmarks. I think there’s a component I can’t put a price on, too, and that’s coming home and basically having a present delivered to your door every month. Even if I don’t love every single item in the box, I look forward to it. I look forward to getting mail that isn’t a bill or a request for a donation or a political flyer.

So far I’m keeping up my subscription (and planning my outfit around the Millennium Falcon pendant). Dewey was just as excited about July’s box as June’s, and I gave my husband my sappy sticker, so basically everyone in my house is happy.

So yesterday this came* in the mail among the new releases*:

Yup. Must Love Wieners ( A | BN | K | G | ARe | iB ). 

I think my reaction was pretty much this:

I get that covers and titles and images, that’s all marketing, designed to make a book stand out* and leap off the shelf toward the reader.

But wow. Must. Love. Wieners.

That’s a whole other level.

I suppose it was only a matter of time, since we have no shortage of pun-tastic or contemporary-referencing titles in historicals.

Cover and title trends evolve quickly, and it’s what’s inside* that I’m actually after, so whatevs.

But then, oh, but THEN.

There’s the cover copy for Must Love Wieners. 

Oh, yes.

Hold onto yourselves*, here.

Piper Summers works like a dog juggling three jobs to put herself through veterinary school―driving taxis, delivering pizzas, and singing telegrams. Thankfully, Piper has her devoted dachshund Colin to help her keep things in line. That is, until she gets fired…and someone throws her a bone that is too good to resist.

Aiden Caldwell is an Armani ad come to life―a billionaire CEO who’s just adopted a dachshund from the rescue center where Piper volunteers. He’s hot on Piper’s tail to be his personal dog walker…but he may be after more than a walker for his wiener.

The gorgeous, spirited Piper is everything he’s ever wanted from a woman―and more. But can Piper ever love, and trust, a man who has never learned to open his heart―or has she bitten off more than she can chew?

AWWW YESSSSS.

They REALLY DID go there.

THEY WENT FULL WIENER!

via GIPHY

This day is like a holiday inside the Pink Palace. Not only are the gifs throbbing* fast and furious, but Amanda got to legit message me and say, “Wiener is in.”

To quote RedHeadedGirl, “Someone is super proud of that cover copy.”

I’m kind of sad that the book entering my house was the first I’d heard of it.

What a glorious day to be alive! Right?! Right!

We can all go back to bed now. Full Wiener has been achieved.

*you know all these puns were intended.

Sarah chats with Robin Bradford, known as @Tuphlos on Twitter, and the 2016 RWA Librarian of the Year! They discuss how collection development works, what her responsibilities are, and how she acquires different materials for her library system. They also cover how library acquisitions and methods of cataloging genre fiction have changed since she started her career as a librarian. The conversation touches on greater inclusivity in library collections and on librarians accepting and acquiring self published materials – related topics given how much increased racial and cultural representation is found particularly in self-published genre fiction.

Read the transcript →

Here are the books we discuss in this podcast:

You can follow Robin on Twitter at @Tuphlos, where she regularly posts about books she’s acquiring for her library system.

She also mentioned:

• Fantasy Book Critic’s Upcoming Releases page
• Library Journal’s Self-E
• Stop You’re Killing Me 

If you like the podcast, you can subscribe to our feed, or find us at iTunes. You can also find us at PodcastPickle and on Stitcher, too. We also have a cool page for the podcast on iTunes.

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What did you think of today's episode? Got ideas? Suggestions? You can talk to us on the blog entries for the podcast or talk to us on Facebook if that's where you hang out online. You can email us at sbjpodcast@gmail.com or you can call and leave us a message at our Google voice number: 201-371-3272. Please don't forget to give us a name and where you're calling from so we can work your message into an upcoming podcast.

Thanks for listening!

This Episode's Music

Our music is provided by Sassy Outwater each week. This is the Peatbog Faeries brand new album Blackhouse. This track is called “The Chatham Lassies.”

You can find their new album at Amazon, at iTunes, or wherever you like to buy your fine music.

Podcast Sponsor

This episode is sponsored by Burn Down the Night by M. O’Keefe.

Set in the world of M. O’Keefe’s bestselling Everything I Left Unsaid, Burn Down the Night follows a beautiful con woman takes a bad-boy biker hostage in this edgy, seductive novel.

The only thing that matters to me is rescuing my sister from the drug-cooking cult that once enslaved us both. I’ve run cons my whole life, and I’ll use my body to get whatever I need. Max Daniels is the last connection I have to that world, the one person reckless enough to get involved. Besides, now that his brothers have turned on him, he needs me too.

The deal was supposed to be simple: a place to hide in exchange for rescuing my sister. Now he’s my prisoner. Totally at my mercy. But I’m the one captivated. Enthralled. Doing everything he asks of me until I’m not sure who’s in control.

We both crave the heat. The more it hurts, the better. But what if Max wants a different life now, to leave the game . . . to love me? I thought I knew better than to get burned. Now I’m in too deep to pull away. And the crazy thing is . . . I don’t want to.

Available August 9.

Transcript Sponsor

The podcast transcript is brought to you by Happily Ever Afterlives, a  2-in-1 reissue of sexy Regency paranormal novellas by author Olivia Waite, who says,  “They’re witty and Gothic but not too dark, and they offer the chance to learn just how Lucifer feels about violin music.”

DAMNED IF YOU DO: Lord Lambourne’s sexual prowess has unfortunately condemned him to Hell for lust. But sharp and sultry Idared EYE da red, the demoness assigned to punish him, is proving to be his greatest temptation yet. Too bad Lambourne’s mortal fiancée and her awful violin are on their way to rescue him.

HELL AND HELLION: Virginia Greening always loved the dash and dazzle of London society — but after being jilted by the man she rescued from Hell, the pitying looks and backhanded whispers only leave her feeling left out. Worse, since her return she’s started seeing demons lurking in the corners of every proper parlor. Her soul is off-limits to them, but they don’t make for comfortable company.

Then one night incubus James Grieve strides naked onto a ballroom floor and asks her to dance. Miss Greening has nothing to lose, so she and her incubus are soon indulging in any number of passionate sins and pleasurable vices. Until James develops a most inconvenient soul of his own…

Remember to subscribe to our podcast feed, find us on iTunes, via PodcastPickle, or on Stitcher.

NB: Welcome to Flashback Friday! During FBF, we’ll be resurrecting older posts and reviews that are relevant to things we’ve published on the site this week. Since Elyse enjoyed her OwlCrate subscription, we’re featuring another bookish box that was well-received! This post was originally published April 18, 2016.

We got an offer from Bawdy Bookworms to review their new subscription box, which consists of a book, an adult toy, and “2-3 sensual surprises.” They offer a quarterly subscription, for $34.95 (plus $6 shipping) or single boxes at $39.95 (plus $6 shipping). I had them send me one.

The concept, as explained on the website, was born from women who came to romance and erotica by way of Fifty Shades of Grey saying, “What should I read next? Does that actually feel good?” So to help with paralysis of choice, and to help women explore their own sexual pleasure, founder Thien-Kim Lam, started up Bawdy Bookworms.

It came in a plain box without Bawdy Bookworms on the label, so the UPS guy had no questions about what this was (hell, I forgot it was coming, so I was confused about this box!) (the poor UPS guy delivers a lot of packages to me with “Smart Bitches Trashy Books” on the address, and he has SO MANY QUESTIONS but won’t ask. Roommates and I are united in our plan to not tell him until he uses his words).  (NB: The FAQ also says that credit card statements do not say anything about Bawdy Bookworms, either.)

In this box was a copy of Christina Lauren’s Beautiful Secret, a small vibrator, some lube, a cookie, and a packet of tea.

I have not read any of Lauren’s books before, but have heard all sort of things (Amanda loves her/them).  As an item in a box designed for 102-level erotica, I think it’s a solid choice.

The vibrator was a Trinity Vibes Velvet Vibe– small, discreet, waterproof. One of the great things is that Bawdy Bookworms includes batteries in the boxes.

The cookie was very nice, as was the tea. I’m not sure how that really counts as a sensual surprise, but the book has a British hero, so tea and a shortbread make sense.

The real question, and once I can’t answer with just one box, is how the quality of selection holds up, and, quite frankly, how varied the toys are. If what is typically sent includes a variety of small vibrators, but in different colors, that’s not worth it, but one of the pictures on the site is a set of ben-wa balls, and Thien-Kim seems to have a good head on her shoulders, so I have confidence in her ability to make good choices for her subscribers.

This box had a vibrator that retails at $22.99 (full price) and a book that’s $16.00, plus a few dollars in tea and lube. The math works out in the favor of the reader, and if their choices in books and toys continues to be solid, then yes, I’d recommend this.  If the recipient is someone who wants to explore more erotica and wants someone else to say “Hey, I think this is good, try this,” then yes, give it a shot.

And I can think of a number of games one could play with the toys!

Bawdy Bookworms is also offering a discount code for Smart Bitches readers – free shipping on your first quarterly box with the code SMARTB. At this time, they only ship within the United States, and there are a limited number of boxes per quarter available.

I’m excited to see what comes next month! (HA!)

The transcript for Podcast 207. An Interview With Robin Bradford, Genre Avenger and RWA Librarian of the Year has been posted!

This podcast transcript was handcrafted with meticulous skill by Garlic Knitter. Many thanks.

❤ Click here to subscribe to The Podcast →

This month in Kickass Women it is my great pleasure to introduce you to Sayyida al Hurra, Islamic pirate queen. She was a woman so badass that her title (Sayyida al Hurra was technically her title, not her name) means “noble lady who is free and independent; the woman sovereign who bows to no superior authority.”

FUCK YEAH, IT DOES. I’m writing that on all my nametags from now on.

According to my best friend Wikipedia, her full name and title was Sayyida al-Hurra bint Ali ibn Rashid al-Alami, Hakimat Titwan. ‘Sayyida’ refers to the daughter of a descendent of Muhammad’ and is an honorific. ‘Hakimat’ means ‘ruler’ and ‘Titwan’ refers to Tetouan, Morocco. She lived from around 1485 to sometime after 1542 – the date and cause of her death are unknown.

She was born in Granada, Spain. When she was born, this was the last Muslim-ruled kingdom in Spain. When it fell during the Reconquista, her family fled to Morocco. She grew up in luxurious surroundings, but was haunted by the thought of the home they had lost. She married a much older man in an arranged marriage when she was sixteen. When her husband died, she became the governor of Tetouan. She married the King of Fes, and she insisted that her husband come to Tetouan to marry her instead of her joining him in Fes, and she continued to live and rule in Tetouan.

Sayyida al Hurra never stopped resenting Spain for overthrowing the Muslims in Granada. She teamed up with the Turkish pirate Barbarossa. His pirate fleet harassed the Spanish and Portuguese in the Eastern Mediterranean and her fleet took over the Western Mediterranean. Anyone who wanted to negotiate regarding prisoners had to deal with her, and she was respected as a leader by the Spanish Christians. She was popular with her own people, who enjoyed the wealth Sayyida’s pirates brought to the area.

Sayidda al Hurra ruled for thirty years. In 1542, her son-in-law overthrew her. We know that he took away her property and titles, but we don’t know what happened to her after that or when or how she died.

Below is one of my sources – a short but incredibly informative video. Enjoy!

Other sources (other than those linked above) included:

“Sayyid al Hurra, Beloved Avenging Islamic Pirate Queen,” by Laura Sook Duncombe for Pictorial

Jason Bourne

by Paul Greengrass & Christopher Rouse
Universal Pictures

Jason Bourne is the fifth movie in the Bourne franchise, and marks the return of Paul Greengrass and Matt Damon to the series. In a year full of franchises, sequels, and reboots, this was one I was kind of looking forward to.  Along with Matty, in the cast we also have Tommy Lee Jones, Alicia Vikander, Vincent Cassel, and Riz Ahmed.

It’s okay? It takes the best bits (and one really terrible bit) from Bournes 1, 2, and 3, and recycles them.  Not much is added, save Vikander, who brings the number of Oscars in this movie to three. It’s profoundly frustrating that like in Bourne 2, a woman gets killed off in the first act to kickstart the action. But we have the Big Bad of the CIA as the puppetmaster, someone within helping Bourne out, another assassin trying to kill Bourne, and Bourne JUST. TRYING. TO. FIGURE. OUT. THE. PLOT. (Also we throw in some “hey, this whole privacy thing is a mess, eh?” which, yeah, it is. Hey, Russia. What’s good?)

The best part was the main climax took place in Vegas, and having decided that I dislike Vegas a LOT, it was fun watching the Strip get smashed up. Also, Greengrass is great at action scenes. Plus, we (the Bitchery) had dinner at Aria during RT, where the non-car chase action happens, and it’s a pity that no one stopped to grab some tapas.  Why is everyone so mad? Have some creme brulee and everyone will be MUCH happier.

Jason Bourne is in theaters (US) and you can find tickets at Fandango and Moviefone.

After many (many) submissions for our Movie Matinee we have a fantastic list of films past and present to take us well into the future for our monthly re-watch. This month, a movie that received a hefty number of reader nominations: South Pacific. This is the 1958 movie version of the 1949 musical by Rodgers and Hammerstein, based on the book Tales of the South Pacific by James A. Michener. The book won the Pulitzer, the movie won an Oscar, and the musical won a boatload of Tonys plus another Pulitzer. That’s a lot of meta and award winning.

If you’re not familiar, here’s a very basic summary:

Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Academy Award-winning “South Pacific” is a towering musical masterpiece and the tender love story of a naive young Navy nurse (Mitzi Gaynor) and an older French Plantation owner (Rossano Brazzi) on a U.S. occupied South Sea island. The breathtaking score is highlighted by some of the most romantic songs ever written: “Some Enchanted Evening,” “There is Nothin’ Like a Dame,” “Younger Than Springtime” and more. Winner of the Pulitzer Prize, South Pacific ranks among the most celebrated of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s acclaimed musicals.

I have to say, I’m hesitant about this one: I’m not a musicals person. I was in some in middle school, and I like performing, but watching them gives me a massive case of the everlasting bored-nows. BUT, there are a LOT of comments about this musical that give me some optimism that I might like it. What about you? Are you a fan of this show, or of musicals, or movies of musicals, or movies of musicals based on books?

South Pacific is available for around $3-4 to rent and $12-15 to buy digitally on iTunes, Google:Play, and Amazon, and the DVD can be found at your local library, or cheaply online in new and used condition from Amazon or Alibris.

Join us Sunday, August 28, for our discussion of South Pacific!

There are some great Kindle Daily Deals today on top of Marrying Winterbourne by Lisa Kleypas, including romances from Nora Roberts and Susan Mallery! Check out the full list here!

Marrying Winterborne

RECOMMENDED: Marrying Winterbourne by Lisa Kleypas is $1.99! This is a Kindle Daily Deal and is being price-matched by iBooks. Barnes & Noble also has it on sale for $2.99! Elyse gave it a B- in a Lightning Review, saying it was good but not Kleypas-good:

Marrying Winterborne was a little bit of a disappointment because I expect SO MUCH from a Kleypas novel, but somehow also compulsively readable. It’s the direct sequel to Cold-Hearted Rake and best read after that book in order to provide context.

A ruthless tycoon

Savage ambition has brought common-born Rhys Winterborne vast wealth and success. In business and beyond, Rhys gets exactly what he wants. And from the moment he meets the shy, aristocratic Lady Helen Ravenel, he is determined to possess her. If he must take her virtue to ensure she marries him, so much the better…

A sheltered beauty

Helen has had little contact with the glittering, cynical world of London society. Yet Rhys’s determined seduction awakens an intense mutual passion. Helen’s gentle upbringing belies a stubborn conviction that only she can tame her unruly husband. As Rhys’s enemies conspire against them, Helen must trust him with her darkest secret. The risks are unthinkable…the reward, a lifetime of incomparable bliss. And it all begins with…

Marrying Mr. Winterborne.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

This book is on sale at:

 

 

 

Kiss of Steel

RECOMMENDED: Kiss of Steel by Bec McMaster is $2.99! The second book is also on sale for less than $4. This is a steampunk romance, to which Elyse gave an A+ grade:

McMaster’s London Steampunk series is everything I want in a steampunk world–richly imagined, gritty and dark, and full of hot heroes and hot sex. Yes, the sex in this book is utterly delicious. Feel free to stop reading this now and order the book. Also, the hero is a cockney-accented, leather-clad, bad-boy vampire, so if Spike from Buffy gave you tingles? Yeah, go buy this book.

This steampunk world is more paranormal than clockwork, though. Normally I’m not all about the vampire/werewolf (can they EVER be friends?!?!) paranormals, but it totally worked for me here.

Most people avoid the dreaded Whitechapel district. For Honoria Todd, it’s the last safe haven. But at what price?

Blade is known as the master of the rookeries—no one dares cross him. It’s been said he faced down the Echelon’s army single–handedly, that ever since being infected by the blood–craving he’s been quicker, stronger, and almost immortal.

When Honoria shows up at his door, his tenuous control comes close to snapping. She’s so…innocent. He doesn’t see her backbone of steel—or that she could be the very salvation he’s been seeking.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

This book is on sale at:

 

 

 

Her Perfect Mate

Her Perfect Mate by Paige Tyler is $2.99! This is a paranormal romance with a Special Forces hero and a shifter heroine, and I’m all sorts of intrigued. Readers felt that this was a good start to the X-Ops series with great world-building. However, some said the romance fell flat compared to everything else. Have you read this one?

Their attraction is more dangerous than any weapon of mass destruction

When Special Forces Captain Landon Donovan is chosen for an assignment with the Department of Covert Operations, he’s stunned to find his new partner is a beautiful woman who looks like she couldn’t hurt a fly, much less take down a terrorist.

Ivy Halliwell isn’t your average covert op. Her feline DNA means she can literally bring out the claws when things get dicey. She isn’t thrilled to be paired with yet another military grunt, but Landon is different. He doesn’t think she’s a freak-and he’s smokin’ hot. Soon they’re facing a threat even greater than anyone imagines… and an animal magnetism impossible to ignore.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

This book is on sale at:

 

 

 

Unleashed

Unleashed by Sara Humphreys is $1.99! This is a paranormal romance with shifters and the hero is the heroine’s neighbor. Some readers found the book to be pretty boring, while others enjoyed the world Humphreys created with shifter clans. It has a 3.8-star rating on Goodreads.

What if you suddenly discovered your own powers were beyond anything you’d ever imagined…

Samantha Logan’s childhood home had always been a haven, but everything changed while she was away. She has a gorgeous new neighbor, Malcolm, who introduces her to the amazing world of the dream-walking, shapeshifting Amoveo clans…but what leaves her reeling with disbelief is when he tells her she’s one of them…

And shock turns to terror as Samantha falls prey to the deadly enemy determined to destroy the Amoveo, and the only chance she has to come into her true powers is to trust in Malcolm to show her the way…

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

This book is on sale at:

 

 

 

Legend of the Highland Dragon

Legend of the Highland Dragon by Isabel Cooper is 99c! This is the first book in the Highland Dragons series. Several reviewers felt they were misled by the cover, expecting a warrior hero and a romance with lots of action. However, others loved the Victorian England setting mixed with dragons and paranormal elements. The second book is also on sale for $2.99!

He Guards a Ferocious Secret

In Victorian England, gossip is often as precious as gold. But the Highlanders are a more mysterious bunch. And if anyone found out that Stephen MacAlasdair really was, he’d be hunted down, murdered, his clan wiped out. As he’s called to London on business, he’ll have to be extra vigilant—especially between sunset and the appearance of the first evening star.

Mina just wanted to find out more about the arrogant man who showed up in her employer’s office. Some might say it was part of her job. She never thought the stranger would turn into a dragon right in front of her. Or that he’d then offer her an outrageous sum of money to serve as his personal secretary. Working together night and day to track a dangerous enemy, Mina comes to see a man in love is more powerful and determined than any dragon.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

This book is on sale at:

 

 

 

It’s no secret that I’m a huge Mary Robinette Kowal fan. She’s gracious in person and challenging, inspiring, and funny in print, and she does puppetry and hand sews Regency dresses, so I’d be disposed to follow her around like a puppy even if she never wrote a word of fiction. As it happens, she also writes great fiction, and her Regency fantasy series Glamourist Histories is delightful (you can read my reviews for that series here: Glamour in Glass, Valour and Vanity, Of Noble Family, and then Part I and Part II of my interview with Kowal.)

Now we have a new series from Kowal, which kicks off with Ghost Talkers. There were many things I loved about this book and one big thing that didn’t work for me at all. Because this book involves mystery and conspiracy and therefore also involves twists and revelations, I’m not going to talk much about the plot. But I will tell you about the world and the characters.

Ghost Talkers is a slightly fantastical alternate history of WWI. In this version of events, some people have the ability to talk to ghosts. Many of them work for the British military as members of the Spirit Corp – and almost all of these people are women. Soldiers are trained to report to the women who work together in round the clock séances, so that the soldiers can deliver reports on exactly how they died. This intelligence can alter the course of battles. The soldiers also have the opportunity to deliver a last message to loved ones before going wherever people go after death (the ghosts are usually only present for a very short time).

One of the Spirit Corps mediums is Ginger Stuyvesant, an American living in Britain. Along with Helen, a Black medium from the Caribbean, and Mrs. Richardson, an older woman who is constantly knitting, Ginger struggles to get respect from the military while keeping up with her emotionally and physically exhausting job. Her team is understaffed, unappreciated, and overworked – and that’s before they realize that they may be under attack. Ginger has to work with her team and a persistent ghost to try to find out who is plotting against the Spirit Corps and what they have planned.

There’s one big problem with the story, at least for me, and that is that I never trusted Ginger’s fiancée, Ben. Ben has good qualities – he’s brave, he cares about Ginger, he’s good-looking, and he’s smart. But he also has huge red flags. He’s prone to jealousy. He’s protective to a fault. He has a violent streak. He’s smart, but prone to pomposity. This book is not a romance, and I can’t discuss the relationship between Ginger and Ben in detail without spoiling the entire plot. However, for the story to put us through an emotional wringer, Ben has to seem appealing – and I hated him from the first moment he showed up.

Luckily, the book is packed with other characters that are incredibly compelling. This book finds ways to be inclusive in terms of race, class, age, and gender while remaining historically plausible. It’s also a book that sends not only Ginger but “little old lady” Mrs. Richardson to the front to do some sleuthing. Mrs. Richardson proves to be adept at swapping her knitted mufflers for intel and using knitting needles for self-defense. Ginger is smart and empathetic and snarky, and just generally an enjoyable character to spend a book with. As an American, she has her own problems with the Brits who are happy to have her work for them but who are uninterested in her opinions.

I’m hoping that in sequels we will get more time with Helen, the de facto leader of the Spirit Corps, who struggles within the military for recognition despite her race and her gender, and I’m also hoping we hear more about the Indian drivers who also crave recognition. One theme in the book is that people want to be seen and heard. The ghosts want one more chance to tell their stories. The living don’t necessarily want fame and glory, but they want acknowledgement of their service, their high levels of competence, and their humanity. As historical fantasy, it worked for me on several levels.

As a romance, or more accurately as a book with strong romantic elements, this book was a huge fail for me. Ben made a bad impression on me from the get-go and he just never got back into my good graces. However, as a story with great characters (other than Ben) and wonderful, detailed, creative world-building, that is inclusive, creative, and points out that war is hell in a whole new way while somehow managing not to be a total downer, the book is fantastic. I’m giving it a B- although the Ben problems threaten to pull it to a C+. I also have a suspicion that I’ll like the sequel better than the first book – we’ll have to see!

NB: Tanvee sent me this essay because, as she put it, she “wrote a sort of rambling piece on why I love romance novels and how they help me feel more connected to my feminism, and I would love to share it,” and would I be interested? HECK YES I AM INTERESTED. I love the ways in which romance shapes us as readers and as women, and how individual books can have a significant and enduring effect on how we see the world. So please welcome Tanvee.

So this is not really a book suggestion, although I do have some suggestions along the way. This is more of a long and involved, and possibly spoiler filled bit of writing on what romance gives me. As a warning, I’ve quoted from a few of my favourite books, and so some of the story might be given away in the dialogue, although I’ve tried to avoid giving away the plot.

I’ve been reading romance novels since I was 12, and I started out with the Mills and Boons and the Harlequins just like many others here, but somehow the Regency was never a preference for me then, maybe because the roles that women had in those books chafed at me, and I didn’t want to read about women who were not strong and in control. To be fair though, women I didn’t see as in control of their own lives existed just as much in contemporary romance, with a different package.

A | BN | K | ARe | iB

For a long time, I didn’t accept the truth of my love for romance. Until my early 20s it was definitely a bit of a shameful secret. I read and loved Lauren Weisberger’s Everyone Worth Knowing for the simple reason that one of the protagonists had an addiction for romance and

Truly, until I was introduced to this wonderful, wonderful website about 3 years ago, I hadn’t come to acknowledge that romance was my favourite genre and a valid choice that I could own without embarrassment. It makes me a little bit embarrassed now, in fact, to think that there was a time I was unwilling to own up to my love for romance, especially when I find that some of the most empowering, breathtaking reading I get done is through romance.

I think this discovery began in full force when I read the Troubleshooters Series by Suzanne Brockmann and so many of the amazing novels by Nora Roberts, especially the Bride Quartet (Carter from Vision in White ( A | BN | K | G | ARe | iB ) is and always will be beta hero supreme, and Parker’s total capability and pride in her accomplishments in Happy Ever After is competence porn like no other, not to speak of the strong female bond running through all four books).

A | K | ARe | iB

“I am not a blight, I am not a pestilence. And I refuse to be a piece of sacrifice for the greater glory of your game.”

She wasn’t touching him. So why did it seem as if she was? He could almost feel the phantom pressure of her hand against his chest, the heat of her breath on his lips. He could almost taste the scent of her, that light twist of lavender. He felt as if she’d shoved him off-centre, and he couldn’t quite find his balance.

“You are not any of those things,” he said. “What are you, then?

“I am ablaze,” she told him.

A | BN | K | ARe | iB

It occurred to me in retrospect that I probably should have been nervous about getting married again, in light of my past experiences. But everything was different with Hardy. His love came with no strings attached, which I thought was the greatest gift one human being could give to another.

“You know,” I told him on our wedding night, “I’m just as much me when I’m with you, as I am without you.” (emphasis added)

And because Hardy understood what I meant, he pulled me into his arms, against his heart.

Somehow, that one sentence told me everything I needed to know about falling in love with the right person.

But Courtney Milan and Lisa Kleypas and Elizabeth Hoyt have come into my life at the perfect time, too. I’m a feminist now, in a way I never was at 18, a card-carrying, loud, strident feminist. Their books have come into my life when my fiction, my non-fiction (what little there is), my TV and my movies all revolve around the celebration of women and the many things they are capable of, which is everything.

These books have heroes and heroines both (and it is so important that both should be) equally committed to the causes of women. These books are filled with men who take for granted the fact that women are equally capable, intelligent, strong, if not much more, and it is a wonder to find such men, in fiction or in real life.

As I write this, I realise that romance novels have been with me at every stage of my life, as a secret that made me feel grown up at 12, as a comfort read that only Betty Neels could provide at 18, as a bolster, a support and a strength that I have found through Courtney Milan (among so many others) at 25, when the world is a dark and dreary place, and watching women succeed in fiction and in real life is a joy that makes each day a little easier to bear.

This was supposed to be me writing about the most recent novels I read – Kelly Bowen’s I’ve Got My Duke to Keep Me Warm, which is her first in the Lords of Worth series, which I immediately followed with the second of the series, A Good Rogue is Hard to Find ( A | BN | K | G | ARe | iB ), as well as a novella which is 2.5, A Lady’s Guide to Skirting Scandal ( A | BN | K | G | ARe | iB ). I read all three between 7 pm and 11 am, with a few hours of sleep mixed in. They are prime examples of the empowerment that romance provides.

A | BN | K | ARe | iB

“I can’t imagine what you endured at his hand, Gisele, but know that no one else ever will. I promise that to you.” His face was hard.

She caught her breath, a sense of inevitability prodding her from her silence. “You want me to tell you what he did—”

“No.” Jamie stopped her before she could finish. “No.”

“Why?”

“Because it doesn’t matter. Because it is something that you’ve defeated. It no longer controls you. He no longer controls you. You are the master of your destiny now, Gisele. No man shall ever again dictate how you choose to live your life. Not your father, not the marquess, and certainly not me. No one can put you in a cage ever again.”

Gisele let out a shaky breath, her truth exposed in a handful of simple words. Something deep inside her soared, “Yes.”

Excerpt from Kelly Bowen’s I’ve Got My Duke to Keep Me Warm (The Lords of Worth)

I have enjoyed each of Kelly Bowen’s books, and found them to be deeply nuanced in many ways. The first book had a rich inner life, a Dowager Duchess who uses chickens as a distraction for the society so she can carry out her good works, provide a second chance to many who deserve it but do not have the opportunity to live it.

The second book had a very different set of protagonists, and it touched a chord in me that is deeply ingrained – the principles of equity and equal opportunity, of making those who are in a privileged position see the things that they have achieved simply through the luck of the draw, the circumstances into which they were born. The hero of this book, the Duke of Worth, is an inherently good man, that is never in doubt. But in the course of the book, through the efforts of the heroine, a woman born outside the circle of nobility, and his mother, the Dowager Duchess, he is able to see his privilege and make a strong and consistent effort towards structural change. Many things may have changed since the period in which this book was written, but the basic fact that some people are simply lucky and garner the privileges of this luck their whole lives is as true today as it was then. The protagonists in this book have so much to offer – the heroine is strong and clever, adept at jobs that were considered ‘male’, and she owns her capability as much as she owns her weaknesses and misfortunes. The hero is, most of all, a good man. It sounds as if I am damning him with faint praise, but the truth is that to me, there is no hero as perfect as a man who has inherent goodness in him, who listens when others are speaking, who learns to open his eyes to the truth around him, and upon learning the truth, makes a change in his behaviour. He went the whole distance in this book, and the end was as satisfactory to the romantic in me as it was to the revolutionary.

A | BN | K | ARe | iB

A | BN | K | ARe | iB

These books have given me so much for the 13 years I’ve been reading them, which is half my life, I now realise, and if there was one thing I could do, it would be to explain to the world that they are so much more than erotica for women (although I have read and loved my fair share of those) or fairy tales never to come true. They are parables and examples of women who have dared to dream, dared to work, dared to stand up for what they believe in. They might be fictional, but to young women everywhere who are told at every stage what they cannot do, cannot wear, cannot be: they are a revelation.

This HaBO is from Chris, who wants to find an older Harlequin:

I want to say this is a Harlequin book. I would say it was published mid to late 1990s.

The hero is an injured veteran. I don’t remember what happened, but his major injury is that he’s now mute. At the the beginning of the book, they are unsure if it will be temporary or permanent.

The heroine is the town librarian. I believe he’s in this town to be away from his well-meaning family. The town is familiar to he and his family because they either grew up there or vacationed there.

Ring any bells for anyone?

Happy birthday, Georgette Heyer! In honor of Heyer’s birthday, Sourcebooks has discounted all of her titles to $2.99 until August 28th! You can see all the sale titles at Amazon here. Below are four titles that are usually recommended around SBTB and in the comments. But please, definitely leave some recs in the comments below because I’d love to do another Heyer sale post with reader recommendations!

We also know that not every romance reader uses Amazon. Below are bookstore links that help support the site with your purchases. If you use them for your Heyer purchases, that’s so awesome of you, and if you’d prefer not to, no worries!

These Old Shades

These Old Shades by Georgette Heyer is $2.99 or $2.51 depending on the vendor! This is a Regency romance and I have such a soft spot for this book. It was my first Heyer and I loved the “heroine disguised as a boy/man” trope. LOVE IT. There’s also an age difference between the hero and heroine, if that’s your bag. However, I also know that some readers weren’t a fan of the heroien.

Justin Alastair, Duke of Avon, is called ‘Satanas’ by enemy and friend alike. In the aristocratic circles of London and Louis XV’s he has a reputation as a debauched rake.

Late one evening, the Duke stumbles across Leon, a red headed urchin fleeing a certain beating at his brother’s hands. On a whim, Avon buys the boy and makes him his page. But it soon becomes clear that Leon is not what he seems…

When the grubby Leon turns out to be the enchanting Leonie, the Duke is not prepared for the breathtaking transformation or the tender emotions she awakens in him, or the unconditional love she has for the man who saved her.

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This book is on sale at:

 

 

 

Devil’s Cub

Devil’s Cub by Georgette Heyer is $2.99! This is technically a sequel to These Old Shades, as the hero is the son of Shades‘ protagonists. Sarah gave this book an A and I definitely agree with the grade:

Aside from the utter novelty of reading a book first published in 1932, the story was set in a period a good bit before the much-written-about Regency. No mentions of Prinny here – but powders, patches, fans held by men, and the wonderfully-named Macaronis are everywhere. Since this isn’t a period of historical metrosexuality that I have often read about, it was particularly fascinating.

But by far the most fascinating part was reading a book held in regard so highly by so many different writers and readers. There’s no small amount of disagreement in tastes in romance novels, as we’ve amply demonstrated here a few times, but I’ve heard nothing but sighs and squee about this book, and others by Heyer. I’m happy to add my own sigh-age and squeeage to the crowd. Damn, this book was wonderful.

THE ABDUCTION

Dominic Alistair, Marquis of Vidal is a bad lot a rake and seducer, reckless, heedless, and possessed of a murderous temper. He is known by friend and foe alike as the “Devil’s Cub.” Yet as the handsome and wealthy heir to a Dukedom, he is considered a good prospect on the marriage market. Vidal currently has his eye on the young, lovely, and unintelligent Sophia Challoner, and Sophia’s greedy mother is more than happy to encourage his dubious attentions.

When lovely, saucy Mary Challoner had practiced her hold deception upon the hot-blooded, fiery-tempered young Marquis of Vidal–substituting herself for her young sister he had thought to carry off to France–she had little notion he would grimly hold her to her part of the bargain. Now he had left her, and she was alone, a stranger in a strange land, prey to the intrigues of glittering, heartless, 18th century Paris.

Only one person could rescue her–the Marquis himself. But how could she ever trust this man? How could she even hope to overcome the contempt in which he held her? And how could even the sudden flowering of her love ever bridge the terrible gap between them?

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This book is on sale at:

 

 

 

Cotillion

Cotillion by Georgette Heyer is $2.99! This has a fake relationship trope and was recently the inspiration for a Rec League on unassuming heroes. Readers who love beta heroes and low-key, relaxed romances might love this one. However, some readers mention that the first quarter of the book takes some effort to get through.

Kitty Charing can inherit a fortune from her irascible great-uncle Matthew when she marries one of her cousins. Kitty is not wholly averse, if the right nephew proposes. Unfortunately, Kitty has set her heart on Jack Westruther, a confirmed rake.

To make him jealous and to see a little more of the world, Kitty convinces cousin Freddy Standen to pose as her fiance. In London with his family, she hopes to render the elusive Jack madly jealous.

New friends embroil her in their romantic troubles, sprinkling witty banter with Parisian phrases. Her French cousin, Camille, a professional gambler, has won the heart of Olivia, in turn the object of Jack’s dishonorable intentions. Doltish cousin Lord Dolphinton has fallen for a merchant’s daughter in conflict with his mother. Kitty herself wonders who is really right for her.

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This book is on sale at:

 

 

 

Venetia

Venetia by Georgette Heyer is $2.99! This is another Heyer that comes up a lot and has been featured on previous podcasts. However, Sarah had mixed feelings about this one and gave it a B-:

I liked very much how intelligent Damerel, Venetia, and Aubrey were, and how interesting their conversations were. But the rest of the characters were tiresome, and were more a functional role to play in the plot than fully-fleshed individuals.

I found myself flipping ahead, not missing much as these other parties droned on for a few paragraphs or six or ten or GOOD GOD SHUT UP ALREADY. Once they were off the scene, they were forgettable, and when they were in a scene, I wanted them off as soon as possible in favor of more scenes with Venetia and Damerel. For that reason, I didn’t enjoy the book as much as I enjoyed the main characters themselves.

Her beauty rivaled only by her sensibility, Venetia Lanyon is nearly resigned to spinsterhood, thanks to the enormous amount of responsibility she inherited with a Yorkshire estate, an invalid brother and the lackluster efforts of two wearisomely persistent suitors. Then she meets her neighbor, the infamous Lord Damerel, a charming rake shunned by polite society–exactly the type of man that a woman of quality should stay away from.

Though his scandalous past and deepest secrets give Venetia every reason to mistrust him, a rogue always gets what he wants. Without warning, his demanding kiss threatens to become a bachelor’s undoing…and a spinster’s most passionate awakening.

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This book is on sale at:

 

 

 

This HaBO comes from Lauren, who is searching for a book she read about a decade ago:

This is a long shot, but I read this book at least 10 years ago.

It was a story about a girl who comes from a rich family and is trying to prove herself to her dad or maybe just get out from under his influence. She gets into a car accident and either actually gets amnesia or fakes it. She goes to live in a small town and tries to support herself.

There is a hunky carpenter/handyman in the town and they fall in love, but it’s complicated by the fact that she isn’t who she says she is…

I think her name is either Jessica or Jessica is the name she goes by, but I could be wrong.

If she’s faking amnesia, that must take some serious commitment.

Aya of Yop City is a series of graphic novels by Marguerite Abouet and illustrated by Clement Oubrerie. Abouet grew up in the 1970’s in the Ivory Coast, and she wanted to write something that would show readers that Africa is not a continent on which nothing but awful things happen. She wanted to counter the stereotype of Africa as a place that is monolithic and disastrous. During the 1970’s, the Ivory Coast experienced an economic boom and a lengthy period of political stability, and this is reflected in the optimistic and enterprising tone of the story.

The characters in Aya have serious problems, but they aren’t plagued by war and famine and disaster. They gossip, they try to win beauty pageants, they run businesses, they go to work in the city and fight with their relatives in the village, and above all they fall in and out of love.

This isn’t specifically a romance comic. Characters often seem more motivated by lust and/or pragmatism than love, and they don’t always have a happy ending. It’s more soap opera than romance novel in style. However, it might appeal to romance readers who enjoy unusual and diverse comics and graphic novels, and who enjoy relationship-driven stories. 

The series follows the life of Aya, a teenage girl, and her family and friends. There are tons of characters and they have complicated relationships to each other – so much so that at the start of each book there’s an illustrated guide to help the reader keep everyone straight. The books also have helpful introductions and epilogues that include glossaries and essays and recipes.

Aya is studious and ambitious. She wants to go to university and she is the levelheaded person to whom everyone turns in times of trouble. Much of the series is about women pushing the boundaries of their traditional roles. The younger generation encourages their mothers to rebel against fathers who have affairs. Aya’s friend Adjoua, who is a single mom, runs her own business instead of marrying her son’s feckless father. Aya’s foster sister, Felicite, resists an arrange marriage in the village with the help of Aya and her friends. There’s not a central, linear plot – it’s more like a soap opera, with everyone’s storylines spooling off in various directions while Aya remains the calm center (until she’s not, which really shakes things up).

Promotional materials for Aya often refer to it as “light-hearted.” I don’t think the series is light-hearted at all. It’s true that it shows life that isn’t consumed by war or famine (it’s also set pre-HIV) but the characters do have to deal with some heavy stuff including abuse, forced marriage, adultery, decisions around an unplanned pregnancy, and homophobia. There’s a story arc that includes sexual harassment and attempted rape.

Rather than call it “light-hearted” I would say that Aya presents its characters as ordinary and relatable in a way that Western readers don’t often see in media. Characters worry about their looks and they worry about their love lives. Instead of going to Lover’s Point, the teens go make out at a place they call “The Hotel of 1000 Stars” but it’s the same concept as Lover’s Point (with a better name). It’s much more about the everyday lives of people than about an individual big dramatic event. All the characters are presented as flawed, but they are also presented with great affection (most of them, anyway).

One reason I wanted to read this series is that it’s  supposed to be about romance. To be frank, there’s not a lot of romance in the way that I think about romance – there are a lot of crushes, and affairs, and broken hearts. However, there are two very sweet romances that develop near the end of the series – I don’t want to spoil either of them so I won’t say who falls in love with whom, but I will say that there’s a gay character who seems well on the road towards happiness, romantic and otherwise. It’s delightful to see a happy story about an African gay character – he has huge challenges, of course, but he’s an optimistic person who thrives on Aya’s support and acceptance and who makes brave choices to take control of his future.

The only thing I didn’t like about the series, and the reason it’s a B and not an A, is that the storytelling is so disjointed that very few threads seemed fully resolved. Often I thought I had missed a page, but no. The author repeatedly cuts away right at the point of resolution, which I found frustrating, and she switches plot lines often, which can be confusing.

Aya is available as a series of five graphic novels or in two large collections: Aya: Life in Yop City and Aya: Love in Yop City. The art uses earth tones and pretty basic panels – the focus is less on doing something stylistically unusual and more on conveying the business of life in Yop city, Aya’s neighborhood. Aya’s world is shown as dusty and loud and bustling, with run down shacks and polished skyscrapers only a short cab ride apart. It’s delightful to get a window into a place and time that I didn’t know much about.

Comic Bento Subscription Box

Hello, Richard here. I’m Mr. Elyse and Dewey’s Morning Food Servant. I’m here to tell you about Comic Bento, a graphic novel subscription box.

Years ago if someone would have told that I could get a surprise box of graphic novels shipped to me monthly, I would have been overjoyed. I have had an on-again, off-again love affair with graphic novels for decades. The off-again part generally involves my bank account. So when I was a having bad day a little over a month ago, my wife told me that she had signed me up for Comic Bento. I was like, “Awesome! What’s that?”

Each month I get a box of graphic novels based around a theme. July’s theme was robots. Depending on the plan, Comic Bento runs $20 to $17.50 a month and promises at least $50 worth of graphic novels. There was a small part of me that was giddy with joy and another part that wondered why we haven’t invented a time machine to allow me to skip to the end of the month, when the box ships.

When the box ships you get an email along with a tracking number. This brought me back to the days when we used to listen to newscasters tell us about a mythic old man in a sleigh being spotted on radar, moving slowly toward your house. Each day, I would check to see it’s progress moving through the distribution centers, slowly working it’s way towards my house. This month because of a vacation I was taking, I was afraid the box was going to show up after I departed. A day before I left, the package showed up on my doorstep, totally and completely sidetracking my planning and preparation for vacation.

Inside the box were three graphic novels as well as a web comic treasury. The books came vacuumed sealed for safety, with (sadly) two giant air pillows rather than a soul satisfying wad of bubble wrap.

The first graphic novel was Bubble Gun Volume One by Aspen Comics with a Comic Bento exclusive variant cover.  So this book (while technically not robots) featured cyborgs. In this world, thieves steal data rather than art or valuables. The main character is Caprice, the younger sister of the woman who runs a gang of thieves. The title comes from the fact that Caprice hasn’t proven herself worthy of having an actual gun, so her gun shoots bubbles of sticky goo. The plot involves a mammoth heist, a double cross, and general mayhem.

The second book in the box was Voltron Volume One: The Sixth Pilot by Dynamite Entertainment. So Voltron has had a resurgence, and while the book is wonderful, hearing the lion’s roar on Netflix is a thrill. True story: while my wife went to bed early one night, Dewey and I sat on the couch and went through the entire series. Seeing a Voltron comic brought on a wonderful wave of nostalgia, and it has much more depth than the cartoon series can get into. Plus large robots beating the stuffing out of each other!

Next was It Came! by Dan Boultwood and Titan Comics. It Came! is a basically a parody of all the awesome 50’s, early 60’s sci-fi movies like The Day The Earth Stood Still, The War of the Worlds,  and Forbidden Planet. Like these movies, the intrepid hero is a scientist. It doesn’t matter what his field is; he’s a scientist, so he clearly knows what’s going on. Except he doesn’t. He’s more of a stereotype of the 50’s hero, but is in reality a pipe-chomping idiot. His girlfriend is the real brains of the operation, and when a giant space robot attacks earth, it’s up to her to save the day. The other thing I really like about this book is that it’s set up like you’re watching a film in a theater. There’s trailers in the beginning and end (some that I would love to see made into books). There’s also advertisements for things like nylons, gum, and, my all time favorite, an old-timey snarky ad about the awesomeness of cigarettes (“I like my men like I like my bacon–smoky!”). It Came! is wonderfully campy and corny.

The last book I got was There’s a Cat on the Internet: A Meticulously Groomed Diesel Sweeties Treasury. This is a collection of strips, not a graphic novel, and they are all 8-bit comics dealing with things as complicated as virtual reality and cats. I liked this book because you could pick it up and read a little bit, then put it down. Each four panel page is its own enclosed story.

The list prices for the books were as follows: Bubble Gun retails for $12.99, Voltron for $19.99, It Came! for $14.99 and There’s a Cat on the Internet for $19.99. So I got $67.96 worth of graphic novels for $17.50.

One of the things I really like about Comic Bento is that you don’t know exactly what you’re getting. You know the theme but not exactly what the books are. This allows you to end up with things you might not have picked up off the shelf in the store, but are quite delighted to read. I don’t think I would have bought Bubble Gun but it turned out to be really cool. The other thing I liked (for this box at least), is that you get volume one of most things, leading you down the comic rabbit hole.

I’m keeping up my subscription. The joy of having comics show up at your door and the fun of opening the box to find out what new and wonderful things you get to read is like mini Christmases each month without family drama. Anybody who really likes comics (I’m not talking about someone who likes just Ironman or likes just Batman) but someone who likes browsing the shelves and trying new things will really get their money’s worth out of this. It’s like walking down the aisle in a book store randomly pulling off three books and not seeing what you have until you reach the checkout counter. The four books kept with the theme, but had diverse content and tone. So even if one of the books doesn’t strike your fancy, the likelihood of all of them missing is low.

Comic Bento is a wonderful treat and I’m looking forward to next month.

Special Note for Smart Bitches Readers from Comics Bento:

Our current theme is ANIMAL PLANETS:  “In the Jungles, The Oceans and everywhere in between, Animals are some of Man’s best friends on the planet… even when they ARE man… and it’s not this planet!”

You have until August 22nd to get this Animalistic assortment of graphic novels.

If you sign up using code ANIMAL they can get 25% off a 1-, 3-, or 6-Month subscription!