Review: Working Girls: Trixie and Katya's Guide to Professional Womanhood

Working Girls: Trixie and Katya's Guide to Professional Womanhood by Trixie Mattel
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I don't have too much to say other than this was funny as hell. I enjoyed the humor and the certain brand of snark, well done!

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Review: Orion

Orion by Ruby Lionsdrake
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

3.5*
Orion is a bounty hunter working with the Star Guardians to apprehend a group of smugglers/slavers. These smugglers kidnapped a group of American women to sell to other alien groups. Among the kidnapped is Juanita. She loves anything sci-fi and is an aspiring author. When rescue comes, she views this as a great adventure.
Nice mix of adventure, action, romance. The overall arc of the story (they are still in space and are en route to the Star Guardians homeworld where the fate of kidnapped women will be decided) will continue in book 2, but with different main characters. Ends in a HFN.

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Review: Pageboy

Pageboy by Elliot Page
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I am a fan of Elliot Page (Juno! X-Men!). He has been through a lot in his short life. This was tough at times, graphic. But in the end, he overcomes. This did have some moments where I got lost a bit; it goes back and forth from childhood to adulthood and back to childhood, etc.
*Might* be helpful reading for some on the anti-trans bandwagon that is happening in pretty much every single state right now. (I do not think this would make a difference for someone like MJG for example. I think a target could be those moderates (if any exist in this political climate).

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Review: While You Were Dreaming

While You Were Dreaming by Alisha Rai
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Sonia loves cosplay and creating looks/costumes. She has a huge crush on James, a popular boy in her Junior high school class. She also doesn't like calling attention to herself; her mother was deported and her sister is undocumented (Sonia is lucky; she was born here in the US). Her mother and sister came over on medical visas and stayed (Sonia & Kareena father died and his family cut them off). She risks attention when she rescues James and is caught on video. Her costumed self goes viral, but no one publicly names her.
I really liked this book. Sonia's fear is real and she misses her mother every day. She constantly worried that something would happen and Kareena would get deported. She lives this fear every single day. Despite this, she tries to be an average American teenager.
Things happen and she gradually comes out of her shell and gains confidence to speak up when she is disrespected. She also finds a community; people who love her for who she is and offer help, support, and to just be there. Strong secondary characters too.
All. The. Feels!
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Review: Renegade Love: An Alien Bounty Hunter Romance

Renegade Love: An Alien Bounty Hunter Romance by Ann Aguirre
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

We met Toth Krag at the end of the previous book. He is one of many bounty hunters to inherit the name "Toth Krag." The name instills fear. Those he goes after know that he wins. Always. Until the events of book 2. To please the guild, he goes after Yara Duncan for a debt to a large collective. Except things don't go as planned.
Yara was kidnapped from Earth. It appears aliens have an appetite for cattle and will periodically come and steal some. She was caught in this last group while stargazing. She's been able to adapt to survive and her latest gig is as a circus attraction. The circus owners apparently have taken out a loan in Yara's name and defaulted. So, now the collective wants Yara alive so they can sell her for parts.
Yara and Toth talk. Toth is really Oren and was sold by his family to the mercenary guild as a child where his debt grew and grew with training, gear, etc. He's tired and wants out, but how? Yara wants to pay off the loan because she feels she owes the circus company for taking her in (very nice of her), but how?
They agree they need help and want to form a group to do a big heist to get enough to pay off debt. She reunited with her mom, who disappeared when she was a child. It turns out her mom was also abducted by aliens and has been making her way through the galaxy ever since. Nice group of individuals; different alien beings, and AIs.
This was fun. The romance was a bit fast, but considering the situation, it felt believable.
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Review: The Conspiracy to End America: Five Ways My Old Party Is Driving Our Democracy to Autocracy

The Conspiracy to End America: Five Ways My Old Party Is Driving Our Democracy to Autocracy by Stuart Stevens
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Stuart Stevens was a GOP consultant. This was depressing, but necessary to read. While I was aware of the many issues/problems addressed in this book, it was important to hear it from someone "on the other side of the aisle." I also liked how it was presented; with background and what the concern is now.
Anyone who doesn't vote at this point, assuming they vote for no one (because they think Biden hasn't done enough at the border and/or Gaza; and yes they are right, but....) needs to suck it up and vote. Those in the middle and on the left need to start thinking long term, but short term. Look at what the GOP has been able to do playing the long game- they overturned Roe vs Wade, stacked the Supreme Court (and the other judicial appointments), etc. Compromise isn't a bad word.
Regardless, Nov 2024 is going to suck. Either Trump wins (and unless something happens between the time of the writing and the election- he IS the GOP Republican nominee; a party of mostly spineless fuckers who kiss Trump's ass) and we see an unprecedented crack down on people who disagree with him, further eroding of voting rights (ie making it even HARDER to vote), and a trend to autocracy (think Viktor Orban's Hungary or even Putin's Russia). Or Trump loses. Then I would not be surprised to see a repeat of Jan 6, 2021. And these individuals will be more emboldened.
Educate yourself on the issues. Get your news from multiple news sources. (The Guardian, The New York Times, Haaretz, The Washington Post, PBS to name a few). And make your voice heard.

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Review: A Prince on Paper

A Prince on Paper by Alyssa Cole
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Nya is Ledi's cousin (from the first book). Nya's father was caught up in shenanigans that lead to his imprisonment for poisoning Ledi (and Nya, her grandparents). Her father isolated her and due to the poisoning, she was frequently sick. She was able to go to NYC and further her education after her father's imprisonment. She was able to spread her wings and began building her confidence.
Johan's stepfather is a king and his 1/2 brother is heir to the throne. He loves his brother and does what he can to protect him. That means playing the playboy and doing stupid shit to keep the attention on him. Johan secretly admired Nya and she him.
They both spend time together while attending Ledi and Thabiso's wedding. Things happen (and they could be interpreted differently depending on context). They end up being fake engaged. This helps Nya since she has a crush on Johan and needs to figure out her next step in life. This helps Johan since he has a crush on Nya and he needs to figure out what is going on with his brother & put out good press since his country is having a referendum to abolish the monarchy.
I thought they both complimented each other well. They do talk and each has baggage from the past. Johan realizes he needs to make the next step. I liked the epilogue, it's mentioned they are in therapy to be able to deal/cope with past events and better communicate. Excellent series!

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