I have started off the year strong, if I do say so myself. We’re one month into 2025 and I’ve somehow managed to read 17 books already. I guess deleting most of my social media apps and not being in the mood for tv has left me with a lot of reading time! Or maybe we really did slip into some kind of time... vortex? and January really was like a decade long, in which case I guess I didn’t really read all that much after all.
Enough of that.
My favorite this month is a little embarrassing because it’s not my normal thing at all, but I loved it so much that I don’t even care. Lights Out by Navessa Allen had me in a chokehold this month. Full disclosure, I’m talking about the audiobook – I haven’t actually read the book with my eyeballs, only listened (twice) with my ears. I only mention that because part of the appeal of this particular audiobook is how freaking well done it is. I don’t think I’ve ever laughed as much at a book as I did listening to this one, but I’m also not sure I would have liked is as much without those voice actors and everything they brought to the book, if that makes sense. Lights Out, if you’ve somehow missed out on hearing about this book, is a dark romance, which is not normally my thing at all, but it’s also a rom-com. And it’s a funny one. The trigger warnings alone had me cracking up. That said, spicy doesn’t being to cover the level of explicitness in the open-door scenes, so proceed with caution and maybe double-check that your earbuds are properly paired with your listening device so you don’t go blasting this one out in public.
Next, a quickie review of a new book, out this week:
The book is billed as a Pride and Prejudice retelling, but I have to say, I don’t agree that it is. Other than some similarities in a few of the names and a little mild prickliness between the two leads at the very beginning, there’s not all that much P&P in this book. That’s NOT a bad thing though. The story and characters are strong enough to stand on their own and don’t need the comparison to P&P, in my opinion. I actually have every intention of going back and re-reading this one at some point just so that I can enjoy it without trying to find all the tie-ins to the inspiration.
Pride is a sweet, fun romance with a bit of bite to it. Amidst all the cuteness and will-they, won't they tension, it's thought provoking and challenges perceptions about the "right" way to be gay. Oh, right, by the way, this story features two male main characters falling in love, so if that’s a problem... this one won’t be for you. And also, maybe stop reading my blog because around here we try to read all viewpoints and learn about all experiences. Love is love, y’all.
Back to the book. In Pride, we get the story of Ben Bennett, an almost-40-year-old bookshop owner who somewhat improbably befriends Avery Fitzgerald, a wealthy, snobby-and-aloof-until-you-get-to-know-him kind of guy, and promptly develops the mother of all crushes on his new bestie. Avery gives off mixed signals and so, of course, shenanigans and misunderstandings ensue. Even as I thought that sometimes the will-they-or-won't-they went on maybe just the teensiest bit too long, I didn't ultimately care because it was so fun that I didn't want the book to end. The characters were so well developed and endearing that I just wanted to keep on reading about their day-to-day lives. Be sure to check it out if you need something fun to read to help you get through the rest of this cold, dreary winter. And thanks to the publisher for providing me with an advance copy for review.
