On behalf of the entire Just Love team, I want to wish you a very Happy Holidays!
And don’t forget to check out our Top Reads of 2016…
we’re giving away a couple of gift certificates if you tell us
what your favorite books of the year are!
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Giving Thanks at Just Love
A very Happy Thanksgiving to all of our American readers! While we have an international crew here at Just Love, we wanted to take a moment to talk about what we’re thankful for this year. When so many people are struggling to find optimism and hope in the future, we wanted to look to the past and remind ourselves and others of the things that warm our souls.
El on Adventure: Visiting The Ripped Bodice
I am traveling over the next two weeks on a very nerdy (and very book-filled) adventure, so I figured I’ll drop in from time-to-time with some fun pictures and stories!
JLR TURNS 1! Have some giveaways: ebooks, paperbacks, audiobooks! Come celebrate our birthday with us!
Just Love Romance turns 1 today! It’s been a fantastic year, and I’m so proud of how much the blog has grown. Today JLR has seven amazing reviewers and posts daily to help readers find new books to buy!
Big News and Exciting Changes for JLR!
I’ve been teasing some big news over on Twitter lately, but had to delay while I was on vacation… so here it goes!
I’ve been running Just Love Romance solo since I started it more than ten months ago, and have loved the experience. And while I’ve gotten some jabs for “reading too much”, I haven’t felt any stress about maintaining such a regular posting schedule on my own.
But JLR has grown, and I’m incredibly proud of everything that I’ve managed to achieve. So here’s the first big change:
I’m bringing on some additional reviewers!
Please welcome our first new reviewer: DMac! She’s a long time sports fan who has broad reading interests that can only be explained by looking at her goodreads account. Her favorite romance novels involve sports and/or people who snark at each other.
I’m also seeking more reviewers to come on. Interested? Shoot me a message through my contact page! I’m looking for people to commit to at least 4 reviews per month (more is fine!), and please include a link to sample Goodreads, Amazon, or blog reviews that you’ve written.
And that brings me to the big news:
I’ve signed a contract to publish a novel in early 2017 through Riptide Publishing!
I’ve always loved reading and writing queer romances, and publishing with Riptide is a dream come true. I can’t wait to share these stories with the world! This is the first in a four book series, and will be an M/M romance. The other books in the series are still in talks, so I can’t say much; Book 2 is an F/F asexual romance, Book 3 will be F/F, and Book 4 will be M/M.
I won’t be talking about my books here, as I want to keep reviewing and writing separate. Instead, you can follow book news over on my author twitter (@ElyseSpringer) for more info.
So what does that mean for JLR? Right now, nothing. I’ll continue to be the lead reviewer and blogger here, and will continue to bring you honest reviews and news on upcoming releases. I’ll also be attending RT Convention in two weeks as a blogger, so I’ll be reporting back on that!
But as my writing amps up, I do anticipate needing to step back a bit. I’m not giving up on JLR; this blog is so important to me, and I’m so proud of what I’ve achieved here. But I’m also excited to be bringing in new voices and opinions, and hopefully to keep expanding JLR to more and more readers.
So that’s all for now!
El’s Top 5 Quotes from Kings Rising by C.S. Pacat (Spoilers!)
While the plot and characters of the Captive Prince trilogy are outstanding and brilliant, I think my favorite part about the series is the way C.S. Pacat uses gorgeous turns of phrase and cunning language to evoke this unbelievable emotional response in her readers. The way Laurent talks, the imagery that describes the world, it all comes together to make Captive Prince a stunning work of literature.
With Kings Rising, there were several times that I found myself pausing mid-read, noting a particularly lovely bit of dialogue, or a paragraph that could be dissected into much more than what it appeared to be.
(PS, there are spoilers within!)
These are my top five quotes from Kings Rising. What are yours?
Who Wore It Better – Book Cover Edition
When I started reading Cold Fusion by Harper Fox, I found myself staring at the book cover and wondering why it was so familiar. It only took me a minute to realize… I’d seen that model on another book cover!
You know those trashy celebrity magazines that you read in the grocery store check-out lane? I always love the “Who Wore It Better” section, where two celebs end up in the same dress or suit. So, all in good fun, here’s the book cover edition!
Disclaimer: I am not a fashion expert. Or, really, an expert in anything.
Cover Artists: Cold Fusion – Kanaxa / Fall and Rising – Kanaxa / Murder and Mayhem – Reece Notley
Happy New Year 2016!
Wishing everyone a very Happy New Year, filled with warmth, joy, and all the amazing books you can dream of!
2015 was an interesting year for me, filled with some fantastic high points. While I did struggle professionally, I also made some amazing friends and was fortunate enough to discover book blogging, which became one of the highlights of my year! So, thank you to my fellow book bloggers who were so welcoming and friendly… you’re all amazing, and I can’t wait to see what the new year brings you!
I started blogging earlier this year because I was reading so much. It became a way to process the books I read, and to connect with the authors and publishers that I love and respect.
In 2015 I read:
- 315 books (not including re-reads)
- 84,000 pages
- First book of the year: Ball & Chain by Abigail Roux
- Last book of the year: Rock N Soul by Lauren Sattersby (out Jan. 18, 2016)
While I didn’t start blogging until May (and didn’t get serious about it until August), I think I did really well on the blogging front this year as well. I managed to blog consistently, and to keep up with my reviews as I read.
I have a lot of hopes and dreams for 2016. After years of contracting for the US Government overseas and traveling the world, I’m hoping to move to NYC and finally get a job in publishing like I’ve always dreamed. So here are my New Years Resolutions:
- Read at least 200 books. (I’m not sure I can hope for 300+ again, since a job like my previous one is unlikely to fall in my lap.)
- Buy a house with a spare room for a library.
- Travel, always. I’ll be going to Japan, London, and RT Booklovers in Las Vegas.
- Live a life with no regrets. Don’t look back at the end of the year and feel bad because you skipped over an opportunity.
- Get a job I enjoy. Sounds easy, right? I suspect this will be the hardest one…
Wishing everyone a safe, warm, and very Happy New Year! I hope all of your resolutions and dreams come true!
Redefining BDSM Romance
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about Romance sub-genres, and the BDSM sub-genre in particular. I’ve read several fantastic novels in the last few months that are categorized by publishers and booksellers as BDSM, but I’m starting to realize that the term is not one-size-fits-all when it comes to romance novels.
So I’m going to ramble on for a bit about how I define BDSM romances. Possibly this is something that no one else will care about. Possibly many people will tell me that I’m wrong. Maybe someone else will agree with me. But this is a topic that matters to me, and affects how I read and process romance novels, so I really want to get my thoughts out.
Why I might not survive November
If T.S. Eliot is right and April is the cruellest month, then November must surely be the most overwhelming!
There’s a lot going on this month. Books being released, blog posts to write, fantastic blog posts by other people to read. And then there’s this beast:
Oh yeah, that. Really, whose bright idea was it to write a 50,000 word novel in only 30 days, in what is traditionally a pretty hectic month on its own? (Okay, it was this guy, but whatever.)
I’ve been doing NaNoWriMo for an embarrassing number of years. My first year, and my first win, was in 2002. I skipped a few years recently, for personal reasons, but I’m back on the wagon this year with what I hope is the best thing I’ve ever written.
A convenient blizzard, a series of lies, and a lot of suspicion and regret.
But I also work full time, and blog full time, and my co-worker is leaving on vacation tomorrow which means I am the only person in my entire office who is trained to do certain tasks. Downtime and reading at my desk? Bye bye!
My big move back to the United States is five weeks out. I get back on Star Wars Day, which is pretty exciting… serious jet lag + 3D IMAX = potentially bad idea?
Anyways, enough rambling. I just want to say that I’m sorry if I owe blog comments, emails, or tweets. I’m keeping up with blog posts, although mostly by not sleeping at night.
Is anyone else doing NaNo this year? Let me know and I’ll add you as a writing buddy on the site!
Just Love: Queer Book Reviews 