In the meantime, I have joined a reading challenge. The topic is poly romance, which if you have followed me for a while, know that it is one of my favorite topics to read. Here is the selection offered and I'm going to try and read all of them. Well, there are a couple on the list that I have read already, but I'm going to add them here anyway just in case someone else would be interested.
Series:
Author: Max MacGowan
Length: 246 pages
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press; 1 edition (May 16, 2016)
Genre: Romance / Contemporary / Poly / M/M/M/M/M
Notes:
Blurb: Noah Trevelyan has lost his moorings. Disowned over his sexuality as a teenager, he hasn’t been back to his home on the Outer Banks since his fisherman father kicked him out. But when he returns for the Old Man’s funeral, he discovers his father left him the house and boat in his will. Noah must choose whether to stay or go, but he won’t be alone. There’s Ian, working to overcome the emotional scars left by a domineering ex-boyfriend, and Ty, a cheerful housekeeper who’s struggling to take care of his Alzheimer’s-stricken aunt. There’s Joshua too, running from the destruction of his old life, and Gabriel, who was once beaten and left for dead, and doesn’t know how to survive on his own.
Will they find in each other the strength and courage to keep living—and learn, together, how to love again? A polyamorous relationship is the last thing any of them expected to find in the Outer Banks, but it might be what they need most, and it might even be their redemption—if they can keep their group from breaking apart under the pressure.
Series: (Wayfarers Book 1)
Author: Becky Chambers,
Length: 423 pages
Publisher: Harper Voyager (August 18, 2015)
Genre: Sci-Fi / Action & Adventure / All the Queer
Notes: I bought the first three books in this series at B&N and then forgot about them. This is now on audio as well.
Blurb: Follow a motley crew on an exciting journey through space—and one adventurous young explorer who discovers the meaning of family in the far reaches of the universe—in this light-hearted debut space opera from a rising sci-fi star.
Rosemary Harper doesn’t expect much when she joins the crew of the aging Wayfarer. While the patched-up ship has seen better days, it offers her a bed, a chance to explore the far-off corners of the galaxy, and most importantly, some distance from her past. An introspective young woman who learned early to keep to herself, she’s never met anyone remotely like the ship’s diverse crew, including Sissix, the exotic reptilian pilot, chatty engineers Kizzy and Jenks who keep the ship running, and Ashby, their noble captain.
Life aboard the Wayfarer is chaotic and crazy—exactly what Rosemary wants. It’s also about to get extremely dangerous when the crew is offered the job of a lifetime. Tunneling wormholes through space to a distant planet is definitely lucrative and will keep them comfortable for years. But risking her life wasn’t part of the plan. In the far reaches of deep space, the tiny Wayfarer crew will confront a host of unexpected mishaps and thrilling adventures that force them to depend on each other. To survive, Rosemary’s got to learn how to rely on this assortment of oddballs—an experience that teaches her about love and trust, and that having a family isn’t necessarily the worst thing in the universe.
Series: (Heathens Ink Book 6)
Author: K.M. Neuhold
Length: 420 pages
Publisher:
Genre: Romance / Contemporary / Trans / M/M/M (KU Option)
Notes:
Blurb: Love is multiplied, never divided
I was kicked out at sixteen for being transgender, but it turned out to be one of the best things to ever happen to me. At twenty-one, I have a fantastic new family made up of my brother and a handful of wonderful friends, I own my own photography business, and I’m happier than I imagined possible. There’s just one thing missing… Okay, maybe two…
Wyatt and Owen couldn’t be more different, but that doesn’t stop me from wanting them both...needing them both.
***This is the sixth book in the Heathens Ink series. Each book in the series CAN be read as a stand-alone, but characters do re-occur so it’s more fun to read them all! This is a steamy M/M/M romance with a guaranteed HEA.
Series:
Author: H.J. Brues
Length: 264 pages
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press; 1 edition (December 6, 2009)
Genre: Romance / Contemporary / Poly / M/M/M
Notes: I have this somewhere. I remember starting it when it first released by I don't recall if I finished.
Blurb: When Dr. Daniel Ugarte arrives from Spain to work on the Apache reservation, he meets Jeff Redbear, a Native American social worker, and Sean McCallum, the local sheriff. The men come from three different worlds, and they have little to no common ground until an immediate, unexpected attraction sparks between them.
Facing the growing desire is just the beginning of the obstacles they will face: Daniel's past makes him blind to Jeff and Sean’s feelings for him and terrified of standing in the way of their love for each other; Sean has to fight his present worry of not being strong enough to protect the men he loves; and Jeff’s pride and fear of future rejection make him push Sean and Daniel away before they get too close to his heart.
But the strength of the love that blooms between them is the worst of their fears, because it will take as much courage to run from it and go on living empty, meaningless lives as it will to fight for the happiness they might never reach together.
Series:
Author: J. Hepburn
Length: 121 pages
Publisher: Less Than Three Press, LLC (April 29, 2015)
Genre: Romance / Sci-Fi / Poly / F/F/F
Notes: I read this when it first came out and I believe it was one of my top reads for that year.
Blurb: Life aboard a luxury yacht, travelling deep inside safe space, isn't supposed to be exciting, and it's one of the main reasons Tori works on board as a beautician and cocktail waitress. Her growing friendship with Annick, another beautician, is a pleasant bonus.
Then the ship is attacked by pirates, the very last thing she needs, but it soon becomes apparent that if they stand any chance of surviving she will have to dredge up the past she's tried so hard to leave behind.
But even Tori's unique history can't help her sort out what to do when she's caught between the friend she's falling in love with and the pirate captain she's seducing...
Series: (Arranging Paradise Book 1)
Author: L. Rowyn
Length: 664 pages
Publisher: Delight in Books; 1 edition (June 23, 2015)
Genre: Romance / Historical / Poly / M/M/F
Notes:
Blurb: “But these are vital aspects of marriage. If one cannot discuss them, what's the use in meeting at all? It's like trying to decide what you'll have for dinner without mentioning food."
Wisteria Vasilver does wish to marry. Truly. But though she lives in Paradise, arranging a match is full of traps and pitfalls for the unwary ... or perhaps just for her.
Nikola Striker, Lord of Fireholt, expects he'll wed -- someday. But not now, and never to a rich icicle of a woman like Miss Vasilver. No matter how much his parents might want the match, or his house might need her dowry. Besides, he has his own problems -- most of them people who need his help as a mind-healer.
Lord Justin Comfrey, Viscount of Comfrey, would be more than happy to help Striker with his financial troubles, and not just to ensure that Miss Vasilver's dowry doesn't tempt Striker into marriage. If only he could find some way to make his proud, stubborn friend accept the money!
Can three people of such different temperaments ever find their way to a more perfect Paradise?
Series: (Pykh Book 1)
Author: Eileen Glass
Length: 199 pages
Publisher:
Genre: Romantic Elements / Sci-Fi / Abduction and Escape / Poly / M/M/M (KU Option)
Notes: Read this and loved it. The second book in the series was even better. It can also be found on audio.
Blurb: How does a bad day get worse, you ask?
Well…
How about being squished between two huge, naked dudes with their meaty schlongs hanging out and everything?
It's all a matter of opinion, but Carter's day is going pretty badly. He's an engineer captured by bug aliens, now depending on his large, muscled, naked cage mates for food and warmth. They seem sentient, so that's good. But they're also handsy. Which is… complicated.
The military isn't looking for him. Slaves taken by the bug race never come back. Yet, Carter is very much alive, and if he wants to stay that way, he'll need to trust Pykh and Siel, two affectionate aliens with claws, teeth, and size.
Series:
Author: Tessa Gratton
Length: 400 pages
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books (September 18, 2018)
Genre: Young Adult / Mystery / Dark Fantasy / Poly / M/F/NB
Notes: The audiobook is only a couple dollars more than the ebook
Blurb: Once, a witch made a pact with a devil. The legend says they loved each other, but can the story be trusted at all? Find out in this lush, atmospheric fantasy novel that entwines love, lies, and sacrifice.
Long ago, a village made a bargain with the devil: to ensure their prosperity, when the Slaughter Moon rises, the village must sacrifice a young man into the depths of the Devil’s Forest.
Only this year, the Slaughter Moon has risen early.
Bound by duty, secrets, and the love they share for one another, Mairwen, a spirited witch; Rhun, the expected saint; and Arthur, a restless outcast, will each have a role to play as the devil demands a body to fill the bargain. But the devil these friends find is not the one they expect, and the lies they uncover will turn their town—and their hearts—inside out.
Series:
Author(s): Katherine Fabian & Iona Datt Sharma
Length: 105 pages
Publisher:
Genre: Holiday / Contemporary Fantasy / Poly / F/M/NB
Notes:
Blurb: The world you know is underneath the substance of another, with cracks in the firmament that let the light of its magic in…
Layla and Nat have nothing in common but their boyfriend – enigmatic, brilliant Meraud – and their deep mutual dislike. But when Meraud disappears after an ambitious magical experiment goes wrong, they may be the only ones who can follow the trail of cryptic clues that will bring him safely home.
To return Meraud to this world, the two of them will confront every obstacle: the magic of the wild unknowable, a friendly vicar who's only concerned for their spiritual wellbeing, and even the Thames Water helpline. All of which would be doable, if only they didn’t have to do it together.
But the winter solstice is fast approaching – and once the year turns, Meraud will be lost forever. In this joyously queer novella, Nat and Layla must find a way to overcome their differences before it’s too late.
~
"I loved this unusual novella -- contemporary fantasy set in a London illuminated by the light of another world. Elegant, tender and funny, it's a perfect book to curl up with on a winter's night, along with your favourite seasonal accessories (mug of hot drink, festive jumper, pet cat or loved one, etc)." - Zen Cho
Series:
Author: RoAnna Sylver
Length: 439 pages
Publisher: RoAnna Sylver; 2 edition (October 11, 2016)
Genre: Science Fiction / Super Heroes / Trans / Poly / F/F/F (Lead trans character)
Notes:
Blurb: The city of Parole is burning. Like Venice slips into the sea, Parole crumbles into fire.
The entire population inside has been quarantined, cut off from the rest of the world, and left to die - directly over the open flame. Eye in the Sky, a deadly and merciless police force ensures no one escapes. Ever. All that’s keeping Parole alive is faith in the midst of horrors and death, trust in the face of desperation… and their fantastic, terrifying, and beautiful superhuman abilities.
Regan, silent, scaly stealth expert, is haunted by ten years of anxiety, trauma and terror, and he’s finally reached his limit. His ability to disappear into thin air isn’t enough: he needs an escape, and he’ll do anything for a chance. Unluckily for him, Hans, a ghostly boy with a chilling smile, knows just the thing to get one. It starts with a little murder.
But instead of ending a man’s life, Regan starts a new one of his own. He turns away from that twisted path, and runs into Evelyn, fearless force on stage and sonic-superheroic revolutionary on the streets. Now Regan has a choice - and a chance to not only escape from Parole, but unravel the mystery deep in its burning heart. And most of all, discover the truth about their own entwining pasts.
They join forces with Evelyn’s family: the virtuosic but volatile Danae, who breathes life into machines, and her wife Rose, whose compassionate nature and power over healing vines and defensive thorns will both be vital to survive this nightmare. Then there’s Zilch, a cool and level-headed person made of other dead people, and Finn, one of Parole’s few remaining taxi drivers, who causes explosions whenever he feels anything but happy.
Separately they’d never survive, much less uncover the secret of Parole’s eternally-burning fire. Together, they have a chance. Unfortunately, Hans isn’t above playing dirty, lying, cheating, manipulating… and holding Regan’s memories hostage until he gets his way.
Parole’s a rough place to live. But they’re not dead yet. If they can survive the imminent cataclysmic disaster, they might just stay that way…
Series: (Eternal Queen's Skies Book 1)
Author: Annathesa Nikola Darksbane
Length:
Publisher:
Genre: Romance / Gaslight & Steam Punk/ Magic / Poly / F/F/F (Harem-ish) (KU Option)
Notes:
Blurb: The Knight won’t die. The Lady won’t give up. And the Pirate won’t behave.
Jonelise gave all she had when her people needed her most...and lost. Years later, she finds herself lost in a strange world, burdened with an impossible task...though she can’t remember what it is.
A gnawing hunger drives her. Amnesia haunts her. And the friends she makes cannot truly be trusted.
A simple tavern girl, a lady of noble birth, and an incorrigible pirate cross her path, but even with a cast of unlikely, powerful allies—and lovers—at her side, victory seems as nebulous as the ever-present steam that shrouds these floating realms in endless clouds of white.
In a world of steam and steel, spirits and superstition, where magic and leadership are one and the same, a woman who should be dead must snatch freedom from the grasp of the most powerful tyrant to ever exist, and the man who will destroy everything at her whim.
But is making the same sacrifice again enough to save a people in need, and fill the void that threatens to consume her?
After all, Jonelise is just one girl.
One girl who may be her people’s last and only hope.
Series:
Author: J. Fally
Length: 312 pages
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press; 1 edition (October 27, 2013)
Genre: Romance / Sci-Fi / Poly / M/M/M
Notes: Confession: I started this one and didn't finish. No particular reason. I'm going to give it another go.
Blurb: Riley Cooper is on the run. Misha Tokarev, the love of his life, turned out to be an assassin for the Russian mob, and when it comes to character flaws, Riley draws the line at premeditated murder. Alien armor system McClane is also on the run, for reasons that include accidentally crashing a space ship into Earth and evading U.S. military custody. A failed prototype, McClane was scheduled for destruction. Sabotaging the ship put an end to that, but McClane is dubbed a bone rider for good reason—he can’t live without a host body. That’s why he first stows away in Riley's truck and then in Riley himself. Their reluctant partnership soon evolves into something much more powerful—and personal—than either of them could have imagined.
Together, they embark on a road trip from hell, made all the more exciting by the government troops and mob enforcers hot on their trail. Misha is determined to win Riley back and willing to do whatever it takes to keep him safe. When hitman and alien join forces, they discover their impressive combined potential for death and destruction. It will take everything Riley has to steer them through the mess they create.
Series: A Tangled Axon Novel
Author: Jacqueline Koyanagi
Length: 336 pages
Publisher: Prime Books (July 22, 2013)
Genre: Sci-Fi / Poly / F/F/F
Notes: I had this one already but haven't read it. I remember it being recommended to me a while ago. :-P
Blurb: Alana Quick is the best damned sky surgeon in Heliodor City, but repairing starship engines barely pays the bills. When the desperate crew of a cargo vessel stops by her shipyard looking for her spiritually-advanced sister Nova, Alana stows away. Maybe her boldness will land her a long-term gig on the crew. But the Tangled Axon proves to be more than star-watching and plasma coils. The chief engineer thinks he's a wolf. The pilot fades in and out of existence. The captain is all blond hair, boots, and ego . . . and Alana can't keep her eyes off her. But there's little time for romance: Nova's in danger and someone will do anything—even destroying planets—to get their hands on her!
Series: (Xandri Corelel Book 1)
Author: Kaia Sonderby
Length: 395 pages
Publisher: Going To Mars (February 14, 2017)
Genre: Romance / First Contact / Space Opera / Poly / F/F/M
Notes:
Blurb: As one of the only remaining autistics in the universe, Xandri Corelel has faced a lot of hardship, and she's earned her place as the head of Xeno-Liaisons aboard the first contact ship Carpathia. But her skill at negotiating with alien species is about to be put to the ultimate test.
The Anmerilli, a notoriously reticent and xenophobic people, have invented a powerful weapon that will irrevocably change the face of space combat. Now the Starsystems Alliance has called in Xandri and the crew of the Carpathia to mediate. The Alliance won't risk the weapon falling into enemy hands, and if Xandri can't bring the Anmerilli into the fold, the consequences will be dire.
Amidst sabotage, assassination attempts, and rampant cronyism, Xandri struggles to convince the doubtful and ornery Anmerilli. Worse, she's beginning to suspect that not everyone on her side is really working to make the alliance a success. As tensions rise and tempers threaten to boil over, Xandri must focus all her energy into understanding the one species that has always been beyond her: her own.
Series: Radical Proposals Book 1
Author: Jude Lucens
Length: 393 pages
Publisher: Greenwose Books (June 22, 2018)
Genre: Romance / Edwardian Historical / Poly / Bisexual / M/M, M/F, M/M/F (KU Option)
Notes:
Blurb: Lucien Saxby is a journalist, writing for the society pages. The Honourable Aubrey Fanshawe, second son of an earl, is Society. They have nothing in common, until a casual encounter leads to a crisis.
Aubrey isn’t looking for love. He already has it, in his long-term clandestine relationship with Lord and Lady Hernedale. And Lucien is the last man Aubrey should want. He’s a commoner, raised in service, socially unacceptable. Worse, he writes for a disreputable, gossip-hungry newspaper. Aubrey can’t afford to trust him when arrest and disgrace are just a breath away.
Lucien doesn’t trust nobs. Painful experience has taught him that working people simply don’t count to them. Years ago, he turned his back on a life of luxury so his future wouldn’t depend on an aristocrat’s whim. Now, thanks to Aubrey, he’s becoming entangled in the risky affairs of the upper classes, antagonising people who could destroy him with a word.
Aubrey and Lucien have too much to hide—and too much between them to ignore. Rejecting the strict rules and closed doors of Edwardian society might lead them both to ruin… but happiness and integrity alike demand it.
Series:
Author: Nisi Shawl
Length: 384 pages
Publisher: Tor Books (September 6, 2016)
Genre: Alternate History / Neo-Victoria / Poly / F/F/F
Notes:
Blurb:
Everfair is a wonderful Neo-Victorian alternate history novel that explores the question of what might have come of Belgium's disastrous colonization of the Congo if the native populations had learned about steam technology a bit earlier. Fabian Socialists from Great Britian join forces with African-American missionaries to purchase land from the Belgian Congo's "owner," King Leopold II. This land, named Everfair, is set aside as a safe haven, an imaginary Utopia for native populations of the Congo as well as escaped slaves returning from America and other places where African natives were being mistreated.
Nisi Shawl's speculative masterpiece manages to turn one of the worst human rights disasters on record into a marvelous and exciting exploration of the possibilities inherent in a turn of history. Everfair is told from a multiplicity of voices: Africans, Europeans, East Asians, and African Americans in complex relationships with one another, in a compelling range of voices that have historically been silenced. Everfair is not only a beautiful book but an educational and inspiring one that will give the reader new insight into an often ignored period of history.
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Non-Fiction reads for the heck of it:
- Love’s Not Color Blind by Kevin Patterson
- More than Two: A Practical Guide to Ethical Polyamory by Franklin Veaux, Janet Hardy, Tatiana Gill, and Eve Rickert
- The Ethical Slut by Janet W Hardy
- A Smart Girl’s Guide to Polyamory by Dedeker Winston
Thank you for stopping by and reading!!
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