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The Lesbian Review

Worshiping the Pages

Published 2 months ago • 4 min read

Hello Reader,

Last week I wrote a little description of what I love about books. It was this:

The swoosh of the page as it turns.
The faint crack of a new spine opening for the first time.
The muted thunk of a book landing on a table.
The feel of smooth or rough pages as you move your fingers over the page.
The slide of a dust jacket.
The firm clap when you close a book with feeling.
The way books fit on the shelf next to one another.
The depiction on the cover a mystery until you get to the part in the book where it all makes sense.

And I got the most wonderful response from Julie, so I thought I would share what she has to say:

I love -
all the sensations in your beautiful list
AND (sometimes)
the excitement when a little parcel comes and it's a book
AND (occasionally)
the feeling of blushing when a cover excites me
AND (rarely)
when a book consumes me page after page with its tension and then something is revealed and I cry with relief
(OK ... sob!)

​
Books resonate with humans. Their pages contain so much more than just words and it’s beautiful how we often view them as sacred objects, to be kept safe and treasured.

Reviews

This week we have some brand new reviews including

  • A workplace romance
  • A librarian and detective hunt for a killer
  • A morally gray lesbian romantic suspense

We also feature last week’s reviews in case you missed them.

Patrons

This week was Poll week and a new one just went live.

Authors also got a new article on building romantic tension.

New Releases

Tomorrow is a brand new set of New Releases so check out our current ones before they get moved.

Have a beautiful Sunday,

Sheena

P.S. See you next week! If you’ve been enjoying these updates, consider joining the TLR Champion Patreon community.

These are the latest reviews from TheLesbianReview.com - click on the cover or title of the book to read the full review.
​
The great thing about reviews is that we read books and share ones we like, upping the chances of you finding only the best books out there.

Beautiful Disasters by Avery Brooks is a contemporary workplace romance set in New Orleans with the perfect amount of angst to tug at your heartstrings.

From our review: "The book is a wonderful exploration of learning to trust, learning to love, and learning to take a chance. The main characters have relatable self-doubts, and how Brooks navigates through them is both believable and satisfying.”

​Read the full review here​

Where the Veil is Thin by MC Smith is set in a gorgeous but mysterious small town in Oregon, where the librarian and a big city detective hunt for a killer.

From our review: "The author has a nice touch with draping a gorgeous and appealing place with a darkness that elevates the danger of the investigation.”

​Read the full review here​

Forged in Deception by Sabrina Blaum is a fantastic, morally gray lesbian romantic suspense about an icy museum curator and an openhearted art forger.

From our review: "The writing is a standout, particularly in its natural, fluid dialogue, which makes the characters feel authentic and easy to connect with.”

​Read the full review here​

In case you missed last week's reviews, here they are again.

Sparks by Jae is a slow-burn sapphic romance about honesty, acceptance, and healing.

From our review: "I read Sparks at just the right time. I’d been on a dramatic, angsty reading streak, and this one felt like a breath of fresh air.”

​Read the full review here​

Highly recommended

The Orc and Her Bride by Lila Gwynn throws together a petulant elven princess and a sweet natured orcish princess in an arranged marriage neither one wants.

From our review: "This is possibly the most unlikely romantic pairing I’ve ever read and I was impressed both with the author’s setup and their ability to actually make everything work.

​Read the full review here​

Highly Recommended

The Second Draft by Carrie Byrd is a heartfelt lesbian romance about passion, self-discovery, and taking emotional risks.

From our review: "with rich emotion, sharp dialogue, and two unforgettable women finally embracing a once-in-a-lifetime love. It completely swept me up and left me with a serious book hangover.

​Read the full review here​

In case you missed it, these interviews are available for free on our Patreon Page.

Veronica Gutiérrez

Look at what flavour of mystery Gutiérrez prefers to write, her passion for cocktails and how she fundraises by making drinks.

​See the full interview here​

E.V Bancroft

In this interview we look at code breaking, the real horror is cold, and favourite gifts.

​See the full interview here​

C Jean Downer

Find out why mystery is such an awesome genre, the best hikes Downer has been on, why otherworldly themes make an appearance in her writing and her personal experience with them.

​See the full interview here​

Jamey Moody

Find out how the WNBA and distinct voices led to a book idea, triathlon races and being swam over, and how a broken ankle felt like nothing would ever be the same.

​See the full interview here​

Benna Bos

Find out why Dogs are such a big part of her writing, what she thinks is the best kind of dog and lessons learnt.

​See the full interview here​

Cheyenne Blue

Find out what her favourite camping gear is, who convinced her to take the leap and try writing a long book and why her book features a sausage factory.

​See the full interview here​

Melissa Tereze

Find out about Tereze's new pen name, why age gaps are so appealing and her feelings about horror books.

​See the full interview here​

Chris Zett

Zette talks about her favourite book to write, the best way to be thanked, and reading science fiction,

​See the full interview here​

Alaina Erdell

Erdell talks about what still surprises her about the process of writing, what she would gift herself, and book awards.

​See the full interview here​

A.L. brooks

Zette talks about her favourite book to write, the best way to be thanked, and reading science fiction,

​See the full interview here​

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