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Your Holy Grail: Sunscreen
May. 12th, 2026 07:00 pm![[syndicated profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/feed.png){kind=small}
go_fug_yourself_feed'Tis the season!
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go_fug_yourself_feedTaraji P. Henson Looks Dramatic
May. 12th, 2026 06:00 pmgo_fug_yourself_feedAt the Webbys.
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Netflix’s Roast of Kevin Hart Got a Decent Turnout
May. 12th, 2026 05:00 pmgo_fug_yourself_feedSome highlights!
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FOX Upfronts Dragged Out Several Old Friends
May. 12th, 2026 04:00 pmgo_fug_yourself_feedBest known from, frankly, other shows.
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It’s Eurovision Week, and it’s Already Sartorially Wacky
May. 12th, 2026 03:00 pmgo_fug_yourself_feedJust as you'd expect.
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Fantasy Romance, Mysteries, & More
May. 12th, 2026 03:30 pmsmartbitches_feedThe Marriage Narrative
The Marriage Narrative by Claire Kann is $1.99! This is a modern marriage of convenience. I was pretty middle of the road with this one, as I couldn’t necessarily get behind the heroine’s decision for getting married. The reasoning felt weak to me, but YMMV.
A love just for show grows into something more in this swoonworthy romance from the author of The Romantic Agenda.
Zinnia is an ambitious, successful businesswoman who is not about to wait around for her One True Love. She turns her dating profile into a marriage-merger a few strategic meetings, move in together, get married—all within thirty days. Her friends think it will never work… until she meets Jordan, a near-perfect applicant with a big secret.
Jordan’s family has spent the last decade starring in a massively popular reality show about their lives. He has finally agreed to join the cast, but production wants him to marry an actress (his ex) in a romantic storyline to boost viewership.
Convinced Zinnia is perfect for the role instead, Jordan proposes a mutually beneficial marriage she gets her business partner husband, and he gets to help his family on his terms. Together they face strict schedules, wild plot twists, and behind-the-scenes hostilities, all while acting like besotted newlyweds—an intense performance that evolves into a relationship they never expected.
As the line between reality and show blurs, Zinnia and Jordan must choose between a clean contract or a beautifully messy love story.
A Vow in Vengeance
A Vow in Vengeance by Jaclyn Rodriguez is $1.99 This one released in January of this year, so it’s relatively new. I mentioned it in Hide Your Wallet because I heard it marketed as a “coming of rage” story.
Deadly tarot, wicked schemes, dangerous alliances . . . can you survive the Forge?
Sexy, action-packed, and brimming with magic, A Vow in Vengeance is an unputdownable romantasy debut.
Rune Ryker has nothing left to lose. Everything’s been stolen by the Immortals—her family, her home, her freedom. But she’s done playing by their rules.
Each year, humans are forced to journey into the Immortal Realms, but twenty-year-old Rune orchestrates her own selection, determined to find her family and destroy anyone who stands in her way. Rune is used to doing whatever it takes to survive, and now she must endure the Forge, a cutthroat college for the Immortal druids’ elusive tarot magic. When Rune’s magic reveals itself to be the rarest and most powerful, she must live with its only other wielder—Prince Draven. As arrogant as he is ruthlessly ambitious, he’s the last person she can trust.
Rune’s abilities also draw the eyes of the most dangerous druids in the realms. Some want to use her. More want her dead. Draven offers to train her . . . for a price. As Rune becomes ensnared in Draven’s dangerous games, she learns there are secrets at the heart of the kingdom that some will kill to protect.
And Rune and Draven’s growing attraction may be the spark to ignite a brewing war.
The Five Year Lie
The Five Year Lie by Sarina Bowen! This mystery released in May 2024 and I believe it’s the first time we’ve found it on sale.
She thought it was love. Then he vanished.
On an ordinary Monday morning, Ariel Cafferty’s phone buzzes with a disturbing text message. Something’s happened. I need to see you. Meet me under the candelabra tree ASAP. The words would be jarring from anyone, but the sender is the only man she ever loved. And it’s been several years since she learned he died.
Seeing Drew’s name pop up is heart-stopping. Ariel’s gut says it can’t be real. But she goes to the tree anyway. She has to.
Nobody shows. But the text upends everything she thought she knew about the day he left her. The more questions she asks, the more sinister the answers get. Only two things are clear: everything she was told five years ago is wrong, and someone is still lying to her.
The truth has to be out there somewhere. To safeguard herself—and her son—she’ll have to find it before it finds her. And with it, the answer to what became of Drew.
With a heart-stopping romance that only Sarina Bowen can execute, The Five Year Lie is a page-turning, spine-tingling thriller that will have you guessing until the very end.
The Murder of Mr. Wickham
The Murder of Mr. Wickham by Claudia Gray is $2.99! Sarah mentioned this one in a previous Hide Your Wallet and it definitely fits within the Bitchery’s interests.
Amal Clooney Nailed It Yet Again
May. 12th, 2026 02:00 pmgo_fug_yourself_feedNot a shock.
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HaBO: She Sells Her Jewelry to Repair the Roof
May. 12th, 2026 02:00 pmsmartbitches_feedThis HaBO comes from Andrea. Trigger warnings for the description below:
Okay, this has been driving me crazy for a decade! Pretty sure it came out in the 90s.
Main character is an American woman living in England with her husband, Griffon. He had an affair with Claire. She thought it was over, but no, she runs into a very pregnant Claire at (Barnaby’s?) Claire loses the baby. Griffon comes home super drunk and rapes his wife. She leaves, taking her jewelry and some clothes, and flies to NY. She buys a cottage through the classifieds, sight unseen, in a little New Jersey town she stopped in once with her parents as a teen.
She has a scrappy little car (I think a bug), the house needs a roof, so she sells the jewelry. Gets a job at the local diner. Other waitress has a teen son, Mark, whose dad, Brian is a huge jerk, and also the main love interest’s brother. (I also don’t remember his name, but he smokes). His beagle pup is Bailey, his dad is Eddie. Eddie is suffering from dementia. The town is dying and being bought up by a developer (we find out later it’s Brian’s company). Someone is trashing the fishing boats.
Heroine ends up pregnant, scared it’s Griffons. It’s not. Ending: happy wedding with baby girl in tow.
Also, the cottage was fully furnished as the old woman who owned it died or moved to a home.
Let’s HaBO!
Hide Your Wallet: May 12th Release Week
May. 12th, 2026 08:00 amsmartbitches_feed
Happy Tuesday!
There are a handful of books on our TBR piles this week, include a much anticipated sequel.
Which releases are on your radar this week? Tell us in the comments!
Dangerously Ours
Author: Krista Ritchie
Released: May 12, 2026 by Berkley
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Romance
Series: Webs We Weave #3
In the thrilling conclusion to the Webs We Weave series, ex-con artist Phoebe Graves must pull off the biggest grift she’s ever devised to keep her friends and family safe.
Conning the rich and fleeing to new cities is all ex-grifter Phoebe Graves has ever known—until she started building real relationships in a small but wealthy Connecticut town. But she’s worried these new bonds won’t hold fast as more than one big bad wolf threatens to blow down those she loves most.
And now more than ever, she has a reason to stay in one place. Among them is Brayden “Rocky” Tinrock, her best friend’s older brother, who’s been a partner to Phoebe during every daring and exhilarating con. And then of course there’s Hailey Tinrock, her best friend, whose precious secret they’ll do anything to protect. . . .
As Phoebe and her family team up with the Tinrocks to fight for a chance at a home, they confront the demons of their pasts and must do the impossible . . . deceive the most cunning con artist they’ve ever known.
Elyse: A best friend’s older brother romance with the twist that the heroine is a con artist.
First and Forever
Author: Lynn Painter
Released: May 12, 2026 by Berkley
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Romance
A football star and a diehard fan entangled in a PR stunt—that only one side knows is fake—might be the right play in this new romantic comedy by #1 New York Times bestselling author Lynn Painter.
Duffy Distefano loves three things: her dad, the family cat, and Minneapolis Coyotes football. So when she gets booed out of a game and becomes the internet’s villain, she is distraught—and disgruntled. All she did was shove Coyote Carl away when he made a move on her, but everyone else just saw a woman attacking their team’s beloved mascot. Eager to clear the air, Duffy agrees to an interview on a hit morning show. She doesn’t expect a co-guest to join her—especially not the Coyotes’ star tight end.
When MVP Connor Cunningham gets tasked with damage control to help his team out of their PR nightmare, he thought that meant saying a few words on the team’s behalf. Instead, he finds himself in a highly amusing verbal sparring match with a recently wronged fan on live TV. Duffy pelts him with fiery jabs but is also clearly diehard about the Coyotes—color him intrigued…and attracted.
The interview instantly goes viral, and the public is obsessed with them. A strong push from the Coyotes’ PR team to ride the wave results in Connor asking Duffy out. Despite his distaste for PR stunts, he’s surprised to discover being with Duffy is much easier than he thought, and somehow it doesn’t feel fake to him. Harboring this secret can only blow up, but all he knows is that if he messes things up with Duffy, it’ll be the greatest fumble of his life.
The latest Lynn Painter and it’s a sports romance!
The Last Lady B
Author: Eloisa James
Released: May 12, 2026 by Gallery Books
Genre: Historical: European, Romance
Lady B may have married Bluebeard; she may have fallen in love with a gorgeous, grumpy solicitor; she may have met a ghost and survived to tell the tale! New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Eloisa James delights with witty historical romance with a gothic twist.
In the depths of winter, Lady Genevieve Hughes, her pet piglet, and her septuagenarian husband travel to a haunted abbey in the Scottish Highlands. Evie is excited to meet a ghost (perhaps one of her husband’s three previous wives), but didn’t expect the funny, quirky guests to become the friends she’s never had. And she certainly didn’t imagine meeting Sir Godric Everly, a sardonic, witty solicitor who loathes her husband.
Yet as secrets and lies turn Evie’s world upside down, Sir Godric becomes the one person whom she can trust.
When ghosts, multiple wills, and a shocking marriage certificate bring Lord Burnsby’s past crashing into his present, Burnsby promptly dies, leaving Evie free to remarry…though as a virgin wife, now a virgin widow, she is more unnerved by the marriage bed than a spectral visit.
More importantly, she has to figure out whose identity is false, whose vows are dishonorable, whose truths could destroy her reputation—and where her heart belongs.
A new Eloisa James, and this one is part of Julia Quinn’s special historical romance edition subscription box.
Love Beyond Reasonable Doubt
Author: Swati Hegde
Released: May 12, 2026 by Dell
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Romance
In this second-chance workplace romance, two lawyers find themselves working in the same office after a steamy vacation fling a year and a half ago, from the author of Can’t Help Faking in Love
Naina Shetty is a proud workaholic, and she is gunning for a promotion at her law firm. No distractions will get in her way this time, not even the bad breakup that happened over a year ago. She brushed off her pain with a long vacation and a no-strings-attached fling with a handsome stranger, but now Naina is back to business.
Unlucky-in-love Tejas Rajput hasn’t stopped thinking about the brown-eyed beauty he met on the beaches of Goa two summers ago. He’d been looking for a rebound to get over his ex—which is why he’d agreed to keep things strictly casual, use fake last names, and respond to all personal questions with “wrong answers only.” But he didn’t think he’d fall for her, hard, only for her to get on a plane and leave.
When they cross paths again—this time working at the same office—Naina is adamant that her no-relationships policy won’t change, especially not for Tejas, whose disarming smile and easygoing charm could spell trouble. Her career will always come first.
But as they team up for a case that could make or break their firm’s reputation, they discover that there’s something more than just sparks between them—and it might turn out to be true love.
Amanda: I enjoyed Match Me If You Can and I’m getting the sense that Hegde enjoys writing green flag heroes.
Seek the Traitor’s Son
Author: Veronica Roth
Released: May 12, 2026 by Tor Books
Genre: Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
Series: The Burning Empire #1
A new epic romantic, dystopian fantasy begins in Seek the Traitor’s Son, from #1 New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth
Elegy Ahn did not ask for destiny to find her.
She is happy with her life as a soldier, defending her small country from the Talusar, a powerful nation who worships a deadly Fever. A fever that blesses half of its victims with mysterious gifts.
But then she’s summoned to hear a prophecy–her, and the most ruthless of Talusar generals, Rava Vidar. Brought face to face, they learn that one of them will lead their people to victory over the other…but they don’t know which. And at the center of both of their fates: a man. A man that, Elegy is told, she will fall in love with.
In just one day, Elegy’s old life–her job, her purpose, and her future–is over. She and Rava are destined to collide, with the fate of their nations hanging in the balance. And when they do, only one will be left standing.
Elegy intends to make sure it’s her.
A dystopian fantasy by Veronica Roth. I’ve heard the romance in this one is more a subplot (I think?).
The Tapestry of Fate
Author: Shannon Chakraborty
Released: May 12, 2026 by Harper Voyager
Genre: Science Fiction/Fantasy
New York Times bestselling author Shannon Chakraborty sets sail into the second adventure of pirate Amina al-Sirafi as her quest to track down magical artifacts brings her to the island lair of a sorceress whose woven enchantments are impossible to flee.
Amina al-Sirafi thinks she’s struck gold. Tasked with hunting down arcane artifacts for the council of immortal peris, she can savor the occasional rollicking adventure on the high seas with her cherished criminal companions while still returning home to raise her beloved daughter, Marjana. But when Raksh, the spirit of discord with whom she is reluctantly wed, provokes the council’s wrath, Amina is charged with a seemingly impossible quest: steal a spindle capable of rewriting fate from a mysterious sorceress on an island no one can escape.
Forced to leave Marjana—who is increasingly frustrated at being peddled what are clearly lies about her mother’s life and her own past—Amina finds her mission almost immediately thrown into peril. But deadly storms, an erratic poison mistress, and old enemies are the least of her worries. For the peris’ story is unraveling, hinting at a far deadlier game whose rules Amina must swiftly puzzle out. A game that sets her against an adversary more cunning and powerful than she has ever faced.
A game that not everyone on her crew wants her to win.
Elyse: The first book in this series is my favorite fantasy book of all time.
Lara: I’ve been following the author on Instagram during the writing of this book. Because I adored the first one so much, I’m desperate for Amina to have some good luck in this book. I’m going to wait for Elyse to read it and then give me the spoilers so I’m emotionally prepared!
Spoiler: Allison Janney Looks Great
May. 11th, 2026 07:00 pmgo_fug_yourself_feedThis dress is a party.
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Romantic Suspense, Christina Lauren, & More
May. 11th, 2026 03:30 pmsmartbitches_feedAccidentally Engaged
RECOMMENDED: Accidentally Engaged by Farah Heron is $2.99! Kiki reviewed this one and gave it an A-:
I cannot emphasize enough how hungry this book will make you.
Accidentally Engaged might be my top pick for “don’t read while hungry.” Between our heroine Reena’s bread baking (there’s rye, there’s challah, there’s an ongoing battle with a sourdough starter) and her Indian and East African cooking, I was craving a feast pretty much the whole time I was reading this book.
Reena Manji doesn’t love her career, her single status, and most of all, her family inserting themselves into every detail of her life. But when caring for her precious sourdough starters, Reena can drown it all out. At least until her father moves his newest employee across the hall–with hopes that Reena will marry him.
But Nadim’s not like the other Muslim bachelors-du-jour that her parents have dug up. If the Captain America body and the British accent weren’t enough, the man appears to love eating her bread creations as much as she loves making them. She sure as hell would never marry a man who works for her father, but friendship with a neighbor is okay, right? And when Reena’s career takes a nosedive, Nadim happily agrees to fake an engagement so they can enter a couples video cooking contest to win the artisan bread course of her dreams.
As cooking at home together brings them closer, things turn physical, but Reena isn’t worried. She knows Nadim is keeping secrets, but it’s fine— secrets are always on the menu where her family is concerned. And her heart is protected… she’s not marrying the man. But even secrets kept for self preservation have a way of getting out, especially when meddling parents and gossiping families are involved.
Twice in a Blue Moon
Twice in a Blue Moon by Christina Lauren is $2.99! Elyse read this one and I think her review could be parsed down to “needs way more grovel.” If you read it, would you agree?
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Unhoneymooners and the “delectable, moving” (Entertainment Weekly) My Favorite Half-Night Stand comes a modern love story about what happens when your first love reenters your life when you least expect it…
Sam Brandis was Tate Jones’s first: Her first love. Her first everything. Including her first heartbreak.
During a whirlwind two-week vacation abroad, Sam and Tate fell for each other in only the way that first loves do: sharing all of their hopes, dreams, and deepest secrets along the way. Sam was the first, and only, person that Tate—the long-lost daughter of one of the world’s biggest film stars—ever revealed her identity to. So when it became clear her trust was misplaced, her world shattered for good.
Fourteen years later, Tate, now an up-and-coming actress, only thinks about her first love every once in a blue moon. When she steps onto the set of her first big break, he’s the last person she expects to see. Yet here Sam is, the same charming, confident man she knew, but even more alluring than she remembered. Forced to confront the man who betrayed her, Tate must ask herself if it’s possible to do the wrong thing for the right reason… and whether “once in a lifetime” can come around twice.
Deep Dark
RECOMMENDED: Deep Dark by Laura Griffin is $1.99! Elyse read this one and gave it an A-:
Fans of cyber-thrillers or readers looking for a hacker heroine should definitely check Deep Dark out. Those who prefer their romantic suspense without explicit violence may want to steer clear.
The moment detective Reed Novak steps onto the crime scene, he knows the case is going to rock his world. A beautiful young woman murdered at home. No sign of forced entry. No motive. She’s obviously not the killer’s first victim, and Reed’s instincts tell him she won’t be his last. Reed’s first clue comes via a mysterious text that links to a dating profile, but even more intriguing than the clue is the person who sent it.
As a white-hat hacker in the Delphi Center’s cyber investigation unit, Laney Knox sneaks into some of the deepest, darkest corners of the Internet looking for predators. Laney would prefer to stay away from Austin PD’s most recent murder case, but she can’t ignore the chilling similarities between that crime and her own brutal attack years ago. Laney offers to help the sexy lead detective, but he wants more from her than just a promising tip—Reed wants her trust. Laney resists, but as their relationship deepens she’s tempted to reveal the closely guarded secrets that could make her a key witness…or the killer’s next victim.
Big Chicas Don’t Cry
Big Chicas Don’t Cry by Anette Chavez Macias is $2.49 at Amazon! This seems like it leans more toward women’s fiction with some romantic threads. It has a 4.2-star rating on Goodreads.
Four cousins navigate love, loss, and the meaning of family over the course of one memorable year in this heartfelt family drama.
Cousins Mari, Erica, Selena, and Gracie are inseparable. They aren’t just family but best friends—sharing secrets, traditions, and a fierce love for their abuelita. But their idyllic childhood ends when Mari’s parents divorce, forcing her to move away. With Mari gone, the girls’ tight-knit bond unravels.
Fifteen years later, Mari’s got the big house and handsome husband, but her life is in shambles. Erica’s boyfriend just dumped her, and her new boss hates her. Selena can’t seem to find her place in the world—not Mexican enough for her family, not white enough for her colleagues. And Gracie is a Catholic school teacher with an all-consuming crush, but she can’t trust herself when it comes to romance.
As rocky as the cousins’ lives have become, nothing can prepare them for the heartbreaking loss of a loved one. When tragedy reunites them, will they remember their abuelita’s lessons about family and forgiveness—or are fifteen years of separation too much to overcome?
The 2026 Met Gala Worst Dressed Contest Goes to a Run-Off!
May. 11th, 2026 06:00 pmgo_fug_yourself_feedIt's a thriller!
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There Is a Pot of Gold at the End of this Rainbow
May. 11th, 2026 05:00 pmgo_fug_yourself_feedFrom the BAFTA TV Awards.
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Let’s Do Some Homework on the Cannes Jury’s Red Carpet History.
May. 11th, 2026 04:00 pmgo_fug_yourself_feedIt'll be fun, I promise!
The post Let’s Do Some Homework on the Cannes Jury’s Red Carpet History. first appeared on Go Fug Yourself.
Let Us Not Be Neutral About the Gold Gala Neutrals
May. 11th, 2026 03:00 pmgo_fug_yourself_feedIf possible.
The post Let Us Not Be Neutral About the Gold Gala Neutrals first appeared on Go Fug Yourself.
The Gold Gala Was Once Again Beautiful
May. 11th, 2026 02:00 pmgo_fug_yourself_feedHere are the colorful outfits.
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App Review: Quinn
May. 11th, 2026 10:00 amsmartbitches_feed
Quinn Audio is a paid app that offers immersive erotic short stories that, IMO, are organized by trope and archetype in a way that will appeal to romance readers (enemy to lover, forbidden work relationship, etc). You can pay by month or by year.
One of the draws to Quinn is that some of the narrators are famous actors that listeners might be familiar with, like Jamie Campbell, Hudson Williams, and Connor Storrie.
I started with Yes, Chef narrated by Shawn Hatosy from The Pitt. It took a minute for me to get the hang of things because I’m used to listening to audio books. This is different: the narrator reads a story (in this case released in chapters) from their point of view. There’s no dialogue or voice from a second party. In the scenes where the narrator is supposed to be talking to another party we gauge what is said based on their responses.
For example, the narrator might say, “What do you mean I didn’t follow you back on instagram? (pause) Oh, I didn’t know I was supposed to do that.”
We never actually hear the other character say anything like “Hey why didn’t you follow me back on Instagram?” We inuit that from the response.
It’s kind of weird, listening to half the conversation and while I think some listeners will adapt like I did, others might hate it.
The story was also told as if the narrator, in this case Grant Reilly, is recounting the story of meeting “you,” a sous chef named Iris Adams. It’s kind of like a [Y/N] fanfic where the listener occupies the space of the second character.
This achieves a lot of intimacy in the narrative because it sounds like another person is speaking directly to you about events that have occurred. It’s an intimacy that could absolutely sell the app to some listeners, while turning off others completely.
This is not something I want to listen to in public spaces. I’m not comfortable listening to something this intimate while at work. I could absolutely see myself accidentally connecting to some bluetooth device while Jamie Campbell Bower purrs “Good girl” throughout the office forcing me to fake my own death and move to another country.
That said, it does work for me in cases where I want an immersive story, but I don’t have the attention span for more than a short story. Because the stories are brief and the plot is relatively simple, there isn’t a lot of room to get lost.
It’s also extremely immersive. Behind the narration is background noise appropriate to the scene. For example, a scene narrated by a chef working in a restaurant had all the appropriate kitchen sounds like clinking dishes. As the scene progressed to the restaurant being closed with the narrator cleaning up, you could hear the spritz of squirt bottles and the soft sound of sweeping. That background noise really pulled me into the audio and made me feel like I was present in the story.
This feeling of immersion can flip the opposite direction depending on how you feel about “moist” sounds. I don’t know if I have misophonia or what but the wet sounds of people kissing make me gaggy (see my Bachelor recaps) so I Did Not Like the kissing sounds that show up in the erotic scenes. There are other moist sounds, too, associated with thrusting or oral sex, so just beware. These stories are very explicit.
I listened to a couple of the multi chapter Quinn Originals. The Trials narrated by Jamie Campbell Bower is very Dramione coded.
The one-shot offerings were less my thing. It’s a single chapter offering that’s basically just a sex scene. There’s no real background or story to get into. The one I listened to was an aftercare and tender sex scene taking place after a rough sex session. You don’t need to know anything to jump into it, but it also felt less transportive because of that lack of background.
Overall, this app isn’t for me. There aren’t that many multi chapter originals, which is the offering I enjoy, and I can’t listen to it everywhere. That means I’m not really getting my money’s worth. I can see this working really well for other listeners though, so I’m giving it a middle of the road grade.
Cover Snark: My Name is Chux, Just Chux
May. 11th, 2026 07:00 amsmartbitches_feedWelcome back to Cover Snark!
Elyse: I read this as The Earl Train
Choo-choo!
Sarah: First I saw Carl Frain, then Carl Train. I had to look for the middle arm in that E because it looks like a ribbon off her dress.
Maybe the Earl’s name is Carl?
Train also has a few meanings which makes this rather interesting to ponder.
Elyse: Now I have logistical questions
Is the Earl running the train or is he receiving the locomotive as it were
Sarah: A query I had as well!
From Denise: At first, it might appear as cover awe, ethereal with the flowers and the pink, but then the skirt of the dress doesn’t make sense–it doesn’t flow the way it should. Her body is strangely contorted at the waist–I don’t think Barbie can even twist like that. But four fingers on each hand? Maybe one is hidden on her right, but her left clearly only has four.
Sarah: I was thinking this was AI but now I’m not so sure. She definitely only has 4 fingers. And I don’t know what’s going on between her knees and her hips but it isn’t good.
Claudia: The proportions are all wrong too. Like her upper body is too long/lower body too short
Sarah: I know this is the least confusing aspect of this image but I cannot get over the hair. SO MUCH HAIR.
Amanda: I think it’s just bad digital editing. But as someone with a lot of hair…my brother was married in Korea in a traditional ceremony and the hair stylist kept referring to my hair as “Bridgerton hair” when they were trying to style it.
Sarah: That’s adorable.
Amanda: This particular hairstyle on the cover, though, is giving Toddlers & Tiaras.
From Pam G: I give you. . . .
NapAlien Boneyparts and the Blast from the Ass
Bonus points if he’s conducting Holst’s The Planets.
Sarah: NapAlien Boneyparts. HA!
Why does it look like he is wearing pantyhose over his head? Also, his arms look like challah.
Amanda: Is Chux his Christian name?
Sarah: Ok first I have a question about his neck and that question is, “What?”
Second, how do you say that? Choo? Is this the plural of Churu, the kitty gogurt my cats are obsessed with?
Wilbur! Katie! Time for your Chux!
Also Chelsea Cameron is a bestselling sapphic romance author so SHENANIGANS upon that name.
Elyse: Chucks (not Chux) are the name of those disposable pads they put under patients in the hospital.
Susan: I thought they were shoes, so this changes some things I’ve read.
Get Rec’d with Amanda – Volume 114
May. 10th, 2026 08:00 amsmartbitches_feedWelcome back!
Sometimes Get Rec’d sneaks up on me. The books this week are split between fiction and non-fiction. Two of each!
What recommendations would you like to pass along? Let us know in the comments!
Gather
This is part of the Norton Shorts collection, which I find to be pretty interesting in terms of offerings and topics. Anthropologist Ashanté M. Rees takes a look at the relationship between Black communities, food, and gathering.
A vibrant new vision of food justice that celebrates Black food and recognizes the power of gathering to create sustainable, systemic change.
Food justice is defined as the understanding that our food system is unequal and that something needs to be done about it. But how can we create a world where everyone has enough? What does it mean to truly nourish ourselves and our communities?
In Gather, anthropologist Ashanté M. Reese argues for a vibrant new vision of food justice that places Black communities at the center and offers us a visionary, delicious path forward. Reese reveals that to truly create equity in our food systems, we must embrace the abundance that already exists around us—and recognize that the social body is as important as our individual health
Gather presents rich, on-the-ground stories of gathering around food in four spaces—gardens, family reunions, repasts, and protests. Blending rich storytelling with analysis, these chapters argue for the political power of food and invite us to learn from the tactics Black communities have long used to create sustainable, systemic change.
There are no simple solutions to the problems of acute need. But by recognizing that food justice is already all around us, we can start working together to create a more nourishing, joyful world. Gather is an intimate and urgent invitation to embrace local power, build better food systems, and nourish ourselves, body and soul.
Grand Slam Romance: Book 1
Magical girls meets a sports romance in this queer graphical novel romance! There are three books in total in this series.
Storytelling team Ollie Hicks and Emma Oosterhous’s first Grand Slam Romance is a queer, full-color graphic novel that’s equal parts romance, softball, and drama, where the balls are fast, the smooches are spicy, and the girls . . . magical—now in paperback
Mickey Monsoon is the hotshot pitcher for the Belle City Broads, and their team is poised to sweep the league this season. But Mickey is thrown off their game when Astra Maxima shows up to catch for the Gaiety Gals, the Broads’ fiercest rival. Years ago, Mickey and Astra were best friends . . . and maybe more. That was until Astra unceremoniously dumped Mickey to become a softball wunderkind at a private girl’s school in Switzerland. Now, Astra is flirty, arrogant, and reckless on the field—everything the rule-abiding Mickey hates.
Astra thinks Mickey’s cute and wants to fool around, despite their rocky history and the trail of jilted softballers that Astra leaves in her wake. Too bad the only thing Mickey wants is vengeance for their broken heart and wounded pride! But even they have to admit—Astra is a certified babe. And that’s not Astra isn’t just a softball superstar, she’s a full-fledged magical girl.
Full of wet mitts, hard hits, and a bevy of softball-playing babes, Grand Slam Book 1 is a flawless home run that is sure to knock readers out of the park.
Humankind
If you’re looking for non-fiction that won’t leave you terribly depressed, this book showcases ways in which humankind has come together.
From New York Times bestselling author of Utopia for Realists comes a “bold” (Daniel H. Pink) and “extraordinary” (Susan Cain) argument that humans thrive in a crisis and that our innate kindness and cooperation have been the greatest factors in our long-term success on the planet.
If there is one belief that has united the left and the right, psychologists and philosophers, ancient thinkers and modern ones, it is the tacit assumption that humans are bad. It’s a notion that drives newspaper headlines and guides the laws that shape our lives. From Machiavelli to Hobbes, Freud to Pinker, the roots of this belief have sunk deep into Western thought. Human beings, we’re taught, are by nature selfish and governed primarily by self-interest.
But what if it isn’t true? International bestseller Rutger Bregman provides new perspective on the past 200,000 years of human history, setting out to prove that we are hardwired for kindness, geared toward cooperation rather than competition, and more inclined to trust rather than distrust one another. In fact this instinct has a firm evolutionary basis going back to the beginning of Homo sapiens.
From the real-life Lord of the Flies to the solidarity in the aftermath of the Blitz, the hidden flaws in the Stanford prison experiment to the true story of twin brothers on opposite sides who helped Mandela end apartheid, Bregman shows us that believing in human generosity and collaboration isn’t merely optimistic—it’s realistic. Moreover, it has huge implications for how society functions. When we think the worst of people, it brings out the worst in our politics and economics. But if we believe in the reality of humanity’s kindness and altruism, it will form the foundation for achieving true change in society, a case that Bregman makes convincingly with his signature wit, refreshing frankness, and memorable storytelling.
Not Quite Dead Yet
A woman has a week to solve her own murder. If you love mysteries that are high on tension, consider this one!
In seven days Jet Mason will be dead.
Jet is the daughter of one of the wealthiest families in Woodstock, Vermont. Twenty-seven years old, she’s still waiting for her life to begin. She’ll do it later, she always says. She has time.
Until, on the night of Halloween, Jet is violently attacked by an unseen intruder.
She suffers a catastrophic brain injury. The doctor is certain that within a week, she’ll suffer a deadly aneurysm.
Jet never thought of herself as having enemies. But now she looks at everyone in a new light: her family, her ex-best friend turned sister-in-law, her former boyfriend.
She only has seven days, and as her condition deteriorates she has only her childhood friend Billy for help. But nevertheless, she’s absolutely determined to finally finish something:
Jet is going to solve her own murder.