Bellefleur

Bellefleur
Author: Joyce Carol Oates
Publisher: Harper Collins
Total Pages: 610
Release: 2013-06-25
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 0062269178

A wealthy and notorious clan, the Bellefleurs live in a region not unlike the Adirondacks, in an enormous mansion on the shores of mythic Lake Noir. They own vast lands and profitable businesses, they employ their neighbors, and they influence the government. A prolific and eccentric group, they include several millionaires, a mass murderer, a spiritual seeker who climbs into the mountains looking for God, a wealthy noctambulist who dies of a chicken scratch. Bellefleur traces the lives of several generations of this unusual family. At its center is Gideon Bellefleur and his imperious, somewhat psychic, very beautiful wife, Leah, their three children (one with frightening psychic abilities), and the servants and relatives, living and dead, who inhabit the mansion and its environs. Their story offers a profound look at the world's changeableness, time and eternity, space and soul, pride and physicality versus love. Bellefleur is an allegory of caritas versus cupiditas, love and selflessness versus pride and selfishness. It is a novel of change, baffling complexity, mystery. Written with a voluptuousness and startling immediacy that transcends Joyce Carol Oates's early works, Bellefleur is widely regarded as a masterwork—a feat of literary genius that forces us "to ask again how anyone can possibly write such books, such absolutely convincing scenes, rousing in us, again and again, the familiar Oates effect, the point of all her art: joyful terror gradually ebbing toward wonder" (John Gardner).

Hang the Moon

Hang the Moon
Author: Alexandria Bellefleur
Publisher: HarperCollins
Total Pages: 374
Release: 2021-05-25
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 0063000857

In a delightful follow-up to Written in the Stars, Alexandria Bellefleur delivers another queer rom-com about a hopeless romantic who vows to show his childhood crush that romance isn’t dead by recreating iconic dates from his favorite films... Brendon Lowell loves love. It’s why he created a dating app to help people find their one true pairing and why he’s convinced “the one” is out there, even if he hasn’t met her yet. Or... has he? When his sister's best friend turns up in Seattle unexpectedly, Brendon jumps at the chance to hang out with her. He’s crushed on Annie since they were kids, and the stars have finally aligned, putting them in the same city at the same time. Annie booked a spur-of-the-moment trip to Seattle to spend time with friends before moving across the globe. She’s not looking for love, especially with her best friend’s brother. Annie remembers Brendon as a sweet, dorky kid. Except, the 6-foot-4 man who shows up at her door is a certified Hot Nerd and Annie... wants him? Oh yes. Getting involved would be a terrible idea—her stay is temporary and he wants forever—but when Brendon learns Annie has given up on dating, he’s determined to prove that romance is real. Taking cues from his favorite rom-coms, Brendon plans to woo her with elaborate dates straight out of Nora Ephron’s playbook. The clock is ticking on Annie’s time in Seattle, and Brendon’s starting to realize romance isn’t just flowers and chocolate. But maybe real love doesn’t need to be as perfect as the movies... as long as you think your partner hung the moon.

Count Your Lucky Stars

Count Your Lucky Stars
Author: Alexandria Bellefleur
Publisher: HarperCollins
Total Pages: 294
Release: 2022-02-01
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 006300089X

"Bellefleur has a droll, distinct voice, and her one-liners zing off the page, striking both the heart and funny bone... There's a sparkling quality here, one that mirrors the starry title. Bellefleur writes as if she's captured fairy lights in a mason jar, twinkly and lovely within something solid yet fragile." – Entertainment Weekly Following Written in the Stars and Hang the Moon, Lambda Literary Award winner and national bestselling author Alexandria Bellefleur pens another steamy queer rom-com about former best friends who might be each other's second chance at love… Margot Cooper doesn’t do relationships. She tried and it blew up in her face, so she’ll stick with casual hookups, thank you very much. But now her entire crew has found "the one" and she’s beginning to feel like a fifth wheel. And then fate (the heartless bitch) intervenes. While touring a wedding venue with her engaged friends, Margot comes face-to-face with Olivia Grant—her childhood friend, her first love, her first… well, everything. It’s been ten years, but the moment they lock eyes, Margot’s cold, dead heart thumps in her chest. Olivia must be hallucinating. In the decade since she last saw Margot, her life hasn’t gone exactly as planned. At almost thirty, she’s been married... and divorced. However, a wedding planner job in Seattle means a fresh start and a chance to follow her dreams. Never in a million years did she expect her important new client’s Best Woman would be the one that got away. When a series of unfortunate events leaves Olivia without a place to stay, Margot offers up her spare room because she’s a Very Good Person. Obviously. It has nothing to do with the fact that Olivia is as beautiful as ever and the sparks between them still make Margot tingle. As they spend time in close quarters, Margot starts to question her no-strings stance. Olivia is everything she’s ever wanted, but Margot let her in once and it ended in disaster. Will history repeat itself or should she count her lucky stars that she gets a second chance with her first love?

Written in the Stars

Written in the Stars
Author: Alexandria Bellefleur
Publisher: HarperCollins
Total Pages: 361
Release: 2020-11-10
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 0063000814

"I was hooked from the very first page!” – Christina Lauren, New York Times bestselling author of In a Holidaze "This book is a delight." – New York Times Book Review A National Bestseller and winner of the Lambda Literary Award for Best Lesbian Romance! Featured on Shondaland, Oprah Mag, Bustle, The New York Times Book Review, Buzzfeed, POPSUGAR, Entertainment Weekly, Washington Post, NPR, Culturess, Vulture, and more. Named one of the Best Romances of 2020 by Washington Post, Bustle, and Buzzfeed! With nods to Bridget Jones and Pride & Prejudice, this debut is a delightful queer rom-com about a free-spirited social media astrologer who agrees to fake a relationship with a grumpy actuary until New Year’s Eve—with results not even the stars could predict! After a disastrous blind date, Darcy Lowell is desperate to stop her well-meaning brother from playing matchmaker ever again. Love—and the inevitable heartbreak—is the last thing she wants. So she fibs and says her latest set up was a success. Darcy doesn’t expect her lie to bite her in the ass. Elle Jones, one of the astrologers behind the popular Twitter account Oh My Stars, dreams of finding her soul mate. But she knows it is most assuredly not Darcy... a no-nonsense stick-in-the-mud, who is way too analytical, punctual, and skeptical for someone as free-spirited as Elle. When Darcy’s brother—and Elle's new business partner—expresses how happy he is that they hit it off, Elle is baffled. Was Darcy on the same date? Because... awkward. Darcy begs Elle to play along and she agrees to pretend they’re dating. But with a few conditions: Darcy must help Elle navigate her own overbearing family during the holidays and their arrangement expires on New Year’s Eve. The last thing they expect is to develop real feelings during a faux relationship. But maybe opposites can attract when true love is written in the stars? "Everything I want from a rom-com: fun, whimsical, sexy." – Talia Hibbert, USA Today bestselling author of Get a Life, Chloe Brown

Love at First Spite

Love at First Spite
Author: Anna E. Collins
Publisher: Harlequin
Total Pages: 303
Release: 2022-01-04
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 0369718747

Falling in love is the ultimate payback in this delightful, breezy romcom about an interior designer who teams up with an enigmatic architect at her firm to get revenge on her ex the only way she knows how: by building a spite house next door “Filled with sizzling chemistry and delicious revenge, Love at First Spite had me smiling from start to finish. This is one debut you don’t want to miss!” —Kate Bromley, author of Talk Bookish to Me They say living well is the best revenge. But sometimes, spreading the misery seems a whole lot more satisfying. That’s interior designer Dani Porter’s justification for buying the vacant lot next to her ex-fiancé’s house…the house they were supposed to live in together, before he cheated on her with their Realtor. Dani plans to build a vacation rental that will a) mess with his view and his peace of mind and b) prove that Dani is not someone to be stepped on. Welcome to project Spite House. That plan quickly becomes complicated when Dani is forced to team up with Wyatt Montego, the handsome, haughty architect at her firm, and the only person available to draw up blueprints. Wyatt is terse and stern, the kind of man who eats his sandwich with a knife and fork. But as they spend time together on- and off-site, Dani glimpses something deeper beneath that hard veneer, something surprising, vulnerable, and real. And the closer she gets to her goal, the more she wonders if winning revenge could mean losing something infinitely sweeter… “Rollickingly, fast-paced… Fans of Emily Henry’s tales will enjoy Collins’ imaginative rom-com.” —Booklist “Wyatt is the perfect grumpy romance hero with a heart of gold. An enemies-to-friends-to-lovers story that’s sure to delight rom-com fans.” —Kirkus Reviews

The Creative Doer

The Creative Doer
Author: Anna Lovind
Publisher: BoD - Books on Demand
Total Pages: 234
Release: 2019-06-26
Genre: Self-Help
ISBN: 9151916819

A path for female creators, activists and magicmakers. The Creative Doer offers a roadmap for women who are hungry for a more creative life and who are willing to ask a few burning questions: What if we stopped trying to follow in the footsteps of the Male Genius? What does devotion look like if it doesn't mean forsaking everything and everyone, including your kids, for your art? What would happen if we granted ourselves the permission we're waiting for and started doing our work, our way? In this insightful, no-bullshit guide you'll learn how to: - Redefine creative work and bust the old myths about The Artist - Zoom in on your dream until it's doable - Claim the time and space you need to do your work - Understand fear and how to flow with it - Do self-care in a way that will change your creative life forever - Share your work, truthfully, tenderly and courageously

Witchlings

Witchlings
Author: Claribel A. Ortega
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Total Pages: 237
Release: 2022-04-05
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 1338815490

An instant New York Times Bestseller! Disney's The Owl House meets Nevermoor, in a brilliant adventure from Claribel A. Ortega! Every year, in the magical town of Ravenskill, Witchlings who participate in the Black Moon Ceremony are placed into covens and come into their powers as full-fledged witches. And twelve-year-old Seven Salazar can't wait to be placed in the most powerful coven with her best friend! But on the night of the ceremony, in front of the entire town, Seven isn't placed in one of the five covens. She's a Spare! Spare covens have fewer witches, are less powerful, and are looked down on by everyone. Even worse, when Seven and the other two Spares perform the magic circle to seal their coven and cement themselves as sisters, it doesn't work! They're stuck as Witchlings—and will lose their magic. Seven invokes her only option: the impossible task. The three Spares will be assigned an impossible task: If they work together and succeed at it, their coven will be sealed and they'll gain their full powers. If they fail... Well, the last coven to make the attempt ended up being turned into toads. Forever. But maybe friendship can be the most powerful magic of all... With action-packed adventure, a coven of quirky witchlings, Claribel A. Ortega's signature humor, and girl-power vibes, you won't be able to put down this middle grade Latine witch story, perfect for fans of Amari and the Night Brothers or Harry Potter.

Celestial Timepiece

Celestial Timepiece
Author: Joyce Carol Oates
Publisher: Pressworks Publishing, Incorporated
Total Pages: 25
Release: 1980
Genre:
ISBN: 9780939722020

Savvy Sheldon Feels Good As Hell

Savvy Sheldon Feels Good As Hell
Author: Taj McCoy
Publisher: Hachette UK
Total Pages: 259
Release: 2023-02-14
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 0349703671

'A feel-good, uplifting read' USA Today 'A heartfelt, hopeful, and humorous exploration of the importance of learning to love yourself . . . a joy to read' Booklist, STARRED REVIEW 'Reading a body positive book with a curvy women of colour who is a leading lady and NOT a sidekick, made me smile ear-to-ear. Savvy is a talented, compassionate, intelligent and fully developed character who made me stand up and cheer!' Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Savvy Sheldon spends a lot of time tiptoeing around the cracks in her life: her high-stress and low-thanks job, her clueless boyfriend and the falling-apart kitchen she inherited from her beloved grandma-who taught her how to cook. But when Savvy's world starts to crash down around her, she knows it's time for some renovations. Starting from the outside in, Savvy tackles her crumbling kitchen, her relationship with her body, her work-life balance (or lack thereof) and, last but not least, her love life. But as any home-renovation-show junkie can tell you, something always falls apart during renovations. First, Savvy passes out during hot yoga. Then it turns out that the contractor she hires is the same sexy stranger she unintentionally offended by judging based on appearances. Worst of all, Savvy can't seem to go anywhere without tripping over her ex and his latest "upgrade." Maybe Savvy should've started her renovations the other way around: beginning with how she sees herself before building a love that lasts . . . A sexy and heart-pounding romantic comedy that will make you stand up and cheer! Fans of Talia Hibbert, Ali Hazelwood and Jesse Sutanto won't be able to resist Savvy Sheldon Feels Good As Hell. Readers still aren't over Savvy Sheldon: 'I love plus-size positive love stories and it seems like there are so many coming out recently that I really need to catch up! This was definitely worth the read and I'll be reading more of McCoy in the future!' Netgalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'SAVVY SHELDON FEELS GOOD AS HELL was wonderful! I adored Savvy from page 1, and her journey to self love was wonderful to read. The food descriptions in this book!!! I caught myself cooking while reading because it made me so hungry. Plus her connection with Spencer was electric! I loved this one and can't wait for McCoy's next!' Netgalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'What a great story! I loved Savvy and I also loved Spencer, a man who ended up being much more than Savvy's contractor. Factor in a lot of tennis, a lot of cooking, and Savvy fighting the insecurities she had with her appearance, and Savvy Sheldon Feels Good as Hell left me with a feel-good feeling' Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Another one to add to the favourites pile! I loved Savvy and getting to be alongside her on her journey to self-discovery!' Netgalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'LOVEDDDDD IT!!!!' Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'I was enamoured with Taj's McCoy's debut. Savvy goes on one heck of a self-love journey post-breakup and I was cheering for her the whole way. Add a steamy romance into the mix and my heart sang as I tore through this book. This feel-good, empowering romcom will blow you away, guaranteed' Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'This is a unique book that I think a lot of women, young and old alike will benefit from reading. It has a wonderful message wrapped up in a love story, full of affirmations for Black women especially, and an MC who everyone will want to root for. I read it in one sitting and couldn't recommend it more!' Netgalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐