Aubry

I may have only sewn one project this year, but it was an important one. 💗🥰💗 @justsomenerd1 Photo credit: @appalachianexposure

Y’all know I love this series so much, so imagine my joy at getting my hands on an early copy of Alexandra Vasti’s latest novel, Ladies in Hating. Well, the third and final installment in the Belvoir’s Library world did not disappoint! While I was hooked with the initial premise (rival gothic novelists who fall for each other—what more could you want!?), the real selling point for me was seeing Georgianna finally fall in love. She is such an intriguing side character in the first two books, and I was excited to watch her arc fully play out in this one. Cat does have a good story arc, but the book is Georgianna’s journey to self-acceptance more than anything else, and if you have been watching her evolution for three books, that is deeply rewarding. The story is clearly playing with all the gothic tropes—with plot points like crumbling, haunted mansions, mysterious happenings, and potentially murderous ghosts—but the emotional, introspective romance between Cat and Georgianna makes it feel fresh and modern. All Vasti’s books have a tenderness to them that makes for a really compelling romance, and this was no exception. Plus, it doesn’t shy away from difficulties of a queer relationship in the period, but resolves them in a way that feels realistic and satisfying. Many, manythanks to @alexandravasti for the arc!

This was such a delightful, old-school romp of a book! By now y’all know I’m a sucker for historical romance and The Trouble with Anna by Rachel Griffiths just hit all the right notes for me! It was exactly the kind of high jinks I needed to escape with. Particular standouts included: * The sensitive portrayal of a prickly heroine in Anna * Julian, the high-handed hero, immediately getting called out whenever he says something ridiculous * Charlotte and her grandmother, who perfectly embodied the meddling family trope * The expanded POV, which added to that old-school feeling and allowed for a much broader understanding of the story. While I love a close POV, sometimes I want to read an all-encompassing saga. * And a special shoutout to Warrick—Even though he only appeared in a few scenes, his sarcastic swagger stole the show! I hope he and Charlotte get a story next because I would love to see that pairing on page. Many thanks to @rachel.griffiths.writes for this copy. It was a delight, through and through!

Let’s talk about Earl Crush by @alexandravasti ! Did you know you needed French spies and wayward zebras in your historical romance? Because you absolutely do! Combine that slightly zany and screwball plot with some heartfelt emotional arcs and you get a really cozy and engaging escape from the world. Arthur is so tender and absolutely gone for Lydia from the jump, even when he is slightly exasperated (my favorite), but Lydia is the star of the show for me. I love how her strength comes from her intense emotions and vulnerability, and that her character journey is all about learning to embrace the power that comes with sensitivity. I raved about the first in the Belvoir’s Library series last year, and I may have loved this next installment even more!

My 2025 reading is starting off strong with Januaries by @olivieblake . I’m always a sucker for modern fairy tale collections, and since Masters of Death was one of my favorite reads of 2023, I had to pick up this book of short stories—and it was a standout! Blake’s work is charming, beautifully written but also slyly funny and a bit weird. There’s something askew about her humor, something unexpected, that I find very appealing. There’s darkness in her stories but it’s tempered with whimsy and I love it. So many of the stories in the collection were 5-star reads for me, and you could tell she was having fun playing with tropes and archetypes and story forms with each short piece. I’m definitely going to have to read more of her work this coming year!

I ran away this weekend to spend time with wonderful people and wear fancy clothes. And I made a new dress! Poor @justsomenerd1 didn’t even get a coat, but that’s beside the point. Many thanks to @inthelongrundesigns for the lovely photos of us! And many, many thanks to @thejennylafleur and @littleoverpass for hosting an amazing party as always!

I recently finished Lady Macbeth by @avasreid , and I can’t get it out of my head. I think what captivated me about it is that it’s a reimagining, rather than a direct retelling, of her story—one that doesn’t shy away from the violence of her character in the play but frames her actions, however brutal, in a sympathetic and nuanced way. It is a sharply modern book, unapologetically feminist. Yet the characters never feel like they’ve strayed from their historical perspective. In fact, it blends literary elements from medieval to gothic through to contemporary fantasy in a way that I found deeply compelling. Oh and not to mention the writing is beautifully lyrical and evocative! Even if you didn’t spend a ridiculous amount of time studying Shakespeare in college like I did, I think it would be just as fascinating to read.

When the preorder is so good, you break out the props… I haven’t done a review in a while, but this fantastic packaging from @blue_cypress_books was too good to ignore. I’m a big fan of @alexandravasti ‘s historical romance novellas, and I adored her debut full-length novel, Ne’er Duke Well, even more! The way she writes is everything I want to in the genre. Her stories are so full of joy and tenderness, and just decent people falling in love and becoming their best selves through that love. And this one is no exception. Found family, plus a good helping of dismantling the patriarchy. What more could you want? 10/10 recommend.

I may have not sewn many costumes this year, but I did have @justsomenerd1 snap a few pictures of me in my outfit from @modernmantuamaker ‘s fantastic new book, Stitching la Mode. It was such a privilege to be a small part of this project and wear some of Carolyn’s beautiful handiwork. I can’t wait to get my copy in the mail and see her hard work come to life!

I realized it’s December and I’ve only sewn two things this entire year, one of which was just a pair of pleated rectangles masquerading as a costume. But hey! Maybe next year my sewing inspiration will return... This was taken at midsummer so it seems fitting to share on the darkest night of the year.

The Witchwood Knot by Olivia Atwater I absolutely adored @oliviaatwaterauthor ’s Regency Faerie Tales series, so you can imagine how excited I was to get my hands on an ARC of the next book set in this world. Let me tell you, it did not disappoint! The Witchwood Knot is a classic Victorian gothic with a faerie twist, but while the book has perfect eerie vibes, as with Atwater’s other books, the true heart of the story is the complex and nuanced central characters, Winnie in particular. Her tenacity is immediately apparent from the moment she knocks on the door of Witchwood Manor. She’s delightfully wry when faced with the house’s ominous atmosphere and cryptic servants—matter-of-fact to the point of being prickly. But this no-nonsense attitude hides a world of trauma, and the biggest joy of the book is seeing her open herself to being vulnerable, both allowing and asking for help, while simultaneously embracing her own hardness, learning to wield it like a sharpe knife when needed. The book is billed as gothic romance, and while there is a strong romantic subplot, it felt almost secondary to Winnie’s story. But still, the romance on page was incredibly well done! I loved seeing two seemingly cold and cruel characters learn to put aside their pain and selfishness to come together. Plus the banter was A+! I wanted more! Overall, The Witchwood Knot is very dark but deeply satisfying. It is a standalone story, but I will say, I do think having the context of the previous books set in this world really added to my overall enjoyment. There were lots of references and easter eggs that might not make sense if you weren’t familiar with the other stories. Also, this book left several plot points unresolved (in the best way), so I’m really hoping for more in the series! Many thanks to @oliviaatwaterauthor for the ARC! I highly recommend it if you are in the mood for a classic gothic fantasy this spooky season. Faeries, romance, a ghostly familiar cat—what more could you want? #bookreview #arcreview #thewitchwoodknot

I blame @taycotar entirely for this favorite color book challenge. Can you tell I love blue and aqua? It was really hard to narrow this stack down.