Thee Midnight Bookworm

Fantasy Disappointments and Romance Binges

What do serial killers, small-town carpenters, and college hockey players have in common? They're the stars of Neela's current romance reads. She's on a break from "Read of the Week" (to return next episode) and indulging in some binge-able palette cleanser romances. Listen for spoiler-free series recommendations that you can get lost in!

Read of the Week: Immortal Longings by Chloe Gong

Immortal Longings transports readers to the fantasy city of San-Er, with corrupt royals, a plot to kill a king, and a game with only one victor. The book has a full cast: a murderous princess, an exiled aristocrat, and a calculating prince complete with magic skills and shady pasts. Listen to the episode to hear Neela's reviews (spoiler-free) on the book's discussions of morality and loyalty, along with its Shakespearean veins.

Read of the Week: Anita de Monte Laughs Last by Xóchitl González

Anita de Monte Laughs Last follows two heroines intertwined by art, love, racism, and murder. Based on the true story of the murder of Cuban American artist Ana Mendieta, this book has plot twists and spiritual turns. Listen to the episode to hear Neela's reviews (spoiler-free) on the simplicity of these parallelisms and all the details lost in between.

Read of the Week: Holiday Country by İnci Atrek

Holiday Country focuses on matriarchs and family lines, country loyalty, second languages, and more - all through the eyes of 19-year-old Ada, a half-Turkish teenager whose life is split between America and Turkey. Listen to the episode to hear Neela's reviews (spoiler-free) and thoughts on who the book is perfect for.

Read of the Week: Outline by Rachel Cusk

Introducing a new TMB series: Read of the Week! Neela gives a spoiler-free review of a (non-romance) fiction book and gives her thoughts and recommendations. Outline discusses motherhood, marriage, men versus women, writers, and more through dialogue-heavy chapters. This episode provides a small glimpse into Outline to help listeners decide whether to read it, without feeling like they've read the whole book!