Hot & Bothered: Pay Per Page

Hi Readers and Happy May!We're still on a reading hiatus but found this rant of an episode in our 2025 library.-----Thank you Reddit for inspiring yet another H&B episode: this week we're getting judgy. What is your book? You know the one. If someone says it's their most favorite, artistic rendering of the genre, an utter masterpiece. and you just, can't? Every single recommendation they make is tainted by it.Books and authors mentioned this episode:Daughter of No Worlds by Carissa Broadbenthttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49826643-daughter-of-no-worlds?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=9pUDfXymEa&rank=1Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillierhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13928.Daughter_of_the_Forest?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=6XPbWHXyby&rank=1Ice Planet Barbarians by Ruby Dixonhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25128811-ice-planet-barbarians?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=jPaU0ULUMi&rank=1Zodiac Academyhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/46261182-the-awakening?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=JBiMKOnXaD&rank=1Blade Dancer by S.L. Viehlhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/664640.Blade_Dancer?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=FfyIT0V8pY&rank=1Legendborn by Tracy Deonnhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50892338-legendborn?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_9Linnea Sinclairhttps://www.goodreads.com/author/show/202269.Linnea_Sinclair?from_search=true&from_srp=true

As promised Readers, we present some of our older rant sessions on random book-adjacent topics. This episode was originally recorded in February 2025 and focused on Kindle Unlimited.--------------Is Kindle Unlimited unduly influencing the writing/editing game? Romantasy books keep getting longer, plot predictability is at an eye-rolling level, and if we meet one more shadow daddy on page 2 we're both going to convert to full-time hockey smut.

Readers, We never want books to feel like a chore or for our episodes to be an endless nitpicking critique, but we've found ourselves drifting closer to that reality. We want to return to why we started Not Another Heroine in the first place: love of reading and the desire to share that excitement with another reader. Our first episodes on Sherwood Smith's "Crown Duel," while entirely too long, were exactly that.On that note, we're taking a hiatus. All of our episodes will still be available on all platforms (except Patreon), and we'll start posting some of our back catalog that wasn't originally available on all the sites. We'll still be reading in the meantime, and when the book feels rights, we'll turn the mics back on for a new Monday episode. Thank you for sticking with us through four seasons of readings. The book recs, the encouragement, and every like, subscribe, or follow gave us so much joy. To know that we're not alone in the library, that our shelf may look like your shelf, and that our silly episode titles made you giggle too, well, that's why we're still going.Goodbye for now Readers, but we'll see you on the next page.Katie & Jordan.Books Mentioned In This EpisodeWicked, Ugly, Bad by Cassandra Gannonhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/201821045-wicked-ugly-bad?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_15Divergent by Veronica Rothegoodreads.com/search?q=divergent&ref=nav_sb_noss_l_9The Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarroshttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61431922-fourth-wing?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=8xcgHt8JZT&rank=1Weavingshaw by Heba al-Wasityhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/234943536-weavingshaw?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=6bShtRni2g&rank=1

While it looks fluffy and silly, Boyfriend on Demand offers a surprisingly dark commentary on modern dating. Jisoo from Blackpink and Seo In-guk (Doom At Your Service) star as almost enemy coworkers who each harbor secret feelings for the other. And if you like an extra helping of eye candy, there are many other recognizable actors who make appearances as Jisoo's virtual boyfriends.https://www.netflix.com/title/82007623?source=35&fromWatch=true Similar ShowsBusiness Proposal https://www.netflix.com/title/81509440Doom At Your Servicehttps://www.netflix.com/title/81488912Her Private Lifehttps://www.netflix.com/title/81205812Marry My Husbandhttps://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0CPYQKXW5/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r

This book is over 40 years old and a product of its time, but we enjoyed the accurate (but digestible) historic setting, character development, and well-paced romantic tension. Warning for romance readers who like their side of spice...there is none in this book.Similar Books and ShowsThe Illusionisthttps://www.imdb.com/title/tt0443543/?ref_=fn_i_1The Sound of Musichttps://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059742/?ref_=fn_t_1Rebecca by Daphne du Maurierhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17899948-rebecca?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=IjmyceMHkz&rank=2Under the Stars of Paris by Mary Burchellhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3343881-under-the-stars-of-paris?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=hOEz8dLmNT&rank=1https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5711852-the-reluctant-heiress?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=2SZizHV5TF&rank=1

If you liked The Reluctant Heiress, just make this one your next read. Same tropes, same characters, just new names and a South America setting. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/963274.A_Company_of_Swans?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=2ulW7hj6nx&rank=1Similar BooksEdenbrooke Julianne Donaldsonhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12820360-edenbrooke?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=NaZfzrZPRr&rank=1Blackmoore by Julianne Donaldsonhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15795628-blackmoore?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=9pmrBB61fe&rank=1The Reluctant Heiress by Eva Ibbotsonhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5711852-the-reluctant-heiress?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_22

This book is over 40 years old and a product of its time, but we enjoyed the accurate (but digestible) historic setting, character development, and well-paced romantic tension. Warning for romance readers who like their side of spice...there is none in this book.Similar Books and ShowsThe Illusionist https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0443543/?ref_=fn_i_1The Sound of Music https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059742/?ref_=fn_t_1Rebecca by Daphne du Maurierhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17899948-rebecca?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=IjmyceMHkz&rank=2Under the Stars of Paris by Mary Burchellhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3343881-under-the-stars-of-paris?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=hOEz8dLmNT&rank=1https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5711852-the-reluctant-heiress?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=2SZizHV5TF&rank=1

Once Upon a Time (the TV show) get a spicy, modern setting where all the traditional fairy tale characters are flipped on their heads. What makes a Good or Bad person? How do you get sent the to WUB Club? Is Cinderella really doing that with her mice?This is the first in a seven book series, but each can be read as a standalone (the characters are interconnected a la Bridgerton style).https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/201821045-wicked-ugly-bad?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=RrPVWFhPmg&rank=1Similar BooksThrone in the Dark by A.K. Caggianohttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62232755-throne-in-the-dark?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=dgldHUSRNK&rank=1Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrerhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/123257687-assistant-to-the-villain?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=9gUlIRiQNF&rank=1The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy by Megan Bannenhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58510253-the-undertaking-of-hart-and-mercy?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=j8K91zwf3X&rank=1

Katie makes an attempt at extroversion during a Heated Rivalry event and runs a marathon instead of a turkey trot. The list of DNFs continues to grow and the reading slump persists.Please leave a comment and help us narrow down our future reads, some options:Wild Reverence by Rebecca Rosshttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/222376906-wild-reverenceDivergent by Veronica Rothhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13335037-divergent?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=u1NAVWLnkk&rank=1The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collinshttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2767052-the-hunger-games?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=7ooMmIhHUc&rank=1Legend by Marie Luhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29863662-legend?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_6This Woven Kingdom by Tahereh Mafihttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56554281-this-woven-kingdom?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=10pQnM14d3&rank=1The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carsonhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10429092-the-girl-of-fire-and-thorns?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_17Other Books Mentioned This Episode:The Moon Raven by Grace Dravenhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/241601258-the-moon-raven?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=sL9FLvZVOy&rank=1Gods of Jade and Shadow by Sylvia Moreno-Garciahttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36510722-gods-of-jade-and-shadow?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=kj5pdzLePE&rank=1How to Find a Nameless Fae by A.J. Lancasterhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/215760963-how-to-find-a-nameless-fae?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=1XYOGGPUqN&rank=1Binding 13 by Chloe Walshhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/146943294-binding-13?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=HAA7zLGXmS&rank=1Sight Unseen by Alexis Mariehttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/238750605-sight-unseen?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=uLRoWT0GwW&rank=2The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgsongoodreads.com/search?q=The+raven+scholar&ref=nav_sb_noss_l_17Teach Me How to Forget by Scullymurphyhttps://archive.transformativeworks.org/works/41597901/chapters/104337864Creep by Cr0ftisprocrastinghttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/157237417-creep

A slow start (Katie had to persevere through the first 50 to 60 percent), but thorough world-building and a rewarding friends-to-lovers romance make this worth the effort. Not quite as emotionally immersive as others in the genre, but this does tend to lean more traditional fantasy.https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/220137908-the-second-death-of-locke?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=Ap0AyVJDDV&rank=1Similar BooksThe Familiar by Leigh Bardugohttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/133286777-the-familiar?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=liEHuV2Lof&rank=1 One Dark Window by Rachel Gillighttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58340706-one-dark-window?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=IZmg5nlTcO&rank=1Realm Breaker by Victoria Aveyardhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54513688-realm-breaker?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=mPD3Fcq83j&rank=1