This Chick Read: Ain’t She a Peach (Southern Eclectic #4) by Molly Harper

Frankie McCready is kind of the oddball in her family. A Leukemia survivor, she knows what it’s like to be on the edge of death’s door, so she lives life for every moment, not really caring what anyone else thinks. She’s got multi-hued died hair, has an eclectic wardrobe and her job is the embalmer and county coroner for the family business, McCready’s Funeral Home and Bait Shop. When a one night stand moves to Lake Sackett from Atlanta to be their new sheriff, Frankie realizes that it might just be time to grow up.

Frankie has been one of my favorite characters in this series. She loves her family and cousins, and has always given great advice regarding their lives and relationships. She has allowed her parents to baby her since she has been in remission and it’s only when Eric moves to town that she realizes how unhealthy that’s been for her parents and for herself. Her cousins are eager to give her advice after being on the receiving end their whole lives and those scenes are charming and real.

Eric has his own reasons for moving to Lake Sackett. He’s running from his past and is surprised when he finds a familiar face in their county coroner. Even though they have a prickly relationship he doesn’t give up trying to win this wacky woman. Both Eric and Frankie have trauma in their pasts to overcome and it was nice to see them work together, in a somewhat crazy way, to find a way to be together. I really liked this installment of Molly Harper’s Southern Eclectic series and have yet to be disappointed in the residents of Lake Sackett. They are kooky, fun, but more importantly they all seem to really care about each other which makes it easy for the reader to care about them in return. If you are looking for an easy Chick Lit novel for a summer vacation, pick up any book in this series, you can read them as stand alone’s too!

❤️❤️❤️❤️

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for my honest review and it was honest!

Ain't She a Peach

Click this link to purchase! Ain’t She a Peach (Southern Eclectic)

Copyright 2018 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

I am an Amazon Associate and receive a small stipend if you purchase through the above link.

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

This Chicks Sunday Commentary: The Soul Ripping Romance Tag!

I have not done a tag in a really long while, but I thought this one sounded like fun! Thanks Anna from Dole Whip and Books for tagging me. Anna and I share a love for YA, Romance novels, and all things Disney! Anna, you probably didn’t realize this but I grew up in Southern California and used to have an annual pass to Disneyland. Now that I’m in Tennessee I miss Disneyland! Go check out Anna’s blog for some great reviews and a peak into her life.

Anna at Dolewhipandbooks.com.

Here are the Rules as created by Nel at Reactionary Tales.

  • Thanks the person who tagged you and create a pingback to the original author- Nel at Reactionary Tales.
  • Share at least 5 (you can do more!) romances that tugged at your heart strings. They can be from books, movies, TV shows, manga, anything! The can be examples of sad tears, angry tears, happy tears or a combination of all three.
  • Nominate 5 (or more) people to share their emotional trauma.

Soul ripping

I’ll admit, I’m a sucker for a great romance. It’s my go to genre when I’m feeling down and I have several that I’ve read over and over. Soul ripping might be a stretch, but these couples certainly tugged at my heart strings.

  1. Sal and Rey from Kulti by Mariana Zapatsavonne

I just re-read this novel for like the 4th time and will probably read it once a year for the rest of my life. Rey is Sal’s coach on a professional women’s soccer team. She’s had a crush on him since she was a kid and he was the best men’s pro soccer player of his time. She’s so excited that he is going to be her coach but reality is nothing like her dreams. He’s an ass. Mariana Zapata writes slow burn romances and she builds their relationship through every level; from antagonistic, to friendship, to love. When Rey admits how he feels for Sal her soul is rocked. She can’t believe that this man who she had idolized returns her feelings. My skin breaks out in goose bumps and my eyes tear up EVERY TIME. That is a well written romance. Period.

To purchase Kulti click this link! Kulti

2. Ross and Rachel from Friends

Ross and Rachel

Friends was THE show to watch in the ’90’s and Ross and Rachel were the “It” couple. I lived in LA at the time and all the girls had Rachel’s haircut and every boy next door wanted his own Rachel. There’s nothing like that moment when you realize that the thing you wanted most – to be loved- was right in front of you the whole time. Their first kiss was a tear-jerker!

To purchase an episode of Friends click this link! The One After Ross Says Rachel

3. Nevada and Rogan – Burn for Me by Ilona Andrews

industria

Ilona Andrews is a husband and wife writing team. They write both perspectives so well! I can just imagine Ilona writing a scene and turning to her husband Gordon and he makes a face saying ” a guy wouldn’t think that way at all!” and re-writing the scene. Their characters perspectives are spot on. Connor “Mad” Rogan and Nevada Baylor are in my top five favorite fictional couples. He knows he wants her from the start, but she isn’t willing to let him in easily and he knows he has a fight on his hands to win her over. That quote above? Shivers… this is a series well worth your time!

To purchase Burn for Me click this link! Burn for Me (Hidden Legacy)

4. Jack and Rose from the movie Titanic

The historical costumes, sweeping music, and Kate and Leo. All things that made this couple so easy to love. Regardless if there was room on that door for Jack or not, I loved this movie and this couple!

5.  Satine and Christian singing Come What May- Baz Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge

Moulin Rouge 3

Moulin Rouge

OK, yes I know Satine was a prostitute, however this movie was so romantic and the song Come What May was the song my husband and I danced to at our wedding. I LOVE this song. It still gives me the chills and is one of the most epic romantic songs. Of course the tragic ending does help that a bit, but it’s still a beautiful song with a lot of meaning in those words and I still picture my husband and I dancing at our wedding.

What did you think about my choices? would you pick any of the same Soul Ripping moments or couples? Let me know in the comments!

This post was a lot of fun! I would like to nominate a few bloggers. Feel free to join in the fun or not. If I didn’t nominate you and you’d like to do this tag, please join in! Tag me so I can see your answers!

Kelly @Another Book in the Wall

Holly @Dressed to Read

@Books and Love

Jill@Jill’s Book Blog

Donna@Heron There and Everywhere

Thanks!

Deb

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads1 Comment

Blogger to Blogger Series: An Interview with Kat from Life and Other Disasters

This week in my Blogger to Blogger Series I am highlighting Kat from the blog Life and Other Disasters. Kat loves to talk about the TV shows she’s watching, the books she is reading and shares other tidbits about her life. Her blog is a lot of fun and when you check it out you will take a deep dive into Kats life and thoughts.

Check it out by clicking this link! Life and Other Disasters

Let’s get to the questions!

Blogging is universal and even though we inhabit the same community, we don’t always live in the same country. What country do you live in?

KAT: I was born and raised in Austria, where I still live to this day even if I do disappear for a couple months to go elsewhere every now and then. I could very much imagine moving away someday, maybe to an English-speaking country.

What is the view outside your front door? (Include a picture if you’d like!)

KAT: I live in an apartment complex, so the view really isn’t that great. I like that we are on the top floor, even though a lot of the surrounding area is now under construction with more apartments already there or coming soon, which has kind of ruined the view a little bit. I used to be able to see hills in the distance and that’s unfortunately not happening anymore.

Most blogs have a quirky name and a fun story of origin. Please share the story behind your blogs name?

KAT: I wish there was a good story to my blog name, but I think that the movie title “Love and Other Disasters” just always stuck with me and I adapted it into “Life and Other Disasters” for my own uses, especially because I didn’t want the blog name to just be about books.

Describe where you write your blog. Include a picture if you’d like!

KAT: Hmmm … there’s definitely not one place in particular I tend to write my blog at. I sometimes lounge on the couch, other times I am at the desk in my room, then I just make it work on my bed and if I am in the right mood, I even write at Starbucks. Although I prefer to work on my book when I am there and not on my blog.
(I’ve included a picture that shows the backside of my closet with character aesthetics for my book “Arcadia” as well as some of the pillows on my bed)

writingspotbedKat

Most of us have a stack of books sitting next to our couch or bed waiting to be read. What books are in your stack? (Include a photo if you’d like!)

This is a mix of the books I am currently reading or about to read as well as my sketchbooks for drawing and painting.

nightstandbookKat

Want to check out the books on her nightstand? Read the Synopsis’ below!

Synopsis: The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin

If you knew the date of your death, how would you live your life?

It’s 1969 in New York City’s Lower East Side, and word has spread of the arrival of a mystical woman, a traveling psychic who claims to be able to tell anyone the day they will die. The Gold children—four adolescents on the cusp of self-awareness—sneak out to hear their fortunes.

The prophecies inform their next five decades. Golden-boy Simon escapes to the West Coast, searching for love in ’80s San Francisco; dreamy Klara becomes a Las Vegas magician, obsessed with blurring reality and fantasy; eldest son Daniel seeks security as an army doctor post-9/11; and bookish Varya throws herself into longevity research, where she tests the boundary between science and immortality.

A sweeping novel of remarkable ambition and depth, The Immortalists probes the line between destiny and choice, reality and illusion, this world and the next. It is a deeply moving testament to the power of story, the nature of belief, and the unrelenting pull of familial bonds.

Synopsis: Beastly Bones (Jackaby #2) by William Ritter

In 1892, New Fiddleham, New England, things are never quite what they seem, especially when Abigail Rook and her eccentric employer, R. F. Jackaby, are called upon to investigate the supernatural.

First vicious shape-shifters disguise themselves as a litter of kittens, and a day later, their owner is found murdered. Then in nearby Gad’s Valley, now home to the exiled New Fiddleham police detective Charlie Cane, dinosaur bones from a recent dig mysteriously go missing, and an unidentifiable beast starts attacking animals and people, leaving mangled bodies behind. Charlie calls on Abigail for help, and soon Abigail and Jackaby are on the hunt for a thief, a monster, and a murderer.

Synopsis: Only Human by Silvain Neuvel

Brilliant scientist Rose Franklin has devoted her adult life to solving the mystery she accidentally stumbled upon as a child: a huge metal hand buried beneath the ground outside Deadwood, South Dakota. The discovery set in motion a cataclysmic chain of events with geopolitical ramifications. Rose and the Earth Defense Corps raced to master the enigmatic technology, as giant robots suddenly descended on Earth’s most populous cities, killing one hundred million people in the process. Though Rose and her team were able to fend off the attack, their victory was short-lived. The mysterious invaders retreated, disappearing from the shattered planet . . . but they took the scientist and her crew with them.

Now, after nearly ten years on another world, Rose returns to find a devastating new war—this time between humans. America and Russia are locked in combat, fighting to fill the power vacuum left behind after the invasion. Families are torn apart, friends become bitter enemies, and countries collapse in the wake of the battling superpowers. It appears the aliens left behind their titanic death machines so humankind will obliterate itself. Rose is determined to find a solution, whatever it takes. But will she become a pawn in a doomsday game no one can win?

If you have had a bad day and want to spend an hour reading a book, what is your go to genre or favorite book that will lift your mood?

KAT: If I had a bad day, there are generally two options for me. One would be to indulge the bad mood and go into something very emotional like a family drama or some sort of tragic love story. However, the other option would be to really just dive into a light and fluffy YA contemporary. Something that wouldn’t require too much thinking but mainly entertainment.

When you aren’t blogging, how do you spend your time? Work, Play, School?

Admittedly, I do spend A LOT of time on my laptop. I am currently working on my own Fantasy book (it’s called Arcadia and if anyone is interested you can find more details on it here: https://lifeandotherdisasters.com/2018/02/05/lets-talk-about-arcadia/) and I am obsessed with TV shows, so I definitely have a screen with me at most times. I also really like to draw and have indulged in that hobby more and more lately.

What is your favorite blog post you’ve ever written? Please include the link!

My favorite blog post banner

Last year I went abroad and didn’t have as much time for blogging during that time as I used to have. My content changed a lot and I struggled to know my place in the community, which lead me to write a post about “blogger identity”. It was something that really weighed on me at the time, but it helped me so much to put my frustration into words. I feel like I have found my way since, but the support at the time was really helpful.

Discussion Time: Blogger Identity

(I think we can all identify with an identity crisis on our blogs! I certainly have!)

Have you ever met one of your favorite authors? If so, what did you say to them? Looking back, what do you wish you had said instead?
I haven’t really met any of my favourite authors yet, as they don’t really tend to visit my country a lot. However, I have had the opportunity to see Nicholas Sparks and Cecelia Ahern, who were both very nice. There wasn’t really time to say much, as the line was pretty long and we were ushered along quickly. I am pretty sure I thanked them and told them which book was my favourite, but I don’t wish I had said something more.

If you could sit down with an author for a slice of cake and a question, who is the author, what kind of cake would you serve, and what is the first question you’d ask?
I would give right about anything to meet Pierce Brown, so he would definitely be the author I’d want to meet. I am not sure which cake he likes the most, that would need some research I don’t have the resources for right now, but my go-to-cake would be the red-wine cake after my grandma’s recipe. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t love that cake. And lastly the question, I think I’d go with something really stupid like “How do I get a part or job on set of the adaptation of your books?” and then I would immediately laugh it off and take it back, while in all honesty, I would love to be on that set.

I loved getting to know Kat a little bit better! I can see we share a love for YA and Fantasy novels. I have had both William Ritter’s Jackaby series and Pierce Brown’s Red Rising series on my TBR forever! It’s always nice to hear how much someone loves an author, it makes me want to just reach for that book next, doesn’t it? Oh, and Kat, I’m dying to try that red wine cake. Would you share the recipe?

Thanks Kat!!

Do you share Kat’s taste in novels? If not, I’d love to hear what books are on your own nightstand!

Deb

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads8 Comments

Friday YA: Foolish Hearts by Emma Mills

At a “Last party before Senior year starts” party, Claudia has escaped to the restroom where she is the unwilling witness to favorite couple Iris and Paige’s breakup. Caught in the act, Claudia tries to stay out of the rather mean girl Iris’ way, but ends up getting paired with her for a school assignment. Iris is not over her breakup and hates Claudia for witnessing it so isn’t the greatest partner for a project and surprise!… they fail. In order to get extra credit, their teacher makes them try out for the school play A Midsummer’s Nights Dream. There, Claudia’s world is upended. She meets a flirty boy, makes new friendships, and discovers a whole world outside her comfort zone. Oh, and she totally gets William Shakespeare.

I was totally surprised by Foolish Hearts. The premise wasn’t that unusual, but the author did a great job of capturing the flavors of new friendships, betrayal and first love. Claudia was used to living in the secure world she knew. Best friends with Zoe, the girl she grew up with, she never needed any other friends. Going to an all girl school, while Zoe remained in public school, Claudia was content with her world, but it was time for a shakeup. When she witnessed Paige and Iris’ breakup, she feels bad for Iris, even though she’s really hard to be around. When they both start work on the school play Claudia becomes the friend that Iris never wanted. I really loved how Claudia just kept going back for Iris’s abuse and saw through her mean girl act.

Gideon is the class clown, but the clown everyone laughs with and not at. He is uber popular, cute and an all around nice guy. The dialog between Claudia and Gideon was written so well. Even though it was PG-13 it was clever and full of wit, I found myself smiling at the great energy these two made together. He was not all surface charm and had hidden depths that came out as the story developed. This made Gideon multi dimensional and even more enjoyable to read.

There was a lot of drama in this high school romance, but there was also a lot of fun. The story and dialog was intricate and I got totally wrapped into the plot and characters forgetting that I am not the target reader for this type of book. That is a true compliment to the author. She made me forget my age! (If only more books could do this! LOL) Truly, Foolish Hearts had a great story that was easy to love and characters that learned and grew as the story moved forward. The name Foolish Hearts was apropos for the amount of relationship drama featured in this book, but I think it’s also a play on words to the relationship drama found in Shakespeare’s play A Midsummer’s Night Dream. Maybe the author should rename this book Clever Hearts instead! ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Foolish Hearts

Click this link to purchase! Foolish Hearts

Copyright 2018 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

I am an Amazon Associates member and receive a very small stipend if you were to purchase this book through the above link.

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads2 Comments

This Chick Read: Hot and Badgered (Honey Badger Chronicles #1) by Shelly Laurenston

Shelly Laurenston writes the most irreverent and fun shifter romance novels. Her characters do have the characteristics of the animals they shift into, but unlike other novels in the human shifting into animal paranormal genre, it doesn’t skeeve me out. I always look forward to a new release and I’ve been looking forward to reading Hot and Badgered since I read and featured the Chapter excerpt a few months ago.

If this were a normal novel I’d say that Charlie is the overprotective older sister who has taken it upon herself to protect her two younger sisters their entire lives. However, this is a shifter novel, so that same sentence should actually be, full blooded honey badger, Charlie is the overprotective sister to her half tiger/honey badger genius younger sister, and her psychotic always smiling honey badger middle sister. Sounds like a lot more fun, right? Honey badgers are notorious for not being scared of anything. They will fight a grizzly to the death even though they are bigger and more fierce. These ladies are no different they are death personified, but sweet and funny at the same time.

Berg Dunn meets Charlie when she dives naked out of her hotel bedroom and lands two flights down in his. He helps protect her from the armed men who are chasing her and she runs out the door before he learns her name. When he finds her a few days later he helps them rent a house in his bear neighborhood where they will catch the scent of any non bear who tries to sneak in. This is the start of Berg’s fascination with Charlie, but Charlie doesn’t want to bring solid, dependable Berg into her crazy life. Of course, he does finally wear her down, but not before a lot of blood is shed and food is eaten.

Shelly Laurenston has built a world that is total fantasy and 100% fun. These shifters are fierce and somewhat like their animal namesakes, so reading their reactions to each other is kind of like watching the Discovery Channel but the animals have human emotions to match their animal fierceness. Berg and Charlie were a fun couple and complemented the other. Berg was solid and nice while Charlie was a bit ADHD and a warrior. She was the most normal of the three sisters so I can’t imagine what species could possibly be matched up with either of her two crazy sisters.

If you’ve never read a Shelly Laurenston novel, I’d start with the Pride series the world might make a little more sense, however, this is a stand alone novel and there are only a couple of extraneous characters who show up where you may miss a subtle reference. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Hot

Click this link to purchase! Hot and Badgered (The Honey Badgers)

Copyright 2018 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

I am an Amazon Associate and receive a small stipend if you purchase through the above link.

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

This Chick Read: Lachlan (Immortal Highlander #1) by Hazel Hunter

Kinley Chandler is a wounded war veteran languishing in a hospital bed in San Diego fighting to find the will to live. She was in an explosion that embedded shrapnel in her stomache, took her leg and scarred her both physically and mentally. As an excercise in healing her therapist takes her on a car ride to a national park hoping to jump start the fight within her, but only makes Kinley more interested in ending her life. When the therapist steps away to get her phone, Kinley puts the wheels in motion to launch herself down a hillside to hopefully end her life. Instead, she lands in 14th century Scotland in the middle of a fight between some highlanders and Roman soldiers. Her body is whole again and although she’s confused, she jumps in and saves a highlanders life creating an immediate bond between the two of them.

When I read this synopsis I was intrigued by Kinley, a female wounded warrior, wondering how her skills were going to help her out in medieval Scotland. Once she had come to grips with her situation we did see those skills in play. She had been a search and rescue coordinator, so her strategies in finding the Romans who were terrorizing the inhabitants of Skye were ahead of this time. Even better was Lachlan’s acceptance of who she had been and that he took those skills for granted. I was ok with Lachlan’s immortality (yep) but what was hard for me to overlook was that the Roman soldiers were actually Roman vampires. Just to make it really clear, the good vs evil fight was between Immortal Scottish warriors and Roman soldier vampires. There was a lot going on in this novel!

The talent was apparent in the writing because, well, I stuck with it to the end. I just wish she hadn’t thrown the story at the wall to see what stuck. It would’ve been enough for me to have Kinley get thrown back in time her body whole, found a warrior who see’s her worth, comes to love her- maybe throw in a couple of fighting scenes to show off everyone’s skills and then have our happily ever after. The vampire scenes were pretty gross and vivid, so I skimmed and skipped those parts. I really just wanted to get back to what I considered the meat and potatoes, Kinley and Lachlan. However, I can see why other readers gave this novel high reviews. Kinley was an original! The female vet angle was really appealing and in the end her character is why I read this book all the way to the end.

If this plot intrigues you, you’ll be happy to know that there are a LOT of these Immortal Highlander novels. Every highlander apparently has a woman come tumbling through from our world. Lucky them! I haven’t decided yet if I am going to give the second book a chance. The writing was good, but oh those Roman vampires…

❤️❤️❤️❣️

Lachlan

Click this link to purchase!Lachlan (Immortal Highlander Book 1): A Scottish Time Travel Romance

Copyright 2018 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

I am an Amazon Associate and receive a small stipend if you purchase through the above link.

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

This Chicks Sunday Commentary: Male Romance Character-istics

I wrote a post a few months ago about my pet peeves for female characters and thought I needed to follow up with a pet peeves about male fictional characters post just to keep the conversation even.

The Alpha Male- OK, I’ll admit, I kind of like the alpha males in romance novels. An alpha male is great in an emergency. They take charge of the situation, have a first aid kit on hand (always!) and know how to sew up a wound. Really!  I would hate to be a mom of an alpha male because how did they get that knowledge?!! Oh! The other thing I love about the alpha males is that they ALWAYS pay the bill. That’s both in and out of the sack. Their women get the big O, but they also don’t have to pay for their clothes, dinner or security systems! When you need a new security system look for an alpha male, seriously. Now, what are my pet peeves about the alpha male characters? Hmmm, the above has made me re-think things a bit. Searching, searching… Oh yeah! Alpha men are not very emotional. They do know what they want and reach out and grab it (and only let go upon death). However, they are big on the actions speak louder than words scenario. Usually at the very end of the novel you get those three words said, but throughout the novel he is showing his woman his love by performing manly actions; mowing the lawn, a few hundred big “O”‘s and of course saving her life and buying security systems. (My favorite alpha male of them all is in the book below!)

Motorcycle Man

The Indecisive Man- This one drives me crazy!  He likes her, then decides he isn’t ready, or his ex comes back to town, then gets cold feet and disappears for a while. He shows back up when his woman is in trouble or goes on a bad date with another guy. Then he’s all in. OK, I know men aren’t all like the alpha male who knows what he wants and goes after it two seconds after meeting his woman, but there has to be some kind of in between. My leading man shouldn’t take one look at me, stick his toe in the water (or something somewhere else) and then say “yeah, maybe not right now.” Then change his mind and come back. That’s a hard guy to go all in with! (I gave the main character the benefit of the doubt below, and he did deliver!)

Every Little Kiss

The Angry Male- A man with a little mystery is attractive, but when he emotes anger, bitterness, and doesn’t trust? I’m a girl who has to buy a house where I can see everything I’m getting. If I can’t see beyond that anger? I’ll admit, I probably wouldn’t stick around to dig through and find out why. But, I know many ladies love a challenge! (I actually loved the angry male in the book below, I’ll admit!)

The Gravity of Us

The I Love to Emote male- Then there’s the guy who is over compensating for all of the alpha and indecisive men in romance novels. This is the guy who is totally comfortable with saying he loves you, your kids, your bad credit and insane mother. The guy who sticks with your mile high baggage even though he should probably run in the other direction. Wait a minute, maybe this guy isn’t all bad! Maybe it’s me? I just don’t trust the emotional male who see’s beyond all of the chaos in his chosen queen’s life and says I love you anyway. Wow, maybe I do need to talk this one out with a professional. (said guy in book below doesn’t over emote but he definitely sticks with her mile high baggage!)

Do You Want

The Charming but Useless Male- Admittedly this male character is usually in historical novels or ya books, but he is hovering around the perimeter of romance noveldom and needs a mention. If you are asking yourself while reading the novel, “yes, he’s all that, but what else does he do?” Admittedly you’re probably insane, but I admire a woman who likes a man with a job, or in the case of a ya male, a high school diploma! Charm can get you a lot of places, but how are you in an emergency? Can you afford a security system? Sorry, got off track there, but there’s something fishy about humor, charm, and good looks. LOL. Not really, but I do like men with jobs! (OK, great book below, but Ambrose is pretty much spot on for this male!)

Once and For All

OK, now that I have admittedly unloaded my issues with men, not just fictional characters, I will say that romance novels do have a raison d’etre! (did I spell that right?) Every woman who reads a romance novel wants a different kind of man for the mood she is in while reading that romance novel. Sometimes, after a tough day making decisions and kicking office butt, I want an Alpha Male to take charge, deliver the “O”‘s and pay for dinner.  Sometimes a woman is in the mood for romance, charm, and doesn’t care if her hero has a job. I’m not usually ever in the mood for an indecisive man, but I’m sure some women go for that guy! (If so, then we need to talk!) The point is that reading is selective. We all want different things at different times. That’s why romance novels are so great! You’ve got five novels in front of you and you get to pick which man you want tonight. If only that applied to real life, right? (Sorry, hubby if you’re reading this! jk! I swear!)

Of course, with that man comes a romantic female lead, but if you want to hear my opinions on those ladies you’ll have to read my other post…

My Pet Peeves with Female Fictional Character Traits

What are your favorite or most hated leading male characters or traits? It doesn’t matter the genre!

Which romantic male lead is your favorite of all time? I think I’m a bit indecisive (Oh No!) on that one, but this morning I’m feeling the need for fun and charm.  I’m going to skim through my men, um I mean kindle, and take a look!

Until next Sunday!

Deb

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

Blogger to Blogger Series: An Interview with The Orang-utan Librarian

When I started blogging one of the first bloggers I followed was The Orang-utan Librarian. She writes great reviews and has the most amazing discussion posts, I almost always jump in with my own ideas and answers. Her topics make me think and I LOVE that! When I came up with this idea to highlight my fellow bloggers I knew I wanted her to be my first interview.

If you haven’t checked out The Orang-utan Librarian’s blog, please go take a look!

THE ORANGUTAN LIBRARIAN 

10 Questions Blogger to Blogger with the Orang-utan Librarian

  1. Blogging is universal and even though we inhabit the same community, we don’t always live in the same country. What country do you live in?

TOL: Sunny England- except that it’s not even remotely sunny ;

2. Most blogs have a quirky name and a fun story of origin. Please share the story behind your blogs name?

TOL: Yes, sure, I’m a fan of Pratchett, so I named the blog after his character The Librarian… who happens to be an orangutan 😉

3.Describe where you write your blog. Include a picture if you’d like!

TOL: Just at my desk or the dining room table. Annnd there won’t be pictures because *it is a mess*!!!

4. Most of us have a stack of books sitting next to our couch or bed waiting to be read. What books are in your stack? (Include a photo if you’d like!)

TOL: Hehe I have hundreds of books next to my bed… JK, I do have my kindle though and a couple of physical books I plan to read next (apologies for the dreadful photo). Although I say plan to read next, Curse of Chalion and Master and Margarita have literally been on my TBR for *years* (and this isn’t the first time I’ve put them on my bedside table to pressure myself to read them)

bedside table books blogger to blogger

Synopsis: The Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster Bujold

A man broken in body and spirit, Cazaril returns to the noble household he once served as page and is named secretary-tutor to the beautiful, strong-willed sister of the impetuous boy who is next in line to rule. It is an assignment Cazaril dreads, for it must ultimately lead him to the place he most fears: the royal court of Cardegoss, where the powerful enemies who once placed him in chains now occupy lofty positions.

But it is more than the traitorous intrigues of villains that threaten Cazaril and the Royesse Iselle here, for a sinister curse hangs like a sword over the entire blighted House of Chalion. And only by employing the darkest, most forbidden of magics can Cazaril hope to protect his royal charge — an act that will mark him as a tool of the miraculous . . . and trap him in a lethal maze of demonic paradox.

Synopsis: The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov

The Master and Margarita (Russian: Ма́стер и Маргари́та) is a novel by Mikhail Bulgakov, written between 1928 and 1940, but unpublished in book form until 1967. The story concerns a visit by the devil to the fervently atheistic Soviet Union. Many critics consider it to be one of the best novels of the 20th century, as well as the foremost of Soviet satires.

5. If you have had a bad day and want to spend an hour reading a book, what is your go to genre or favorite book that will lift your mood?

TOL: Oh gosh on a bad day it’s got to be contemporary YA. That’s the best time for some lighthearted fluff.

6. When you aren’t blogging, how do you spend your time? Work, Play, School?

TOL: Okay I’m going to try and answer this without getting majorly self-deprecating. The basic lowdown is: I have a job, write whenever I can and hang out with friends. When I’m feeling especially *wild* I read books (I know, I live dangerously 😉 )

7. What is your favorite blog post you’ve ever written? Please include the link!

TOL: Oh gosh- that’s a hard question! Probably an unexpected choice, yet I’ll always love the satirical piece I did called “Why Satire is Evil”.

(Totally funny post! If you haven’t read it, click the link. Why Satire is Evil.)

8. Have you ever met one of your favorite authors? If so, what did you say to them? Looking back, what do you wish you had said instead?

TOL: Well I got to meet Malorie Blackman when I was 12 and that was awesome. That’s over ten years ago now, but I still remember a lot of what she talked about in her speech and jumping up to be first in line to get my book signed after. I can’t remember for the life of me if I said anything to her beyond squeaking my name- but I figure I’d probably do the same if I met any author now- so no change there. What I regret is not having her sign all my books (I was trying to be nice, cos there were loads of people behind me, but now I wish I all my Noughts and Crosses books were signed LOL!)

Books by Malorie Blackman:

9. Do you have any blogging goals for the next year?

TOL: Nope- other than the fact I’ve got to take a break soon, I’m thinking I’ll just wing it.

10. If you could sit down with an author for a slice of cake and a question, who is the author, what kind of cake would you serve, and what is the first question you’d ask?

TOL: Hard question on every front- I mean, the only thing that’s harder than choosing just one author is picking just one type of cake! I want to say banana cake… but that would be a lie. Though don’t get me wrong, I love banana cake and that’d be a hilarious conversation starter, it’d be chocolate all the way. Lots and lots of chocolate! And the author would probably Philip Pullman, just because he’s awesome and I feel like he deserves some cake!

Thanks so much for answering my questions Blogger to Blogger!

TOL: Thank you so much for hosting me Deb!

I’ve learned a lot about The Orang-utan Librarian but I’ll admit that for every answer she gave I probably had two more questions. Maybe we should grab a virtual cup of coffee and have a real discussion sometime!

Is there a question that you’d like me to ask in my next interview? Write it in the comments and I’ll choose one of your questions to ask!

I hope you’ve enjoyed our Blogger to Blogger chat!

Deb

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads10 Comments

Friday YA: Ruthless Magic (Conspiracy of Magic #1) by Megan Crewe

At sixteen when your magic is evaluated you are either given an invitation into an elite school for training or scheduled for a procedure that will take away your magic. One other option is for you to declare yourself for the Exam a mysterious last chance to be declared Champion winning yourself eligibility into that elite school. Finn comes from a high ranking magical family and is a shoe-in to the Academy, yet he lacks the magical talent to win entrance on his own. Rocio comes from a lower class family whose parents  had their magic nulled. Her magical gifts are extraordinary yet she is denied entrance into the Academy when a spot should have been hers. When they each declare for the Exam they meet for the first time finding a friendship that will surpass all class levels.

Ruthless Magic is part Lord of the Flies or Hunger Games with magical realism elements a la Harry Potter. When these teens show up at the Exam they realize that it’s more survival of the fittest that tests their talents. Finn who declared for the exam to give the finger to the Confederation of Mages for being biased against lower level families, pretty quickly  realizes that he may have made a big mistake. His talent lies in evaluating circumstances, sweet talking, and charm more than actual magical skill. His character is so easy to like, always finding humor in a difficult situation. He is put into the same group as Rocio and is immediately taken with her talent and personality right from the start. Rocio is a little less willing to trust but Finn is the person she starts to lean on as their situation becomes more dire.

There are very few rules in these exams and some of the kids are more willing to eliminate each other than trust their magic will win them a place in the school at the end of the four days. Ruthless Magic’s theme about bigotry and social classes is told very effectively even though they are classed by their level of magic ability. Even though set in the human world, mages came out to the Nulls or humans (think muggles from HP) in order to help them through extreme times of terrorism or war. The novel has a great message about the balance of good vs evil and tells it in a magical way that was original and interesting.

The cliques in this group of “contestants” for lack of a better word were pretty typical of a high school age group.  You have the athletic bully, the pretty boy charmer, the quiet shy girl, and the do-gooder, but the way in which Megan Crewe uses these stereotypes to shine a light on difficult subjects was poignant and engaging.  I really liked this book, the characters, and it’s message! It was my first novel by Megan Crewe but it won’t be my last! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❣️

Ruthless Magic

I was given a copy of this novel through NetGalley for my honest review and it was honest!

Click this link to purchase! Ruthless Magic (Conspiracy of Magic)

Copyright Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

I am an Amazon Associate and receive a small stipend if you purchase a book through the above link.

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

This Chick Read: Night Shifts Black (NSB #1) by Alyson Santos

Callie is contemplating what to order for breakfast at a diner when a good looking guy with a sad soulful look in his eye approaches her table and asks if she can move seats. She does, only moving to the seat across the table from the chair she had been sitting in. As she settles in her seat she watches this man stare at the chair she had been sitting in, hesitantly reach towards it and draw his hand away. Then he quickly turns around and leaves the diner. The waitress tells her that this is the third day he’s come in and done that. Intrigued, Callie shows up the next morning, sits at the same table and when the man approaches she invites him to have a seat at the next table with her. They strike up a conversation and the two of them become semi friendly, jokingly calling themselves the breakfast club. As this looks like a romance novel and I can feel Callie’s attraction to Luke, I thought ok, here’s my couple. but nope! Callie and Luke were not my romantic couple, but their relationship was the catalyst that drove Callie to find romance. Luke was the best friend. Intrigued? Hell yes!

This novel felt like a J. T. Geissinger novel. Full of great character depth, intense feelings, and agonizing pain. Just as you’d deduce from the above scene, Luke was working his way through emotional trauma. Callie, it seemed was his straight man, but she actually had a lot of depth too and together they had a solid supportive friendship. So, where is the love in this love story? There is one, it’s just not where I expected it. When it happens, it fits, and it’s wonderful.

This novel was seriously good! I loved the friendships in this novel. Dealing with serious topics like depression and suicide, the friendship and love that these characters felt for each other was what elevated the story to another level. Will I be reading the second book in this series, Tracing Holland? Yes, I have to see how Luke falls in love! Oh, did I mention this is a Rock Star romance? NSB, or Night Shifts Black is the name of their band, just in case you are wondering about that title.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Night Shifts Black

Click this link to purchase! Night Shifts Black (NSB Book 1)

Copyright 2018 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

I am an Amazon Associate and receive a small stipend if you purchase through the above link.

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads3 Comments