Tag: amazon

It’s Monday, what are you reading? (10/11/21)

Last week was a busy one with three ARC’s (Advanced Reader Copy) due so my reading choices were not my own. Well, technically I did sign up for those reviews, but it’s always nice to read because you feel like reading, not because you have to read something because you said you would. I’m sure you all feel the same way. So without have a clock ticking on my reading habits, what did I do? I read ahead to an ARC that’s due on 10/19. LOL. To be fair this was a book where I like the series and was looking forward to reading the most recent book, so it wasn’t really a hardship. Let’s catch up! Here are the books being checked off my TBR.

JUST FINISHED

I’m drawn to this series because they are lighthearted romances set in a little town that puts on an annual Renaissance festival. Well Met was the first book and I loved it. I’ve gotten to know these characters so I’m pretty invested even though books 2 and 3 have not been quite as good as the first. Well Matched was Mitch’s story and I was curious how it would play out. You’ll have to read my review to find out!

JUST STARTED

This novel was written in 2019 and has been on my library TBR since I saw a blogger write about it. I like to read young adult books occasionally for a change of pace and this story about a deaf high school student who moves across country and has to go to school in a regular school sounded like it might broaden my horizons a little. I, too have a small hearing problem, and while I am not deaf, just hearing impaired, I enjoy reading true representation stories and am curious to see how she learns to navigate high school life with this kind of challenge. I just started it and will add it to my review. Stay tuned!

This week is going to have its own challenges and having a good book waiting for me at home helps me get through the long days. Do you feel the same? Which book is waiting for you to pick it up after a long day at work?

Happy Monday and happy reading!

Deb

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

This Chick Read: When Night Breaks (Kingdom of Cards #2) by Janella Angeles

Starting up right where “Where Dreams Descend” left off, Kallia has been swallowed into the mirror in her magic performances during the Spectaculor, a magician’s contest. On the other side of the mirror is a whole different world where sunlight is obliterated by “devils”, and magicians duel for power and status. Kallia’s power has been depleted and navigating this new world takes wit, courage, and magic. When Night Breaks shows us a different world, where darkness reigns supreme and only the absolute best magicians survive.

Confession time! I struggled with this novel. It’s only because I liked the first one so much that I was able to stick with it and make myself finish. If it had been any other book I would have put it down and picked up a different novel. Maybe it’s because this is my second fantasy novel in a row where the story was desperately dark, a sign of a writer trying to create during a pandemic. I felt that pain too, but my own pain was in trying to see the light and find something positive to talk about in my review. Here’s what I found.

  1. Jack- Whereas Kallia felt less interesting to me, her nemesis Jack became even more interesting. He was also confusing, but I’ll stick with why I thought he was interesting. Jack was always a dark horse. The magical being who held Kallia captive in “Where Dreams Descend”, and who she had a love hate relationship. She still does, but in this new world, Jack’s back story is revealed and we see why he is what he is, and how he struggled to break out from the hold Roth (a new character in this book) had over him.
  2. Eva- or Vain as she’s named in this novel. The famous Daron DeMarco’s assistant, and sister, who disappeared into a mirror during an act. She is alive and has risen to the top in this new world. She was way more interesting than Kallia and I found myself looking forward to the pages with her story.
  3. World building- The author didn’t do herself any favors by having to create a brand new world in When Night Breaks. As it’s ‘through the looking glass’, it runs parallel to the real world from which Kallia arrived. Dark to the other world’s light, the differences were surprising and kept me reading.

Everything in this book led us toward the big conflict at the end, but that conflict was a confused mess. I had trouble following what was going on and the reasons for why these things were happening. The conflict didn’t feel too different from the rest of the book, and therefore not enough of a conflict for me to feel any sort of resolution for the characters, even with the built-in happily, happily. It was just ho-hum.

Despite my overall feelings of doom and gloom, I couldn’t give the novel lower than a three rating. Yes, if I hadn’t loved the first novel so much I wouldn’t have finished this one, but it’s because I loved that first novel so much that I am giving this an average rating. Please feel free to disagree and read this book and pass your own judgement. My bad 4 days of reading this book may be the best in your life. ❤️❤️❤️

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review and it was honest.

Click this link to purchase!* When Night Breaks (Kingdom of Cards Book 2)

Copyright 2021 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate- if you purchase this book through the above link I’ll receive a small stipend.

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

This Chick Read: Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson

Artemisia is in training to be a Gray Sister, a nun who cleanses the bodies of the deceased so that their souls can pass, but Artemisia also has a special talent…she can discern the different types of spirits in one of the highest orders and this talent changes her future. When possessed soldiers arrive and attack her convent, Artemisia takes up the relic of a fifth order revenant and allows it to possess her in order to save the other nuns. The story of her fight sweeps the countryside and her history is rewritten. Vespertines are priestesses who can wield a high relic, but how they do that has been lost and Artemisia turns to the revenant inside herself for the knowledge to beat the evil that is sweeping the country.

Once again Margaret Rogerson has created a really interesting world. This story is much darker in feeling which is portrayed really well by the cover. Artemisia is a rather dark soul even before a revenant takes residence inside of her body. Possessed by an ashrim, an evil spirit, when she was a child, her parents kept her locked in a shed for years. It was only by burning her hands in a fire that she removed the spirit, but the horrors of her past have left scars, both internal and external. I really liked her evolution from solitary scared girl to a young woman who decides to fight instead of surrender to evil.

Written during the pandemic I drew a parallel between the spirits ravaging Artemisia’s world and the virus which is ravaging our own lives. Artemisia stepped out of her comfort zone, her solitariness, and leaned on the people around her and trusted in others to help her fight her battles. In comparison, I wish our real world chose to fight the virus together instead of skirmishing individually about vaccinations and masks. However, unlike my world and all that’s going on within it, it was nice to see her conquer evil. The way the novel ended I felt like the author may have left the door open for another book? I kind of hope so. I am now invested and would love to see where these characters lead us next. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

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

Click this link to purchase this book!* Vespertine

Copyright 2021 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate- if you purchase this book through the above link I’ll receive a small stipend.

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

This Chick Read: The Vanished Days (The Scottish Series #3) by Susanna Kearsley

Set in 1707 in Scotland the citizens are unsettled at their union with England. In order to appease them, England has gone to their coffers to pay those families of men who died in the Darien expedition eight years earlier, an event that made Scotland all but bankrupt. When a young widow of a Darien soldier comes forward to claim her husband’s wages an investigation takes place to determine if they were actually wed. Set at the cusp of the eighteenth century during a politically motivated time, Adam Williamson finds that there is more involved than the meager wages of a sailor and must set aside his own growing feelings for the widow to figure out the truth.

Other than reading the Outlander series which is set slightly later than this book, I don’t know that much about this time in Scotland’s history. Set during the Jacobite rebellion with flashbacks to the late 17th Century you get a good feeling of what it was like to live during this troubled time when the change in monarchy also meant a change in accepted religions. You also learned a lot about what it meant to be female during this times and were made glad that you live now versus then. Narrated through the investigator, Adam Williamson’s eyes, we learn of Lily’s life from childhood to adult and as we do we serve as judge and jury in deciding if we believe in her story.

During the flashbacks we learned about Lily’s life. Her mother died when she was very young and her father sent her to his mother to be raised in the country where she met her childhood best friend Jamie. Although they were from different levels of society her country upbringing allowed her a closeness with his family that she wouldn’t have had in a city environment. When she moved to Edinburgh and her father dies she is raised by her Stepmother but circumstances force her into becoming a maid to help bring in money. As she grows older her circumstances change again but she still stays on that lower rung of Scottish society and it was really interesting to read, especially in how she viewed herself at these different times of her life. Did it help Adam Williamson determine the truth? You’ll have to read this one to find out. I will say I became very engrossed with her story.

When I read a historical mystery I like a nice methodical pace and The Vanished Days was a slow moving book. Despite the author stating this is book 3 in the series, the characters are not interconnected and this can be read as a standalone novel. If you are like me and really like historical mysteries with a hint of romance I think you’ll really enjoy this novel. The characters were believable, had emotional depth, and I got invested in their story very quickly. This was a good book!

❤️❤️❤️❤️

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

Click this link to purchase this book!* The Vanished Days (The Scottish series, 3)

Copyright 2021 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate- If you purchase this book through the above link I’ll receive a small stipend.

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It’s Monday, what are you reading? (10/4/21)

This weekend I read a romance, a fantasy, and listened to one of my all time favorite women’s fiction novels. What a great weekend of reading! Let’s get down to it!

JUST FINISHED

I love Margaret Rogerson’s novels and while this one started a bit slower and was a LOT darker, I really loved the unlikely heroine that Artemisia ended up being. I wish I knew who the cover artist is so I could throw out a big kudos. This cover got the feeling of the novel, spot on!

JUST STARTED

This is the second novel in the Kingdom of Cards series and it’s just as magical as the first. It starts off quickly and I’m not having trouble picking up where the story leaves off.

If Monday is your favorite day of the week, kudos to you! I hate Mondays because most of the time I’m in the middle of reading a book and I’d much rather stay on the couch finishing up that novel. What book is pulling your attention away from work today?

Happy Monday!

Deb

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

This Chick Read: Hollen the Soulless (Dokiri Brides #1) by Denali Day

The Dokiri guard the mountains on their dragons and make sure that those within don’t make their way down to the lowlands to wreck havoc and kill. They are a race that bears only men and so they have to get their brides by stealing them from the lowlands. Hollen is the leader and when he see’s the Lady Joselyn riding her horse he knew she was the wife for him. Unfortunately Joselyn was on her way to her wedding and is furious to be taken, despite fearing the man she was to marry, she is a dutiful daughter and her marriage was to keep her people safe. She’s determined to escape and bides her time until she has the chance to make it off the mountain.

This was a really interesting book! Definitely a romantic fantasy but there were some very dark themes. One of which is that the Dokiri carve a brand into their chosen brides, the day they meet. You can see how that might put a woman off the romance of the whole thing! Hollen is determined that over time Joselyn will come to love him and will stop making her attempts to leave. Despite starting out branding her he does not make a move to complete their union wanting her to choose him herself. If I were Hollen I may have gotten tired of Joselyn’s shenanigans. He had so much patience, much more so than I.

I couldn’t help but make comparisons to Kristen Ashley’s Golden Dynasty novel which was also romantic fantasy. The Dokiri went around bare chested and scarred themselves for every significant life event. KA’s Dax Lahn were barbarian-like and chose their wives by chasing them and raping them. (Yep, very disturbing). Hollen, as a comparison wanted Joselyn to choose her fate and come to him, so not rape, thank goodness. Branding was bad enough.

There was so much more to this novel than the whole bride thing but that was certainly at the heart of the story. As with any great fantasy novel there was a lot of world-building and character building as well. The other people in the Dokiri tribe were interesting and Joselyn made a couple of friends who also put up with her questionable behavior. I guess the good thing about bride-stealing is that there are normally a lot of bad behavior until everyone settles into their place in the tribe.

So what did I think?? I actually liked it! I did get tired of Joselyn pushing back but couldn’t really blame her at the same time. I am very interested in Hollen’s brothers. They are all so different and I want to see their stories. I loved Hollen. He was just a guy that wanted to be loved. Who could blame him? I am totally reading book #2, I just don’t know when! ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase!* Hollen the Soulless: A Fantasy Romance (Dokiri Brides)

Copyright 2021 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate- if you purchase this book through the above link I’ll receive a small stipend.

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This Chick Read: A Lady Compromised (Rosalind Thorne Mystery #4) by Darcie Wilde

Rosalind is invited to her friend Louisa’s home to help her prepare for her wedding. Louisa is the sister of Rosalind’s one time beau Devon, now the Duke of Casselmaine, and despite her circumstances she’s happy to spend time with their family again. Once almost betrothed to Devon, prior to her family’s misfortune, Rosalind now spends her time helping members of the peerage with tasks, as a companion, in return for their financial support. This invitation may be her chance to see if she and Devon could once again regain the relationship they’d once had, but she needs to remove herself from any untoward situations….like murder.

This novel moves Rosalind and Devon’s relationship forward from the will they or won’t they status that they’ve inhabited for a long while. Unfortunately, Rosalind is unable to avoid being approached for her help in finding out whether one of Louisa’s friends brother died at the hands of that woman’s fianceé. Rosalind tries to stay removed but the mystery seems to unravel despite her protests and what is revealed helps Rosalind determine the direction her own future may take.

Sometimes I get frustrated with the slower pace in these historical mysteries but A Lady Compromised moved at a pretty quick pace and I think the change in scenery may have helped the plot along. You would think being removed to a country estate for a wedding would slow things down but the number of characters involved seemed to inhabit the Duke’s estate quite frequently. This change of scene also allows Rosalind to see a different side of Devon than she sees in the city and what she sees decides her future course.

A Lady Compromised lived up to its promise. The mystery was solid and our main character made a decision that I agree with whole-heartedly and can’t wait to see her implement in the fifth installment of this series, A Counterfeit Suitor, out this November. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase!* A Lady Compromised (Rosalind Thorne Mystery Book 4)

Copyright 2021 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate- if you purchase this book through the above link I’ll receive a small stipend

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

It’s Monday, what are you reading? (9/27/21)

It was a busy weekend with another family members birthday and lots of time spent in the kitchen making food for the celebration. It was my job to make a couple of pies. I’ll have to admit I enjoyed the quiet time, put in my ear buds and listened to a good book. I love it when I have a couple of hours where I can be in the book zone. When my minds split between two things it’s better to listen to something I’ve already read, so I got a copy of The Love Hypothesis. My pick for the best romance I’ve read yet this year. Narrated by Callie Dalton, it is fab-u- lous. What else have I been reading? See below!

JUST FINISHED

Luke Daniels is the narrator for this audiobook series and he voices Atticus, his dog Oberon, and all of the other characters in these books, perfectly. The mix of Kevin Hearne’s fluid plots, humor, and great world building with Daniels take on what these characters should sound like is book listening gold. I really enjoyed Tricked, the fourth novel in the series and highly recommend these if you are an urban fantasy fan.

JUST STARTED

I have a soft spot for historical mysteries and The Vanished Days is pushing all of the right buttons. Set during the Jacobite rebellion in the 1700’s I’m immediately swept away by the characters, setting, and yes, the mystery. If you are also a fan of this genre this book is out on Oct. 13, 2021.

As you can tell from all three of the books I’ve talked about in this post I’m all over the place when it comes to my reading tastes! What genre of book has you hooked?

Happy Monday and happy reading!

Deb

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

This Chicks Sunday Commentary: My Top 5 Book Releases- October’21

I thought I did a great job of picking a mix of books from my favorite genre’s; Contemporary romances, young adult, and fantasy. I have to admit that I had to reach pretty deep into Goodreads most popular books list to find five books. Only one YA but it looks to be a good one! Here are the books that made my list.

#5 BOOK RELEASE

I love romances that include baked goods. It’s a great way to avoid calories. Well, now that I think about it maybe not because I usually want to bake after reading one. This book looks very cute. I like the premise and am looking forward to seeing how these characters connect. Jackie Lau is a new author for me and I’m hoping for great things!

Synopsis:

Actor Ryan Kwok is back in Toronto after the promotional tour for his latest film, a rom-com that is getting less-than-stellar reviews. After years of constant work and the sudden death of his mother, Ryan is taking some much-needed time off. But as he tries to be supportive to his family, he struggles with his loss and doesn’t know how to talk to his dad—who now trolls him on Twitter instead of meeting him for dim sum.

Innovative baker Lindsay McLeod meets Ryan when he knocks over two dozen specialty donuts at her bakery. Their relationship is off to a messy start, but there’s no denying their immediate attraction. When Ryan signs up for a celebrity episode of Baking Fail, he asks Lindsay to teach him how to bake and she agrees.

As Lindsay and Ryan spend time together, bonding over grief and bubble tea, it starts to feel like they’re cooking up something sweeter than cupcakes in the kitchen.

Click this link to purchase!* Donut Fall in Love

#4 BOOK RELEASE

This young adult novel is a Lambda Award winner and the premise sounds like there may be a surprise twist. I look forward to seeing if that’s the case. The synopsis totally grabbed me. What do you think?

Synopsis:

In rural Kentucky, a sixteen-year-old boy with a love of quilting, cooking and Dolly Parton helps his grandma care for his opioid-addicted mother, until the discovery of a family secret upends everything he has ever believed.

While other sixteen-year-old boys in Morgan, Kentucky, love hunting and football, Kody prefers to spend his time quilting with his grandmother (“Nanny”), watching Golden Girls reruns, and listening to old Dolly Parton albums. Nanny is Kody’s main caregiver, but it takes both Nanny and Kody to take care of Kody’s mother, whose drug problem is spinning out of control. Between looking after Mommy and trying to survive in a place that doesn’t look kindly on feminine boys, Kody already has a hard time making sense of his life. But then he uncovers a family secret that will change everything in his life.

Click this link to purchase!* Needlework

#3 BOOK RELEASE

I read the first novel in this series about a magician competition. This book picks up right where the first left off with a mystery. Our main character disappeared into a mirror? Is she ok? Will our hero find her?

Synopsis:

In Janella Angeles’s When Night Breaks, the dramatic last act of the Kingdom of Cards duology, the stage is set, the spectacle awaits… and the show must finally come to an end.

The competition has come to a disastrous end, and Daron Demarco’s fall from grace is front-page news. But little matters to him beyond Kallia, the contestant he fell for who is now missing and in the hands of a dangerous magician. Daron is willing to do whatever it takes to find her. Even if it means unearthing secrets that lead him on a treacherous journey, risking more than his life and with no promise of return.

After falling through the mirror, Kallia has never felt more lost, mourning everything she left behind and the boy she can’t seem to forget. Only Jack, the magician who has all the answers but can’t be trusted, remains at her side. Together, they must navigate a dazzling world where mirrors show memories and illusions shadow every corner, ruled by a powerful showman who’s been waiting for Kallia to finally cross his stage. But beneath the glamour of dueling headliners and never-ending revelry, a sinister force falls like night over everyone, with the dark promise of more—more power beyond Kallia’s wildest imagination, and at a devastating cost.

The truth will come out, a kingdom must fall, hearts will collide.

And the show must finally come to an end.

Click this link to purchase!* When Night Breaks (Kingdom of Cards Book 2)

#2 BOOK RELEASE

There’s always a surprise or two when I got through the list and this month, Well Matched, is my surprise book. I’ve read the first two in the series and didn’t know this one was coming out this month. This renaissance faire themed series has been great to date. I’m expecting great things from this novel!

Synopsis:

A pretend relationship gives two friends more than they bargained for in a Renaissance Faire rom com filled with flower crowns, kilts, corsets, and sword fights.

Single mother April Parker has lived in Willow Creek for twelve years with a wall around her heart. On the verge of being an empty nester, she’s decided to move on from her quaint little town, and asks her friend Mitch for his help with some home improvement projects to get her house ready to sell. 

Mitch Malone is known for being the life of every party, but mostly for the attire he wears to the local Renaissance Faire—a kilt (and not much else) that shows off his muscled form to perfection. While he agrees to help April, he needs a favor too: she’ll pretend to be his girlfriend at an upcoming family dinner, so that he can avoid the lectures about settling down and having a more “serious” career than high school coach and gym teacher. April reluctantly agrees, but when dinner turns into a weekend trip, it becomes hard to tell what’s real and what’s been just for show. But when the weekend ends, so must their fake relationship. 

As summer begins, Faire returns to Willow Creek, and April volunteers for the first time. When Mitch’s family shows up unexpectedly, April pretends to be Mitch’s girlfriend again…and it doesn’t feel so fake anymore. Despite their obvious connection, April insists they’ve just been putting on an act. But when there’s the chance for something real, she has to decide whether to change her plans—and open her heart—for the kilt-wearing hunk who might just be the love of her life.

Click this link to purchase!* Well Matched

MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK RELEASE!

Margaret Rogerson has a beautiful style of writing and I’m eagerly anticipating picking up what sounds to be a little bit of a darker themed novel. As usual her cover is gorgeous and it certainly makes you want to pick it up and read the synopsis doesn’t it? The past two novels had a hint of romance which I’m hoping this does as well!

Synopsis:

The dead of Loraille do not rest.

Artemisia is training to be a Gray Sister, a nun who cleanses the bodies of the deceased so that their souls can pass on; otherwise, they will rise as spirits with a ravenous hunger for the living. She would rather deal with the dead than the living, who trade whispers about her scarred hands and troubled past.

When her convent is attacked by possessed soldiers, Artemisia defends it by awakening an ancient spirit bound to a saint’s relic. It is a revenant, a malevolent being that threatens to possess her the moment she drops her guard. Wielding its extraordinary power almost consumes her—but death has come to Loraille, and only a vespertine, a priestess trained to wield a high relic, has any chance of stopping it. With all knowledge of vespertines lost to time, Artemisia turns to the last remaining expert for help: the revenant itself.

As she unravels a sinister mystery of saints, secrets, and dark magic, her bond with the revenant grows. And when a hidden evil begins to surface, she discovers that facing this enemy might require her to betray everything she has been taught to believe—if the revenant doesn’t betray her first.

Click this link to purchase!* Vespertine

What did you think about my picks this month? Are there any titles you’re also surprised by? What did I miss? Please let me know in the comments.

Have a great month of reading everyone!

Deb

*Amazon Associate- if you purchase a book through the above link I’ll receive a small stipend.

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

This Chick Read: After the Climb by Kristen Ashley

Duncan, Imogen, and Corey were childhood best friends. A friendship that lasted into adulthood. Duncan and Imogen took that friendship one step further building a love that burned hot and seemed as if it would last forever. Until it didn’t. When Corey died he left Duncan and Imogen a box that his will stated they must open together, so Genny brought the box to Duncan and what they found inside incinerated everything they’d once believed to be true. Duncan is determined to start over but will Genny let him close after his betrayal? Considering this is a romance novel, yes she does.

Duncan is now an activist billionaire outdoorsman having made his money building an outdoor retail empire and Genny is a famous A-list actor beloved by everyone. When they find out the doozy of a lie their best friend Corey told that separated the two of them they are destroyed and Genny isn’t sure she has the strength to build something again but Duncan has no qualms. He immediately makes his move but Genny doesn’t want to go through that pain again. Having both married and had kids the two of them are now in their 50’s and if it wasn’t for Genny’s daughter Chloe stepping in and setting a plan in motion to bring them together she may not ever have opened that door again.

I actually really liked Duncan and Genny but for me the kids stole the show in this novel. When her daughters and his sons enter the story the pages were filled with color, humor, and fun. Chloe with her stylish take no prisoners personality is the complete opposite of Sasha’s hippie sunshine smile and yet they make that family work. Duncan’s sons were also fun, and this novel made the combined family as cool as the Brady Bunch, with Genny’s ex filling an extra seat at the table.

This novel was written during the pandemic with the author polling her fans on Facebook for plot points, character names, etc. It was offered up free as a balm during the pandemic to those of us who are big Kristen Ashley fans. I think it did what it was meant to do, offer a light bandaid to a wounded world. It’s not the meatiest story but it did introduce some fun characters that will be used as the protagonists in some future novels. I’ve read better KA novels, but I’ve also read worse and enjoyed the few hours it took for me to read this novel. A job well done! ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase!* After the Climb Special Edition (A River Rain Novel Book 1)

Copyright 2021 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate- if you purchase this book through the above link I’ll receive a small stipend.

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads