It’s Monday, what are you reading? (11/7/22)

So many great books are coming out this month! I have a lot on my TBR and am excited to dig in as some books are being released. BUT, I’m also reading a new to me author and have been going through her back list Kindle Unlimited. I’m excited to be approaching the holidays because I’ll have a little time off to hopefully read to my heart’s content. Here’s what’s on my nightstand!

JUST FINISHED

I received an advanced reader copy and was excited that I loved it so much. This author is exploring her muse and I love the direction she’s taken recently. Better Than Fiction is her best book yet- in my opinion.

JUST STARTED

This is the only series left from Vanessa Nelson that I haven’t read. All of her books are on Kindle Unlimited so if you’re a member, check her out. Her heroines are action-star worthy and humble. I’m really enjoying reading her back list.

What books are on your next to read?

Happy Monday and happy reading!

Deb

It’s Monday, what are you reading? (10/31/22)

Happy Halloween! Do you find yourself searching for horror books or thrillers this time of year? Scary movies? I’ll admit that I like a good thriller but I’m not into being scared. I stick with my same old genre’s. I do enjoy the candy though!

Here’s what’s on my nightstand currently.

JUST FINISHED

I really enjoyed this novel but it wasn’t what I thought it would be at all. Much more serious than the cover led me to believe, all I’ll say is stick with it until the end. It’s totally worth it!

JUST STARTED

I’ve read two series by this author and really enjoy the world’s she creates and the humanity of her main characters. I really have only read the first chapter but I’m looking forward to digging into the whole story.

Have a wonderful Halloween and happy reading!

Deb

It’s Monday, what are you reading? (10/24/22)

What a fabulous week! What can I say, I love pumpkin spice latte’s, fall weather, and the colorful foliage! I also love spending my weekends reading good books and I’ve definitely been taking advantage of that! I’ve been reading ahead to get some of my commitments taken care and some new releases are stacking up in my kindle. Here’s what I’ve been reading.

JUST FINISHED

Wow, what a gorgeous cover! This fantasy novel is the third in The Fallen Empire series and whereas you could pick it up and read it without reading the other two, you would get some context towards these two characters back story if you read the second book in the series. I really enjoyed how the author made me like a character that was pretty reprehensible in the last book. I was wondering how she was going to do that!

JUST STARTED

I find these Bromance Book Club novels charming and am definitely half in love with the hero even before this book started. Colton is an aw shucks heartthrob and he has his work cut out for him with a self confident and cautious Gretchen. I just started it but love these two together already.

I’ll admit, I’m in a light-hearted mood when it comes to books. Are you reading something more serious and interesting? Give that book a shout out in the comments!

Happy Monday and happy reading!

Deb

This Chick Read: A Duel with the Vampire Lord (Married to Magic series) by Elise Kova

Technically, A Duel with the Vampire Lord is the third book in the Married to Magic series, but as each of these books are stand alone novels, they can be read independently, without having to read the others in the series first.

Floriane is the Forge Maiden in Hunter’s Hamlet. It’s her job to forge all of the silver blades that will be used to hopefully slay the Vampire Lord when he arrives with the Blood Moon to try to gain access to Hunter’s Hamlet and kill them all. Floriane’s twin brother will fight for the first time and as he has been secretly training Floriane, she will stay behind and protect their mother. When the evening arrives, her brother brings her a magical draft and tells her to drink it that night as it will give her strength in case a vampire breaks through their forces. When the time comes and Floriane drinks the draft it gives her super powers, including increased hearing and she can hear her brother scream. She runs to the front lines and comes face to face with the Vampire Lord.

I’m a big fan of Elise Kova’s and love the way she crafts her fantasy novels. For me, this is the first one that I had trouble buying into. I loved the set-up with Floriane’s heritage as the Forge Maiden, and Ruvan’s inheritance of the title Vampire Lord. The lore surrounding the “curse” on each side of the battle tells the same story- a curse was wrought unto the vampires/humans that they must kill the vampire lord/Chief hunter in order for the other species to survive. Without giving away that important aspect to this story, it took way too long for everyone to figure out that there was a problem with the story behind that curse. Way too long. I usually read a couple of novels at the same time and will admit that I picked up other books rather than making my way through this story because I got a little bored with the set-up. That is not a normal habit for me with this author at all. I just didn’t find that portion of their story or the romance between Ruvan and Floriane to be all that interesting. As an aside, the cover also threw me off a bit. It’s the first where I found myself really disliking how the characters looks were interpreted. I usually fall in love with the cover first!

I’m used to Elisa Kova’s novels having the heroine go through fierce battles, personality conflicts, and passionate feelings but Floriane’s character was fiercely stubborn in her beliefs about the vampire/human conflict and that stubbornness didn’t redeem her in my eyes, despite her actions in the last third of the novel. I feel like I’m kind of being hard on her, but that’s just how I feel about her and those feelings are reflected in how much I liked the book. Ugh. I hate that because again, I’m a big fan of this authors.

What did I like about the book? I loved Ruvan and his buddies. What a great cast of characters and their backstories filled with drama and gloom only made me love their bickering and friendships even more. These vampir were not the scary beings of childhood nightmares but normal folk who loved and lost. Actually that contrast between Hunter’s Hamlet residents and the vampir were very striking and probably caused my feelings of “blah-ness” I felt towards Floriane. She paled in comparison with these interesting people.

If you’re like me and you are a fan of Elise Kova’s fantasy novels, please do read this one and decide for yourselves whether you feel the same as I. Reading is like artwork in that it’s all relative to the person reading/viewing the piece. You may fall in love with Floriane and not have the same issues I had with this novel. In fact I hope that’s the case. I’m almost positive you’ll feel the same way I do about the cover though. LOL. ❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase!* A Duel with the Vampire Lord

Copyright 2022 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

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

It’s Monday, what are you reading? (10/10/22)

It’s my favorite time of year when the weather is fantastic and there are too many great books to read. This last week, besides working, I also enjoyed a bit of the beautiful weather, AND read some great books. HA! Who says you can’t do it all?!!

JUST FINISHED

What a fun novel! It was poignant, funny, and oh so sweet. I will be writing a review soon, but let’s just say that this one did not disappoint.

JUST STARTED

I plan to start this book as soon as I stop writing tonight. It’s a romantic fantasy and looks like a lot of fun! I can’t wait to dig in.

Did anyone get outside this week or did you hunker down on the couch with a good book? I hope it was a good one!

Happy Monday and happy reading!

Deb

This Chick Read: A Curse of Queens (Kingmaker Chronicles #4) by Amanda Bouchet

Cat and Griffin are expecting their first child when Cat is cursed with a never-ending pregnancy. Jocasta, Griffin’s sister, sends for all scrolls with a mention of Circe, hoping to find the goddess of plants and herbs so that she can make an elixir to take the curse from Cat. In order to find her Jocasta must go on a journey that she may not come back from. Volunteering to join her is Flynn, the man whom she has loved since she was a young girl. A man who she shared one kiss with when she was 18. A kiss that changed their relationship forever. Now is the chance for the two of them to reconcile their relationship and hopefully find the cure that will save their sister and the land.

I’ve always liked Jocasta. Her love for her family is what drives her and I like how she uses her brain to avoid crazy situations. She seems pretty happy with her herbs and helping the locals medical needs. The one thing that she isn’t happy about is her relationship with Flynn. Her love is unrequited or so she thinks until this journey places them all in danger and those hidden feelings reveal themselves.

As with all Greek mythology, their journey includes several tasks they must complete before it reaches the conclusion they want. With a little help from a couple of gods they stay on the right path. If I had to guess there are two paths to a fifth book in the series. You can only hope!

❤️❤️❤️❤️

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

Click this link to purchase!* A Curse of Queens

Copyright 2022 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

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

It’s Monday, what are you reading? (10/3/22)

The weather has been so nice that I’ve been spending a little time outside so I’ll admit I’ve gotten a little behind on my reading. I’m not playing catch-up on a couple of books that are being released this week that I need to read. It’s no hard task though since these were books I wanted to read anyway. It is nice not to have a deadline though! Here is what’s on my TBR.

JUST FINISHED

A fun paranormal romance and book three in a series I’ve enjoyed reading. Traveling through time, romance, and a bit of a mystery? What’s not to like?!

JUST STARTED

I had mixed feelings about picking up this book. I love this series, but 1- we are starting a new spin-off following a different character and 2- I didn’t love book three. BUT, I’m giving this book a chance to stand on its own. I love this Greek mythological world and want to see what else Amanda Bouchet can include to hold my interest.

What were you up to over the last week? Busy? Find time to read? Give me a shout in the comments!

Happy Monday and happy reading!

Deb

This Chicks Sunday Commentary: My Top 5 Most Anticipated Book Releases- Oct’22

Ok, I know it’s Wednesday and I’m a week late getting this post out, but it’s never too late to talk book releases, right??? I know I say this every month, but boy! There are a lot of books coming out next month that I really want to read. Somehow, I’ve narrowed them down to 5.

#5 BOOK RELEASE

I thought Jackie Lau’s book Donut Fall in Love was a cute light-hearted romance and am looking forward to seeing a couple of characters from that novel achieve their hea. This one intrigues me, but I’ll admit it’s not going to be War and Peace. Sometimes you need a light-hearted book to get you through a tough week!

Synopsis: They say to never meet your heroes, but when Vivian Liao’s roommate gets engaged to her favorite actor’s costar, she has no choice but to come face-to-face with Melvin Lee again. He’s just as funny and handsome as he is on-screen…but thinks she is a snob and a sellout. It’s none of his business how she chooses to live her life, no matter how charismatic he is.
 
Mel is used to charming audiences as an actor and stand-up comedian but can’t connect to Vivian. She’s a smart, talented artist—which is why he thinks she’s wasting her life as a corporate finance drone. The only thing uniting them is their goal for the wedding to go off without a hitch.
 
As they collaborate on wedding cake and karaoke parties, Mel realizes he might have seriously misjudged this bridesmaid, while Vivian discovers the best man might just be as dazzling off-screen as he is on. With the wedding underway, maybe more than one happily ever after is in the future.

Click this link to purchase!* The Stand-Up Groomsman

#4 BOOK RELEASE

Sophie Cousens has written some of my favorite more poignant novels over the last couple of years. This book sounds like a little soul-searching and a lot of romance. I hope.

Synopsis:  Head-in-the-stars Audrey is about to marry down-to-earth Josh. Though they are polar opposites, they have a healthy, stable relationship; Josh is just what Audrey needs. But romance should be unpredictable and full of fireworks, and as the big day approaches, Audrey’s found herself wondering if Josh really is “The One.”
 
    So, when Josh’s sister shows up to the rehearsal dinner with Fred, Audrey’s “What If? guy”—the man she met six years ago and had one amazing day with—Audrey finds herself torn. Surely Fred’s appearance the night before she is due to get married can’t be a coincidence. And when everything that could go wrong with the wedding starts to go wrong, Audrey has to ask herself: Is fate trying to stop her from making a huge mistake? Or does destiny just have a really twisty sense of humor?

Click this link to purchase!* Before I Do

*Amazon Associate- if you purchase a book through one of these links I’ll receive a small stipend.

#3 BOOK RELEASE

I have read several books by Mimi Matthews including the first book in this series. I enjoy the real-ness of her characters. I can’t wait to see how this book surprises me.

Synopsis: A London heiress rides out to the wilds of the English countryside to honor a marriage of convenience with a mysterious and reclusive stranger.

Tall, dark, and dour, the notorious Captain Jasper Blunt was once hailed a military hero, but tales abound of his bastard children and his haunted estate in Yorkshire. What he requires now is a rich wife to ornament his isolated ruin, and he has his sights set on the enchanting Julia Wychwood.
 
For Julia, an incurable romantic cursed with a crippling social anxiety, navigating a London ballroom is absolute torture. The only time Julia feels any degree of confidence is when she’s on her horse. Unfortunately, a young lady can’t spend the whole of her life in the saddle, so Julia makes an impetuous decision to take her future by the reins—she proposes to Captain Blunt.
 
In exchange for her dowry and her hand, Jasper must promise to grant her freedom to do as she pleases. To ride—and to read—as much as she likes without masculine interference. He readily agrees to her conditions, with one provision of his own: Julia is forbidden from going into the tower rooms of his estate and snooping around his affairs. But the more she learns of the beastly former hero, the more intrigued she becomes…

Click this link to purchase!* The Belle of Belgrave Square

#2 BOOK RELEASE

The long-awaited 4th novel in the Kingmaker Chronicles is out this month! I’ve re-read the series, gearing up for Jocasta and Finn’s story. I Can’t Wait!

Synopsis:

THE WAR OF GODS IS JUST BEGINNING

After centuries of conflict, the three kingdoms of Thalyria have finally been reunited. But now the queen has been cursed, the royal lineage has been broken, and no one knows who’s behind the plot to threaten the once-fractured realm’s fragile new peace.

Desperate to help, Jocasta—the king’s younger sister and a gifted healer—hatches a daring plan to find Circe’s Garden, a fabled island where she hopes to discover an antidote. But she can’t do it alone. She needs the strong arm and unflinching bravery of the warrior she’s loved since childhood—her brother’s right-hand-man and captain of the guard, Flynn of Sinta.

Flynn has spent years fighting to deny the desperate longing burning between them, but he cannot allow Jocasta to face this danger alone. He swears he will be her shield, and together they will do the impossible. Yet with old feelings blazing bright and treachery brewing on Mount Olympus, one thing is clear: Thalyria and its new royals are still pawns in an epic game of power—one that might end in a War of Gods.

Click this link to purchase!* A Curse of Queens

MOST ANTICIPATED OCTOBER’22 BOOK RELEASE

Part thriller, all drama, Mad Honey looks like a book that I need to schedule a weekend to read. I know I’m not going to be able to put this one down!

Synopsis: Olivia McAfee knows what it feels like to start over. Her picture-perfect life—living in Boston, married to a brilliant cardiothoracic surgeon, raising their beautiful son, Asher—was upended when her husband revealed a darker side. She never imagined that she would end up back in her sleepy New Hampshire hometown, living in the house she grew up in and taking over her father’s beekeeping business.
 
Lily Campanello is familiar with do-overs, too. When she and her mom relocate to Adams, New Hampshire, for her final year of high school, they both hope it will be a fresh start. 
 
And for just a short while, these new beginnings are exactly what Olivia and Lily need. Their paths cross when Asher falls for the new girl in school, and Lily can’t help but fall for him, too. With Ash, she feels happy for the first time. Yet at times, she wonders if she can trust him completely. . . .
 
Then one day, Olivia receives a phone call: Lily is dead, and Asher is being questioned by the police. Olivia is adamant that her son is innocent. But she would be lying if she didn’t acknowledge the flashes of his father’s temper in Ash, and as the case against him unfolds, she realizes he’s hidden more than he’s shared with her.
 
Mad Honey is a riveting novel of suspense, an unforgettable love story, and a moving and powerful exploration of the secrets we keep and the risks we take in order to become ourselves.

Click this link to purchase* Mad Honey

This Chick Read: A Hunt of Shadows (A Trial of Sorcerers #2) by Elise Kova

Set in the same world as this authors Air Awakens series, this second book continues the story of Eira, a Waterrunner and now Champion of the Soleris kingdom as she travels to a distant land to compete against other empires in a magical tournament. What is supposed to unite these lands together becomes a fight for her life as Eira hunts for the man who killed her brother. Eira becomes a guest of the Court of Shadows, an elite group of magical warriors who are spies for their kingdom, and infiltrates the lethal Pillars whom are harboring the man who killed her brother. Eira learns that she may need the help of her friends in order to remain alive as she becomes a pawn to be used to bring the empire down.

I really enjoyed the first novel in this series and learning of Eira’s birthright as the daughter of a mysterious pirate. That background is touched on in A Hunt of Shadows but this story revolves around her need for vengeance on the man who caused her brothers death. Eira’s plan to infiltrate both the Court of Shadows and the Pillars doesn’t go exactly as planned and her life is threatened repeatedly, yet she is determined and despite advice from people who are more informed than she is, she believes she knows best and goes it alone. I’ll admit that this flying solo bit was a tad tiring and I wished that she’d learned to trust her friends and bring her into the plot a little sooner than was done. Once she had someone watching her back I thought the story moved quicker and I enjoyed that journey more.

Eira has been lied to about her heritage for her entire life and that has definitely given her a chip on her shoulder. She feels like she’s a burden and no one else can be trusted but herself. I get it. After reading the first book and seeing how she was treated by everyone including her own family I can see why she would be so independent but these novels are filled with some other great characters that I wish got more time on the page. Her friendship with Alyss is great and her budding romance with Cullen is a bit mysterious but a much needed break from the dark and dreary revenge plot. I relished those moments when it was Eira leaning a bit on someone other than herself and wished that there were more of them, lightening up a rather dark book.

I’m enjoying getting to know this author and have liked other books she’s written. I think this book is a device to move the plot forward. Eira didn’t really grow as a character and in fact reverted back to her mistrust of everyone by the end of the book. I’d really like to see this character move out of the darkness and into the light by allowing her to trust people a bit more and not wanting to tackle everything by herself. I am looking forward to the third book in the series because it’s my hope that the author will do all of these things for this character. Fingers crossed, but this book for me was just average. ❤️❤️❤️❣️

Click this link to purchase!* A Hunt of Shadows

Copyright 2022 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

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

It’s Monday, what are you reading? (9/5/22)

If you live in the US, I hope you have a wonderful day off from work, if you were lucky enough to have the day off. I do, and added on to my long weekend with a couple of extra days, so I’m really enjoying the time to relax and read. Here’s what I’ve been spending my time with.

JUST FINISHED

Ruby Fever came out a few weeks ago, and yes, I had already read this book. I love following up my initial read by listening to Ilona Andrews novels because I find that the nuances in hearing someone narrate the story give me more insight and enjoyment, catching variation in the plot that I may have missed when reading the novel. It was definitely the case with Ruby Fever. Listening turned my 4 star review into a 5 for the audiobook.

JUST STARTED

The fifteenth novel in the series is just as action-packed as the first, if not more so! This book has so much going on that you just don’t want to put it down. Beware! You will sit and read this one in one day!

How are you choosing to spend your Monday? I hope it’s a good one!

Deb