Tag: reading

This Chick Read: Inheritance (Hypothesis Series #7) by Penny Reid

28 year old genetics researcher, Samantha Jarlston, isn’t interested in rehashing her past. She only has time to run sequencing experiments, grade lab reports, and avoid handsy assistant professors. When she receives a wedding invitation in the mail between her and her childhood friend chess grandmaster Andreas Kristiansen, she tries to shrug it off. Instead it sets off a series of events that finds her signing a contract to be in a passionless relationship with Andreas, setting in motion revenge against the people who destroyed her family fifteen years ago.

First thing you should know is that despite this being the seventh book in a series, it’s actually the first book in a three-parter about Sam and Andreas. You don’t need to have read the previous six books, but it is set in a world that includes those characters. I’ve read the previous six and I think these stand alone.

As stated above Inheritance is the start of Sam and Andreas story. We learn all about their being best friends as children and Andreas’ slight obsession with Sam. She hasn’t seen him in years, but you can bet he’s been keeping tabs on her. Sam wasn’t as obsessed with Andreas, but she did care for him a lot so when he approaches her with this strange story she listens to him. She now has her own life and goals and doesn’t want to be dragged back into the craziness of their families problems, but something happens that changes her mind and causes her to agree to his crazy plans. I liked the tension the author creates between these two ex-best friends and pitting the two of them against a common enemy is a great way to get my buy in, so I didn’t have a problem eating this book up.

Note- if you, too, are going to read this book you should also know that this three story arc will have each book end in a cliffhanger that will make you angry with the author. The good news is that the second episode in the story comes out pretty quickly after the first, but what should’ve been one book being split into three kind of blows. Having read the first six, this was not unexpected, but I thought you should know.

❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase this book!* Inheritance

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This Chick Read: Happily Never After by Lynn Painter

Maybe I didn’t care for this book because Sophie and Max, the two main protagonists whose love story I’d be reading, were objectors at weddings. No, that wasn’t it. I actually kind of liked their meet-cute, and how Sophie really got into helping out someone who needed out of their relationship at the wedding, kind of like how Max helped her. Maybe I didn’t care for it that much because Sophie argued a little too sternly over how she didn’t believe in love, even though she had this great guy who was obviously interested in her, and who she had amazing chemistry with? Maybe I also didn’t care for how long it took for Sophie to take those I hate love blinders off? Maybe it was because Max let Sophie keep up that barrier between them, again despite their great chemistry?

I don’t know exactly what bothered me, but for some reason, for the very first time in my experience, as a Lynn Painter fan, I didn’t care for one of her books. At first I did. I thought it started off different and cute, but Sophie and Max were too jaded about love. Both of them fought so hard against having these feelings for each other that I kind of gave up on them. Well, I did finish the book, but it was really hard to finish a book that I lost my “like” for. You know what I mean, when you push yourself to just finish the book already. That was me with Happily Never After. I just really didn’t care for it. That’s the thing though, just because I didn’t like it doesn’t mean you won’t! ❤️❤️❣️

*There was still some great dialogue that I’ve come to expect from this author so it wasn’t a total losss.

Click this link to purchase this book! Happily Never After

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This Chick Read: An Unwanted Heir (Fractured Conclave #4) by Vanessa Nelson

Hallie has always wanted to travel and when she’s invited to join an investigation by Conclave investigatory, Girard Abbott, to help with a murder out in the country she jumps at the chance to join the group. The murder has happened at the estate of Cotovatre, one of the most powerful people in the world, but also someone whom Hallie has a personal connection. This is her chance to get to know Cotovatre a bit better and to use her magic to help solve the case.

This is the fourth novel in the series and it is recommended that you read this series in order, because there are parts to the story that are a continuation from earlier books. Also, reading all the books in order will give you a great appreciation of how this author has built this world, and how these characters connect and have grown since the first novel. In An Unwanted Heir, we are seeing a Hallie that is very different than the person we met in the first novel.

At Cotovatre’s estate one of the members of the Conclave have been murdered in a gruesome manner and Hallie, Girard, and their team are snowed in with a group of the most powerful people in the country, one of whom may be the murderer. As they investigate Callie’s own relationship to Cotovatre becomes more clear adding another element of tension to a situation that was already extreme. As readers, we have seen the evolution of Hallie and her magic and finally we get the reveals we’ve been waiting for!

Vanessa Nelson, in all of her series, gives our female main character a love interest, but her books are mostly focused on the investigations of her characters, not on romance. This series is a bit different as Hallie and Girard become even closer and “gasp!” even reveal their feelings for each other. I’m a romantic fantasy fan, so this gave me hope that the fifth novel will lead to not only a great mystery but a happily ever after for these two characters. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase this book!* An Unwanted Heir

Copyright 2025 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: Fake Skating by Lynn Painter

Dani grew up an army brat, moving around constantly and never making great friends. The only constant in her life was she and her mom’s trips back to Minnesota every summer where she would hang out with her mom’s best friend’s son, Alec who was kind of nerdy and a little soft. They promised they’d always stay in touch, until they didn’t. Five years later and Dani and her mom are back in Minnesota. Her parents are going through a divorce and they will be living with her grandpa for the final few months of her senior year in college. Here she is the new girl again but at least she’d have her friend Alec, right? Only that nerdy little friend has turned into ‘Zeus’ the semi-god who is taking their high school hockey team to the finals. They meet again as strangers and everything is super awkward. When an unlikely series of events has them fake dating they finally face what happened to their friendship and if they can overcome hurt feelings and face the truth.

Lynn Painter sure knows how to paint a great back story for her characters. Dani’s emotional journey from loner who doesn’t want to trust anyone to gradually entrusting her heart to Alec again was really well done. This young adult novel had all the feels of an adult romance without the spice. Dani had all the emotions of an adult and none of the stupid behaviours that come from being a teenager. Alec, was the more juvenile of the two, but that seems par for the course on where young girls and boys are emotionally at that time in their lives. I think Dani also had so much more to forgive and move on from- not just her past with Alec, but the divorce of her parents, and reconnecting with her once close grandfather. The author portrayed all of these things beautifully and I bought into all the plots and sub plots.

Not to say that Alec was one dimensional, because he wasn’t. However, he held onto his grudges much more than Dani so it was easier to get caught up in her journey versus Alec’s. I do love a great hockey story though, so his push to win a championship and move on to college or go pro created conflict for his character that was separate from his feelings on what happened with Dani in the past. I do wish he hadn’t been given the nickname Zeus though, I just hated that moniker. No high schooler is god-like, no matter their athletic prowess.

I really enjoyed this story and Lynn Painter has quickly become a favorite author. No matter if it’s YA or an adult romance, her story’s deliver, and her characters are always real. She’s become a must-buy for me. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

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

Click this link to purchase this book!* Fake Skating

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

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This Chick Read: Tears of the Wolf (Wrath and Weaping #1) by Elisabeth Wheatley

After the murder of her child, Brynn seeks approval for a divorce from her cousin, the king. Heartbroken and still grieving, the king grants that divorce but immediately marries her to Cenric, a warrior from the North. Brynn will be his wife, but also sorceress to his kingdom. With ties to the king, Brynn is too powerful to stay unmarried for long. Cenric needs a sorceress in order to bring legitimacy and security to his homeland but with Brynn comes a lot of political machinations. There are factions in the kingdom that would choose to have a different king, and those factions want to use Brynn to take the crown.

Brynn has been treated horribly by her previous husband and is still grieving her child. Despite her predilection to not trust Cenric his gentleness and honesty start to win her over. She sees that this warrior from the North is a different man that her previous husband and as the story moves forward his honesty starts to win her trust. She starts to believe that happiness might be within reach. Of course, it wouldn’t be romantic fantasy if there weren’t a little conflict. Needless to say, she and Cenric have to fight for their freedom and any happiness that might come their way.

I found this novel to be very well written, easy to read, and the characters well developed and easy to like. I don’t think anyone with a hint of empathy wouldn’t feel badly for Brynn and when she gets her bad @$$ moment to fight for her right to live free, wouldn’t root for her to find happiness with Cenric. I felt like this story was pretty complete, so I’m not sure where a second book would take us, but when it comes out I’ll certainly give it a read and see what kind of journey this author will take me on.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase this book!* Tears of the Wolf

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This Chick Read: The Sisterhood (Lady Emily Mysteries #19) by Tasha Alexander

Dropping into a series at book 19 should’ve been more difficult, but it was surprisingly easy to catch up on the character arc’s and any back stories I may have missed. In fact, I was pleased that the story moved quickly and I wasn’t completely lost. Lady Emily and her husband are brought in to investigate the death of an acquaintance. Victoria had just gotten engaged and was dancing at a ball with her fiancé when she dropped dead- poisoned by yew leaves. As Emily investigates and interviews the various suspects she finds that there’s a group of young women who have a mysterious link to an ancient Britain queen, and Victoria was one of those women.

The author tells two stories side by side. The first is the story of Vatta, an ancient Britain woman who becomes friends with the famous queen Boudica. The story of her trying to find her place during a Roman occupation provides a juxtaposition of the investigation into Victoria’s death and her belonging to this group of young liberal women who want to fight for their rights as women. I’ll admit that I felt a little lost while reading Vatta’s story, but when the connection was made it became clear the connection the author was trying to make. The investigation itself, was a little more interesting and I did wish the author had stuck to that story line instead of providing the back and forth.

Reading this nineteenth book in the series, I could see that Lady Emily had led quite an interesting life. I think I’d go back and start at the first novel just to see how she broke into investigating murders and how she moved from husband number 1 to husband number 2! If you’re worried that you shouldn’t start a book this far into a series, I think you’ll be ok and in fact you may find that you too want to see where it all started!

❤️❤️❤️❤️

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

Click this link to purchase this book!* The Sisterhood

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

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This Chick Read: We Met Like This by Kasie West

Margot Hart is a hopeless romantic who would rather meet her one true love in a meet-cute than on a dating app. Unfortunately for her, her most consistent relationship has been with Oliver whom she’s had one horrible date (and great chemistry with!) and the apps keep asking her to swipe right. When her literary agent job blows up on the day she’s supposed to meet up with Oliver again she realizes that his steady personality is just what she needs, but he’s holding back and will his secret keep them from being together?

This new adult contemporary romance by Kasie West was the perfect read at the perfect time. I can always rely on Kasie West’s novels to entertain, but her foray into adult fiction added a little spice to her already fantastic dialogue skills. The story of the romantic Margot and her complete opposite Oliver delivered on a fun opposites attract story that also made me laugh and delivered the heat.

I always kind of sigh in fatigue when I read a synopsis that includes a romantic at heart main protagonist, but in We Met Like This our protagonist wasn’t sappy, but sassy. She was a bit determined to force that meet-cute, but when she meets Oliver, and then keeps getting served his face on the app, they start up a cute text dialogue that for me delivered on the romance and flirtation, even if it took Margot a little while to see it. I don’t know, maybe I like my men a little more steady because despite his old fashioned name, he was pretty great! Cute, nice smile, funny, and great chemistry. What’s not to like? Just like their story arc, these two took me away from the seriousness of life and delivered on a fun romance.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

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

Click this link to purchase this book!* We Met Like This

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

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This Chick Read: The Austen Affair by Madeline Bell

Tess Bright has been cast in her dream role in the film version of Jane Austen’s Northanger Abby. After being fired from her last TV job, Tess knows this is her last chance to redeem herself. One thing stands in her way, her co-star, Hugh Balfour. A method actor, Hugh doesn’t want anything to do with the People’s Choice winning Tess, who is admittedly kind of a mess. His serious nature means their chemistry is lacking and Tess knows they need to fix it. What she doesn’t count on is an electrical storm sending them back to the 19th century. Tess and Hugh have only each other to rely on as they deal with a case of mistaken identity.

A cute premise and great writing captured my attention and held it. I love a fish out of water plot and Tess’s 20th century charm in 19th century dress was humorous and entertaining. Hugh’s character took me a little longer to connect with, but his dour personality lightened up a bit in a world where his seriousness matched the era. Their lack of chemistry in present day took a back seat when they only had each other to get them through this time in the past. I enjoyed how they came to rely on each other and eventually became a team.

There were several fun moments in this book. Tess’s reaction to meeting the real-life Jane Austen, navigating a ballroom, and Hugh’s courteous etiquette all showed us different sides to these characters helping the reader make the connection that would get them rooting for this unlikely couple to get their happily ever after. I’ll definitely be looking for the next book from this author!

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

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

Click this link to purchase this book!* The Austen Affair

Copyright 2025 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

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

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This Chick Read: Soulgazer (The Magpie and the Wolf Duology #1) by Maggie Rapier

Saoirse is cursed with a volatile magic. When she loses control her father offers her in marriage to the ruthless and cold Stone King. Knowing she’s being sent to her death, she’s determined to break her curse. On the eve of her wedding she seeks out the Wolf of the Wild, Faolan, the Pirate King. He’s in search of a mystical isle and swears he’ll help her break the curse if she’ll find this magical isle for him first. Saoirse knows better than to trust a pirate, and if he wants her help, he’s going to have to marry her first.

A debut novel by author Maggie Rapier, Soulgazer delivers on all fronts for this fantastical romantasy. A magic curse- check! A devilishly handsome hero- check! A heroine who has sass, strength of character, and a hopeful heart – check! This novel held my interest from the very first page, which is really hard to do when you’re introducing your reader to a brand new world. It may have been tons of work on her end, but for me, the reader, it seemed effortless.

With strong Gaelic references, the author very kindly gave us a preface to the story that told us how to pronounce everyone’s names. Of course, once I got into the book (I read this as an ebook), I never went back to the preface and my inner voice still butchered all their names. I did remember our heroine’s, pronounce SEER-SHA, or at least that’s why my Irish husband told me and that’s what I went with as I read her story. Saoirse (Seersha) was a most excellent character. What I liked about her the most is that despite being treated like “shite” her whole life, she has retained this inner strength that carries her forward with her mission to help Faolan find his magical island even though she has probably wanted to give in to her fate numerous times.

Faolan is the gorgeous hero pirate. He’s 70% song and swagger, and 30% alpha hero. Once he marries our Saoirse, he is a sworn protector. Is it all because he needs her to find this island? Or does he have true feelings for our girl? His journey with Saoirse and the pirate crew takes the reader on an epic journey that feels very mythological and Sisyphean in nature. I totally dug the tasks and tales as well as the building romance between Faolan and Saoirse. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

I hope this author has the majority of book two in the can because I’m ready to keep on reading!

Click this link to purchase this book!* Soulgazer

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

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This Chick Read: The Inheritance (Breach Wars #1) by Ilona Andrews

An interdimensional invasion brought unimaginable suffering but it also awoke talents slumbering deep inside us. Adaline is a Talent. She works for the government search breaches for magical metals and medicine to help Earth repel an interdimensional enemy. Two kids, one cat, bills, benefits, mortgage and school tuition…Risking her life became routine. She has gone into hundreds of dimensional gates without a problem, but this time everything goes to hell. Two kids, one cat, bills, benefits, mortgage and school tuition…Risking her life became routine.

Ilona Andrews occasionally releases new novels a chapter at a time on their blog and normally I don’t let myself read them. For some reason when I started getting The Inheritance in their newsletter I read the first chapter….. and got absolutely hooked. This story is novella length and they stopped the free releases well before the end, but I eagerly anticipated every blog post. They released the book on all bookseller sites pretty quickly and I started from the beginning. I’m glad I did because they inserted a few new scenes that really added to the story and fleshed out the characters a bit more.

Adaline is our main character. She’s stuck in the breach with the group’s K-9, Bear, who also survived the initial attack. She and Bear go on a journey further into the breach and discover all manner of beings. Some who are dangerous, but also some species who are just going about their everyday alien lives. Ada and Bear need to do some kind of gross things that make their bodies powerful and in Ada’s case, her magic becomes more fierce. Where before she could use her “sight” to find valuable minerals and medicines, now she has fierce fighting skills which come in handy as she keeps them alive. The end goal being that she returns through the gate and gets back with her kids. The motherly “force” is strong in this one.

Outside on Earth we also follow Elias, who heads the guild that sent Adaline and her team into the breach. His moments are brief, but his awesomeness was very reminiscent of Curran from the Kate Daniels series, and truly, Ada is very reminiscent of Kate. Both strong individuals with great conversational skills (even though Ada is mostly talking to a dog), and as with the first Kate Daniels novel- zero romance. However there is that glimmer of hope (and a note from the author that there will be a romance between the two). Not to say this novel is like Kate Daniels, however it reminded me of it in bits and pieces.

The book is short and I don’t want to give away any more than I already have, but I just have to give one more note. If you are an uber fan of this author duo, you will find some crossover between characters (species?) in this novella and the Innkeeper series. Just enough to make you go “huh!” and smile to yourself. Truly, every small little Easter egg they drop makes me squee in enjoyment and wish that they could write quicker and set aside a little time to finish book 2. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase this book!* The Inheritance

Copyright 2025 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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