Tag: reading

It’s Monday, what are you reading? (10/23/23)

Lately my reading tastes have been all over the place and I’m genre jumping to try to find that one book that will scratch that “need a good book” itch. I finished a really different historical romance novel yesterday and am trying to get into a fantasy that just seems to be dragging. Why am I so moody? If the next chapter doesn’t grab me I’m going to have to switch to a book I’ve read and know I like. A little comfort reading usually gets me out of the slump. Here are the books at the top of my TBR, well one is now off.

JUST FINISHED

I was lucky enough to get an advanced copy of this novel and it was just as great as I’d hoped. If you haven’t read this series by Evie Dunmore but like historical novels, you will love these. They are so smartly written, take place during the Women’s Suffrage Movement and the romances are very intelligent. I’ll be writing a review to be released soon, but needless to say I liked it a lot!

JUST STARTED

I am having the hardest time getting into this book! I have never read a Katee Robert novel, so I don’t have any expectations but I’ve heard this is a different direction for her. I usually love fantasy novels but this character is just…not very charming or likable. I’m giving it one more chapter. I’ll let you know how it goes!

Have a great Monday everyone, and happy reading!

Deb

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

This Chick Read: Friends Don’t Fall in Love by Erin Hahn

Lorelei Jones was a Country superstar when she chose to sing a song at a concert that offended the country music industry and her fans and fiancéturned against her. The only person who stood by her side was her friend Craig Boseman, ex-bassist for her ex-fiancé. Craig “Huckleberry” Boseman had always had a soft spot for Lorelei especially after their one night together. After a five year absence, Lorelei comes back to Nashville and asks her friend Huck, now a music producer, to listen to some of her new songs and they reconnect in life and love.

I’ve always enjoyed novels by Erin Hahn. Her writing is so easy to read, the rhythm and flow of her words totally appealing, especially in a book with music at its center. Lorelei was a character who was also very easy to like. She and I have the same politics, so that helps, but she’s also someone who took a stand even though she lost everything by doing that. Craig or “Huckleberry” as Lorelei calls him, is just an average guy with a lot of talent for writing hit songs. He was one of Lorelei’s best friends and it was easy for them to pick up where they left off, but both of them had feelings for each other that couldn’t be ignored. Their transition from friends to lovers was not without its hiccups but it too had an easy flow that fit with the style of writing by Ms. Hahn.

Living in Nashville and reading novels set in Nashville are always kind of fun. It’s interesting to see someone’s take on my city and in this case I think the author viewed downtown through slightly roses tinted glasses, but you could tell she loved what she was writing and I really appreciated that. I also really loved the romance that was told through lyrics a wonderful way of styling this novel and really making it feel authentic. I really didn’t find a note wrong with this novel and if I could sing a lick, I’d be howling at the moon. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

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!* Friends Don’t Fall In Love

Copyright 2023 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: Let’s Get Quizzical by Kelly Ohlert

Charlotte’s dream of competing on her favorite quiz show has finally come true and hopes to pay off some family bills might be a reality. When she gets to the show who does she see but her high school love who betrayed and ghosted her. Eli, too, has high hopes to win some money to solve his own family problems and when he initially sees Charlotte his heart jumps. He has always regretted how he’d treated her in school and sees this as his chance for redemption. Can they find a way to forgive and move forward, possibly in a new relationship?

I thought the premise of this novel sounded like fun and sometimes it was, especially when Eli and Charlotte first reconnected on air on the game show. The audience found their interactions riveting and as a reader, I did too. Where this novel fell flat for me was when they weren’t on the show. Over ten years had gone by and for them to still be in love after all that time didn’t seem very believable and all of the excuses, complaints, and family drama just didn’t seem to be all that interesting. Some of my books have complex characters with family drama but there was also a sidekick or group of friends that provided comic relief or gave the reader another way to connect to the main characters, and these two protagonists were very isolated. Neither had friend groups, just family issues that although rang true, just seemed sad and not very interesting.

It’s rare, but I just didn’t feel that connected to anything in this story. I do wish that the game show was more central to the plot. I mean, it kind of was, but for me it was overshadowed by the more depressing aspects of the story and lacked any kind of fun, other than the moment they first saw each other on set. Sorry, this one just didn’t do it 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!* Let’s Get Quizzical

Copyright 2023 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 Way I Hate Him by Meghan Quinn

Hayes Farrow, my brother’s arch nemesis, is back in town. When I decide to leave a box of his belongings (stolen by my ex) on his doorstep, I don’t plan to stick around very long. Until I’m caught by the man himself and blackmailed into working for him as his assistant. Did he offer me the job just to bug my brother? Probably, but I don’t have anything else to do and I need the money. What I don’t count on is the fact that he’s actually a nice guy, and very good looking.

A simple plot of a conflict caused by a misunderstanding, add in the big brother’s ex best friend AND rock star romance trope and that simple plot goes slightly off the rails. I’m kind of used to that from a Meghan Quinn novel. Hattie is anything but a normal romantic lead. Her sister just died, her brother and other sister are shutting her out of their grief, and her boyfriend dumps her. So it’s not really surprising that she turns to the one person who isn’t currently ignoring her. What is surprising is that he turns out to not be the horrible person her brother has told her he was, he’s actually pretty decent. She is pretty awesome as well so the outcome was destined to happen.

Would you go after your much beloved older brother’s old best friend who is not his enemy and not expect any fallout? Of course not, and there is a lot of conflict over those actions. There is also comforting, companionship, friendship, and the big L- lust. OK, yeah, love, but you get a lot of the other stuff first. Like a lot, a lot and also very explicit. So beware if that’s not your thing!

The Way I Hate Him had a LOT going on, at times a bit too much, but I liked Hattie and Hayes. They were a surprising couple who looked like they weren’t a fit who actually fit really well. That was nice, but I would’ve liked a bit more story because it seems like if you have all of these things going on in your life, like Hattie did, that we’d feel those things along with her, and there was a little bit of that but for me, not enough. I could’ve traded in a few of those sizzle scenes for some more heart and story. This one’s trending on Amazon right now so it could be I’m the only one who feels like this, so you’ve got to read it to form your own opinion! ❤️❤️❤️

This one’s on Kindle Unlimited right now but if you’d like to purchase it, click this link!

The Way I Hate Him

Copyright 2023 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: Better Hate Than Never (The Wilmot Sisters #2) by Chloe Liese

Katerina Wilmot and Christopher Petruchio grew up as next door neighbors. Christopher’s parents were non-existent and he spent more time next door at the Wilmot’s than in his own home. At one time, as children they were close but as they grew older their friendship somehow turned into animosity. As a photographer, Kat is rarely at home, but this Thanksgiving she is burned out and needs to be around her family, but she dreads seeing Christopher. Sure enough, as soon as they see each other they’re at it again, until one night when Kat is a little drunk and tells Christopher that the only reason why she picks a fight is because she thinks he doesn’t like her. Feeling guilty he decides to turn their relationship around. Then they realizes there are still sparks, but of a different sort.

The one thing I love about Chloe Liese novels is that they’re about real people with real problems. Her characters worlds are not all rainbows and butterflies. Kat has anxiety problems and Christopher fights ongoing migraines. Both things are central to the plot and to our two main protagonists connection with each other and how they interact with society. I found the migraines to be especially interesting as it was the male protagonist who suffered from them a weakness that most author’s wouldn’t give their strong male character. This affliction made Christopher so much more relatable and I really appreciated how he learned to lean on Kat to help him get through.

We were introduced to the Wilmot sisters in the first novel in this series, although Kat was an honorable mention, Christopher was a side character that we got to know a little bit. I really enjoyed the family dynamics of this close knit family. A plot point that was used to create conflict for Kat in this novel. Feeling as if you don’t belong in your own family is something we’ve all felt a time or two I’m sure. Watching these sisters bond, and seeing Kat grow within that family dynamic added an additional layer to this emotional love story.

I haven’t yet been disappointed by a Chloe Liese novel. She’s quickly become a favorite and I know I can count on her books to be interesting and make me feel. I love her characters, and Kat and Christopher are in my top 3 favorite couples in a novel by 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!* Better Hate Than Never

Copyright 2023 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

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

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

It’s Monday, what are you reading? (10/9/23)

I feel like I’m finally getting back into my reading schedule and have listened to and have been reading some good books in the last week or so. Here’s what I’ve been up to.

JUST FINISHED

I took the day off on Thursday and plugged in my ear buds and listened to this book in its entirety. It was so good! I think I connected with it particularly because I’ve had a few knocks and the subject just resonated. I really appreciated the message of hope and resilience.

JUST STARTED

Always a fan of Ali Hazelwood, I believe this is her first foray into the young adult genre. I’m about to crack it open and can’t wait to dive into some interesting characters.

I hope you’ve all been rocking your reading lists! Happy Monday and happy reading.

Deb

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

This Chick Read: The Princess and the Fangirl (Once Upon a Con #2) by Ashley Poston

I read Geekerella, the first in the series, back when it came out in 2018 and whereas I didn’t love it, love it, I did think it was a good read. I’m not really sure why I never read the next two books but after getting into this author’s adult fiction I’m going back and checking out this YA series and I must say, this book hit the spot.

Imogen Lovelace is a fangirl for the character Amara on Starfield a sci-fi tv show a la Star Trek. Amara got killed off and Imogen has created a hashtag that’s gone viral #saveamara and she’s at the ExcelsiCon to hand out buttons and do her thing to try to save a fan favorite. Jessica Stone is the actress who plays Amara and admittedly hates her character. She’s contracted to make the rounds at the Comic Con and is hopeful that her character really did die and won’t be back for a second season. When these two meet the interaction isn’t friendly and when Imogen gets mistaken for Jess and lands on a panel as her she takes the opportunity to speak up for saving her character. Needless to say Jess isn’t happy. Until she needs Imogen to be her again.

I really enjoyed the trip down memory lane into the weird world that are Comic Con’s. I used to help out at them when I was younger and you really do see all sorts of “characters” and they are really a lot of fun. The thought that one person could be mistaken for a movie star is a bit of a stretch but this plot was a fun bit of fantasy so I didn’t bother with breaks from reality. What made this novel work was that these two characters personalities were complete opposites that ended up sharing the same view by the end of the book. I love those converging storylines, the journey is very satisfying!

Jessica and Imogen don’t really have a lot to do with each other in this novel other than replace each other a la Parent Trap, but they each get a love interest that is related to their counterpart. In Imogen’s plot it’s Jess’s assistant/best friend and in Jess’s it’s Imogen’s virtual female friend who has never set eyes on Imogen before so can believe the swap scheme. I enjoyed the latter story better than the former but I thought the parallel storylines were a nice departure from the usual YA romance plots. Jessica seemed a little bit more mature than Imogen and her romance read more mature to me and I liked that aspect, plus making this tv star gay made her more interesting and in comparison the boy meets girl romance fell a little flat. Despite that, I really enjoyed reading this novel and loved the sci-fi aspects to the plot. I think I’ll gear up for book #3! ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase this book!* The Princess and the Fangirl

Copyright 2023 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: A Winter in New York by Josie Silver

When Iris and her best friend Bobby walk the streets of and find an Italian street fair, Iris spots a little gelateria that looks to be the same as the one in a photo of her mother’s. The next day, Iris goes back to that shop and meets the owner, Gio Belotti, and sample’s a taste of their vanilla gelato and realizes it’s the exact same one her mother used to make her. Gio shares that his uncle, who owns the shop, is in the hospital and that formula may be lost if he never regains his memory. Iris offers her services as a chef to help “recreate” the recipe and get’s to know Gio and his family and falls in love with them both.

Iris came to New York to escape from a bad relationship but to also see the places in New York that meant the most to her now deceased mother. When she finds work and starts to build her small family of friends in Bobby and his partner Robin, it seems natural that she is living near the places that her mother loved. As the book goes on she learns more about her mother, the struggles she went through and through that process gains strength in herself. Iris particularly went through a lot of self discovery and came out stronger. When she meets Gio, she is immediately attracted to him and is drawn to his family. Their warmth and generosity fills up that lonely place inside.

A Winter In New York is a novel that feels nostalgic, and there certainly is quite a bit of looking back in the form of learning the story of Iris’s mother, but it is also a story about moving forward. Iris finds her inner strength and finally finds a place where she feels like she belongs. Even if it takes her a while to believe in that place and in herself. I liked this story a lot, and especially loved the Belotti family, Gio, and his daughter Bella. That family is the one that we all want to belong to and it was easy to root for Iris to untangle her life and believe that she deserves this happiness she has found. The satisfying conclusion was everything I wanted to read. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

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!* A Winter in New York

Copyright 2023 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? (10/2/23)

After a bit of a reading slump I seem to have gotten my rhythm back and am finally in the mood to read some books. It helps that the books I’ve chosen to read have been really good! Here’s what’s on my virtual shelf.

JUST FINISHED

By the author of last year’s bestseller One Day In December, Josie Silver’s new novel repeated that magical formula. This novel packed an emotional punch and left me feeling great about the characters and their happily ever after ending.

JUST STARTED

After reading a couple of romances I needed a genre shift and chose this romantic suspense novel by an author whom I always enjoy reading. I literally just started this novel last night but so far so good! The gripping story got me right from the turn of the first page.

Have a great Monday and happy reading!

Deb

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

This Chick Read: Faking Christmas by Kerry Winfrey

Laurel is working as the Social Media Manager for an Ohio State Tourism magazine when she gives her boss the impression that she is married with two kids, owns a farm, and is a fabulous cook. That’s actually her twin sister, Holly, who’s social media she does handle for all of the products that come off the farm. When her boss gets dumped and invites himself for Christmas, Laurel has to fake it till she makes it, pretending to be married to her frenemy, Max Beckett, and cooking that big Christmas Eve Eve meal. Luckily Max knows how to cook. Is he maybe not so bad as she’d once thought?

I’ve enjoyed previous novels by this author and the synopsis made the book look really cute. The pace was quick and the side characters quirky- Gilbert was a bit of a mess but in a charming sweater dad kind of way and I loved Holly, Laurel’s twin sister. Unfortunately, I didn’t love Laurel! Her situation was rom-com ready but all I could see was a young woman who complained a LOT and couldn’t see the fabulousness that was Max Beckett. Why he could see through her cattiness can only be because the author worked really hard to make her likable. I think that if she had been nicer to Max a little sooner I wouldn’t been ok with her set-up, but that combined with the big lie to her boss made her a little hard to take. I was so disappointed!

This novel was certainly not all bad. There were some comedic fish out of water moments and general clumsiness that garnered a couple of smiles and I certainly loved her family. Max, despite being beaten down by Laurel remained a good guy and you couldn’t help but like him. So there was enough to keep me entertained. See, not all bad! I’m sure there are readers out there who will not have the same difficulties in liking the main character, since there was cute-content to make up for her general unlikeable-ness. Give this one a try and see which side of the line you fall on. ❤️❤️❤️

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

Click this link to purchase this book!* Faking Christmas

Copyright 2023 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