Tag: reading

It’s Monday, what are you reading? (3/16/2020)

It’s Monday and the world is in the midst of a pandemic. I am working from home and practicing social distancing. Picking up a book is a great way to forget about the stresses of our lives. So, what book will you pick to help you escape? This post originated over on Book Date , so thanks for the idea and letting me continue on the discussion.

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Another wonderful installment in the Mercy Thompson series!

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Yep, another fantasy series that I love! The Crown of Shards series has a great heroine and a lot of action adventure. It’s a lot of fun!

What book are you reading this Monday?

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This Chick Read: Fumbled (The Playbook #2) by Alexa Martin

Poppy Patterson left her hometown at sixteen. Kicked out because of her pregnancy, she found a new home with her aunt in Denver. Now in her 20’s, Poppy is raising her son alone and working as a waitress in a nightclub when Wide Receiver, T. K. Moore is seated at her table. Normally that wouldn’t be a problem except that T. K. is the father of her son… and he doesn’t know it.

This second chance love story had everything the first novel had, and I ate it up. Two great lead characters, wonderful female friendships, and a renewal of a love story that should never have ended. I like that they were an interracial couple and whereas this is a fictional novel I felt like some of the problems they’d see in real life as an interracial couple also played out in this book. However, the biggest conflict in this book was portraying the consequences of head injuries in the NFL. I really liked how real that made Poppy and T. K.’s relationship and how she struggled with helping him see how much his personality had changed since high school. I thought that topic was really relevant. Especially after reading the author’s bio and knowing that her own husband played in the NFL. It may be a real topic in her own household (?).

Once again Alexa Martin hits a home run. Poppy was a female protagonist that a reader loves. She fell on hard times but never gave up, worked hard, and put herself in a place she can be proud of. T. K. was a little more stereotypical but I really liked him once he got past the shock of being a father. This story was a little more serious than the first but once Poppy was introduced to her WAGS group those friendships brought out the fun and funny.

Again, if you haven’t read this series and you are a fan of contemporary romances, you must pick them up! I do think the first couple of books could be read as stand alone’s. After all, I read the third novel first. There’s a tiny bit of backstory with a couple of other characters but I think you can catch on pretty quickly and enjoy the story on it’s own. However, if you’ve got the time to read them in order go for it! ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Opinions from around the Blogosphere

“I really enjoyed reading the book, both times. It made me happy. It’s a good book. Right after I finished it the first time, I read book 1 of this series called Intercepted, which was also really nice.” The Wordy Habitat

“I thought the book was kinda rushed but I didn’t get bored and I’m definitely looking forward to the final book of the trilogy.” My World of Books

Click this link to purchase!* Fumbled (Playbook, The)

Copyright 2020 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

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

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It’s Monday, what are you reading? (3/9/2020)

I can only hope that this week is a little better than last week. I can’t think a tornado will hit twice in one area (knock on wood). I had an ARC due this Tuesday that was a tear jerker. I’m not sure if it was because I’d had an abnormally emotional week? I did go through a TON of kleenex and sniffled my way through to the finish late last night. This post originated over on Book Date , so thanks for the idea and letting me continue on the discussion.

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Grab your box of kleenex! This is a great story about a wonderful friendship and finding the meaning of love.

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I am loving the audio books in this series. Thank goodness it’s a long series!

What books are you reading this week?

Deb

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This Chick Read: Undercover Bromance (Bromance Book Club #2) by Lyssa Kay Adams

When Liv walks in on her celebrity chef boss sexually harassing a hostess in his restaurant she rushes to the girls defense only to have the chef fire her and blackball her from getting another job despite her reputation as a great pastry chef she starts plotting revenge. She finds an unlikely ally in Braden Mack one of her brother in law’s friends. Not only does he fight by her side but their chemistry has him fighting for her heart, but he needs his bromance book club’s advice because nothing is working! Undercover Bromance is as fun as the first novel, but a depth that this reader found to be gripping, emotional, and actually very personal.

First the characters. Liv is gun shy when it comes to men. She had a father who left she and her sister when they were very young and that taught her to never trust a man. It also turned her into a fighter. She’s a woman who does not stand by and accept what is obviously wrong. What I loved about her the best is that she fought on behalf of others in this novel. Yeah, sure, she got fired, but she herself wasn’t sexually harassed. She saw it happen and wanted the truth to come out and the chef to bear the consequences of his actions. Braden Mack was clueless when it came to women, which made him charmingly endearing, but he also was a man that wouldn’t stand for a person to be treated improperly. You’ve got to love that! The two of them together provided a lot of heat, but even more importantly, humor! This was a novel that really needed a good laugh to counter the serious subject matter, and it really delivered! I laughed so hard I cried through the last 50 pages of this book.

It used to be that these types of topics weren’t mentioned and especially weren’t tied to a romance novel plot! Sexual harassment has been pushed aside, closeted, wiped under a rug, etc. Introducing this topic as the main plot of a romance novel made this one stand out. The premise of these Bromance Book Club novels is that a group of guys read romance novels to help them figure out their problems with women. Cute theme, right? How exactly does that apply to this topic? Well, Liv wasn’t your usual lady so it actually worked well and the altercations between she and her ex-boss turned this into a kind of romantic suspense plot which worked really well.

I thought this novel hit it out of the park on many levels. It introduced an important subject, provided a great love story, and made me care about the characters. It also made me laugh out loud which is always a winner in my book. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❣️

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

Click this link to purchase!* Undercover Bromance (Bromance Book Club)

Copyright 2020 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

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

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This Chick Read: Intercepted (The Playbook #1) by Alexa Martin

Marlee Harper has been dating her boyfriend on and off since high school. When she finally faces up to him being a player she moves out, with the help of brand new Denver Mustangs quarterback and one time fling Gavin Pope. Vowing to never date a pro football “player” again, Gavin has his work cut out for him.

I recently got an ARC and reviewed the third book in this series, Blitzed. I LOVED it and vowed to read the first two in the series immediately. Thank goodness I had a vacation where I could binge read this series. Seriously, I read this book in a few hours, then the second, back to back.

There were a few reasons why I liked this novel so much. 1) I loved how respectfully Gavin treated Marlee. After her horrible prior relationship Gavin’s treatment shone a light on how wonderful she should be treated. 2) Marlee was sassy and smart. I liked that she had self respect and dumped her boyfriends butt. It did take her a little while to want to see how horrible he was, but once she did? It was O-V-E-R. 3) I liked the behinds the scenes look into the wives and girlfriends of pro players. I know this is fiction but it fit what I had imagined to a T. 4) I LOVED the female friendships! I am a sucker for a romance novel with a great group of side characters and this series reminds me of how Kristen Ashley used to write before she went all S&M. Female friendships can be fun and loyal and this novel showed that strength. 5) At first I was put off by the hashtags, but after the third chapter I started to laugh at the intended humor and started to look forward to them. #luvthehumor

So, yeah, I loved this novel. I thought it was fun, had a great message, and loved the characters so much I am asking for a sequel. LOL. Luckily you can catch up with these characters in future novels because, you know, great friendships! If you haven’t yet read this novel and like light hearted romances, well what are you waiting for?!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❣️

Opinions from around the Blogosphere

“All in all, I’m kicking myself for not picking up Intercepted so much earlier. I fell in love with the characters and the romance and I can’t wait to pick up the next book in this series.” Books and Blends

Click this link to purchase!* Intercepted (Playbook, The)

Copyright 2020 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

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

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It’s Monday what are you reading? (3/2/2020)

Even though I had a busy weekend I found the time to read. My downtime was spent doing what I loved best. What books did I read? I’ll tell you, if you share with me! This post originated over on Book Date , so thanks for the idea and letting me continue on the discussion.

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First Sentence Read: “It had been a mistake to invite himself to the wedding.”

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First Sentence Read: “Professor Hanover’s eyes were affixed to his smartphone with the determined unsteadiness of a man who was exceedingly uncomfortable.”

Both very lighthearted books but just what I needed in my downtime. What books are you reading?

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This Chick Read: Bad Bachelor (Bad Bachelors #1) by Stefanie London

Being listed as the worst reviewed bachelor on the hottest new App Bad Bachelor couldn’t have come at a worse time for Reed McMahon, a rising star in the PR business. His father is ill and his clients are starting to turn their backs on them. When he takes on a pro bono job to help a local library raise resources, librarian Darcy Greer is leery of his reputation but can’t pass up the free help. As they work together she starts to see a different side of Reed than what she’s read on the Bad Bachelor App. Should she take the chance and open herself up to a man that may not be revealing his true self?

Just like the legions of women who gave Reed bad reviews on the Bad Bachelor App, I felt like I had the wool pulled over my eyes. I’m pretty careful about making sure I don’t ask to review a book in the middle of a series and Bad Bachelor looked like a fun book. However, the book was released a couple of years ago, and in fact, there are three books out in this series. The cover is new, and it is cute and eye catching, but this ARC could also have been checked out in my own local library. Taking all that and putting it aside, I did find this novel pretty easy to get into and the story engaging.

I easily identified with our heroine Darcy. A young woman who is kind of shy, yet she has this edgier side with her pierced tongue and tattoo sleeves. She’s a little insecure and likes to escape into her library and a good book. Reed is a good looking, charming guy. On the surface he looks to be everything the Bad Bachelor app says he is, but when we see what’s going on behind closed doors he becomes much more interesting. I liked the depth these two interesting characters brought to this kind of light synopsis. I was mildly surprised at how invested I became in this story and really pleased with how the characters evolved and the story ended. You can’t ask for much more than that!

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

Opinions from around the Blogosphere

“What I loved the most about this book is the characterization of the hero and heroine.” Romance Library

Click this link to purchase!* Bad Bachelor (Bad Bachelors)

Copyright 2020 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

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

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This Chick Read: Things You Save in a Fire by Katherine Center

Cassie Hanwell is a decorated firefighter with a plan of rising through the ranks. She gets a call from her estranged mother who wants her to move up to the Northeast because she has recently lost sight in one eye and needs help navigating her new world. After a surprise incident lands Cassie in hot water at work, her work plans derail and she decides to start anew in Maryland with her mother. Unfortunately the firehouse family she is joining is nothing like the one she left behind and she has to prove herself as well as live with a woman she hasn’t had a relationship with since she was sixteen.

There was a lot going on in this book but Katherine Center did a great job of not overwhelming the reader and somehow tying all of the plots together into a cohesive story and a really solid novel.

At first I thought Cassie was never going to warm up. She had an awful back story and didn’t seem willing to forgive her mother. If it hadn’t been for the change in firefighter houses and how she tried so hard to prove herself to the guys I may not have been able to wait her out. Fortunately her interactions at work helped make the pages turn quickly, THEN she finally warmed up to her mother! Whew! Throw in the side love story and by the second half of the book I was all in.

This was a novel about relationships. Cassie’s relationship with her mother, the guys at work, her attraction to the rookie, her relationship with her father. There were some heartwarming and heartbreaking moments and even though there were a few different sub plots I liked how they all added to Cassie’s story and didn’t work against each other. All in all, I liked this novel, it was easy to read and made me feel good at the end. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Opinions from around the Blogosphere

“I loved every minute of this book and was sorry to turn the last page. A wonderful, humorous story of love and forgiveness with a strong and endearing main lead, ‘Things you save in a fire’ is a book you won’t forget.” Happy Tonic

“I loved this book- at times it has a light touch- but Katherine also provides some meat in the situations Cassie must face- and decide how to handle them.” Traveling with T

Click this link to purchase!* Things You Save in a Fire: A Novel

Copyright 2020 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

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

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It’s Monday, what are you reading? (2/24/20)

Heading into the last week of February and coming off a mostly rainy week, I’ll admit the sunshine this weekend drew me outside. So, my reading suffered but my mood? Much better! It’s amazing how a little sunshine really does brighten your mood. Let’s quickly catch up on what I’m reading. This post originated over on Book Date , so thanks for the idea and letting me continue on the discussion.

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It’s been a little while but I’m back on track listening to this wonderful historical mystery series. Narrated by the exceptional Davina Porter every mystery adds more depth to these characters and keeps me coming back for more. Thankfully there are like 15 in the series and the author is still writing them.

Click this link to purchase this book.* What Darkness Brings: A Sebastian St. Cyr Mystery

JUST STARTED

It’s funny when a new cover brings life to a novel I’ve picked up over and over but never got around to reading. It’s off to a quick start, and vastly different than the darker historical mystery I just finished. A change of scenery is a good thing!

Click this link to purchase! Bad Bachelor (Bad Bachelors)

Are you reading a heavy or light book this fine Monday? Please share!

Deb

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This Chicks Sunday Commentary: Top 5 Most Anticipated Releases- Mar’20

Although I have not read a ton of books this month I’m still eagerly looking forward to new books to add to my TBR. March is always a big month for fiction releases and looking at this year’s list I can honestly say that there are more than 5 that will be added to my reading list. I don’t want to bore you with all of my favorites, so I am staying inside my little box of Top 5 most anticipated releases. I’d love to hear if yours matches mine!

#5 MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK RELEASE

A magical historical novel about a Mozart brother and sister? You know I can’t pass this one up!

Synopsis:

Two siblings. Two brilliant talents. But only one Mozart.

Born with a gift for music, Nannerl Mozart has just one wish–to be remembered forever. But even as she delights audiences with her masterful playing, she has little hope she’ll ever become the acclaimed composer she longs to be. She is a young woman in 18th century Europe, and that means composing is forbidden to her. She will perform only until she reaches a marriageable age–her tyrannical father has made that much clear.

And as Nannerl’s hope grows dimmer with each passing year, the talents of her beloved younger brother, Wolfgang, only seem to shine brighter. His brilliance begins to eclipse her own, until one day a mysterious stranger from a magical land appears with an irresistible offer. He has the power to make her wish come true–but his help may cost her everything.

In her first work of historical fiction, #1 New York Times bestselling author Marie Lu spins a lush, lyrically-told story of music, magic, and the unbreakable bond between a brother and sister.

Click this link to purchase!* The Kingdom of Back

#4 MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK RELEASE

I LOVED The Dinner List and this novel sounds like it will have the same fantasy element that I really enjoyed about in the last novel. Can’t wait.

Synopsis:

Where do you see yourself in five years?

When Type-A Manhattan lawyer Dannie Cohan is asked this question at the most important interview of her career, she has a meticulously crafted answer at the ready. Later, after nailing her interview and accepting her boyfriend’s marriage proposal, Dannie goes to sleep knowing she is right on track to achieve her five-year plan.

But when she wakes up, she’s suddenly in a different apartment, with a different ring on her finger, and beside a very different man. The television news is on in the background, and she can just make out the scrolling date. It’s the same night—December 15—but 2025, five years in the future.

After a very intense, shocking hour, Dannie wakes again, at the brink of midnight, back in 2020. She can’t shake what has happened. It certainly felt much more than merely a dream, but she isn’t the kind of person who believes in visions. That nonsense is only charming coming from free-spirited types, like her lifelong best friend, Bella. Determined to ignore the odd experience, she files it away in the back of her mind.

That is, until four-and-a-half years later, when by chance Dannie meets the very same man from her long-ago vision.

Brimming with joy and heartbreak, In Five Years is an unforgettable love story that reminds us of the power of loyalty, friendship, and the unpredictable nature of destiny.

Click this link to purchase!* In Five Years: A Novel

#3 MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK RELEASE

The first novel didn’t quite live up to my expectations but I think these two characters will bring the heat. At least I hope so!

Synopsis:

Liv Papandreas has a dream job as a sous chef at Nashville’s hottest restaurant. Too bad the celebrity chef owner is less than charming behind kitchen doors. After she catches him harassing a young hostess, she confronts him and gets fired. Liv vows revenge, but she’ll need assistance to take on the powerful chef.

Unfortunately, that means turning to Braden Mack. When Liv’s blackballed from the restaurant scene, the charismatic nightclub entrepreneur offers to help expose her ex-boss, but she is suspicious of his motives. He’ll need to call in reinforcements: the Bromance Book Club.

Inspired by the romantic suspense novel they’re reading, the book club assists Liv in setting up a sting operation to take down the chef. But they’re just as eager to help Mack figure out the way to Liv’s heart. . .even though she’s determined to squelch the sparks between them before she gets burned.

Click this link to purchase!* The Bromance Book Club

#2 MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK RELEASE

Yeah, yeah, I know I’m not the target for these YA books but when I was doing research for writing my own I really came to love them, and Kasie West is one of my favorites. Her books will always land on my TBR. This one looks too cute!

Synopsis:

At sixteen, Hadley Moore knows exactly who she is—a swimmer who will earn a scholarship to college. Totally worth all the hard work, even if her aching shoulders don’t agree.

So when a guy dressed as Hollywood’s latest action hero, Heath Hall, crashes her swim meet, she isn’t amused. Instead, she’s determined to make sure he doesn’t bother her again. Only she’s not sure exactly who he is. 

The swim meet isn’t the first event the imposter has interrupted, but a little digging turns up a surprising number of people who could be Heath Hall, including Hadley’s ex-boyfriend and her best friend’s crush. She soon finds herself getting caught up in the mysterious world of the fake Heath Hall.

As Hadley gets closer to uncovering the masked boy’s identity, she also discovers some uncomfortable truths about herself—like she might resent the long shadow her late brother has cast over her family, that she isn’t as happy as she pretends to be with her life choices…and that she’s falling for the last guy she ever thought she would like.

Click this link to purchase!* Moment of Truth

MY TOP BOOK RELEASE FOR MARCH ’20!

This series gets better with every book in part because the tension between Veronica and Stoker is still unresolved and smoldering. This one sounds like a great historical mystery. I’ve already pre-ordered it from my local independent bookstore. This series is a keeper!

Synopsis:

Autumn 1888. Veronica Speedwell and her colleague Stoker are asked by Lady Wellingtonia Beauclerk to stop a potential scandal so explosive it threatens to rock the monarchy. Prince Albert Victor is a regular visitor to the most exclusive private club in London, and the proprietress, Madame Aurore, has received an expensive gift that can be traced back to the prince. Lady Wellie would like Veronica and Stoker to retrieve it from the club before scandal can break. 

Worse yet, London is being terrorized by what would become the most notorious and elusive serial killer in history, Jack the Ripper—and Lady Wellie suspects the prince may be responsible.
Veronica and Stoker reluctantly agree to go undercover at Madame Auroreʼs high-class brothel, where a body soon turns up. Secrets are swirling around Veronica and the royal family—and it is up to Veronica and Stoker to find the truth, before it is too late for all of them.

Click this link to purchase!* A Murderous Relation (A Veronica Speedwell Mystery)

These are the books I am most looking forward to being released next month but there were so many to choose from! What’s the book you are most looking forward to adding to your TBR next month? Come on, I won’t tell!

Deb

*Amazon Associate- if you purchase a book through one of the above links I may receive a small stipend.

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads