Happy Monday everyone! I ran across this post on Book Date and liked the idea of sharing what I’m currently reading, so here goes!
JUST FINISHED
Gimme Some Sugar (Southern Eclectic #6) by Molly Harper
Last Sentence Read: “Lucy sat back on the seat, watching her son laugh into the wind, and knew that no matter what the future brought, they were going to be just fine.”
JUST STARTED
Rogue Wave (Cake series #5) by J. Bengtsson
First Sentence: My hands jammed safely in my pockets, I kept my head down as I made my way across the quad on legs as spindly as sticks.
Have you read either of these books? What did you think?
If not, what are you reading today? It’s Monday! Give me a shout!
Annie Mathers is the daughter of two country music stars who had a tragic ending. Living outside the stage lights of Nashville, Annie tried to ignore her calling but she was born to write and sing. After she releases a couple of songs on YouTube her star starts rising. Clay Coolidge is one of the country’s hottest young stars, but he’s going down the path her parents took. After another drunk bar fight he’s told that he has to go to Michigan to talk Annie into opening for his summer concert tour. With his record deal on the line, Clay convinces Annie and her band to join them. Even though they are complete opposites, she the good girl and he the bad boy, they strike sparks both on stage and off.
You’d be Mine had a lot of the things I look for in a YA contemporary novel, great character growth, a simmering love story, and a great hook. What I wasn’t expecting was the magical poetry this author wrote for their music lyrics and the gritty feel to the story. Annie was an easy character to like. I’ll admit that she walked a fine line between being a “good girl” and kind of a prude, but it fit her back story and gave her the heart and soul she’d need to sell the reader on her chemistry for leading man Clay.
Clay also had a great back story. A brother who is a fallen war hero and a line of people who want to ride his coattails, making his bad choices pretty realistic. If there was one fault with his part of the story I’d say his demon battling went on just a touch too long. I wanted the story to speed up and it lagged just a tad in the middle. The supporting characters were loyal, funny, and charming and I adored all of their antics and support. Even though this was a story about music and love, at it’s heart it was about family and these characters gave the reader a solid base line on what family should look like.
I mentioned above my love for the poetry in the music lyrics. You could tell this author has a feel for writing lyrically and if she hasn’t done so already, she should think about her own songwriting career! They were pretty special and the story itself? Good, very, very good. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❣️
I was given a free ARC of this book through NetGalley for my honest review and it was honest.
Opinions from around the Blogosphere
“You’d Be Mine is a cute little contemporary romance that reminded me a bit of the television show Nashville. This has all the ins and outs, the ups and downs and intrigue of the behind the scenes of the music business. The characters were likable and fun to root for and the story felt as if heading right out on tour along with them giving all the emotion of their journey along the way.” Carrie’s Book Reviews
“This was a fun story about the lives of these two talented performers. I am not a big country music fan, but I found myself cheering for these young country stars. I would definitely recommend this young adult book!” Welcome to our Campfire
It was a short month but I still managed to read 16 books. Some of them were audio books that I listened to while driving or working out and yes, I am counting those too! Not all of them were talked about on my blog in February and some of them are posts scheduled for the future release dates.
What happened on my blog in February? Here’s a recap!
GREAT FEBRUARY READS!
Fall (VIP #3) by Kristen Callihan
“This was not a lighthearted novel. Yes, I did laugh, but I also cried a bit and stopped to think about how this portrayal could parallel a lot of people’s lives that read it. Not that we’re all rock stars, well at least outside my own head, but the fact that we all have moments of darkness and that dream that being needed and loved can help us overcome despair.”
On Thin Ice (Juniper Falls #3) by Julie Cross
“On Thin Ice explores a lot of tough subjects; bullying, depression, and suicide but the novel does a great job of putting a spotlight on these problems and allowing it’s characters to work their way to a solution in a very real, unforced way. “
Circle of the Moon (Soulwood#4) by Faith Hunter
“Circle of the Moon advances Nell’s journey away from her Churchwoman background towards a “city” life. Her magic gets stronger and she has to constantly fight the urge to kill for her land, Soulwood, but she is also in a more maternal role with becoming the guardian of her younger sister Mud, who also has earth magic tendencies similar to Nell’s. Her tentative feelings for Occam resolve into want and his feelings for Nell into love.”
BLOGGER TO BLOGGER SERIES
If you missed learning a little bit more about these two book bloggers, here’s your chance! They are both wonderful and very different from each other.. Click the link to take a look.
If you know what a Mash-Up is then you probably understood my other post in this category. A Mash-up in music is when you combine two different genre’s to create an original flavor of music. What I was shooting for in this next post was to describe a book blogger using the books they had read recently on their blog. If you missed this one click the link and let me know if I missed the mark or not.
I have started to contribute to a weekly Meme called It’s Monday, What are you Reading? I’ve always liked reading what my fellow bloggers are reading because I’m nosy and curious. My taste in books varies so much that I thought you may enjoy seeing what I’m reading each week. I created this graphic, so when you see it, come visit and let me know what you think about my book choices!
ELIMINATING MY TBR
I only read one of the books I listed in this category last month. Since I’m a mood reader it’s really hard to set a list and stick with it. Here are a couple I’m looking forward to reading in March.
A Dangerous Collaboration (A Veronica Speedway novel) by Deanna Raybourn
Synopsis:
A bride mysteriously disappears on her wedding day in the newest Veronica Speedwell adventure by the New York Times bestselling author of the Lady Julia Grey series.
Lured by the promise of a rare and elusive butterfly, the intrepid Veronica Speedwell is persuaded by Lord Templeton-Vane, the brother of her colleague Stoker, to pose as his fiancée at a house party on a Cornish isle owned by his oldest friend, Malcolm Romilly.
But Veronica soon learns that one question hangs over the party: What happened to Rosamund? Three years ago, Malcolm Romilly’s bride vanished on their wedding day, and no trace of her has ever been found. Now those who were closest to her have gathered, each a possible suspect in her disappearance.
From the poison garden kept by Malcolm’s sister to the high towers of the family castle, the island’s atmosphere is full of shadows, and danger lurks around every corner.
Determined to discover Rosamund’s fate, Veronica and Stoker match wits with a murderer who has already struck once and will not hesitate to kill again.…
The Last Woman in the Forest by Diane Les Becquets
Synopsis:
From the national bestselling author of Breaking Wild, here is a riveting and powerful thriller about a woman whose greatest threat could be the man she loves.…
Marian Engström has found her true calling: working with rescue dogs to help protect endangered wildlife. Her first assignment takes her to northern Alberta, where she falls in love with her mentor, the daring and brilliant Tate. After they’re separated from each other on another assignment, Marian is shattered to learn of Tate’s tragic death. Worse still is the aftermath in which Marian discovers disturbing inconsistencies about Tate’s life, and begins to wonder if the man she loved could have been responsible for the unsolved murders of at least four women.
Hoping to clear Tate’s name, Marian reaches out to a retired forensic profiler who’s haunted by the open cases. But as Marian relives her relationship with Tate and circles ever closer to the truth, evil stalks her every move.…
OK, I may be cheating a bit because both of these are ARC’s so I MUST read them! LOL. We’ll see if the month gets away from me again.
Rosie’s worked hard to become a Michelin starred sous chef and thought she and her also chef husband were happy in their marriage when she comes home to find him moving out and asking for a divorce. It seems he’s found someone else, someone less rigid and more carefree. Heart broken, Rosie gives it all up to travel the festival circuit in her fuchsia pink travelling teashop named Poppy. She learns to live in the moment, build friendships, and yes, finds love again.
I thought Rosie’s Travelling Teashop was sweet, romantic and surprisingly thought provoking. What would it be like to give up a successful career and start all over on a new venture? Rosie had to let go of over planning every stage of her life and when she did that she found a peace that had been missing. I found it really easy to identify with Rosie and I’d imagine a lot of other readers who feel they are plodding away in a job where they are no longer happy will too. I found this escape from my own life through Rosie’s adventures a fun way to spend the afternoon.
Max, Rosie’s love interest was just delicious! If there was a Max at the end of a life change I think there would be a lot more women willing to make this kind of move! LOL. It was fun to read he and Rosie’s verbal sparring and also see how he opened Rosie’s life to a world outside of the one she was used to living in. There was only one minor flaw in this novel regarding a sub plot with another male character. I thought it wasn’t needed and was frustrated with how that plot was resolved. I just wanted to scratch it from the story entirely, but overlooking that one minor thing, I really did enjoy this book. ❤️❤️❤️❤️
I received a free ARC of this book for my honest review and it was honest.
Happy Monday everyone! I ran across this post on Book Date and liked the idea of sharing what I’m currently reading, so here goes!
JUST FINISHED
Rosie’s Travelling Teashop by Rebecca Raisin
First Sentence: “You’re just not spontaneous enough Rosie…”
CURRENTLY READING
Wild Country (World of the Others #2) by Anne Bishop
First Sentence: A year from now, it would be called the Great Predation-those terrifying days when the Elementals and the Elders, the terra indigene who are Namid’s teeth and claws, came out of the wild country and brutally thinned the human herds in Thaisia.
Wow, these are two totally different kinds of books, aren’t they? LOL!
Catherine lives in the small town of Balsam, Pennsylvania working as a waitress in a truck stop while trying to quietly raise her five year old daughter. At twenty-four she has already seen her fair share of press due to her involvement with the son of a prominent Balsam family and she wants to steer clear of anything high profile and just quietly live her life. One night while traveling home from a bad blind date she comes upon a sports car that has crashed against a tree and even though there’s danger from the car catching on fire she saves the life of the passenger of the vehicle. Little does she know that by that one event her life will be put back in the spotlight. She has just saved the life of NHL star Brett Madden.
There were moments in this novel that I really enjoyed. I liked Catherine’s fight against adversity. She had gotten involved with a teacher while in high school and because he was from a prominent family she was black balled and treated horribly as the temptress while the teacher who was thirteen years older got off without a slap of the hand. Reading about that subject from Catherine’s perspective was tough. You feel so bad for her and want her life to be better than it is. You also totally get why she doesn’t want anything to do with Brett and the publicity machine that follows him. Of course, it’s a love story and you know Brett’s going to help her overcome that stigma, but that didn’t make it any easier to read although that contrast did make their love story shine brighter.
Brett was a pretty normal guy for being a pro NHL player and son of a super famous movie star and he was written as the white knight in a way. However, the bulk of the conflict centered around Catherine, her daughter, and the town of Balsam. She had some great friends who added character and humor to the novel and I enjoyed how her true spirit was portrayed and how she finally got the respect she deserved. I found it kind of strange that the romance felt underplayed, but Catherine did have a lot of inner turmoil to work through.
If you like romances where your heroine overcomes adversity, Until it Fades is the novel for you! I enjoyed the outcome because of what Catherine went through in her past and found she and Brett easy to root for. It did take me a little bit to overcome my uneasiness of her childhood romance with her teacher, I’ll admit, so because of that it gets a three and a half rating. ❤️❤️❤️❣️
Opinions from around the Blogosphere
” Unfortunately I didn’t love it – it was enjoyable but nothing in the story stood out making it an average read. ” Faith Books and Pixie Dust
At work the other day someone described a friends personality as you would describe a fine wine. You know “she’s bold with an undertone of ripe raspberry’s growing on the coast of California, with a hint of salt”. It got me thinking, I have been following many of you for a few years and after reading some of your reviews, can almost provide my own Book-Blogger Mashup.
First, I’ll start with myself. because why the heck not?
THE READING CHICK: She is as inquisitive as an In Death novel, has an undertone of snarky Hating Game dialog, and is rounded out by her From Lukov with Love of romance.
That was so much fun! So, ladies (Marie, Bree and Jill) I challenge you to create your own Book-Blogger Mashup!
Here are the rules: 1) You have to Mashup up your own blog, 2) pick three of your fellow bloggers to Mash and please tag them, and 3) tag me because I want to read them too!
Of course, if you don’t want to do the Book-Blogger Mashup, you don’t have to but I thought it was fun and kind of a neat exercise. I really got to know your blogs and reading style’s better!
If I didn’t tag you but you think this sounds like fun, feel free to join in! Please tag me so I can have fun with you and read your own mashups.
Fall is the third novel in VIP, a rock star romance series by Kristen Callihan. Having had the story of two previous members in this band (well, #2 was about their Manager but..) we already know Jax Blackwood’s history. He was the catalyst to Killian’s escape from reality in VIP. Jax is the best friend who tried to kill himself and sent the band whirling into despair and confusion. Knowing this, I wondered how Ms. Callihan was going to inject a lightness into this troubled man’s story. That injection came in the form of Stella, a funny “free spirit” who dares to knock down Jax’s mental blockade and make him feel again. She does this through humor, but also provides Jax with someone who needs him emotionally. That is a truly scary thing for a mentally depressed individual, but he is willing to take that chance and be that person for Stella.
We knew all about Jax (or thought we did), but we, the reader, knew nothing about Stella until she meets him over Mint Chip ice cream at the grocery store. A scene that sets the stage for some pretty funny shanigans between these two characters. Stella doesn’t have a clue who Jax is, and Jax loves the independence of being himself instead of being the rock star. When they meet again, she is living next door to him in Killian and Liberty’s apartment, pet sitting for them while they are on vacation overseas. This closeness provides many opportunities for Jax and Stella to interact and get to know each other. Both of them are truly surprised by what they find out.
I loved that Kristen Callihan took on mental illness in this novel. It would be so easy to make Jax the tortured misunderstood hero and Stella be the light that brings him back from the dark. They both are those things, but they are also so much more. After having viewed the effects of Jax’s attempted suicide on his band members, it was really eye opening to hear his viewpoint on what is and was going on in his head. The way this is portrayed is very true to life and only the romance in this novel is lighthearted. The characters have depth that scratches despair, and only by being together, loving each other do they have the strength to face the future. Stella needs this love just as much as Jax, maybe even more.
This was not a lighthearted novel. Yes, I did laugh, but I also cried a bit and stopped to think about how this portrayal could parallel a lot of people’s lives that read it. Not that we’re all rock stars, well at least outside my own head, but the fact that we all have moments of darkness and that dream that being needed and loved can help us overcome despair.
Am I reading too much into this novel? I mean it is a rock star romance and is meant to be fun. I know other people haven’t loved this novel as much as the other two in the series, but I’m going to say this is my favorite so far. Fall had a perfect balance of light and dark, love and hate, despair and hope. To me, that balance made it pretty much perfect. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❣️
Opinions from around the Blogosphere
“I’d say Fall was a great romance that also managed to handle the important topic of mental health and depression with such realism and grace. I would highly recommend this book and I can’t wait to read the other books of the VIP series.” A Lovely Book Affair
“Fall is an intense, emotional, funny, and sexy slow burn. Kristen Callihan created and developed flawed but endearing characters in John and Stella who will keep you engaged throughout their rollercoaster of a relationship.” Harlequin Junkie
Anton Petrov, Captain of the Chicago Blaze hockey team, is known for his healthy eating habits, great work ethic, and celibate lifestyle. The first two are what he needs to be a great hockey player but the last is because once he met Mia Marceau he was spoiled for anyone else. Unfortunately, Mia is married to one of his teammates. When he fortuitously runs into Mia tending bar he finds out she and his teammate, while still married, are separated. Wanting to be in her life, even if they are only friends, he starts driving her home when she gets off work late at night and ultimately hires her as caretaker to his uncle. Their attraction catches fire yet she is still married and Anton doesn’t want to cross that line.
Despite the beautiful cover model, Anton is a slow burn novel. Mia’s marriage creates a distance between the two of them and they are both so honorable that until her divorce they remain friends. I loved how their friendship was fully developed before the romance really started. Mia’s marital situation, unsurprisingly has a rather harsh reality so there is plenty of drama in this novel, but it’s balanced really nicely with some humor from Anton’s uncle who is a rather salty old soul.
There were some interesting characters on Anton’s hockey team so if you’re a fan of these romances I think you’ll want to keep track of when the rest of these novels come out. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for you! ❤️❤️❤️❤️
I was given a free ARC of this book for my honest review and it was honest!
Brenda Rothert is an Illinois native who was a print journalist for nine years. She made the jump from fact to fiction in 2013 and never looked back. From new adult to steamy contemporary romance, Brenda creates fresh characters in every story she tells. She’s a lover of Diet Coke, chocolate, lazy weekends and happily ever afters.
When Lily’s brother goes missing she turns to ex-husband and Media Mogul Calvin Cabot to help her find him. After their marriage was annulled four years ago after a quick elopement they have done a great job of avoiding being in the same vicinity. When Lily kidnaps Calvin to get him to help her out, they find that the chemistry between them is just as fiery, as is Lily’s personality. When Calvin agree’s to help her he tries to keep her safe, but Lily is determined to be in on the action. Her determination to find her brother is matched by Calvin’s desire for Lily to stay out of the action.
The setting for the Knickerbocker Club series is the Industrial age which makes it these books very unique. Even though Lily comes from money it’s nice to see how men in that frame of time built their fortunes. When Lily and Calvin initially meet and marry he is a reporter, but four years later he owns three papers and is on his way to building an empire. Lily also has grown into her place, taking over for her father as the President of their mining company. Something that is not heard of in that time, and probably inaccurate of what women are allowed to do in that time, but it made for a different kind of romance. They are equals with their brains and with their finances.
The mystery of what happened to Lily’s brother involves a Chinese gang leader and some rather rough characters. You know when you read a piece of fiction and the characters all feel real and not characterizations, you know that the author did their homework. Joanna Shupe did hers and the realistic characters helped me enmesh myself in their story, not stopping to think “yeah, right” as I do in some lighter historical romances.
This is the third book in the Knickerbocker Club series but you can read these novels as stand alone’s no problem. The other men in the club do show up as supporting characters but you don’t need to know who they are to enjoy this or any of the other stories in the series. If you’re like me and like to start at the beginning, then pick up Magnate, which is book #1. ❤️❤️❤️❤️
The Reading Chick 
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