This Chicks Sunday Commentary: March ’19 Wrap Up!

The tree’s are blossoming and little green leaves are budding out. The temperature is hovering in the 70’s and SPRING IS HERE! Tennessee in the spring is so beautiful, the weather not yet humid. While March was not quite as warm as April so far, it did give me several cold weekends to catch up on my reading. I officially read 18 books in March, some of which I reviewed on my blog and some were just for my own guilty pleasure. Let’s recap what happened in March on The Reading Chick.

GREAT MARCH READS!

Act Like It (London Celebrities #1) by Lucy Parker

I recently discovered this series and am in love!

“This could easily have played out like a cheesy Hallmark Channel romance movie, and I’m not really sure why it didn’t strike that chord with me. Maybe it was their fun dialog, the villain to root against in Lainie’s previous boyfriend (who is also a star in their play), or Richard’s lone wolf persona. I do really like that Alpha male attitude!”

Wild Country (The World of the Others #2) by Anne Bishop

“I really liked Lake Silence, the first novel in this new Others series, but Wild Country takes us back to why we love this world so much. Yes, humanity can be just awful, but these novels also shine a light on what makes humanity wonderful too. It’s those moments and contradictions that keep me coming back to this intriguing world. “

Rogue Wave (Cake Series #5) by J. Bengtsson

“I don’t recall ever reading a romance that 1) revolved around a main character who was a stoner and 2) where I really liked him. Even though Keith made bad choice after bad choice, he was so dang likable!”

A Dangerous Collaboration (Veronica Speedwell#4) by Deanna Raybourn

“I’ve admired Veronica through this series for her modernity, her pursuit of a career, and her intelligence. I’ll admit to being just a little frustrated with her desire to talk herself out of her feelings for Stoker wanting that aspect of this series to speed up. Especially how the last novel ended with their feelings revealed! BUT, this was such a great follow up and true to Veronica’s personality that I can’t stay mad for too long …”

BLOGGER TO BLOGGER SERIES

I have not stopped enjoying how all of the book bloggers I’ve “interview” have turned out to be so different! Charley and Ashley are no different. If you haven’t read their interviews yet, please click the links below. They were so clever and I really enjoyed their answers to my 10 questions!

Charley@ Books and Bakes 1

Ashley @ Ashes Books & Bobs

THIS CHICKS SUNDAY COMMENTARY

Although Feb was a short month I managed to get a lot of blog posts out. One of which was my monthly wrap up. Did you miss it? Click the link below to check it out.

February ’19 Wrap Up!

I had no idea there was an International Women’s Day, did you? As a woman, this is a day I can support! LOL. I did that by sharing a graphic I found on Bookish that celebrates female authors. Did you miss it? Click the link below!

Happy International Women’s Day!

APRIL’S ANTICIPATED READING

There are some novels that i’ve purchased but haven’t been able to get to yet. If I can catch up on my ARC’s the next novel up is:

In Her Sights by Katie Ruggle

Synopsis:

Five bounty-hunting sisters
Deep in the heart of the Rockies
Fighting to save each other
…and the men who steal their hearts

Bounty hunter Molly Pax fought hard for everything she has, turning the bail recovery business she shares with her sisters into an unqualified success. So when their sticky-fingered mother jumps bail and puts the childhood home up as collateral, Molly’s horrified. To make matters worse, every two-bit criminal in the Rockies now sees her family’s misfortune as their next big break.

She needs help, stat.

Enter rival bounty hunter John Carmondy: six feet of pure trouble, with a cocky grin to match. John’s the most cheerfully, annoyingly gorgeous frenemy Molly’s ever had the pleasure of defeating…and he may be her only hope of making it out of this mess alive.

Storm Cursed (Mercy Thompson #11) by Patricia Briggs

Synopsis: My name is Mercedes Athena Thompson Hauptman, and I am a car mechanic.
 
And a coyote shapeshifter.
 
And the mate of the Alpha of the Columbia Basin werewolf pack.
 
Even so, none of that would have gotten me into trouble if, a few months ago, I hadn’t stood upon a bridge and taken responsibility for the safety of the citizens who lived in our territory. It seemed like the thing to do at the time. It should have only involved hunting down killer goblins, zombie goats, and an occasional troll. Instead, our home was viewed as neutral ground, a place where humans would feel safe to come and treat with the fae.
 
The reality is that nothing and no one is safe.  As generals and politicians face off with the Gray Lords of the fae, a storm is coming and her name is Death.
 
But we are pack, and we have given our word. 
 
We will die to keep it.

Mercy Thompson is one of my favorite heroines and I CAN’T WAIT to read it! Admittedly, I have it already as I was gifted an ARC, but have a few commitments before I can read this one. It looks excellent!

I’d love to hear about your most anticipated reads! Are they the same as mine? I can always add a book to my TBR! Let me know!

Keep on Reading!

Deborah

Friday YA: When Summer Ends by Jessica Pennington

Olivia thinks that she has her life all figured out until her boyfriend ghost’s her, her summer internship falls through, and her guardian gets a new job that means they’ll be moving across country for her senior year. When she gets a job at the local outdoor company she gets to know Aidan, the golden boy pitcher on her high school team who quit suddenly at season’s end. They become unlikely friends who help each other learn to find a new brand of happiness, a happiness that includes each other.

Olivia has definitely hit a rough spot! She has imagined her future as part of her boyfriends family as a kind of replacement for what she’s lacked in her own life. She was abandoned by her mother and that fear of being alone makes her forgive a lot of things in her boyfriend that she might not have forgiven otherwise. When she and Aidan start their friendship they have so much in common. Although Aidan has a great family life, his own life is changing drastically due to his failing vision. He find solace in his art, and she finds solace in her writing. They have that creativity in common, and together they challenge each other, which is a big contrast to the safe relationship Olivia had previously. Their relationship felt real and was one I could easily buy into.

Aidan was a great YA hero. He was slightly tragic with his failing eyesight but was a truly wonderful guy. You really wanted Olivia to get over that old boyfriend and give Aidan a chance to win her over. Jessica Pennington’s style of writing is so comfortable and easy to read. While this story didn’t give me any extreme emotions I did really enjoy reading it and would recommend it to anyone who’s a fan of YA contemporary novels and wants a great book to read for the summer.

❤️❤️❤️❤️

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

Opinions from around the Blogosphere

“I loved how the characters complemented each other; as the reader, I ended up rooting for them. They deal with their issues in their own way, and I liked how they tried to make the best of their situation despite everything. They were inspiring.L.M. Durand

“Olivia and Aiden are two different characters who fit together perfectly. They each have did so much growing through out the book. I love the friendship that blossoms between them and the relationship that eventually develops. If you’re impatient like I am, I’m warning you that I found this to be slow-burn romance and literally every time I read it I was like “JUST GET TOGETHER ALREADY I DONT HAVE TIME FOR THIS.” Kayla Reads and Reviews

Click this link to purchase!* When Summer Ends: A Novel

Copyright 2019 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate

It’s Monday, What are you Reading? (4/1/19)

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

Field Notes on Love by Jennifer E. Smith

First Sentence Read: “Mae wakes, as she does each morning, to the sound of a train.”

JUST STARTED

Devil’s Daughter: The Ravenels meet the Wallflowers by Lisa Kleypas

First sentence read: ” Phoebe had never met West Ravenel, but she knew one thing for certain: He was a mean, rotten bully.”

I love starting a new book! What are you reading this fine Monday?

Deb

Friday YA: Fame, Fate, and the First Kiss by Kasie West

Lacey Barnes has landed her first big role in a movie opposite a big name teenage heart throb. Wanting to focus 100% on doing her absolute best acting as the love interest/zombie she is foiled by her father who wants to make sure she is keeping up with her school work and not working more hours than an underage performer should be. He hires a local high school student, Donavan Lake to tutor her. When someone starts sabotaging her chances on set, Donavan becomes the one person she can trust to help her find out who is behind these pranks.

I liked Lacey and her drive to succeed quite a bit. She is charming on set and that charm carries over to the reader very well. She and Donavan have some great dialog and I liked him overall, but I thought their romance was a bit contrived. Yes, he was her tutor and they were thrown together but I thought the story would have been stronger if they stayed friends. I don’t know, I guess I have mixed feelings because I did really like each characters on their own. I thought the movie plot was cute and kind of liked how each chapter began with a scene that they’d be working on in the next chapter. It tied the movie to the plot really well.

I really felt let down when it came to the relationship between Lacey and her father. I would’ve like to have seen the relationship grow a bit more than it did. He and her mom are divorced and this was his chance of living with his daughter and their relationship didn’t have enough depth and because of that his scenes felt flat. I didn’t feel the emotion that the scene was trying to build towards which was disappointing.

Fame, Fate, and the First Kiss is a stand alone novel set in the same world and with the same characters as in Love, Life, and the List. Lacey’s best friend is Abby from the previous book, which would make this the second book in a series? BUT, it can be read as a standalone since Abby and Conner show up towards the end and don’t really need more explanation than what is given to the reader. I do think reading Love, Life and the List first would be helpful only because you learn a little of Lacey’s back story and without that the reader is thrown into the story. Overall, I enjoyed reading Fame, Fate and the First Kiss, but it was not my favorite Kasie West novel. Funny enough, that title goes to Love, Life, and the List. ❤️❤️❤️❣️

Opinions from around the Blogosphere

“This is the perfect escapist read. It’s got enough suspense and intrigue to keep you hooked, but it’s delivered with in such an airy tone that it’s just a pleasure to read.” YA & Wine

“Overall, Fame, Fate, and the First Kiss was a knockout YA romance for me—it was cute, fun, a quick read, had enjoyable characters, didn’t rely on overusage of tropes, and the main character is acting in a horror movie, which was such a fun detail to the story.” Howling Libraries

Copy this link to purchase!* Fame, Fate, and the First Kiss

Copyright 2019 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate

It’s Monday! What are you Reading? (3/25/19)

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

Polaris Rising (The Consortium Rebellion #1) by Jessie Mihalik

Last Sentence: “Tomorrow I would endeavor to win a war I wanted no part of, bur for right now, in this one perfect moment, I was exactly where I wanted to be.”

JUST STARTED

When Summer Ends by Jessica Pennington

First Sentence: “I’ve been stabbed in the chest.”

Now that you know what I’m reading, what are you reading this fine Monday? Let me know in the comments below!

Deb

Friday YA: Always Never Yours by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka

Megan is the girl who will be voted Biggest Flirt in the year book, and she’s OK with that. Her last boyfriend dumped her for her best friend, and she’s ok with that too. In fact, every guy she’s ever hooked up with has left her and immediately found THE one. She thinks that’s what her role in life is supposed to be, but then Megan unexpectedly lands the role of Juliet in the school play and she discovers maybe she does have it in her to be the leading lady.

Always Never Yours seemed like a lighthearted romp through a high school romance, but Megan was actually a lot more complex a character than I thought I was getting from reading this synopsis. By having flirtations instead of relationships, Megan was protecting her heart. Her parents split and her father’s new family had done a number on her belief in love and truthfully, her taste in guys was pretty bad, so they were always cementing her belief that love was just not for her.

If it wasn’t for Owen I’d wonder if these authors had never met a teenaged boy who wasn’t driven by their hormones. OK, yeah all teenage boys are driven by their hormones, even Owen, but at least he had a brain as well as some morals. He was inspired by Megan’s being so casual about being “the girl before”. The comparison to Rosalind, Romeo’s “girl before” Juliet, I thought, was inspiring. How does that girl go on to find her own love story? Well, if you read Always Never Yours, you’ll find out.

❤️❤️❤️❤️

Opinions from around the Blogosphere

“I guess, in the end, I’d recommend this book if you were a theater kid and you want a nostalgic look back at those days. I don’t know that I’d necessarily recommend it as a romance, but you could certainly do worse if you’re looking for a quick summer read.” The Bibliophagist

“Always Never Yours is a cute YA contemporary story, and while there’s more to this book than meets the eye it is still a little predictable in places. Still this is a perfect read for an afternoon when you have nothing else to do (or read) and Megan is a character you can’t help but root for.” Reading Every Night

Click this link to purchase!* Always Never Yours

Copyright 2019 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate

This Chick Read: Rogue Wave (Cake Series #5) by J. Bengtsson

Synopsis: A love story that survives the test of time.

Keith McKallister is the king of the stoners. You know the type. Every school has one – the hot, fun, dopey guy beloved by the student body but despised by, well, just about everyone else. He spends his early mornings in the ocean and his days trying to get to class on time. Life is as easy as it gets until one poor choice too many catches up with him and he’s forced to reevaluate his path. 

Samantha Anderson sits in the front row. You know the type. Every school has one – the quiet, faceless, studious girl who fears the taunts of her peers and fades into the background. Life has never been simple for Samantha, and it’s about to get a little more complicated when Keith slides into the seat beside her with a partnership plan designed for his benefit only. But what Keith brings to the table is more than either of them could imagine. 

Sometimes the person you least expect to make a difference will change your life forever. Sometimes the person you love the most might be better off without you.

REVIEW:

Rogue Wave tells the story of Keith and Samantha, but in two parts. The first half taking place in High School before Keith’s brother Jake is kidnapped and has a very young adult feel, and the second half of the novel takes place after Jake’s kidnapping and is most definitely a second chance adult romance novel. The combined story takes the reader on such an emotional journey. We’ve read about the kidnapping from Jake’s view point (Cake), but now we see how it affected Keith and how his choices drew him further from happiness.

I don’t recall ever reading a romance that 1) revolved around a main character who was a stoner and 2) where I really liked him. Even though Keith made bad choice after bad choice, he was so dang likable! Typically, I’m not comfortable with stories that revolve around drugs, drug problems, et. al. However, there was just something about Keith that made me want to see his story to its conclusion and root for him. Another surprising element was that even though Sam was the love of his life, she was not written in the role of savior. That made me like this story even more because it made it so real. Just as in real life, for them to finally be happy Keith would have to find his own way out of addiction and do it for himself. The question was, did I want to read that story? Yes, I really did.

Sam also had a lot of growing up to do. Not quite in the same way as Keith, as she wasn’t fighting an addiction to drugs, but she was fighting insecurity, problems at home, and the sudden suicide of her older brother. Also serious subjects! The fact that they found each other and could see through their outer shells to the good people within was pretty amazing. Sam had a very strong moral compass despite her difficult upbringing and that was a strength Keith needed in his life. Did he always choose to follow the right path? Well, you need to read the book.

There are some really great characters in the Cake series. Obviously Jake and Casey are fan favorites but Keith and Sam have found a special place in my heart. If you haven’t read the previous novels don’t read Rogue Wave until you’ve at least read the first novel, Cake. You need the background story of Jake’s kidnapping even though you get Keith’s side of it in Rogue Wave. I just think the emotional impact is stronger if you’ve read at least that first novel. BUT, if you choose not to pick up Cake I think you’ll enjoy reading about Keith and Sam. If you have triggers for drugs, suicide, mental illness, or kidnappings of small children, avoid this one. It’s a pretty emotional journey, but a very good one. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Goodreads: http://smarturl.it/RogueWaveGR 

Amazon: http://smarturl.it/RogueWaveAmazon 

About the Author

A professional stay-at-home-mom for twenty-one years, Jill started her writing career in 2016 after reading a really bad rockstar romance. Although she had no previous writing experience and no desire to become an author, Jill was convinced she could write a better story.

And so began Cake: A Love Story. She wrote the novel for fun and added every single thing she’d ever wanted to read in a romance. Embarrassed by her newfound hobby, Jill kept her writing a secret from her family.

When the story was complete, she turned to Amazon to get the feedback she desired. Not thinking the book would ever sell, Jill planned to pull Cake off Amazon once it got a review or two but that never happened because, within a week of its release, Cake began to soar up the bestseller charts. Not only was Jill shocked by Cake’s success but now she had a whole new burgeoning career on her hands…and some explaining to do. Needless to say, the news of Jill’s secret book bay came as a complete shock to her husband and three children.

Jill is now a full-time writer.

Website: https://jbengtssonbooks.com/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jbengtssonauthor/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CakeALoveStory 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/j._bengtsson/ 

Friday YA: You’d Be Mine by Erin Hahn

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

Click this link to purchase!* You’d Be Mine: A Novel

Copyright Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate

It’s Monday, What are you Reading? (3/11/19)

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

A Dangerous Collaboration (Veronica Speedwell #4) 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.…

LAST SENTENCE READ: I grabbed his hand and raced with him into the westering sun. “Excelsior!”

CURRENTLY READING

You’d be Mine by Erin Hahn

Synopsis:

Annie Mathers is America’s sweetheart and heir to a country music legacy full of all the things her Gran warned her about. Superstar Clay Coolidge is most definitely going to end up one of those things.

But unfortunately for Clay, if he can’t convince Annie to join his summer tour, his music label is going to drop him. That’s what happens when your bad boy image turns into bad boy reality. Annie has been avoiding the spotlight after her parents’ tragic death, except on her skyrocketing YouTube channel. Clay’s label wants to land Annie, and Clay has to make it happen.

Swayed by Clay’s undeniable charm and good looks, Annie and her band agree to join the tour. From the start fans want them to be more than just tour mates, and Annie and Clay can’t help but wonder if the fans are right. But if there’s one part of fame Annie wants nothing to do with, it’s a high-profile relationship. She had a front row seat to her parents’ volatile marriage and isn’t interested in repeating history. If only she could convince her heart that Clay, with his painful past and head over heels inducing tenor, isn’t worth the risk.

Erin Hahn’s thrilling debut, You’d Be Mine, asks: can the right song and the perfect summer on the road make two broken hearts whole?

FIRST SENTENCE READ: If I die, it’s Trina Hamilton’s fault.

I have so many other great books on tap for this week and I can’t wait to read them!

What book are you reading today?

Deb

Friday YA: Undying (Unearthed #2) by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

If you haven’t read Unearthed please know there are slight spoilers for that novel ahead.

At the end of Unearthed Mia and Jules were trapped aboard what was an abandoned alien spacecraft when suddenly it was no longer abandoned. The Undying stepped through a portal filling the ship to capacity. Mia and Jules are still trapped but this time living in the duct system trying to find a way to get off this ship and back home to warn everyone that the Undying were no longer extinct but were on their way to take over Earth.

Similar to Unearthed, Undying was very fast paced, full of action, and the budding romance of Mia and Jules. However, unlike Unearthed I found myself a little less wrapped up in the plot. Although this is a science fiction novel I think when the setting moved back to one I’m familiar with it became a little more mundane. Yes, they were trying to save their planet but instead of the focus being on two teenagers who were trying to survive, the introduction of so many adults to the plot subdued their ability to act immediately. Mia’s jump before you think nature was still in play, but her doubts about their ability to save the earth were tied to the fact that they were so young. When I read YA fantasy and science fiction I immediately throw away the thought that these are kids that have the responsibility to save the world. Kaufman and Spooner chose to make adults a larger part of this plot. By doing that it took me out of my head and made me start to ask those questions again. Why and how are this “kids” going to make everyone believe that the Undying are here already and trying to take over. It wasn’t a huge problem but it did stop me from enmeshing myself fully in the story. I didn’t have that problem in Unearthed. I went along for the crazy ride and really enjoyed it.

Mia and Jules were adorable as a couple. Their feelings were on display to the world and even though they had private moments of doubt their feelings were clear from the start. I also enjoyed the political nature of this novel. You have this other species trying to eradicate the existence of “proto” humans from Earth, but within that species is a faction that disagrees. It gave Dex, one of the Undying, depth and through his actions gave the Undying humanity. If you didn’t have that comparison you wouldn’t have cared at all for their existence.

I did enjoy this novel even though the pace was slower and bogged down in the middle. I think it was a fitting sequel to Unearthed although if I’d had my way they would have kept the action up in that space ship, but that would’ve been a totally different book. LOL. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Opinions from around the Blogosphere.

“Although I did enjoy it, unfortunately, I felt like this one fell a little flat. I mean, it was still enjoyable and I really loved the two main characters, but it was just missing the adventure and the mystery that I loved about the first book. ” The Chronicles of Danielle

“Unfortunately, I didn’t like this book quite as much as the first. I mean, Earth is simply a boring setting when you’ve been to another planet. There was also no thrill of characters falling in love with each other (because, well, they already had).” Brylie and Books

Click this link to purchase!* Undying (An Unearthed Novel)

Copyright 2019 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate