Book Hauls and What's On My Bookshelf

Hello there, bookworms! I've been meaning to get to this post for awhile, and I finally got the time to sit down and get it to you, so I hope you enjoy it because it's going to be a bit of a lengthy one. My apologies in advance!

Lately, I've had a few friends and family messaging and texting me asking me for book recommendations, which causes my brain to all but short out because I slip into geek mode so fast. I'm sure by time the conversation is over, they're ready to run for the hills and wish they never asked me for my input because I go insane shoving books their way. I have to hope and keep my fingers crossed that they take a few of my suggestions, because talking about a mutual love of a book is one of the greatest and simplest pleasures I have in this life. To be able to properly fan-girl and discuss ideas and aspects of plots and characters with my people makes me giddy to the bone.

Also, as a fan of the "what's in my bag?" topic on YouTube (I know.. massive nerd, but they help me think of items to carry that I may randomly forget), I thought I would give you a glimpse into the books I'm reading, what's coming up on my TBR (to be read) pile, and also provide a bit of a method as to how I go about deciding what to buy on my bookish shopping lists for my B&N. Hopefully, this post will spark some discussion, and inspire some of you to break out of your reading box and discover new genres. I'm ALWAYS looking for something new to read, so I know I appreciate a great suggestion (or several) from others. Now is my time to pass it on and spread the literary love. Enjoy some new reads, and feel free to keep me posted if you decide to pick any of these up for your own collections!

I have a few months of shopping hauls to catch up on.. so I'm done rambling. Here's some books:

November 3rd Haul:
These are some classics I have on my TBR, and some I've already read and love to re-visit from time-to-time. 
1) The Short Stories- Ernest Hemingway
2) Greek Classics- Cliffsnotes
3) The Short Stories- F. Scott Fitzgerald
4) The Complete Sherlock Holmes- Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
5) Far From The Madding Crowd- Thomas Hardy
6) The Divine Comedy: Inferno, Purgatorio, Paradiso- Dante
7) Tess of the D'Ubervilles- Thomas Hardy

November 13th Haul:

This was one of my random B&N wanderings. I had my trusty goodreads app open as I browsed my TBR I built to see if any titles jumped out at me. These books I adopted were the results. 

1) Good Omens- Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman

2) Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children- Ransom Riggs (I've since bought the rest of the trilogy)

3) The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer- Michelle Hodkin (I've since bought the rest of the trilogy)

4) Confess- Colleen Hoover

5) November 9- Colleen Hoover

January 3rd Haul:

This was my birthday haul, so I took myself on a date and went a bit cuckoo. 

1) The Outlander 2016 calendar - This was on sale.. so it was a great deal! 

2) The Complete Poems- John Keats

3) First Touch- Laurelin Paige

4) Beowulf- J.R.R. Tolkien

5) The Canterbury Tales- Geoffrey Chaucer

6) Hollow City- Ransom Rigg

7) Library of Souls- Ransom Rigg

8) Myths of the Greeks and Romans- Michael Grant

9) The Nightingale- Kristin Hannah 

January 17th Haul:

I joined Emma Watson and her Shared Shelf feminist-inspired book club via goodreads. Also, I'm forever looking at grad schools, so this led to a bit of an eclectic batch of books. 

1) My Life on the Road- Gloria Steinem

2) Cruel Crown- Victoria Aveyard (this is the sequel to Red Queen which I purchased earlier in the year)

3) Grad's Guide to Graduate Admission Essays- Colleen Reding

February 5th Haul: 

Who doesn't love book mail? I know I do! Both of these purchases are parts of series, so if you're thinking of purchasing either one, make sure to go online and look at what order the books are posted in among the overall series. 

1) Wicked Sexy Liar- Christina Lauren (Wild Seasons Series) 

2) The Shadow- Sylvain Reynard (The Florentine Series)

February 28th Haul: 

This was another random outing to B&N. Many weekends, I find myself wandering the shelves of my local store either with a friend in tow, or taking myself on a date, and leave with my arms hurting, and my bank account significantly smaller. This was one of those trips. I also decided to replenish my romance shelves. 

1) Mine- Helenkay Dimon (Holton Woods Series. I also own the rest of the series)

2) The Selection- Kiera Cass (The Selection Series. I've since bought the rest of the series)

3) Beautiful Boss- Christina Lauren (Beautiful Bastard series. I own the rest of the series) 

4) Mercy- Helenkay Dimon (Holton Woods Series)

March 19th Haul: 

I have no explanation. It was a wild weekend and I just went bonkers with taking items off of the shelves. 

1) Doctor Who Coloring Book- I wouldn't be a proper Whovian without one!

2) Exposed- Jasinda Wilder (Madame X Series) 

3) You- Caroline Kepnes (You Series)

4) Hidden Bodies- Caroline Kepnes (You Series)

5) The Elite- Kiera Cass (The Selection Series)

6) The One- Kiera Cass (The Selection Series)

7) Madame- Jasinda Wilder (Madame X Series) 

April 1st Haul: 

I was gearing up for all things Outlander and picking up what I could of the end of a series I was reading. 

1) Outlander edition of TV Guide

2) Happily Ever After- Kiera Cass (The Selection Series novellas) 

3) The Heir- Kiera Cass (The Selection Series) 

4) Scarred Souls- Tillie Cole (Scarred Souls Series) 

April 2nd Haul: 

You're reading the dates correctly. I went to B&N twice in two days. 

1) The Siren- Kiera Cass 

2) Love Letters to the Dead- Ava Dellaira

3) An Irish Country Girl- Patrick Taylor (Irish Country Series. I also own part of this series) 

4) The Girl You Left Behind- JoJo Moyes

5) The Ship of Brides- JoJo Moyes

April 14th Haul: 

Here's a glimpse of the books I have en route to me via Amazon. Some of these I read as ebooks, and some I have yet to read. Either way, I want the paperbacks on my shelf. 

1) An Irish Country Christmas- Patrick Taylor (Irish Country Series)

2) Gone Girl- Gillian Flynn

3) Paper Princess- Erin Watt (The Royals Series) 

4) The Bad Ones- Stylo Fantôme

5) The Player- Kresley Cole (The Game Maker Series) 

6) 44 Chapters About 4 Men- BB Easton

Lastly, I thought I'd give all of you a glance at my TBR shelf. These are (mostly) books from the prior hauls that are on deck. What is not pictured are other novels I have on my larger book cases, books that I have on my iBooks app, and books that I have on my Kindle. If that were the case, we'd be here until at least tomorrow. If you'd like me to do another post about what I have on those devices, feel free to let me know and I'll get to it next! 

1) Myths and Legends

2) Red Queen

3) Cruel Crown

4) A Brief History of Time and Space

5) The Book Thief

6) Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

7) Hollow City

8) Library of Souls

9) Beowulf

10) Myths of the Greeks and Romans

11) The Secret History

12) The Devil in the White City

13) The Complete Poems

14) The Canterbury Tales

15) Lord John and the Private Matter

16) Lord John and the Hand of Devils

17) Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade

18) The Scottish Prisoner

19) Grey

20) Ulysses

21) The Ship of Brides

22) The Girl You Left Behind

23) The Siren

24) Love Letters to the Dead

25) Madame

26) Exposed

27) The Bookman's Tale

28) Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

29) An Irish Country Doctor

30) An Irish Country Village

31) An Irish Country Girl 

Well, if you're still here, thanks for sticking with me! Future haul posts most-likely won't be nearly as long, I just had a lot of catching up to do at the moment. I've been dying to post this one for awhile (clearly). I hope this blurb was able to give you some ideas as far as what to read next, or will maybe spark some discussion if you have already read any of the books listed above. Lastly, like I said earlier, I'm always taking suggestions myself, so send some of your ideas my way! 

Until next time... happy reading and have a lovely weekend! xx

Playing For Love and Beautiful: Cover Reveals Times Two!

Holy Moses, everyone! I apologize for slacking on posts this whole weekend. I just did NOT have a minute to bask in the excitement. What excitement, you ask? We have TWO new cover reveals, and I for one, am positively giddy!

Expanding the blog to incorporate not only reviews, but book hauls, cover reveals, TBRs, etc has already put me behind the eight ball. With work, an attempt at a sliver of a social life, tackling my pile of stories, and bringing posts for all occasions makes me feel like I'm already slacking (which I am). There are only so many hours in the day, but I hope to get to these posts as soon as I'm able.

Now that I've given a bit of a disclaimer, let's dive into the good stuff, shall we?

First up, we have Playing For Love from the one and only J.C. Grant. I reviewed her debut novel, Playing For Keeps a few months back, and needless to say, I'm beyond ready for more of the powerhouse that is David Taylor. BEWARE!!! This is an erotic romance, so read at your own risk!

COVER REVEAL
Playing For Love by J.CGrant
Release Date April 27th
‪
Blurb:

David Taylor is the most possessive, dominant, alpha male I have ever met. Technically he's a stalker. He is bossy, needy, nasty, and so very sweet. He is everything I need him to be. I love him so much it scares me.
Austin James is mine.
Mine to take care of.
Mine to spoil.
MINE.
The first time I saw her, I knew she was MINE.
I saw a reflection of myself in her.
Broken. Damaged. Guarded.
I can't explain the depth of my feelings or why it happened so fast.
I just know she's mine and I'll do anything to keep her.

Add to your Goodreads TBR:
http://bit.ly/22cF7iq

 

 

 

Last, but not least, we have the fifth and last book in the Beautiful Bastard series by the amazing duo, Christina Lauren! I've read every single book in this series, plus all the in-between novellas. There are too many to link here, so peruse back through the blog to check out the reviews. It's not a series you want to miss out on at all!  

 

Cover Reveal:

Beautiful, the last book in the Beautiful Series by Christina Lauren has a cover!!! I am all but jumping up and down in my office!

Blurb:
The tenth work in the New York Times and #1 internationally bestselling series that started with Beautiful Bastard.

A new couple finds love, and the casts of the previous books join in to celebrate this series finale in the most Beautiful way possible.

"One free spirited Brit. One man weighed down by responsibility . . ....
(Also, a disorientatingly sweet Chloe, confused Bennett, grumpy Sara, Max as you know and love him, travel planner Hanna, chef Will, drunk Ruby, content Niall, George–oh, George–a rented van)
. . . and a whole lot of wine."

Add to GR:https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29368164-beautiful…

Preorder:http://amzn.to/1XrmqGq

 

 

I'm seriously so damn pumped for these books to hit the shelves! More awesome contemporary romances with alpha males to add to the book boyfriends list! I can't wait to share reviews with all of you after I get my paws on these two! 

 

You- A Series Review

Greetings, fellow bibliophiles! Long time, no chat! I finally finished my latest series and it's a doozy! I've been meaning to get to these books for awhile so I'm excited to share my thoughts! On a random outing to my local B&N for the latest book haul, I finally came across the complete series of You by Caroline Kepnes. I did, however, do a bad thing. I totally judged these books by the covers. I was absolutely intrigued when I saw both You and Hidden Bodies popping up in my Instagram timeline with readers going berserk for these stories. After grabbing the basic info, I popped on to my goodreads app to get the description and overall rating before adding these puppies to my ever-expanding TBR pile/shelf/bookcase. Now that I've read them both, I'm awaiting more story, the option for the TV adaptation, and coping with my Joe withdrawal. Let's get to it so that you can all run to your closest bookstores and swipe up copies of these novels.  

Book one is the title of the series, You. This might be the least comprehensive review I've written to date because I'm simply flabbergasted, gob smacked, speechless, stunned, so on and so on.

This book grabbed me from page one, hell, from the first freaking sentence. I could NOT put it down. I really and truly mean that with every ounce of sincerity I could muster. I finished this book in the parking lot of a Panera because I just had to have this book with me and had to know how it ended right then and there while I waited for my Pick Two combo to be made.

For me, there's not a single character I this book I could empathize with, but for once, I found that part of the appeal to keep going. Usually, when I'm disgusted with a character or find them unrelatable, I wind up disconnected from the whole story and don't invest my attention, mind, and heart the way I properly should. The opposite happened with this story. Joe is fishy right from the start, but I'm fascinated by how he thinks. I immediately despised Peach and Benji, and once the layers started peeling away (which happens pretty early on), I wound up loathing Beck as well.

In all honesty, I can't say too much because it's very easy for me to say enough to give away major  (and I mean MAJOR) plot points with this story, but just.... Read it, now, no.... Yesterday. I'm absolutely blown away. Despite the fact I couldn't wrap my mind around the lives of Nantucket bred, pretentious Brown kids and their designer drugs and first world problems (I even had to look up the word solipsistic.. I don't work in a used and rare book store.. ugh, I WISH) I gobbled this book up. It's so dark and disturbing that even though there was a sense of an end in book one, I know we're not done with this adventure yet.

If you're a fan of Dexter, Norman Bates, Paul Spector, or the Investigation Discovery channel, pick up this book and get to the page-turning as soon as possible! You won't have nails left, but you sure as hell will have your heart pumping!

My Final Rating: five out of five stars

Hidden Bodies is the sequel to You, and boy, is it ever a sequel. Every time I attempted to write a proper review of this book, words simply failed me. All I can say is that I'm glad this series is in progress with ShowTime because I'm beyond anxious to see how Joe's story plays out on the small screen. Now all I need is to call my cable company and add ShowTime to my monthly bill because I know I'll NEED this show when it debuts.

I'm a massive fan of Norman Bates, Paul Spector, Dexter, and now, Joe Goldberg. I know I mentioned that when reviewing You. The inner workings of Joe's mind absolutely boggle me and I find myself routing for him even though I know he shouldn't be out and about among what we deem "regular" society.

Leaving the streets of New York and his dark past behind him, Joe is on a mission in Los Angeles, and seems to meet all the right people along the way. It's when the past mingles with the present to ruin the future that Joe has a problem and needs to become even more determined in his life's path.

I had numerous interruptions while reading this book, and I almost wanted to pull a Joe of my very own because this story was so utterly full-to-the-brim of suspense, that it drove me crazy to put it down even for a single second! Kepnes may have just shot to the top of my list of favorite writers. Her story-telling is phenomenal and so thorough. I need more Joe in my life ASAP. I must know where his story takes us next! I'm pretty sure there has to be a book three somewhere, but I'm going to keep my fingers crossed just incase.

My Final Rating: five out of five stars

 

The Slam (ARC)- A Review

Happy Monday, bibliophiles! Yes, I'm bringing you another review already! Get excited! I received was recently contacted by a follower on my Facebook page to read and review her latest book. Obviously, I jumped at the chance! The darling Haleigh Lovell gifted me an ARC and even without much of a description or giveaway as to what I was in for, I was excited to dive in as fast as I could! It's called, The Slam, and I'm just going to get right to the review because I'm too jittery over this read!

I'm sad real life got in the way a bit, but once I started reading this one last night, I couldn't put it down. I've never read a romance novel that made our leading lady one with a condition. I found Adelaide fascinating. She was too cute for words, and I adored Ender even more for how much he doted on and cared for her without letting her condition affect their friendship. I'd love to say more about it, but I'd be giving too much away, so I'm going to let you all find out for yourselves once you grab a copy of this book!

Not only did I get a fun and budding love story, but Adelaide made me learn new things too, which was interesting and gave the story another layer. I'm glad she explained so much throughout the journey and allowed me inside her head, otherwise, I'm not sure I would've related to her quite as much. In her detailed explanations and brutal honesty, I was able to put myself in her shoes and see the world through her eyes instead of my own.

Seriously, Ender could not have been better. He's always been Adelaide's best buddy even from the time they were little children, so I'm glad that even though he became this tennis star and big-man-on-campus, his opinion of her never changes. In fact, she becomes even more endearing and loveable to him. That's unreal to me how awesome they were together both as friends, and even as something more.

This was a really fast read, so I hope to see more from these two. I was just getting into the whole boat idea and the ridiculous level of adorable of "many many many more dates" and it ended... so I think this is where I beg for a sequel. Pretty please!

PS- Thank you a million times over for this gift of a story, Haleigh! I appreciate you thinking of me to get an advanced copy so I could tell you (and everyone else) how much I loved it! xx         

My Final Rating: four out of five stars

 

 

 

 

 

The Nightingale- A Review

Good morning, bibliophiles! Today, I'm going to dive right in to this latest review because it's the day after I closed the book and I'm still absolutely stunned by what I've read. It's a book I've had sitting on my shelf for awhile, and I'm really sad it took as long as it did to get to it! However, I'm really glad I did, and I can't wait to tell you what I thought! The book I'm discussing is The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah. It's been on several Best Seller lists, and with good reason. You should read this review and then go pick up a copy if you haven't already!

This was a gorgeous yet heartbreaking book. Anything else I say will not properly express my sentiments towards the power of this story. Regardless, I'll do what I can to explain and convey my experience in the French countryside the best I can.

There's something about World War II novels that always draw me in hook, line, and sinker. Maybe it's so I never forget what our universe has dealt with in history, maybe it's because the sheer terror of what happened on such a grand scale that borders on unreal when we discuss it these days, maybe it's the tales of the survivors that make me feel empowered as a human being. Who knows, but this one had me savoring pages as if I would never read again.

My heart was in my throat for Vianne and Isabelle the entire story. Living in Nazi-occupied France was an absolute nightmare. These women would wake up each day and not know what to expect. Their tremendous will to survive and live through everything they experienced puts society today into perspective. When these women and their families had to go without things like coffee, bread, a coat, or fitted shoes, my heart shattered for them to have so little. The sacrifices they made, and how they endured for years was nothing short of unreal. The fact they could both call themselves heroes at the end of it all made it so much better and allowed me the opportunity to smile for them and what they achieved. I would go into detail about their contributions to the war efforts, but I'd honestly rather you be surprised and experience their courageous acts on your own.

The ending was powerful and tied past & present together so perfectly. I had a feeling as to who a few mystery characters were, and when their identities were revealed, I was misty-eyed. Although much of the story was sad, and to recall such a horrific time in World History, it also had its triumphant moments as well. That's all we want in tales of darkness, to see a bit of light at the end of the tunnel and hope that it will all wind up okay.

I could not be more elated that I picked this book up in my travels. It deserves the goodreads award for a reason. Do not hesitate in giving this a read!

My Final Rating: five out of five stars

Holton Woods- A Series Review

Hey all! Happy hump day evening! I bring you good tidings annnnnnnd a new book (series) review! I apologize in advance because I went through a slight ordeal with this trilogy and, well, you'll see below when I'm reviewing and explaining the journey start-to-finish. 

The books I'm discussing tonight are the Holton Woods trilogy by Helenkay Dimon. Each story is really well written and thorough, but I had a bit of a bumpy road, and, well, my experience with them suffered because of my silly self. 

The first installment is called Mercy. It's hard for me to come up with words about this story. Let me start by saying I read book two first (seriously, just bear with me). When I found this book on the shelf of B&N... It wasn't this book, it was Only, which is the sequel. However, when I looked it up on goodreads, I didn't see anything about it being a trilogy, so I just grabbed the book I saw (two) and got started. See? Ridiculous, right?

I'm not going to talk about Only in this space, but I'll say, I found it enjoyable considering I read these out of order, and I wasn't sure if because of that, I felt a disconnect to the plot, but now that I read book one as well, I know that is not the case.

Overall, and on a technical note, Mercy was a good story. There was a plot and a lot going on. Paragraphs and pages flowed together beautifully. So on that note, I adored it and gave it full credit, I just couldn't connect with anyone and that put a distance between me and the text.

Questions I had after finishing book two were made clear having read book one, however, I didn't get to know these characters except for the time they spent together. Jarrett and Becca were involved and serious pretty quickly, and their jobs led to a massive falling out and even jail time for him. Now, she needs his help and as much as they want to hate each other and keep their interaction to strictly business, there's more there that they left unfinished when they parted ways the first time.

Aside from some insight to what happened that caused this pair to split in the first place, and a sliver of a glimpse as to Jarrett's childhood, I didn't know enough about this couple to really cheer them on the way I wanted to all throughout the text. 

My Final Rating: three out of five stars 

Okay, now on to book two, entitled, Only. This second installment revolves around Jarrett's lawyer, Sebastian Jameson, and the little sister of one of Jarrett's colleagues, Kyra. I enjoyed Bast and Kyra. They're a lovely dynamic. I did, however, feel they rushed they're feelings for each other a bit. 

Sebastian, or Bast, as he's called, recently settled a nasty divorce with his ex-wife who has since published a tell-all book about her ex-husband's habits in the bedroom. He's notorious in the Washington D.C. area, and that has attracted young Kyra's attention greatly. Now a grown working woman, she sees the man she wants, and isn't shy about pursuing him. Their relationship borders on taboo, but when they're together, they're quite explosive. 

I may have been too busy with life, but it may have been because I made the mistake of not reading Mercy first, but I finished this book and still had questions to a few unresolved issues in the plot. Due to these factors, I couldn't give this story more than three stars.

My Final Rating: three out of five stars

Without fail, I loved this book, entitled Mine, the most in the series! Gabe and Natalie are an absolute handful and both stubborn as mules, but they mirror each other quite well. I met these two briefly while I made my way through the first two books, so I'm glad I got more of their story. 

Thrown together for a CIA investigation, Gabe is hired to protect Natalie while there's a price on her head. They're flown off into no-man's-land to a teeny tiny cabin in Montana, and with very little else to do, these fiercely independent individuals have to find a way to become fast friends. 

While that's not necessarily how it goes, as a reader, I was thrilled I met characters I could connect with in some way. In their seclusion, they did some talking and were able to peel back the layers to reveal more of themselves with each other than they ever have with anyone else. 

When their location is forced to move elsewhere, the pair wind up at Gabe's house, and Natalie gets a final glimpse about any secrets Gabe had left for himself. She meets his son and brothers, and lines are crossed into a territory that is terrifying for the both of them. 

It's when more about Gabe's past comes into the spotlight that Natalie makes a life-altering decision for him. Going against Gabe's wishes, she does what she has to in order to ensure the future of his son, even if it causes her to lose Gabe in the process. 

Out of all three books in this series, these two won hands down. They're intense, sassy, and the chemistry is absolutely off-the-charts when they play their cards right. I saw more of the real them than I did with any of the other couples who came prior. They may have moved a bit quickly in their process of trying to become a couple, but I can see how it worked for them. Absolutely adored them as a couple and how much they adapted to make each other fit into a potential future as one! They may have a lot to learn, but I'm going to keep my fingers crossed for what comes down the road for the two of them. 

My Final Rating: four out of five stars

 

RoomHate- A Review

Hey all, and happy Monday! It's a snowy and chilly President's Day in my neck of the woods which meant a slow day at the office which meant, yup, I started and finished a book. I'm excited to bring this review your way! I have one more individual installment novel in my TBR before I tackle a semi-lengthy series. So after the next review, I may disappear for a bit longer until I get all the books in the series read. Anyway, let's dive into tonight's review which is RoomHate by Penelope Ward. 


I know, this was just released today, and you should go pick up a copy for your Kindle over on Amazon right now because it's on sale today only for $3.99, so, hop to it, folks! This was just one of those books I couldn't put down. I sat in my office all day just absorbing the life out of this story, and I couldn't be happier with the fact I got to spend the day with the lovely and irresistible, Justin Banks. 


Amelia Payne has inherited her grandmother's gorgeous Victorian house right on the beach in Newport, which sounds pretty dreamy. It sounds even more enticing when half of the inheritance goes to one of the most beautiful men around, her old friend, Justin Banks. Splitting a house with a fine specimen of a man as your roommate sounds ideal, right? Wrong. 


Amelia and Justin may have been best friends at one point in time, but things change, people grow up, some run away, and lives are altered. Now, they're sharing property and living under the same roof while trying to keep their disdain for one another in check (which is extremely hard to do). Also, Amelia is fresh out of a relationship, and Justin has been seeing a girl named Jade for quite some time, so bring on the complications. 


It takes time, talking, and several extenuating circumstances to get these two back on the same page so they can become trusting friends again. It's when they reach that point where everything is rosy again that things change even more and develop into something they've never explored before. Now, there's tension and attraction involved. Things get messy and complicated, and there's an overwhelming amount of whiplash from all the back-and-forth of what they think they might feel for one another while also trying to balance outside parties. It's when Amelia finds herself in a life-altering situation that Justin really comes to the rescue to be the man she's always wanted. 


When circumstances seem to FINALLY be falling in their favor, Justin is offered an unbelievable opportunity he just can't refuse. Will everything they just built come crumbling down, or will they endure for the long haul this time? 

I adored this story! Don't get me wrong, I wanted to smack the bejesus out of the two of them half the time, but they kept me entertained (and wanting to scream at them simultaneously) . The constant growing tension is what made this story  absolutely everything for me. It was so fun, yet frustrating, but I had to keep reading to see  how and when it would all reach a pinnacle and explode into what I was waiting for with these two. Every moment of this story was worth it. What a fun, sexy, and quick read!




My Final Rating: four out of five stars

F*ck Love- A Review

Happy Valentine's Day to all my bibliophiles out there! Maybe it's the cynic in me, or just the single girl, but I think I picked the most appropriate book for a review to fit the holiday. F*ck Love by Tarryn Fisher was the perfect book for me to get cozy with on this day of love, adoration, , couples, and PDA galore. Tis the season! Also, I apologize in advance if this makes little sense. Coffee never kicked in for me this morning and I've been having a really hard time trying to put a sentence together. It's a lazy Sunday for sure because my thoughts are not translating properly. Here we go... 


I'm sitting here the morning (afternoon) after, still trying to figure out what to write about this book, and I'm actually a bit frustrated with myself. All I can say is that Tarryn Fisher has done it again. This is the fifth book of hers that I've read, and she just sucks me into her worlds every single time. She has this ridiculous talent for writing about love and relationships, but not without incorporating all the sadness, hurt, pitfalls, and downsides that have the tendency to come with fighting for what you want.



Tarryn writes romance that's unconventional as far as novel standards go, but is very normal for the real world. When we read a story of love, we want the perfection, the happy ending, the extras that we don't get when it comes to the mundane and every day of our own lives. She takes real issues and people who are less than perfect, and lets them tell their story.


Helena is a unique soul. She is not the perky cheerleader that is her best friend, Della. She's shaping her whole future around a dream she had one night. In this dream, she was married to Della's boyfriend, Kit and together, they have two children. It seems silly and unrealistic, but Helena is able to let go of what she thought her future was supposed to be (the beige bitch who works in accounting, as straight-laced as you could possibly get) in order to discover who she really is (artist? blogger? working in an art studio?). Her friendship with Kit allows him to see things about himself as well. 


Their friendship is strange considering the circumstances. He's dating Della, and Helena winds up single when she finds out her boyfriend, Neil (the one she was supposed to build a future with) has been cheating on her. Helena hangs out with Kit while he works, they text each other fairly regularly, they hang out from time to time, which blurs the line of the friends they're supposed to be, and something else entirely. 


It ached to see their chemistry meshing so well, but their timing so wrong. Without a dream opening up their curiosity to what they could be together, Kit and Helena could have remained blissfully unaware of their potential. I can completely understand why this book is titled the way it is, because all I kept thinking during their struggles both together and apart was, "f*ck love". 


Kudos to them for trudging through a roller coaster of a journey loaded with twists and turns to see what would happen. There were so many times when I thought I would have walked away and just taken the loss. When they were hurting, it was brutal, and I couldn't bear it for either of them. 



Happy endings are another thing Tarryn does so well. While other stories wrap up everything in a sweet little bow with a wedding or a baby (or both), she goes the route of something much more realistic in this day and age. It just proves an indviduals' ending is different and unique to their own lives, and you don't necessarily need a white dress or a bunch of flowers to achieve pure happiness. 

My Final Rating: five out of five stars

Wicked Sexy Liar (Wild Seasons #4)- A Review

Hello again, bibliophiles! Long time, no see and also, happy hump day! The weekend (and tons of reads) are just around the corner... we can make it, I promise!

Just as a quick aside, I want to say thank you to all of you who are reading this little blog and giving me feedback on these reviews! When I made my last post, I had a ton of issues with fonts and editing out of the blue, and it took me much longer than I would have liked to sort it all out and get the review out to you. However, I genuinely enjoy devouring novels and then sharing the literary love with all of you when I can! Thanks to a real love of books, I've met some of the coolest people ever from all across the globe, and the audience and interaction just seems to keep growing and manifesting into its own creature. Who knows what it could turn into down the road, but for now, I just wanted to say thank you thank you thank you! I adore every single one of you!

Now that I've professed my deep gratitude, I'm just going to jump into review mode. I met my latest book boyfriend, and now all of you need to meet him too! Wicked Sexy Liar is book four in Christina Lauren's Wild Seasons series. As usual, I try to group all of my series reviews into one longer entry, but seeing as how I already have the other three reviewed and honestly wasn't aware there was a fourth installment on the way, here we are. If you need to meet the first three couples (which you absolutely should), you can read my previous reviews at the following links, book one, Sweet Filthy Boy, book two, Dirty Rowdy Thing, and book three, Dark Wild Night . Seriously, these boys are the bees knees, so go check them out asap!

Every time I settle down with a Christina Lauren book, I think, "there's no way they can top the last one.. that was the one.. the dream boat of a man..", and then they go and add another hot guy to my endless list of hot guys who also happen to be amazing. Thank goodness for the realms of fiction, because when it comes to my literary men, I'm the biggest polygamist around. I'm obsessed with them all.

Remember the lovely Mia from way back in book one (oh, and her lovely french husband, Ansel)?, welllllll... do you also remember her ex-boyfriend, Luke? Yeah, we're discussing him this go-round, so buckle up!

So, this group of friends is starting to inter-mingle quite a bit. We have Luke, and then we have London (Lola's bestie and roommate from book three). They are introduced one night while she's bartending at the local stomping grounds, Fred's. They bounce some witty remarks off of one another, flirt awhile, and us readers just know it's going somewhere interesting.

Luke was with Mia essentially since they were kids, so when they broke up, he became a massive womanizer (surprise, surprise). London was with a man named Justin throughout most of her college career and winds up dumping him when she catches him in the act with another girl. Are we sensing the tone? London has walls built up that are a mile-high, and Luke sees that as a challenge...plus... there's just something about her. He can't quite put his finger on it yet, but he knows she's special.

London knows Luke is trouble. Luke knows London is his game-changer. When they mix, it's explosive! Luke might be the player of players, but he's also devoted to his sister, mother, and grandmother, and caters to them as often as he can, so you know buried under all that male, is a heart of gold worth giving a chance. London just has to see that too and let him in a little.

Luke enjoys that she's sassy, sharp, independent, and the polar opposite of clingy. As he pursues her, secrets are unveiled and drastic changes take place.

Their relationship is a whirlwind, but beyond worth fighting for, we just have to get them in the ring together, because they don't always notice what exactly is happening between them. They love to play it safe and remain friends so their habits aren't necessarily jeopardized, but they're absolutely in for it with each other.

Needless to say... ready for it... I LOVE LUKE SUTTER! The moment he won me over completely was during one of his inner monologues saying, "When I love, I do it to the center of the earth. TO the part that's liquid, soft, terrifying." What guy in real life thinks like that (if anyone finds him, bring him to me, please).

London gave him crap when he deserved it, for sure, but when they were good together, they were phenomenal; passionate, intense, sexy, spontaneous, combustive... I can't think properly to convey what these two made me feel when I was in their presence. I know they fought it with every fiber of their being, and it did add a little something spicy to their encounters, but sometimes, I just wanted to scream at them to stop resisting already!

If you know Christina Lauren's books, get ready to meet yet another one of their delicious men for the book boyfriend stack, and if you haven't... um... what are you waiting for?

My Final Rating: five out of five stars

 

The Shadow (Florentine #2)- A Review

Good evening, all! Happy Monday! Thank goodness it's almost over. It's been a long day on my end and all I have wanted to do since I woke up this morning, was to relax and review a book for every single one of you. Thankfully, my night has begun to wind down so I can do just that.... so, hooray! It's about time, because I am absolutely chomping at the bit to get this latest read out to everyone! Sylvain Reynard has released his newest book, so needless to say, I've been fingerling since my copy of The Shadow arrived in the mail the other day. Instead of going crazy with being formal and doing any sort of editing, Im' going to just jump in and gush over these pages. I've been awake since 6am, so just bear with me. Shall we?

Are any of us really shocked that Reynard has come up with another dazzling installment to his series? I'm definitely not! The Shadow is book two (technically three) in his Florentine series. You can read my earlier review of his novella, The Prince, and book one, The Raven, here.
 

I know I talk about this author and his books to death, but they're stunning (honestly, I can't praise any of these stories enough)! I first encountered Reynard's work when I discovered his Gabriel series. I read that trilogy two or three years ago and have yet to meet a love story I adored more. I give them a re-read as often as I can, and it's just and gorgeous a story the fourth time as it was the first. The Florentine series is a spinoff and continuation of his original trilogy, only Sylvain takes it to another level. Not a surprise, but it's just as enchanting as all the other prior installments. To start at the beginning, check out books one through three of the Gabriel series. You can read my review here.

As the girl who can swear she has not met a vampire novel she's actually liked to date (I honestly don't even read them... Twilight scarred me enough), I can honestly say, this series is the exception and you must give it a go! I know these stories began as Twilight fan fiction, so even approaching the Gabriel series, I was hesitant, but it really morphed into its own tale. The Florentine series delves into the shadows that lurk the streets of Florence at night, but unlike most vampire stories, these beings are not only ancient, but also magical and majestic. 

Combining romance, thrill, mystery, fantasy, history, culture, and danger that spans across the globe and centuries as well, The Shadow is a roller coaster of a ride and fantastic continuation of The Raven, and our newest swoony book boyfriend, William York. 

Raven and William are learning the ropes of their alluring feelings to one another, but with her being a human, and him being something other worldly, they face their fair share of challenges. 

Not only are they approaching the unknowns of their relationship with caution, but trouble seems to be lurking around every corner trying to tear them apart. The police are investigating Raven for the theft of priceless Dante pieces that have gone missing from the Ufizzi, William must face a traitor among his own kind which could mean the end of his people, Raven's abusive step father is back in the picture, and an order of Jesuit priests (known as The Curia) are trying to steal Raven from William and separate the lovers for good. 

Speaking of Dante, our beloved professor from the Gabriel series, Mr. Emerson, and his beloved Julianne make return cameos. Although they weren't as prominent as they were in book one (there's no such thing as "too much" when it comes to the professor, so on this front, I was a bit gloomy), I still adored getting more time with the Emersons and their growing family, even if it was just a sliver of an update. 

William York may be the epitome of darkness, but Raven sees his internal light, and so do I. I can't help but take his side and hope everything turns out for the best for these two! 

PS- the bonus bit with Gabriel & Julia in the end had me fangirling like no other! At first, I wasn't sure what to make of it, but letting it fester in my brain a bit after I had shut the book and gone to bed had me thinking my darling professor just got a million times hotter (which I didn't know was possible)! 

My Final Rating: five out of five stars

Finding Fraser- A Review

Happy Friday, bibliophiles! I hope everyone is ready for a weekend of reading! My day started out quite snowy, but the office is quiet. I'm just counting down the hours until I can go curl up with another book. In the mean time, how about a review, eh?

Also, very quickly, I've been doing some thinking about this blog. It's kind of manifesting into its own creature, and I've been thinking about taking it into newer directions. Some ideas I thought of were more images and videos (book trailers and such via YouTube so you can get a visual), and also maybe some movie reviews for book-to-film adaptations? I figured they go hand-in-hand so why not go to that next level? I'd love some feedback if you'd be so kind! Anyway... I'm done rambling, so, review time (this time I promise)!!

Fans of Outlander and all things Jamie Fraser... BRACE YOURSELVES! Up today is a novel all you Sassenachs must have in your possession (if you haven't already done so). It's Finding Fraser by KC Dyer, and it is a-ma-ZING! Seriously, I've been fangirling over this book since the moment I knew of its existence and it absolutely did not disappoint! Considering how much I've been dying for a getaway myself lately, the story of Emma Sheridan and the journey she takes not only hit the spot, but also made me crave something new and exciting in my own life even more.

I can NOT say enough good things about this book. What a wonderful read! If you're a romantic, a reader, a dreamer, Outlander obsessed, writer, blogger, or an eternal wanderlust, or all of the above, this story is absolutely for you!

Emma is living the life I want to live (seriously, I crave her existence sooo badly). I'm not sure if I love her or hate her for just that reason. She's through with the mundane and routine that her life has become at the age of twenty-nine. She longs for a story of her own to tell, and a real-life book boyfriend by her side while she does it. Needless to say, she's not finding him in Chicago, so it was time to set out to greener pastures, and what better place than bonny Scotland!

She is indeed a brave girl. Faced with the unknown and traveling solo, she deals with and overcomes her fears and travels to a place she had only ever read about. In doing so, she finds a whole new life. A trip deemed crazy by those she knew back home wound up being her life-changing experience. She met interesting people along the way, learned about survival, became an un-official Scot, found a job, opened some doors across the globe, and searched for her Fraser.

This book just didn't go at all how I thought it would! I thought it would turn out like most romances do, and I wound up getting so much more than I bargained for and I'm thrilled! Considering I, myself, am stuck in the routine for now, it was fantastic to live vicariously through Emma and enjoy the history, culture, and people of Scotland all while remaining in the state of New Jersey.

Does she find her Fraser (as in the one and only Jamie Fraser)? You'll have to find out, but the most important thing to remember is that this book is about finding yourself first. Emma is my wannabe spirit animal and I can only hope that one day I find the courage she found to live my life to the fullest, do something crazy once in awhile, and just go with the flow. Until then, I'll just have to settle for pure envy!

My Final Rating: five out of five stars

 

Just as a PS- If you have not met James Alexander Malcolm Mackenzie Fraser from the stunning Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon, One, what are you waiting for?? Two (and lastly), this is what (or who, rather) you're missing: