Bookish Posts and Books Read of Week of April 9th through April 15th
This week has been such a strong week! We finally got some sunshine this week! Its been fantastic, we are getting 50-60 degree weather We did get snow but most of it has been spring perfect weather. And I have been loving it, we have had so much cold temps this winter and records amount of snow. My mouth is feeling normal again and I am so happy to be getting back to feeling normal. My reading was so solid this week and I got to so many good reads. I have some fun plans this week including hosting a read-along (which I will be announcing MONDAY and I am so so EXCITED and hope you all join along) and its also my BLOGOVERSARY THIS WEEK as well, so definitely going to be doing some celebrating! And LOOK at all the books I got to this week??!!! Such a great week of reading.
(All my books read and their reviews are on Goodreads, I have linked for you)
List and Link book reviews with ratings and description of opinion via goodreads
Book Read-Blaze Erupting by Rebecca Zanetti–Rating 5 Stars—This novellas was such a blast! I loved getting back to this world and it does take place when Scorpius was just starting and there was a semblance of a government and order, so that was really interesting to see the beginnings and the romance was darling. A solid second chance romance.
Book Read-Freeing Sully by Melissa Foster—Rating 5 Stars—This is the prequel to the upcoming release of “For The Love of Whiskey” and I can’t wait. This is basically a short story about the heroine escaping a religious cult as her story is the book releasing later this week. So if you plan on reading that one, I recommend reading this one before you jump into that release.
Book read-Bound by Dreams by Tracey Jane Davenport—Rating 4 Stars—This was adorbs! I loved this rock star pairing and its always fun when the heroine has had some hero worship for the hero as a musician. And it had some serial plot build up that was intriguing and I can’t wait to get more into the series.
Book Read-Lies and Lullabies by Sarina Bowen—Rating 3.5 Stars—I WANTED to love this more than I did, but you know Secret Baby is never going to get a 5 star read unless there is a big grovel from the heroine or she doesn’t deceive the hero but you know what she did deceive the hero. But its Sarina Bowen so I was still able to enjoy it for the most part and excited to continue the series and loved the backstory of the MM romance, hope we see more of that in the trilogy.
Book Read-Unhinged by Onley James—Rating 4.5 Stars—This book was EPIC! I loved it. If you love dark romance and MM romance, then I highly recommend it. Its basically a assassin series. Its about a man who adopts 7 boys who due to the abuse they suffered would become sociopaths in society, so he takes them in and targets that to get them to do some good for society. Basically hunt down the worst of the worse in society that the system fails for justice. In this one, Adam is the assassin who killed Noah’s father, but then Noah hunts him down and Adam tells him the truth and Noah has to face his abuse that his subconscious had blocked from his memory until then. Truly such a beautiful book and I can’t wait to read the rest of the brothers, because they were hilarious.
Book Read-Pure Awakening by Aja James—Rating 4 Stars—Such a solid novella. This is just a beginning of the story between these two. And they have some novellas and then a primary novel, so I wanted to see the beginnings of their relationship. She isn’t my favorite heroine of the series, but she is intriguing.
Book Read-Max Wilde’s Cowboy Heart by Jennifer Ryan—Rating 5 Stars—This book I LOVED so dearly! If you love western contemporaries, with good suspense, then I can’t recommend this one enough. I think you all would love it! And it looks like she will be doing a MC romance next and I can’t wait!
DNF Read-Twelve Nights as His Mistress by Elisa Braden—I wanted to love this one, but the heroine drove me batty. She was so flakey, and I felt so bad for the hero pining for her and she kept rejecting him and marrying other dudes when he wanted that with her. I got about 50% before setting it aside.
Book Reread-Gentle Rogue by Johanna Lindsey—Rating 5 Stars—I did this as a reread for a buddy readalong and it was so fun to return to this one and get to one of my favorite romance heroes! James will always be my book boyfriend.
Book Read-Descent by Sam Mariano-–Rating 3.5 Stars—I did enjoy this one, but its not my favorite book from this author. I don’t think this type of heroine was good for this type of hero to be honest and all the angst and fighting got dragged out way too long in my opinion.
Book Listened-A Girl Called Samson by Amy Harmon—Rating 5 Stars—-THIS BOOK!!! IS just as amazing as everyone says! I had so much fun with it. And the romance had a mulan retelling twist to it. No one talks about the romance, so you know I gotta share lol But its delightful. The story is patriotic, solid historical research done, inspiring and romantic. I loved everything about this one.
Book Read-Phantom by Greer Rivers—Rating 4.5 Stars—This was such a wonderful story, This is a mafia romance with a phantom of the opera retelling. I loved all the little connections to the original story. It was just delightful honestly. It had a New Orleans setting for the jazz and opera music, and so much depth to it. And the phantom got a HEA and it was awesome. And I can’t wait for the next book in the series which is a Roulin Rouge retelling.
Week 2 of April Releases of 2023
Book Review-Max Wilde’s Cowboy Heart by Jennifer Ryan
Recommend It: Accidental Pregnancy
Bookish Posts To Look Forward To This Week
Lora Leigh “Breeds” series Read-Along
Book Release Post
Book Review-A Girl Called Samson by Amy Harmon
Book Review-Ghostly Game by Christine Feehan
Blogoversary Post-Celebrating 13 Years!
Recommend It: Foodie Romance
Current Reads
So I have the long weekend off, so currently not really doing any audiobooks. But here are the current ebooks I am going to be reading for the long weekend. I just started “Rifts and Refrains” by Devney Perry. I actually just read the first chapter and HOOKED so there is that haha. I am finishing up the Meghan Quinn with “The Secret to Dating Your Best Friend’s Sister” and its funny and a page turner. I do love a best friend sister romance, is it bad I love it when the brother finds out and he gets super mad?? haha Then I am going to pick up the newest Anna Hackett, I actually had NO clue this one had come out and so intrigued and she is doing good with these covers. Then we have a book from my TBR from last week that I didn’t get to which is “Hard Evidence” and I loved the first book so it will be fun to return to the series. Then will finish off my long weekend with “Ghostly Game” I got the ARC for this and it comes out in a couple of weeks so want to get it done before it publishes, I have been bad about that lately and need to be better.
Book Releases I am Excited For
Vacation Wars by Meghan Quinn
Just One Fling by Carly Phillips
Bewitched by Laura Thalassa
For The Love of Whiskey by Melissa Foster
The Fiancee Farce by Alexandria Bellefleur
Strictly Family by Ruth Cardello
My Weekly TBR
These are books that I have a rough TBR for, I normally don’t like a super strict TBR as I tend to be a mood reader, so I might get to these books but depending on my mood, I might not get to all of them, but I will endeavor to try with these. I have some great books lined up this week! Some of these are TBR reads, some Romanceopoly picks and a new release.
Favorite Book of the Week
New Additions to AR Library
Some of these picks are just authors I want to work on, some of these are KU I added and some are purchased!!!
I am SO HAPPY reading this post today! First because your mouth is better and you don’t suffer from it anymore and second because you loved a Girl Called Samson!!!!! Have a great Sunday Renee!
Hooray for feeling normal and sunshine. Those first warm days after the long winter are always a treat. I have seen tons of raves for Harmon’s book. Seems to be a real hit.
I’m glad your mouth is better! That had to be miserable. Glad the weather was a bit nicer as well. It sounds like you had a great week!
Yay for lovely weather and your mouth feeling better. I hope to read the Amy Harmon soon. Glad you’re loving on the Scorpius series.
Have a good week, Renee!
Sounds like you had a fun week! It’s always nice to have sunshine and warm weather. I do love snow but we didn’t really get any this year or really much cold weather. 🙂 Have a great week!
I am glad that your mouth is finally feeling better. I am going to have to try the Onley James series. It seems like everyone is loving it! I hope that this is a good week for you.
I have read the Scorpius Rising series, but not the prequel novella. I will be curious to hear your thoughts. Happy Blogoversary! Glad your mouth is feeling better!
I’m glad you’re enjoying warm weather along with a happier mouth. I would say Bowen’s book was the weakest in the Hush Note series. That surprised me a bit. I still liked it, but I loved the Perry and Yarros books. I think you would enjoy both.
So happy to hear your mouth is feeling better! A good reading week and nice weather is a plus! I want that Jennifer Ryan book. I’ll look it up. Happy Blogoversary, Renee!