Bookish Posts and Books Read of Week of June 11 through June 17th
What a week this has been. I was finally able to get back to swimming. I am going out right after work. I normally get off around 3PM and I am always so tired. My brain still has never recovered from being a baker years ago haha So trying to do some fitness activities that are fun. And I just love to swim. We have a great swimming arena in Provo for our Rec center and its so fun and they have tons of kids stuff that is so fun to watch to. Its also Father’s Day Weekend, so happy weekend to all the amazing dad’s out there in the world! We don’t appreciate all you do enough. My dad is in Disneyland haha but have plans on taking him to dinner and a movie when he returns from his fun trip with the grandkids.
I had a blast with all the books that I was able to pick up here. So many good books even if I had some books that were a bit of a miss for me.
(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-An Invitation To Seduction by Lorraine Heath—Rating 4 Stars–This was so a different story than I expected. I still enjoyed it though. It wasn’t perfect, it had some issues, but definitely had the magic of Lorraine Heath, but it had a love triangle so ya know lol and even though how it resolves makes sense, it was the last thing I expected as most historicals do NOT ever have a love triangle. Its just not part of the sub genre.
Book Read-Reckless by Elsie Silver—Rating 5 Stars—This BOOK! My goodness. It melted my heart. And I know I KNOW its Secret Baby, but you all know I have issues with that trope and I am telling you, this is the most FLAWLESS I have ever read for a secret baby. And their story is so beautiful and tender. Best of the series in my opinion.
Book Read-The Temptation by Nikki Sloane—Rating 5 Stars—Absolutely loved this one. It was delicious and so addictive and really sweet and surprisingly nothing taboo or crazy happened. It was very low key. The heroine is a safe breaker (legally—think Italian Job girl), but there is a class difference trope and fake dating which was so fun to read for these two. What a fabulous finale and had such a classy feel to the story too which I appreciated.
Book DNF’d-Forever Your Rogue by Erin Langston—Rating 1 Star—Yeah as you can tell, I had issues with this. It started fine but then it went wonky and downhill and so many factors just didn’t add up or even make sense. Just was a hot mess.
Book Listened-Kinked by Thea Harrison—Rating 4 Stars—This was surprisingly decent. I was nervous about this couple because they HATE each other and I am so picky on enemies to lovers but it was so entertaining. I just honestly had such a blast with these two.
Book Read-The Duchess Takes A Husband by Harper St. George—Rating 4.25 Stars—Such a good book! I had so much fun with it. It didn’t quite reach five star status for me, but it was enjoyable and very engaging and loved their dynamic and the way that this author writes historical romance is just fun to read.
Book Read-The Barbarian by Anna Hackett—Rating 4 Stars—This book was such a blast and so intense in the action. But it had a dynamic that I didn’t expect so it threw me off for a bit. But eager for the next, that story has been teased for a few books now.
Book Listened-Inflame Me by Ryan Michele—Rating 4 Stars—This was so so fantastic! I just am being so endeared by the gritty feel of these books. Each book is better than the last one. In fact it got close to a 4.5 rating, but my issue was that some answers weren’t resolved in the end for me. But loved the whole aspect of a experience MC hero and the heroine being a complete innocent when it comes to MC life. She definitely has culture shock and really enjoyed her ride through it all.
Book Read-Illicit Captor by Maggie Cole—Rating 5 Stars—LOVED this book so so much. Thankfully I didn’t have to wait long for this. This author doesn’t take too long to publish her books. I wouldn’t be surprised if she writes the series before releasing. This one was way better than the first book. And it was different than I expected going into it.
Book Read-The Savage by Sophie Lark—Rating 3 Stars—I struggled with this one. I knew I most likely would. But this heroine *sigh* was challenging. She was so self destructive and almost got the hero killed and put her family at risk and she was so selfish too. I knew she would be hard to like because we see some aspects of this in the previous book but still, she was the type of heroine I don’t like to read that this author does occasionally write.
Book Read-A Lady Can Never Be Too Curious by Mary Wine—Rating 4 Stars—What a wonderful book here. Definitely had me itching for more Steampunk romance and the chemistry was brilliant in this book and it had sexually charged crystals, yeah it was fascinating.
Books I Am Shocked I Haven’t Read Yet
Book Review-Reckless by Elsie Silver
Bookish Posts To Look Forward To This Week
Spring Best Reads of 2023
Book Release Post
Book Review-Capture the Sun by Jessie Mihalik
Recommend It: Revenge
Current Reads
So the audio and ebook I am doing together is Wrecked Palace by Catherine Cowles and I have just started it, but knowing Catherine Cowles, it will be a hit! I just love everything she writes. I truly think she is on the top of the ladder of small town romances. Then I have a group read with my Dark Romance Book Club for Deviant Hearts by Jagger Cole I don’t really know much about it to be honest. I am going into it blind haha but my group is loving it so I have high hopes. Then I have my ARC for the week that I need to get to which is Capture the Sun by Jessie Mihalik and I believe this is the finale in the series so very eager to see what we get with this one here. Then I am going to pick up Insta Family by Linda Kage and very excited. This is accidental pregnancy/surprise pregnancy and the father’s brother stepping in to be the baby daddy. Very interesting but Linda Kage makes everything work no matter the scenario. Then I am finally getting to Knight Awakening by Rebecca Zanetti and I will be honest I have been neglecting this one. Its the last in a series and honestly I am terrified and sad and excited. This is such a fabulous dystopian series and I will be saddened to say goodbye to this world.
Book Releases I am Excited For
Remember Me by Mary Balogh
Bookshop Cinderella by Laura Lee Guhrke
The Missus by EL James
Servant to the Spidae by Ruby Dixon
Noah by Lori Wilde
Midnight Caress by Lisa Marie Rice
My Weekly TBR
These are books that I have for what I term a flexible TBR shelf for the week. As some of you know, I have been working on switching from being a mood reader to a TBR reader where I just work around a flexible weekly TBR. So for this week I am mixing in plenty of sub genres. I do have a ARC I need to get to (why do I keep forgetting about these haha I am so bad lately), then some off of my Summer TBR and series I am working my way through. Looks like I am in for a very good week!
Favorite Book of the Week
New Additions to AR Library
I managed to pick up some goodies this week!!!! I really can’t wait to read these all. So one of these, the Mariana Zapata, was near impossible to find. Avon is doing a new cover and its awful (its cartoon and literally I cringed) but I wanted to get this one while I could in print since they took off the kindle and audio editions until January. So that sucks lol. However, I found like the last print copy on Amazon, it was that or pay $60 from the author’s website, that is highway robbery haha but honestly I would have paid it. Literally you can’t find that book anywhere right now. Bananas.
I can’t believe I’m even considering reading a secret baby romance, but you’ve got me super curious. I hope I love it as much as you did!!
Yes to swimming. I love love love swimming. Screw a workout at the gym, I swim ๐
I love that you’re embracing your TBR. You know I’ve been doing a lot of that lately, but I hope your experience is a heck of a lot better than mine. Maybe I just need to change up the books on my list…
Have an amazing week, luv! xo
Yes! If I can get you to read anything…..Read RECKLESS!! I guarantee you will love it. I am super picky about anything secret baby, but this one was so well handled and when the hero finds out the truth—your heart will melt! Yes Swimming is so much fun and I need to get out more, working from home can be so exhausting. Yeah, I have really been trying to be more of a TBR reader, being a mood reader isn’t as fun as it sounds lol Appreciate you stopping by darling! You have a wonderful week!
Have fun swimming. It’s so good for you – great cardio, low impact. I guess you have been inspired by all your viewings of the Little Mermaid. LOL!
I love swimming! I go to the pool at least wtice a week since I’ve been a kid! And I confess that seeing that you live in Provo, I had to look at that city in Google and that seems like a very very nice place to stay with lots of activities to do! Happy Sunday Renee!
I love swimming! Sadly, I had to take down my pool this year. We have a mole and groundhog problem and the ground under the pool is unstable. So sad! Have a wonderful week!
Happy to hear you’re able to squeeze swimming into your days! It’s so wonderful to exercise and such a de-stresser! I am looking forward to Remember Me too! I’m interested in that Linda Kage. I’m going to see if they have it at my library. Enjoy the rest of your Sunday, Renee! ๐
That is so fun that you got back into swimming and are at a nice rec center. Swimming is refreshing and great exercise. Looks like you had a great reading week even with a few not so good ones. I finally finished Knight Awakening (I have that same reluctance to finish a last book). Well done scoring that hard to find Mariana Zapata.
Have a good week, Renee!
Have fun swimming and reading. Lora Leigh is great, I love that series.
Hooray for the swimming. I love that your dad was spending Father’s Day at Disney. ๐ I am determined to read something by Elsie Silver SOON! I see so many raves for her. I saw that Zapata’s books are getting the illustrated makeovers. Ugh. So lame. Kudos on getting that last copy!