Bookish Posts and Books Read of Week of November 26th through December 2nd
Happy December reset folks! Can you believe we are less than a month away from the 2024?? That is completely bananas folks! This week was a solid week of reading. This week was great, finally filled the empty space in our apartment (the landlord makes me do the work haha) now I can just enjoy Christmastime. I did spend time with my family doing a temple open house. This temple took over three years to be built, which is a long time but covid delayed it with the stone and marble being imported out of country, and some kids started a fire that burned out some of the top level. For those that aren’t familiar with LDS culture, temples are where we get married specifically (the photos with the altar—that is our sealing room and the photo on the bottom left is the “bride’s room” and the only time nonmembers can view the inside is during an open house and its right next to our condo which is so convenient haha The artistry did a beautiful job here in the detail in the marble stone, in the tile floors, in the ceilings and moldings. But my favorites was the ceilings in our celestial room, super tall (picture on top right) and loved the stained glass done. It had a theme of woods, greenery and lily ponds—very elegant and earthy. Definitely want to go again. So if there is ever a temple open house in your area, please go just for the experience. The beauty and artistry they do in our temples is top-tier quality. And it has zero cost. This week of reading was pretty good though, If you count the book I read twice, I read 10 books by the end of the day Saturday. And had a good weekend watching all the football playoffs. So sad the season is just about over.
(All my books read and their reviews are on Goodreads, I have linked for you)
List and Link book reviews with ratings and descriptions of opinions via goodreads
Book Read-Dom by S.J. Tilly—Rating 5 Stars—This book was brilliant! One of the BEST books of the year. If you love dark romance, or a edgier contemporary with a morally grey hero, then I recommend it. The heroine was so relatable. The girl next door type of heroine, just a normal woman. The cutest meet cute, and so many close sweet intimate moments. The way the conflict was handled was beautiful. Not over the top, and just felt right. I even reread this one later in the week, that is how much I loved it.
Book Read-How to Lose at Love by Sara Ney—Rating 4 Stars–I had a fun time with this one. This author has some fun banter in this one, the brother bond was adorable and I enjoyed how the romance was implemented.
Book Read-Beauty Found by Tillie Cole—Rating 3 Stars—the lowest I have EVER rated a Tillie Cole book, but this novella was “meh” especially for the romance. Romance? there was no romance just sex lol so I would honestly term this one a erotica with MC club aspects in it haha I did like seeing the background to Tank and Tanner though. And those aspect I am sure lead into the next book. Good news though I did find book 7 on google books. Not sure if it was a glitch in their system or not because I have been looking every day haha but I saved that book quicker than quicksand lol And My Maddie I did manage to grab up last week on apple books.
Book Read-Forever After All by Catharina Maura—Rating 3 Stars—So I had high hopes going into this one. Its marriage of convenience and childhood ties. So that is my catnip. However the grovel in this book was horrid. So the way it was written was horrible. The hero and what he does is understandable, but what the heroine makes him do for her in the end was basically abusive. She basically emasculates him in order to “win” her back and yeah if that’s the grovels we write now, I want none of it. It just turned my stomach so badly. There is nothing sexy about forcing a man to lose everything that makes him who he is and practically have him on his knees begging for any scraps. Its not practical in any reality or in fiction.
Book Read-Royals of Italy by Bella Di Corte—Rating 4.5 Stars—This couple just warmed my heart in this book. Even though in the first half the heroine drove me nuts keeping secrets from her husband and then she really had to do some groveling for deceiving him so finally a heroine having to redeem herself, which she hurts him she she should. The second half was packed with intrigued and we are now getting some mafia aspects in this one. Very fascinating, ending was sad as a side character had a not so good ending but I can’t wait for the next installment. I just loved the setting in Italy, it was so vibrant and real.
Book Read-Eagle by Janie Crouch—Rating 4 Stars—This was a solid story. I really liked seeing these two solve their unresolved issues and the suspense plot that was resolved in the end. It was very interesting so I do want to read more of this series. I like the setup of it.
Unholy Vows by Mila Kane—Rating 3 Stars—This was a random pickup. I did enjoy it for the most part, but the heroine was annoying. She is the reason for the rating being lowered like this. I wanted to enjoy it but wasn’t a fan in how she responded to the hero in this one here.
Book Read-The Player by Nikki J. Summers—Rating DNF—Yeah I didn’t get through this one very much. The heroine turned me off quickly and I think I am done with the series. I see where this author is headed for it and I just have lost interest. The first two books were super fun though so I do recommend those.
Book Listened-The Fifteenth Minutes—Rating 4 Stars–This was a solid installment. I really found this one interesting in the premise of the story. The secrets involved made sense in some ways. And had a fun resolution as well.
Bookish Posts to Look Forward To
November 2023 Monthly Recap
Grab It Up Post
Review-Caution of the Wind by Giana Darling
Fast Five Friday
Recommend It-Modern Christmas Recs
Current Reads
The first two ebooks that I am in the middle of is “Vow of Deception” by Rina Kent and I am intrigued by this one. It was a slow start but then once I got over the first chapter it really hit off. Sometimes Kent books can start off slow. Then I have A Reckless Match by Kate Bateman which is my first Bateman and I am liking it. Its very engaging and the banter is top notch and its a family feud romance. The dialogue is a bit modern but we shall see if it gets better. Old Flame by Sam Mariano is a next installment and almost at the end of this series. This one I am a bit nervous of, but curious to see how Mariano writes Dante’s book. He is so mysterious and very dark. I just received A Christmas Courtship from my library, so I am ready to get into some Christmas reading. Then to finish up my current lineup we have Resist by K. Bromberg I have really been wanting to read more of this author lately, she is perfect for edgy contemporary and lots of laughs.
Book Releases I am Excited For
God of Fury by Rina Kent
Sable Peak by Devney Perry
My Darling Bride by Ilsa MAdden-Mills
Among the Heather by Samantha Young
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. This week I am starting on the Christmas reads alongside with some new releases and series I am working through.
Favorite Book of the Week
New Additions to AR Library
None this week!
I have never seen an LDS temple. That’s pretty impressive. I have one or two books in the Ney series. I have been meaning to start it. I have read and enjoyed other books by her though.
Oh wow! The temple looks fantastic!! xo
I read Nero by SJ Tilly and enjoyed it, so I will have to keep going with the series. The temple is very impressive. I loved Resist by K Bromberg, but it is not as “fun and light” as some of her other books. It’s not dark, but dark for her. I LOVED it.
That’s quite a building.
Wishing you a great reading week
OMG Renee! That temple is such a beauty!!!
I don’t know if my reply went through but I just said that the temple is a beauty!