It's Good, But Why is this Book So LONG- A Court of Mist and Fury

 

After listening to A Court of Thorns and Roses,  I was in no hurry to continue the series because I didn't like Feyre and Tamlin as a couple. I didn't like Tamlin and Feyre was so boring with him.  She goes from being a warrior to a princess flouncing around in gowns and painting. 

But a podcast I listen to sang the praises of this book, so I said, fine I'll give this a shot.  And yes, much better. HOWEVER, the book is ridiculously long and too repetitive, and so I rated it a 3.  It's good but if it was 200 pages shorter, it would have been fantastic. Why are the books in this series so long, I'm listening at 2x speed and it's still taking forever--and the ending isn't the ending it's the end til the next book starts, so shorten it up! 

Have you read this series?  Did you think this book could have been edited down? 

***

We are still enjoying amazing September weather in Chicagoland, temps are in the 70s (low 20s Celcius) during the day and 50s (mid teens celsius) at night. Just the best. For my birthday I got myself a Stich Fix and it included two cute sweaters and it hasn't been cool enough to wear them, but I figure we only have a couple of weeks --at the most before it will truly be sweater weather. 

Moist, Actually A Short Sexy Comedy

This delightfully funny,  romantic novella started from a photo of Chris Pine that author Ash Dylan tweeted about.  Above is a snippet from the book. If you read romance, do yourself a favor and 1-click order this ebook, you'll laugh so hard and also appreciate how Ash Dylan also gives you all the feels over the course of a night with Elena and Rhys. 

The idea for this book all started on Twitter where author Ash Dylan commented on a photo of Chris Pine:

this looks like the cover for a romance about a literary fiction author who agrees to read his neighbor's novel, and he returns it with a note that says she uses the word moist too much and if she doesn't fix it he'll have to spank her, and her next edit has twice as many moists

You can click here to see the photo and the original tweet: Chris Pine Inspiration for Moist, Actually 

There are so many funny moments and swoony scenes, if you like romance and you could use a good chuckle or twelve, read this book! 

 

 

Say Victoria, Why Did you Read Romancing the Beat?

That's a great question! For as long as I can remember I've wanted to write and when I was a child and a teen I did write, then life got in the way and I spend my 20s thinking I needed to have experiences worth writing about instead of writing. Then I got married and had kids and well, that was a lot. To be fair, I did some blogging and I wrote a bit, but mostly I didn't and then I thought should I go back to school and get an English Degree or study creative writing? Then I thought, how can I even consider spending money on going back to school when we have three kids to put through college? After thinking on that for a while, I decided maybe writing doesn't need to be me creating a best seller or the next great American novel, maybe I could write a cozy mystery.

So I did that, and right when I was getting something together and ready to be at the editing stage, then I found out I had cancer. Then when that was done and my brain was mush, then Covid happened. Oh sure that could have been a really good time to go back to writing, but as you can see I'm quite good at pushing off my dream to write stories other people want to read. 

So lately, I've been thinking about writing again and writing in the romance genre. This time around, my plan is to get to the point where I can self-publish via Kindle Unlimited. I've started listening to podcasts and following smaller successful romance writers who share how they do the business side and based on my past work experience, I think self-publishing would be something I could manage--once I have something to publish.  Plus I'll need to save up money to pay to have someone edit my book. Here is my process and timeline (I'm posting all this so I have some accountability for my writing dream)

Now thru end of May:

Listen to podcasts for writing and publishing romance. 

Work on a very detailed outline as well as character sheets 

June: 

Participate in the #1000wordsofsummer writing challenge and draft 1,000 words per day for the first two weeks of June. 

Then assess--ideally be in a writing groove and finish my round draft by end of summer - or fall. 

*****

I enjoyed reading Romancing the Beat by Gwen Hayes, it's a short book that breaks down the plot points that make a good romance so good. For me, I need to plan to be creative, so this book is perfect for me to start with as I begin writing from an idea I had a few years ago!

 

Light and Fluffy Romance Listening for a Spring Afternoon

I downloaded this book for a listen because I have been following the author Rebekah Weatherspoon on Twitter for quite some time, so when she tweeted about this book, I had to give it a listen.  It's a real bummer how Twitter is falling apart because it was a great place to follow authors easily, esp. since my email boxes are so full of emails all the time that author newsletters get lost by me. 
 

This is a novella, a short and charming read, a very nice listen for a day when you are feeling down and want a pick-me-up, or when are in a slump and aren't ready to dive into a novel. Rebekah Weatherspoon gives Andre and Janelle a super cute and creative Meet Cute. I'm not even going to tell you about it because it is such a fun idea, now if you go to GoodReads, you'll see it in the book description, so there you go. 

This book has all the comfort tropes, two good people whose hearts are on the mend after a breakup. A super cute shelter dog, a chaotic twin sister, and the open-door sex scene is full of consent and good vibes. Andre and Janelle communicate well and there aren't any contrived miscommunications.  It gets even better in my opinion, they don't resemble fashion models, and there is no third-act breakup! 

The only thing I wanted at the end of this book was more Andre and Janelle content--oh I forgot to mention the narrators are fabulous! 

5 Stars!!

The Devil Downtown by Joanna Schupe

I picked up this book because it was my book club's January selection. I have heard many great things about Joanna Shupe's writing so I was happy to have a push to read one of her books. This is a historical romance as you can see from the swoony cover. 

NOTE: I don't mind the cartoony romance covers that are currently popular, but as someone raised on Johanna Lindsey, this cover worked for me. 

This book is the third book in the Uptown Girls series, in it we get some scenes with Justine (our MC) and her sisters who were the main characters in the other two books. You don't need to have read any other books to enjoy this one, but if you like Romance or Historical Romance, you will most likely enjoy the other two books.

This is my first time reading Joanna Shupe's work and I get why she is award-winning.  This book takes place in the 1890s in New York City. Justine comes from a wealthy family but she is an advocate for women and children. A Feminist in the best sense of the word. She tracks down deadbeat dads and tries to get them to support their families. She does this in a system that doesn't think men should have to take care of their own children and who don't see women as equals.  She is a force to be reckoned with in this story.  The male lead is Jack Mulligan, a top-tier rough-around-the-edges character. The main conflict to their becoming a couple is that Jack is a gang leader in NYC. 

I'm not one for gang-related romance, but in the context of late 19th Century New York, it's more tolerable. It's clear throughout the book that if Justine and Jack are to find a HEA together one of them needs to give up their current livelihood. It is obvious which one of them needs to make better choices, the tension throughout the book lies in how we get to the right conclusion, and this is done very well.  

Joanna Schupe makes sure that Justine clearly consents as the romance unfolds, and I loved that while Justine was a virgin, she wasn't ignorant about sex or about pleasuring herself. 

5 Stars

 

When He Was Wicked

 

This is the sixth book in the Bridgerton series. Did I enjoy it?  Not as much as some of the other books. I think the part where Francesca can't decide about getting remarried goes on too long. If you like some decent sex scenes, I think this has more than some of the other books in this series. I did appreciate that unlike many other historical romances set in Regency England the MCs in this story are not virgins and they are working through grief, these are themes I typically enjoy, but for whatever reason I just wasn't that into this book. I think the part I like the most when Violet was on the scene. 

Like where is a romance for Violet. That's what I want to read, I know she doesn't want to get remarried, but... 

Anywho this is a 3 star book for me. It's fine. 

Have you read this one? I also saw today a synopsis of what we can expect on season three of Bridgerton which will be Penelope & Colins story and it seems to be a big departure from the books. Which is OK, I'll watch it either way, I look forward to seeing it. I hope that Lady Danbury still plays a big part in the season. She's great! 

Romancing Mister Bridgerton, Penelope and Colin!

 Tbh, I would like this book to be the next season of Bridgerton on Netflix.  Benedict (of the TV show) is very meh to me, that being said, I look forward to how the TV show will portray his book, it could be amazing.  I assume that for sure, Bridgerton will include the lake scene!  

Anyway now back to Penelope and Colin, this book has a 10-year flash forward and Penelope is a spinster and she is fine with it and Colin has been successfully avoiding marriage for years. We get both Penelope's and Colin's POVs in this book. This book is an excellent portrayal of the Friends to Lovers trope. 

I loved the amount of Lady Danbury in this book and I have a good feeling we will see lots of her when this book is on the screen. There is a major plot point that has been changed from the book to the show already at the end of Season 2 on the screen involving who figures out who is Lady Whistledown. 

Overall I would say that it is uncommon in a book for a male character to admit they are jealous of a female character and furthermore to admit that their jealousy was fueling anger toward the female lead. Thank goodness we get to read a story here where the male character does come to grips with jealousy and anger, a nice change of pace. 

4 starts for Romancing Mister Bridgerton

You've Got Mail--but with lovable Teens!

His family's small bookstore chain is flourishing, Her family's bookstore is closing at the end of August. Both stores are on the same block. I don't recall how this book ended up on my library hold list, but since I was notified that my hold was available, it's clear at some point I heard about this book and added it to my holds!

I started reading it and for the first few pages, I was not particularly intrigued.  I gave it a few more pages and I found myself getting more and more drawn into Madeline's world.  This YA romance is an enemies-to-lovers tale and is a retelling of the movie You've Got Mail (starring Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks). The main characters are just out of high school and so this book is about endings and beginnings, worries and hopes for what the future will bring. 

Madeline has body-esteem issues, and in other books I would have been turned off. However in this book, she is only 17 so it's more understandable.  Plus and most importantly, you see her working on reframing her negative thoughts, and this to me seemed very authentic.  The writing style and Madeline's interior dialogue were just the right amounts of funny, self-deprecating, and sweet. 

 4 stars for a delightful summer before college tale! 

 

Have You Hugged A Tree Lately? #NationalArborDay ! Read #MenareFrogs Under a Shady Tree! #netgalley

 Happy Arbor Day! Go give a tree a hug! They do so much for us and they always look beautiful! 

If you have time go out and read a book under a shady tree, if you are looking for a book to add to your TBR pile, read on for my review of Men are Frogs  by Saranna DeWylde. This is the second book in her Fairy Godmothers, Inc. series. I received an ARC of the book from #NetGalley, all the opinions of the book are mine. 

It was great to return to the whimsical, fairytale town of Ever After, Missouri, and see the Fairy Godmothers (FGs) find new ways to meddle in the lives of mortals! 

Men Are Frogs has the level of humor and snark that I enjoyed in book one, and also some wonderful sweetness.  Zuri, our heroine, is a wedding planner, but she doesn't believe a HEA is in her future.  Phillip Charming has spent 300 years as a part-time frog.  You would think it would just be a kiss and poof all fixed, but that's not how it goes.  You don't get your HEA without putting in the work. 

In the book we learn more about the magic world and also met Zuri's twin Zena who is delightful and will be in future books--perhaps alongside Hunter in what will be a wonderfully twisted tale of Beauty and the Beast. We also spend time with Ravenna the "Evil" Queen. I can't wait to read her HEA.  Who is good enough for her? 

I'm not going to lie, maybe it was because I was tired or maybe it was just this book, but I got misty-eyed when our love interests made their leaps and had faith. *Sigh* The book's themes of what it means to truly be sorry, to having self-worth in the face of doubt, and forgiveness were a pleasure to read. 

Since it made me teary, I've got to give it 5 stars! 

#MenAreFrogs, #NetGalley

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley, some of the wording may change when this book is out in the world. 

My Introduction to Alexis Hall writer of Boyfriend Material

 This is my first book by writer Alexis Hall. Alexis Hall has written a bunch of books including a paranormal investigator series that I think I will check out sometime later this year.  Boyfriend Material is the first book in a new romance series. This was picked as our book club read for April and I was excited to get to read it. 

Well, as I tend to do for this book club, I didn't 'read' it, I listened to the audio. For this book that was a good choice as the reader, Joe Jameson, has the most delightful accent - I assume it's a London accent.  Is that a thing?  In any case, he really helps make the book that much more enjoyable. 

Luc is so hard on himself and right from the beginning you just want good things for him. Unlike most of the Romance books, I've read lately this one is not told from both Luc and Oliver's point of view.  This one is only from Luc's POV and I did enjoy that change. 

The tagline for this book is: 

Wanted:
One (fake) boyfriend
Practically perfect in every way

As you know if you read my blog, I love a fake relationship! There is lots of wonderful banter and high-quality cuddling as this fake relationship slowly morphs into so much more. I appreciated Luc's slowly awakening from depression as he spent time with Oliver and Oliver's actions revealing that he wasn't the only person in the relationship with self-esteem issues and doubts.  This book has many laugh-out-loud moments and tons of the sweetest scenes. 

If I had to compare this story, I would say that this romance reminded me of David Rose and Patrick Brewer on Schitt's Creek.  Funny, sweet, and kind.  This romance was described as a cracked door romance, by a reviewer on Goodreads.  To me, someone who usually reads more explicit romance, I thought it was a closed-door romance. All that is to say, if you prefer more scenes with bedroom ( or other rooms LOL) action, you may be left wanting more, but overall I wouldn't let that stop you from giving this a read! 

#ASeriesInAMonth Two Novellas and An Update on Future Avocado Toast!

 

Reluctant Royals Novella Book  2.5

When I read romance series, I don't check to see what side characters in the first book get to star in future books.  I like to be pleasantly surprised, and honestly, I didn't think Likotsi would get a book because she's a lesbian, and well, most mainstream romance is man/woman. So I was very happy to see this novella and have the chance to read about the romance Likotsi was having during her time in New York while Thabiso was pretending to be Jamal. This story is told in two timelines so you get the original romance when Likotsi first meets Fabiola and then the second timeline when they happen to meet up months after Fabiola broke things off with Likotsi. If you like a second-chance romance, you'll love this.  It's a modern fairy tale in which Likotsi is the kind and generous prince to Fabiola's fairly jaded princess.  

4 Stars! 

I listened to the audiobook and as I have said before Karen Chilton is an amazing reader. One of the best. 

Reluctant Royals Novella Book 2.6

Honestly, my only complaint about the story of Reggie and Gus is, I want more!  I definitely would have enjoyed a full novel of them falling in love. The majority of mainstream romance stories take place with attractive thin women with decent-sized boobs that are typically athletic or clumsy.  The men are brawny but smart. Also typically if you have an interracial couple one half of the couple is white.  I appreciated that Alyssa Cole gives us a different story.  Reggie is a smart confident Black woman who uses a wheelchair and runs a super-inclusive website for people who love 'geek' culture.  Gus is Vietnamese and is not neurotypical.  

This novella is nestled in the Reluctant Royals timeline taking place while Portia is an apprentice for Tavis in Duke By Default. As someone who watches live streams and uses apps to fall asleep, I related to Reggie using a soothing voice on a stream to fall asleep.  I know I'm not alone in this given how many ASMR videos there are online. 

One of the characteristics of Alyssa Cole's writing that I appreciate is how she talks about social/environmental issues in an organic way:

“Most of her daily grind took place at home, where her office was tailored to her needs and she didn’t have to worry about accessibility, or spilling iced coffee on her laptop because straws were easier to ban than the plastics that actually destroyed the environment”
― Alyssa Cole, Can't Escape Love

5 starts to Can't Escape Love from Alyssa Cole 

I listened to these books via Audible and Chirp for the #SeriesinaMonth Challenge and for the #2021AudiobooksChallenge. 

Future Avocado Toast Update: 

After several weeks and some pep talks from me, this pit remained a pit.  I decided it was time to let it go to the compost bin.  If an avocado tree sprouts in my compost, I'll let you know! 

Now for an update on my second pit. I thought by this time I would be able to tell if it is spreading new roots, but I can't tell yet. Stay tuned and maybe next week we will be able to tell!

#SeriesinaMonthChallenge A Princess in Theory and An Avocado Tree (in theory)

The hubs and my dear daughter eat avocados all the time, so I thought, why not try to grow a tree from one of the pits that usually goes into the compost bin.  Hope springs eternal as they say.

Here is a link to the handy Good Housekeeping Article on how you can grow an avocado tree from a pit. 

I have a planter all ready to pot an avocado tree provided that my pit decided to make roots. 

I'll keep you all updated on the pit situation moving forward, you shall be the first to know if we get growth!

And now on to the first book in my #SeriesInAMonthChallenge!  A Princess, in Theory,  the first book in the Reluctant Royals series by Alyssa Cole. I was able to borrow the audiobook from my library so I listened to the book at 1.5 speed via the Libby App. 

The audiobook is read by Karen Chilton who is incredibly good.  She gives each character their own voices with just the right accents.  If you are deciding between reading the book and listening to the audio, in this case, do yourself a favor and listen to this book.  

Reading this book, I'm amazing at how Alyssa Cole is so skilled at taking the tropes of fairy tales and regency romance and updating it so that it is grounded in the 21st century.  This book starts off with Naledi Smith getting emails she thinks are spam telling her she is supposed to marry an African Prince!  It's like someone said to Alyssa Cole, I bet you couldn't write a story based on an email scam and she said, watch me! 

In this story, we have Naledi Smith who was raised in the foster care system and doesn't know her roots. She is studying epidemiology as a graduate student.  Along comes Prince Thabiso who plans to swoop in and tell Naledi he is her Prince, and that they have been betrothed since they were practically babies. But then there is a misunderstanding and now the Prince is some guy named Jamal who is a server.  Sparks begin to fly, Prince Thabiso has to keep up his pretense and we know the stage is set for a great romance with comical elements and smart, smart people. 

It's so delightful and I am glad that I decided to read this series in a month!  Alyssa Cole writes intelligent,  environmentally-responsible characters who fall into steamy romances and she doesn't forget to add some humor along the way.  Go ahead and read this one and next week I'll be reviewing A Duke By Default the second book in the series featuring Naledi's BFF!

4.5 Stars to A Princess in Theory! 

Public Libraries are The Best! and Fairy Godmothers, Inc. #BookReview

 

Not only was I able to borrow Fairy Godmothers, Inc. by interlibrary loan, I also won a Fitbit!  You see, my local library has reading challenges for kids and adults in the summer and in the winter. This winter I decided to put all my virtual tickets in the Fitbit drawing and I won! Not only that but during the pandemic, our library has also been putting together activity and craft kits for kids and adults. This month the craft kit included everything to make some nice sugar and salt scrubs and beeswax lip balm! 

The moral of the story, take advantage of your local library, it really pays off!

Now on to my review of this new book by Saranna DeWylde, Fairy Goodmothers, Inc.  This is the first book in a new series, it came out in December 2020 and the second book titled Men Are Frogsm is slated to be out this summer.  So read this book now, and then this summer you'll be ready for a trip back to Ever After, Missouri. 

Lucky Fujiki believes she is the opposite of her name. In fact throughout her life so far, she's even been able to share her disastrous luck with people by giving them unlucky hugs. She's lived with the limiting belief that she is under a curse for her entire adult life.  Ransom Payne has loved Lucky for years and years, but whenever they get together---bad stuff happens! We are talking feral pigs, tornadoes, etc. 

How is Saranna DeWylde going to get Lucky and Ransom to a HEA?  This is a romance after all!  The how of the HEA is a wild ride because Ever After, MO is populated by all the fairy tale characters you thought were fiction.  Little Red Riding Hood is there, the 7 Dwarfs, tailor mice, Prince Charming, and of course the Fairy Godmothers!  Setting a romance series in a fairy tale town in the middle of America is clever and the more familiar you are with the fairy tales of your youth the more references and Easter Eggs you will find in this book. 

I think my jam in romance stories is when the protagonist has to learn to love themselves as they are and stop waiting for their prince (or princess) to come. That's what makes this story extra special.  Lucky could take advantage of the three wishes her Fairy Godmothers offer her, but if she were to do that, will her luck ever change?  

"For a single, selfish moment, she wondered when it was going to be her turn. When someone would save her, but maybe that was the lesson all along. She had to learn how to save herself."

Or Maybe there was no lesson at all. Maybe this was just how things were." (page 221) 

For me, this quote summaries Lucky's journey, does she need to let go of hoping to be saved and learn to save herself, or maybe she just needs to let go and just be?  Wanting to find out the answer lead me to read this book in two days! 

Fairy Godmothers, Inc is packed with loads of humor, and all the delights of Fairy Tales, chocolate, and love!

5 Stars! I recommend you add Fairy Godmothers, Inc. to your TBR pile ASAP! 

The Dollar Tree has little figurines for making fairy gardens so I picked up a gnome for my thyme!  I think I will make a little fairy garden on our porch in one of my larger pots once it's warm enough for flowers and plants outdoors again! 

An Actually Easy Bread Recipe! And #APocketInTime #NetGalley Review!

 We were out of potatoes and I didn't feel like making brown rice again, and I thought it was a good day to try and make fresh bread. I did a search for easy bread recipes and I found one to try that lives up to the description of the World's Easiest Homemade Bread.  This is a real five-star recipe and I am here to recommend it to you.  You don't even knead this dough! 

I recommend eating the bread slathered with butter. Life is short! 

And speaking of recommendations, let me share a review for a new time-traveling romance by Lexi Post.  I received a copy of this book from Net Galley, as always the opinions are mine.  Do you like Bridgerton or Outlander?  If so, give this book a read, A Pocket in Time is the second book in the Time Weavers, Inc. series.  So you can read the first book and then this one or just read the second one, whatever works for you. 

In the Author's Note, Lexi Post writes "A Pocket in Time was inspired by Charles Dickens' novel Oliver Twist."  I thought that was a unique place to start this book and as a fan of time-travel and romance, I knew this was a book I would have real fun reading.  Katz Almira is the heroine of this story, she is going back to Regency England to steal something that can change the course of history. Among her skill set is pickpocketing so she is perfect for this assignment.  She only has two weeks to complete this task or it will be too late to fix the timeline in the present day.  

The construct of Katz Almira being in a time and place she doesn't belong in and can't stay in without putting the entire world in peril really raises the stakes on the HEA. How are Jack and Katz going to overcome the literal obstacle of time and space?  That is the central mystery of this book and I applaud Lexi Post for making it so hard for these two to get together.  

If you like me enjoy characters with hard cynical outsides and gooey marshmallow insides, you'll love Katz and Jack.  It's nice to read a story where the male lead is more willing to dive off the deep end and profess his love without the certainty that the female protagonist will return his affections. 

4.5 stars to this book.  Really great read! 

#APocketInTime #NetGalley 

Can Netflix Make This Book into A Movie? #RomanceReview #HowToCatchaQueen 4.5 Stars

 

I decided to read this book because I enjoyed Alyssa Cole's mystery thriller When No One is Watching. As you can probably tell from the cover this book is a romance.  This is the first book in a new series by Alyssa Cole called Runaway Royals. 

While this book is contemporary, the book takes place in a country where there is an absolute monarchy, so you have some elements that are usually found in a Historical Romance.  The couple in the book Shanti and Sanyu are in an arranged marriage that includes a four-month trial.  King Sanyu is contending with grief over the loss of his father as well as crippling anxiety.  Shanti has focused her whole life on becoming a Queen in order to live a life of service and King Sanyu has spent his whole life trying to avoid the crown. 

This book is a slow burn, but also has the added tension of the marriage trial period.  In addition to reading to find out how and when they will fall in love and make a commitment, we also read to see how this couple will be able to pull the Kingdom out of its downward spiral and bring it into the global community.  I enjoyed the political discussions in the book as well as learning about the mythology of the Kingdom.  Alyssa Cole does an excellent job of discussing mental health as we see Shanti teach Sanyu coping mechanisms, and also as King Sanyu realizes there is no shame in therapy.   

Throughout the book Alyssa Cole puts in some laugh-out-loud lines which are so fun to read, and also there are some quiet lines that really resonate with the reader, such as the one below:

This is a smart romance and interwoven with romance and great sex, we see characters learning their worth and respecting the worth of others.   4.5 stars! 

If you read this book, let me know what you think!

Today is National Carrot Cake Day- I like to eat Carrot Cake, but I can't say I've ever made it!  If you'd like to give it a go today here is a recipe: Carrot Cake Recipe With Video

Happy Wednesday! 

Welcome New Year! Be Better Than the Last Two PLEASE!

I have decided that approaching the new year with cautious optimism is my only choice. 

"If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant; if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome."- Anne Bradstreet from Meditations Divine and Moral.

Looking at the world through my cautiously optimistic lens, I am planning to find the beauty in the cold of winter, keep all my fingers and toes crossed for health for myself and my family, and that maybe just maybe we can manage the pandemic and soon than later live music will return. 

I'll also be hoping that we'll be able to see my parents, that the kids will have those social interactions that make school fun, and that I'll run the Chicago Marathon in October. 

The new year is here, and the days are getting longer!

****

Today's book review: 

Angels' Blood by Nalini Singh
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The first book in what is--thankfully-- a long series! Nalini Singh creates a world where Archangels are at the top of the pyramid followed by 'regular angels' then vampires, then humans. Humans who want immortality can petition to be 'made' Angels into vampires. It's interesting how Nalina Singh takes angels and makes them into a mafia.

Elena is a vampire hunter, she doesn't kill them Buffy style, she's more like a skip tracer. New Vampires are indentured for a hundred years to their makers and some of them try to run in. Elena is born with hunting skills and she is the best hunter around. Just this plotline and Nalini Singh mix of modern life and myths in the world-building was enough for me to devour this book, but then you add in the archangel Raphael, Elena's past, the Cadre of Ten and now we have the beginning of an epic tale with just the right amount of romance.

If you like reading Ilona Andrews & Patricia Briggs, you'll love this series

View all my reviews

Want to Get Away? Escape This Christmas

 Is it just me or is this month going rather quickly?  We are almost down to single digits on the advent calendar and there are only 16 days left of the year. 

I don't know about you, but I hope next year brings back the ability to safely be around other people. I miss live music, and free library programs, and sitting with friends at a restaurant. 

Thankfully we have our escapes, for me, that is reading and running and to a much lesser extent-- writing.  What I am working on right now is ramping up to the New Year by starting the day with an hour of writing Monday through Friday. I am hoping this low bar of writing will allow me to start the day off on a good foot and make progress in my stories.  This should also help me to blog consistently as well by using morning time to work on blog posts.  

If you are bummed because you won't be traveling this Christmas, do yourself a favor and pick up this book. You'll feel like you got to go to a cozy cabin in Park City, UT with a family as entertaining as The Griswolds. 

In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A perfect holiday romance. This book has the right amount of snow and shenanigans. Chestnuts roasting by the fireplace and tension building under the Christmas tree. I was so happy that for a change the parents of the main characters were not only alive but also in good health. Not only that, but the characters have conversations and explain things.

Also even though the romance takes place over a short period of time, the characters involved have known each other for years so it is not far-fetched.

I can't think of anything I didn't like about this book.

Maelyn finds what she is looking for and it's so much more than a holiday romance.

If you are looking for a Christmas getaway, read this book!! 

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Summer Reading Challenge

My local library is having a summer reading challenge, not just for kids, also for adults. Adults earn tickets for gift card drawings. There are some pretty good gift cards this go round  including Imperial Oak Brewing and our local independent coffee shop: Strange Brew . I'm doing my best to get as many entries as possible before the challenge ends on August 1st. 

Here are the two books I finished this week-

The Museum of Desire by Jonathan Kellerman
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

One in a long, long series of psychological crime books staring Alex Delaware and Milo Sturgis. As is usually the case, the murder is really weird. I have read many of the books in the series. This was alright, not my fave. I listened to it on audible.com. I find the reader for this series is perfect and enjoy listening to these books when I run or when I am cooking. I found during this installment my mind tended to wander away from the story more than usual. I have no idea how writers manage to get 30 plus books out of a series, that's a lot of creepy murders. In any case, I was glad that Milo was still hanging in there, he really doesn't do a great job taking care of himself.


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Sweet Talkin' Lover by Tracey Livesay

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A fun contemporary romance! Lots of fun reading as Calia fell in love with not just Wyatt but also the town of Bradelton. You can't read this and not want to go stay at Sinclair House and go to the Harvest Ball. Tracey Livesay did a nice job of raising the stakes and making it seem harder and harder for our couple to find their HEA. I enjoyed that the issues between them were not other people but the expectations of others. Very well done. I am looking forward to reading all future installments of the Girls Trip books! 

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