The Sunday Post - Spring Fling Conference! Books, Books, and more Books!

 

The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted here @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly, or for a monthly wrap-up. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme 

I had the most wonderful time at the Chicago North Romance Writers Spring Fling! I attended all these wonderful craft sessions and some great marketing sessions as well. I got to meet Jen from the podcast Fated Mates! And if that wasn't enough there was a panel featuring the writer Kate Clayborn! 

Then on Saturday, I did my first book signing! And some people bought my book!  It was amazing. The room was filled with readers and authors. I loved seeing lots of moms and daughters picking up books together, that was great!. Saturday night there was a gala and our keynote speaker, Thee Beverly Jenkins gave an inspiring and wonderful speech. The night was capped off with dancing and I can now say I was on the dance floor with Beverly Jenkins and Brenda Jackson! 

I also stocked up on books!

So much good reading ahead!

How was your week? 

Neon Gods and Local Bookstores

 

Have you read this book? It's very spicy! I picked it up at my local bookstore, Love's Sweet Arrow. I'm very lucky not only to have a local bookstore but one that is a romance bookstore! This month one of the bookstore's book clubs is reading this book, and I am excited to go and be part of the discussion when the book club meets later this month! 

Neon Gods has over two hundred thousand reviews on Goodreads! Amazing, clearly this has been a very popular book. If you ask me, part of the reason why this is popular is not because there is a sex dungeon, but because it's a great update to the ancient story of Persephone and Hades. I read a physical copy of the book and it took me about four sittings to read it. I liked the world enough that I was ready to go straight from this book to the next book in the series. I loved that in this story, Hades isn't described as very handsome but not tall or particularly imposing, even though he is Hades. Most importantly for me, in this story, Persephone isn't kidnapped by Hades. I like this version better. 

Have you read this book? What did you think?

A Good Slow Burn and Lollapalooza

The kids were all home for Easter and we got to talking about concerts my daughter said she really wanted to go to Lollapalooza, and she specifically said she wanted to go on Thursday or Friday. I thought about it and I offered to get a couple tickets if she wanted to go with me. She picked Thursday! So I'll be going to Lollapalooza for one day this year! I love music and nothing beats an outdoor concert in Chicago on a summer day. 

Ten years ago I was at Lolla and I saw this one guy who was on a side stage first thing in the morning.  It was one of those shows where you know the musician is going to be huge. The kind of show where you get goosebumps. That musician was Hozier, and this year he's a headliner for Thursday night. Sure I'll be one of the oldest people in the crowd, but life is short!

Beneath The Lies by Sara Talley is a long slow burn featuring Violet and Colson who are two college-age kids from different backgrounds. This book reminded me of the TV show the OC.  If you like longer romance books, you are in for a treat this is a 400-plus page book, so lots of time for the embers to glow before the fire and lots of time to spend with the couple. This was a 4-star reading for me!

Below is the description of the book from Goodreads so you can check out the theme of the book and some of the content warnings.  

Colson

After my addict mother steals most of my savings, I move into my cousin’s college apartment, knowing it’ll keep everyone out of my business with Harrison Height’s most known drug dealer.

However, when I stumble into the wrong bathroom during a party, it doesn’t take me long to realize that Violet is all the good I’ve never had in my life. As much as wanting her consumes me, I can’t let myself have her. Not when I’m buried beneath a life that would show her just how much we don’t belong.

Violet

After the worst summer of my life, I return to Chatham U closed off. My focus is on my classes, my job at the daycare, and trying my best to ignore how my friends and I are growing apart.

Then there’s the new guy in our friend group who I’m drawn to despite our unconventional meeting. He’s gorgeous, mysterious, and…completely closed off.

Somehow he sees more than I want him to. It’s obvious he’s hiding something, but I also know that whatever it is, he needs me. Maybe more than I need him.

Beneath the Lies is a full-length new adult, college romance with hints of corruption, binge-worthy drama, and slow-burn angst. It is the first book in the Complicated Truths Duet. Recommended for 18+. TW: Corruption, drug use/addiction, sexually explicit scenes, strong language, violence (incl. body mutilation).

442 pages, Paperback

Nikki Payne Writes the Best Contemporary Jane Austen Adaptations

 A nice chaser to this book is to treat yourself with an evening watching the new Hallmark Channel Sense & Sensibility.

If you enjoy Jane Austen's retellings, you can't go wrong with this book. I really like that the store focuses on Nora and Ennis.  They are the POV characters in this version. Personally, for reasons unknown, I always enjoy a book set in Maine, and this book is no exception! 

I listened to the audio version of this book and the readers are outstanding. If you like audiobooks, go ahead and get that version of this book! You won't be disappointed. I don't want to spoil this book for you, of course, can you really spoil a retelling? The major plot points are all there. In this book, there is a scene involving condoms and it is such a good scene. I won't forget it, and frankly, I forget so much of what I read! (like character names). 

For me, this was a 5-star book. The characters are well written,  Nikki Payne really puts them through the wringer and I really thought all hope was lost! 

Less than a week until our Illinois Primary! Here is a sunset photo from Monday's canvassing. The time change means it wasn't pitch black when I got done at seven p.m. 

Canvassing and Under The Mask- A Superhero Romance!

I received an ARC of this new release in exchange for an honest review. Under The Mask by Lisabel Chretien is a nice twist on the romance subgenres of police romance and paranormal romance. In this book, Claire is a New York EMT who has dreamt of being a superhero. In this universe, superheroes came out of the shadows during the prohibition era to help fight crime. 

Claire doesn't have superpowers, but due to some events, she comes to the attention of a supervillain and needs protection. I don't want to say too much and spoil you. This is a second-chance romance. The heat level is low, basically on par with what you would see if this was a primetime TV show. 
I enjoyed the romance and the action of the book. If you typically read paranormal romance I think this book is a good fit. Plus this is a standalone book. So it's like Nalini Singh's Psy Changeling series, each book will have a different couple. Which is nice! 

Under The Mask has characters you'll enjoy spending time with, is a fast read, and for me, it was a five star read! 

You can get it here: https://a.co/d/fo7fEZQ

Tomorrow I'll be canvassing again for a local candidate who is running to be my state representative in Springfield, IL. Temps are supposed to be in the low 50s (12 degrees Celsius). This is great weather for February weather in Chicagoland so I will take it. I hope the time goes fast and that the people are friendly! 

We have 27 days until our Illinois primary--will it snow between now and then? Yes, I'm sure it will!

 

The Sunday Post Closing Out January

 

The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted here @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly, or for a monthly wrap-up. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme  

This week our weather took a turn for the warmer and that caused me to have a terrible sinus headache that has turned into sinusitis. The turn for the worse happened Friday night so I guess the upside is I have the weekend to relax. However, my plan for the weekend was to work on writing my second book! Yesterday I was smart enough to recognize there was no point in trying to write and I laid in bed most of the day. 

Today, as you can see, I am feeling good enough to sit in bed and write. My goal for today is two thousand words. Wish me luck!

How are you doing? Any fun plans for the upcoming week?  

I'm currently finishing reading Cat Sloan Is Swirling. I'm planning to blog about that on Friday. Tomorrow I'll be blogging about Last Night by Luanne Rice. 

The Sunday Post- Not Sure How That Happened

 

The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted here @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly, or for a monthly wrap-up. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme  

I wrote and published a whole Sunday post yesterday and then today I made a post for Tuesday and then I somehow managed to overwrite that post and accidentally post my Tuesday post this afternoon. Whoopsy. 

How was your week?  It was cold here and we had some more snow but not a bunch. This coming week it's supposed to be above freezing and I'm happy about that because on Tuesday I'm medically cleared to run again. Obviously, I'll need there to be snow and ice-free sidewalks. 

I've got two of my posts for this week done, one is for my own book release, No Gouda Without You, and another new release You Are Enough that will be out on Thursday. I also finished reading Between Mischief and Magic and I'll review that either Friday or Saturday. 

Have a great week!