My TBR Pile: October 2018

Every month I put a list together of the books that I either need to read for review or the books that I want to get around to reading (finally) and I’m going to post my TBR Pile on the blog for you guys all to share in my hopes and dreams of reading all of the books. Before we get to my list for next month, let’s see how I did in September.

Previous Month Stats

Books to Read: 8
Books Read: 7
Books Unread: 1
Favorite Read: Josh & Hazel’s Guide to not Dating, Long Shot
Least Favorite Read: The Duke Buys a Bride

In the month of September, I knocked out all but one book from my TBR pile and I’m sad that by the time I got to the last book on my TBR list, I wasn’t in the mood to read anymore. The only book that I didn’t read was A Girl Like Her by Talia Hibbert but I’m hoping to get that read either this month or next.

Here are the books that are up on my TBR pile for October. Wish me luck!

Fight or Flight by Samantha Young
Releases on October 9, 2018
Publisher: Berkley
Genres: Contemporary, Romance
Pages: 288
Format: eARC

A series of chance encounters leads to a sizzling new romance from the New York Times bestselling author of the On Dublin Street series.

The universe is conspiring against Ava Breevort. As if flying back to Phoenix to bury a childhood friend wasn’t hell enough, a cloud of volcanic ash traveling from overseas delayed her flight back home to Boston. Her last ditch attempt to salvage the trip was thwarted by an arrogant Scotsman, Caleb Scott, who steals a first class seat out from under her. Then over the course of their journey home, their antagonism somehow lands them in bed for the steamiest layover Ava’s ever had. And that’s all it was–until Caleb shows up on her doorstep.

When pure chance pulls Ava back into Caleb’s orbit, he proposes they enjoy their physical connection while he’s stranded in Boston. Ava agrees, knowing her heart’s in no danger since a) she barely likes Caleb and b) his existence in her life is temporary. Not long thereafter Ava realizes she’s made a terrible error because as it turns out Caleb Scott isn’t quite so unlikeable after all. When his stay in Boston becomes permanent, Ava must decide whether to fight her feelings for him or give into them. But even if she does decide to risk her heart on Caleb, there is no guarantee her stubborn Scot will want to risk his heart on her….

Yeah, remember last month when I said I wanted to catch up on my review books for October? Well, I didn’t succeed in that endeavor but there’s always this month, right? This is my last review book for October so I need to get this read and reviewed before next week. Wish me luck!

Kill the Queen (Crown of Shards #1) by Jennifer Estep
Releases on October 2, 2018
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Genres: Fantasy, Romance
Pages: 416
Format: Print ARC

Gladiator meets Game of Thrones: a royal woman becomes a skilled warrior to destroy her murderous cousin, avenge her family, and save her kingdom in this first entry in a dazzling fantasy epic from the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Elemental Assassin series—an enthralling tale that combines magic, murder, intrigue, adventure, and a hint of romance

In a realm where one’s magical power determines one’s worth, Lady Everleigh’s lack of obvious ability relegates her to the shadows of the royal court of Bellona, a kingdom steeped in gladiator tradition. Seventeenth in line for the throne, Evie is nothing more than a ceremonial fixture, overlooked and mostly forgotten.

But dark forces are at work inside the palace. When her cousin Vasilia, the crown princess, assassinates her mother the queen and takes the throne by force, Evie is also attacked, along with the rest of the royal family. Luckily for Evie, her secret immunity to magic helps her escape the massacre.

Forced into hiding to survive, she falls in with a gladiator troupe. Though they use their talents to entertain and amuse the masses, the gladiators are actually highly trained warriors skilled in the art of war, especially Lucas Sullivan, a powerful magier with secrets of his own. Uncertain of her future—or if she even has one—Evie begins training with the troupe until she can decide her next move.

But as the bloodthirsty Vasilia exerts her power, pushing Bellona to the brink of war, Evie’s fate becomes clear: she must become a fearsome gladiator herself . . . and kill the queen.

My friend Holly has got me reading all kinds of fantasy, paranormal and urban fantasy books and honestly? I can’t get enough so I’m on board with reading them all. That being said, I got a print ARC of this book in the mail and while browsing through it, my interest has been piqued and I think I’m going to read it. They had me at Gladiator meets Game of Thrones.

Phoenix Unbound (Fallen Empire #1) by Grace Draven
Released on September 25, 2018
Publisher: Ace
Genres: Fantasy
Pages: 400
Format: eBook

A woman with power over fire and illusion and an enslaved son of a chieftain battle a corrupt empire in this powerful and deeply emotional romantic fantasy from the USA Today bestselling author of Radiance.

Every year, each village is required to send a young woman to the Empire’s capital–her fate to be burned alive for the entertainment of the masses. For the last five years, one small village’s tithe has been the same woman. Gilene’s sacrifice protects all the other young women of her village, and her secret to staying alive lies with the magic only she possesses.

But this year is different.

Azarion, the Empire’s most famous gladiator, has somehow seen through her illusion–and is set on blackmailing Gilene into using her abilities to help him escape his life of slavery. And unknown to Gilene, he also wants to reclaim the birthright of his clan.

To protect her family and village, she will risk everything to return to the Empire–and burn once more.

We’re reading this book for our Discord book club and I need to up my game on there because I didn’t get around to reading last month’s book (bad Rowena) but I am totally committed to reading this book this month in time to discuss it with all of my discord friends. Are you in the book club? You should be as it’s a lot of fun!

Iron Kissed (Mercy Thompson #3) by Patricia Briggs
Released on January 2, 2008
Publisher: Ace
Genres: Paranormal
Pages: 287
Format: eBook

I could smell her fear, and it satisfied something deep inside me that had been writhing under her cool, superior gaze. I curled my upper lip so she could get a good look at my sharp teeth. I might only weigh thirty or so pounds in my coyote shape, but I was a predator…

Mechanic Mercy Thompson can shift her shape – but not her loyalty. When her former boss and mentor is arrested for murder and left to rot behind bars by his own kind, it’s up to Mercy to clear his name, whether he wants her to or not.
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Mercy’s loyalty is under pressure from other directions, too. Werewolves are not known for their patience, and if Mercy can’t decide between the two she cares for, Sam and Adam may make the choice for her…

It’s time to get back to this series. I started it last year and read the first two books but stopped to catch up on my review pile and then never went back to it. I’m committed to reading it this month because I’m doing a buddy review with Holly over at our book blog, Book Binge. That should be fun since I’m hearing that I’ll probably cry. Bring on the waterworks, I say.

Wait for It) by Mariana Zapata
Released on December 7, 2016
Publisher: Self Published, Mariana Zapata
Genres: Contemporary, Romance
Pages: 670
Format: eBook

If anyone ever said being an adult was easy, they hadn’t been one long enough. Diana Casillas can admit it: she doesn’t know what the hell she’s doing half the time. How she’s made it through the last two years of her life without killing anyone is nothing short of a miracle. Being a grown-up wasn’t supposed to be so hard. With a new house, two little boys she inherited the most painful possible way, a giant dog, a job she usually loves, more than enough family, and friends, she has almost everything she could ever ask for. Except for a boyfriend. Or a husband. But who needs either one of those?

I bought this book the day that it released back in 2016 and I still haven’t read it. Thanks to Ames, I’m finally going to do it since it’s our buddy review book for next month. I really enjoyed the last book that I read by Mariana Zapata so I’m looking forward to more good things with this book.

Never Seduce a Scot (Montgomery’s & Armstrongs #1) by Maya Banks
Released on September 25, 2012
Publisher: Random House, Ballantine
Genres: Historical, Romance
Pages: 372
Format: eBook

Eveline Armstrong is fiercely loved and protected by her powerful clan, but outsiders consider her “touched.” Beautiful, fey, with a level, intent gaze, she doesn’t speak. No one, not even her family, knows that she cannot hear. Content with her life of seclusion, Eveline has taught herself to read lips and allows the outside world to view her as daft. But when an arranged marriage into a rival clan makes Graeme Montgomery her husband, Eveline accepts her duty—unprepared for the delights to come. Graeme is a rugged warrior with a voice so deep and powerful that his new bride can hear it, and hands and kisses so tender and skilled that he stirs her deepest passions.

Graeme is intrigued by the mysterious Eveline, whose silent lips are ripe with temptation and whose bright, intelligent eyes can see into his soul. As intimacy deepens, he learns her secret. But when clan rivalries and dark deeds threaten the wife he has only begun to cherish, the Scottish warrior will move heaven and earth to save the woman who has awakened his heart to the beautiful song of a rare and magical love.

This is my in real life book club book of the month. It was my sister Delene’s turn to choose our book and she’s been super obsessed with all things Maya Banks lately as she just finished reading all three books in the McCabe Trilogy and wants to keep that party going. I’m actually really looking forward to reading this book because I’ve heard nothing but good things about it. Holly gave it 5 stars on Goodreads so that’s high praise since she’s really stingy with her 5 stars. I can’t wait to read this one!

Shadow and Ice (Gods of War #1) by Gena Showalter
Releases on October 23, 2018
Publisher: Harlequin, HQN
Genres: Paranormal, Romance
Pages: 384
Format: eARC

Gena Showalter, the New York Times bestselling author who brought you the Lords of the Underworld, introduces a scorching new paranormal romance series… Gods of War.

Knox of Iviland has spent his life competing in the All Wars, where vicious warriors with supernatural powers fight to the death to claim new realms. One winner takes everything—and all losers die. Enslaved as a child for his ability to control shadows, the most ruthless champion in history will stop at nothing to kill his king. But first he must win the battle for Earth. When a fearsome weapon imprisons every combatant in ice, centuries pass without progress…until she walks in.

Vale London craves a fun arctic getaway with her foster sister before settling down to open a bakery. Street-tough but vulnerable, she is unprepared to find ancient gods escaping a frozen cave—merciless beings who target her when she inadvertently enters their war.

Though Vale is now his enemy, Knox is consumed with lust and a fierce need to protect her. But only one combatant can prove victorious, and he will have to choose: live for freedom, or die for love.

The last book that I have on my TBR pile for this month is Casee’s pick for our blog review that we’re doing together. Kind of like a book club but really, it’s just a way to keep our summer reading challenge going. Each month, one of us will choose a book for all three of us to read together and we’ll review it together on Book Binge. We’re reading Shadow and Ice by Gena Showalter and I’m low key looking forward to it.

What books are on your TBR pile for October? Anything good that I should keep my eye out on?Please share the books you have on deck to read next month.