Posted October 16, 2018 by Rowena in Features | 6 Comments
6 Comments
Tags: Book Nerd Things, Books, The Monthly Recap
Posted October 15, 2018 by Rowena in Books, Features | 4 Comments
Caiden came to California last week for a visit and we had a blast having him here with us. But he went home yesterday so we’re back to being sad and missing him but he’ll be back next month for Thanksgiving so we’ve got something to look forward to.
While he was here, he went to Disneyland, we had dinner at Chuck E. Cheese, he had play dates with our other kids at the park and just had an all-around blast being around other kids since, at home, it’s normally just him and his Mom all day long.
For me, it was a quiet week at home. I spent all the time that I could with Caiden, I read some, watched some TV shows and relaxed close to home. Work has been pretty grim for me because one of my closest friends at work quit and her last day in the office was Friday so we spent the week doing farewell lunches at all of her favorite lunch spots around our office since her new job is about a half hour away so she wouldn’t be able to go to them in a long while. I’m going to miss her something fierce though since I talked to her every single day and she’s finally watching Game of Thrones. Now our discussions about her progression in the show will largely take place through texts. Oh well.
I’m really enjoying A Million Little Things, the new TV Show on ABC. I’ve cried through all three episodes that I’ve watched so far. It’s so good.
Now, onto the books…
What I’m Currently Reading
Never Seduce a Scot
by
Maya Banks Narrator: Kirsten Potter Series: The Montgomery's and Armstrongs #1 Also in this series: Never Seduce a Scot,
Highlander Most Wanted Published by Random House,
Ballantine on September 25, 2012
Genres: Historical,
Romance Point of View:Alternating Third Person
Pages: 372
Format: Audiobook Source: PurchasedLength: 10 hours, 10 minutes
Add It:
GoodreadsEveline 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.
It’s time for me to get this book read so that I can prepare for my book club next month. My sister Delene picked this book for us to discuss and already, I’m loving the book. Maya Banks is really gifted at historical romance. I’m really enjoying watching Eveline grow into her own. I should be done with this one today though I want to savor this story. It’s so good.
What I Read
Shadow and Ice (Gods of War #1) by Gena Showalter | 2.75 out of 5
Phoenix Unbound (Fallen Empire #1) by Grace Draven | 4 out of 5
Fireworks (True North #6) by Sarina Bowen | 4.25 out of 5
My favorite read of the week goes to
Fireworks. Sarina Bowen is such a winning author for me. I love her True North series and Benito’s story was just as good as the others in the series and I’m hoping for more.
My least favorite read of the week goes to
Shadow and Ice and that’s because I spent more than half of the book bored by what was going on. The end was a lot better than the beginning but the beginning was boring enough that I wouldn’t give it more than a 3 star rating.
What I Reviewed
Say You’ll Stay (Return to Me #1) by Corinne Michaels | 1 out of 5
Long Shot (Hoops #1) by Kennedy Ryan | 4.75 out of 5
America’s Sweetheart (Real Love #5) by Jessica Lemmon | 4 out of 5
What I Posted
The Weekly Recap (106)
Can’t Wait Wednesday: The Risk by Elle Kennedy
What I Got
Nothing this week. I’ve been busy reading what I already have.
What I Got for Review
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You’d be Mine by Erin Hahn
Illegally Yours (Laws of Attraction #2) by Kate Meader
What Made Me Laugh
There you have it, my week in review. How was your week?Like this:
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Tags: Book Nerd Things, Books, Currently Reading, The Weekly Recap
Posted October 8, 2018 by Rowena in Books, Features | 2 Comments
It’s playoff time for baseball and right now, my Dodgers are leading their series against the Atlanta Braves 2-1. We lost last night and play again at 1:30 PM our time today to hopefully shut down the Braves for the rest of the postseason. I’m a giant ball of anxiety right now. I have faith but I’m still scared as all get out. Gah.
I went to the game on Friday night with Bren, Ken and my brother Pete. We had the best time, cheered with all of the Dodger fans around us and lost our car in the parking lot. It legit took us about 45 minutes to find our car because we all swore it was somewhere that it wasn’t. You would have thought that we were all drunk but nope. We were all just airheads. LOL.
I had zero reception at the stadium so I didn’t get many pictures at all but it was an amazing game and I was living more in the moment than playing on my phone so sorry guys. So Clayton Kershaw (our star pitcher) pitched 8 full innings and when he came out to warm up before the start of the ninth inning, the entire stadium erupted in cheers for him that turned to boo’s when the team manager Dave Roberts came out to wave him into the dugout to make room for our closer, Kenley Jansen but wow, can you imagine if Kershaw pitched all nine innings of a game? That would have been history right there. What a fun game and I don’t care what anyone says, Dodgers fans are nice dammit. Everyone that we sat next to were happy to be there and happy to cheer on our team. There were lots of strangers hugging and high fiving each other after great plays and at bats. I loved the atmosphere.
Now, onto the books…
What I’m Currently Reading
Shadow and Ice
by
Gena Showalter Series: Gods of War #1 Published by Harlequin,
HQN on October 23, 2018
Genres: Paranormal,
Romance Point of View:Alternating Third Person
Pages: 496
Format: eARC Source: NetGalleyAdd It:
GoodreadsKnox of Iviland, the most ruthless warrior in All War history, has spent his life fighting others to the death, winning new realms for his king. Now the stakes are higher than ever. If he prevails in the battle for Earth, his slave bands will be removed. Victory is his sole focus…until he meets her.
On an arctic getaway with her foster sister, street tough but vulnerable Vale London is shocked to stumble upon a cave filled with ancient gods waging epic combat. When she is inadvertently drawn into their war, she is forced to team up with an unlikely ally—the sexy god who makes her burn with desire.
Though Vale is his enemy, Knox is consumed with lust and a fierce need to protect her. But only one combatant can triumph, and he will have to choose: live for freedom, or die for love.
I’m seriously hoping that this book picks up soon because right now, I’m mostly bored by what’s going on and waiting to feel something for the hero and the heroine. Pray for me.
What I Read
Rebel Hard (Hard Play #2) by Nalini Singh (eARC) | 4 out of 5
Fight or Flight by Samantha Young (eARC) | 4.25 out of 5
Archangel’s Consort (Guild Hunter #3) by Nalini Singh (Audiobook) | 4.25 out of 5
What I Reviewed
Hot Winter Nights (Heartbreaker Bay #6) by Jill Shalvis | 3.75 out of 5
Slave to Sensation (Psy-Changelings #1) by Nalini Singh | 4.75 out of 5
What I Posted
The Weekly Recap (105)
My TBR Pile: October 2018
The One You Can’t Fight by Roni Loren
What I Got
My life is all about Dodger baseball right now so I haven’t bought any new books or downloaded new books to my kindle or even audible app. Maybe next week.
What I Got for Review
My Favorite Half-Night Stand by Christina Lauren
What Made Me Laugh
There you have it, my week in review. How was your week?Like this:
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Tags: Book Nerd Things, Books, Currently Reading, The Weekly Recap
Posted October 4, 2018 by Rowena in Features, Reviews | 6 Comments
Each week, I’ll be writing a review for an oldie but goodie that I’ve read through again to see if these books are holding up for me. I’m a different person than I was when I read these books, older and wiser (at least I hope) so I’m curious to see if books that I used to love can stand the test of time.
Slave to Sensation
by
Nalini Singh Narrator: Angela Dawe Series: Psy-Changelings #1 Published by Penguin,
Berkley on September 1, 2010
Genres: Paranormal,
Romance Point of View:Alternating Third Person
Pages: 334
Format: Audiobook Source: PurchasedLength: 9 hours, 39 minutes
Add It:
Goodreads
Nalini Singh dives into a world torn apart by a powerful race with phenomenal powers of the mind-and none of the heart.
In a world that denies emotions, where the ruling Psy punish any sign of desire, Sascha Duncan must conceal the feelings that brand her as flawed. To reveal them would be to sentence herself to the horror of "rehabilitation" - the complete psychic erasure of everything she ever was...
Both human and animal, Lucas Hunter is a changeling hungry for the very sensations the Psy disdain. After centuries of uneasy coexistence, these two races are now on the verge of war over the brutal murders of several changeling women. Lucas is determined to find the Psy killer who butchered his packmate, and Sascha is his ticket into their closely guarded society. But he soon discovers that this ice-cold Psy is very capable of passion - and that the animal in him is fascinated by her. Caught between their conflicting worlds, Lucas and Sascha must remain bound to their identities - or sacrifice everything for a taste of darkest temptation.
While browsing through the romance package on Audible the other day, I came across this audiobook and figured, “Why not?”. I needed something to listen to at work and I’m not sure if it’s because Halloween coming up or what, but I’m in the mood for paranormal, urban fantasy or just straight up fantasy books. Because most of my work is mindless and on the computer, I can get through an entire audiobook in one work day so I try to listen to at least 3 audiobooks every week.
It’s been a bit since I last read this book but man was it just as good as the first time I read it. I am just as intrigued with this series and the characters, the storyline and just everything about this book worked for me.
Lucas Hunter is the Alpha of the DarkRiver changeling pack and is overseeing the building of changelings housing when he’s approached from the Psy to build some housing they’re hoping to sell. His Psy liaison is Sascha Duncan and even though he doesn’t trust her as far as he can throw her, he’s attracted. Hella attracted to her and the more time that they spend together, the more he’s sure that he will have her. Things are complicated for him because he’s hunting a Psy serial killer who is attacking changelings and that more than anything else should be his top priority.
Sascha Duncan has a full plate of her own. As daughter to one of the Psy Council Members, she’s used to being under a microscope and because of that, it makes keeping her secret a lot harder but she does what she needs to do to survive and being around Lucas is making things even harder for her.
Gah, this is such a fantastic supernatural world to get lost in. Nalini Singh does such a great job of building a world that will grip you from beginning to end. I think I enjoyed this read a lot more this time around because I understand the world now. I didn’t spend any time trying to figure out what the hell a Psy is and who are all of the Changelings, stuff like that. I didn’t realize how much I missed this world until I started listening to this book.
This was such a great start to one of my all time favorite series and if you haven’t read this, you’re missing out. Nalini Singh is a magician and this book is only one of the reasons why. Lucas and Sascha will worm their way into your heart and all of their loved ones will too so you should really get this book, read it and love it right alongside me. I promise, it’s good. I’m SO glad I re-read this one.
Buy the Book
AMAZON || BARNES AND NOBLE || GOOGLE BOOKS || KOBO || THE RIPPED BODICE
Final Grade
4.75 out of 5
Psy-Changeling Series
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Tags: 4.75 Reviews, Book Nerd Things, Book Reviews, Books, Nalini Singh, Paranormal, Psy-Changelings Series, Romance, Throwback Thursday
Posted October 3, 2018 by Rowena in Features | 10 Comments
Can’t Wait Wednesday is hosted by Tressa at
Wishful Endings and it was based on the meme
Waiting on Wednesday that was hosted by Jill at
Breaking the Spine.
The One You Fight For
by
Roni Loren Series: The Ones that Got Away #3 Also in this series: The One You Can't Forget Published by Sourcebooks,
Sourcebooks Casablanca on January 1, 2019
Genres: Contemporary,
Romance Point of View:Alternating Third Person
Pages: 416
Format: eARC Source: EdelweissAdd It:
GoodreadsHow hard would you fight for the one you love?
Taryn Landry was there that awful night fourteen years ago when Long Acre changed from the name of a town to the title of a national tragedy. Everyone knows she lost her younger sister. No one knows it was her fault. Since then, psychology professor Taryn has dedicated her life's work to preventing something like that from ever happening again. Falling in love was never part of the plan...
Shaw Miller has spent more than a decade dealing with the fallout of his brother's horrific actions. After losing everything―his chance at Olympic gold, his family, almost his sanity―he's changed his name, his look, and he's finally starting a new life. As long as he keeps a low profile and his identity secret, everything will be okay, right?
When the world and everyone you know defines you by one catastrophic tragedy...How do you find your happy ending?
This week’s book is part of a series that I’m really enjoying right now. It’s the third book in the
The Ones that Got Away series by Roni Loren and I cannot wait to read it. It comes out next year and I’m pretty anxious to dig in because the synopsis paints this to be such an interesting one.
I can’t imagine falling in love with someone closely related to the person that plays such a huge part in the biggest nightmare of my life. It sounds like all kinds of drama and I’m so here for it.
Mark your calendars if you’re interested in this one because it comes out on
January 1, 2019 and if it’s as good as the other books in this series, then we’re in for a treat. You can read my reviews for the first two books here,
The Ones that Got Away and
The One You Can’t Forget.
Pre-Order the Book
AMAZON || BARNES & NOBLE || GOOGLE BOOKS || KOBO || THE RIPPED BODICE
The Ones That Got Away Series
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September came and went a lot faster than I was anticipating. Lots of stuff happened but the most important thing that happened was our celebrating baby Jax’s first birthday. Jax is my older brother’s first grandchild and he is the apple of his papa’s eye. My brother is such a great grandfather and Jax loves him so. Jax is such a little cutie and an adorably good little boy and our family adore him. His first birthday was a lot of fun.
Brenna and Makenna’s pre-season for basketball has also started in September and they played in their first basketball tournament of the season, it was about an hour away and I didn’t make it out to the tournament but my brother Pete went and said that though the team isn’t as good as they were last year, Brenna and Makenna didn’t play nearly as well as they should have so it was hard to get a good feel on how they’ll do this year. I guess we’ll just wait and see.
Dodgers are playing in the National League Championship Series and I’m rooting them on from wherever I am when the games start. At home or at work.
My best friend had surgery to remove her thyroid and I was able to hang out with her and her Mom to make sure that all was well and to drive them around wherever they needed since Therese was in a lot of pain and her Mom was scared to drive around town. I was happy to be there for them both because Therese’s Mom is one of my favorite people in the world.
September was a good month for me personally but it was also good for me in books. Let’s move on to the books…
1. For the Dukes Eyes Only (School for Dukes #2) by Lenora Bell (eARC) | 4.25 out of 5
2. Untamed (MacKinnon’s Rangers #2) by Pamela Clare (eBook) | 4 out of 5
3. Beyond the Night (The Heros of New Vegas #1) by Colleen Gleason (eBook) | 4 out of 5
4. Say You’ll Stay by Corinne Michaels (Audiobook) | 1 out of 5
5. The Lion’s Lady (Crown’s Spies #1) by Julie Garwood (re-read) (eBook) | 4.25 out of 5
6. Guardian Angel (Crown’s Spies #2) by Julie Garwood (re-read) (eBook) | 4.25 out of 5
7. Meet Me at the Cupcake Cafe by Jenny Colgan (Audiobook) | 2.75 out of 5
8. Long Shot (Hoops #1) by Kennedy Ryan (eBook) | 4.75 out of 5
9. Block Shot (Hoops #2) by Kennedy Ryan (eBook) | 4 out of 5
10. Seduction of a Highland Lass (McCabe Trilogy #2) by Maya Banks (Audiobook) | 4.75 out of 5
11. The Duke Buys a Bride (The Rogue Files #3) by Sophie Jordan (eBook) | 3 out of 5
12. The Gift (Crown’s Spies #4) by Julie Garwood (eBook) | 4 out of 5
13. Dead Heat (Alpha & Omega #4) by Patricia Briggs (eBook) | 5 out of 5
14. Hot Dad by Whitley Cox (eBook) | 1 out of 5
15. Finding Dandelion (Dearest #2) by Lex Martin (Audiobook) | 3.75 out of 5
16. Burn Bright (Alpha & Omega #5) by Patricia Briggs | 4 out of 5
17. America’s Sweetheart (Real Love #5) by Jessica Lemmon (eARC) | 4 out of 5
18. Never Love a Highlander (McCabe Trilogy #3) by Maya Banks (Audiobook) | 4.75 out of 5
19. Kissing Madeleine (Dearest #3) by Lex Martin (Audiobook) | 4 out of 5
Josh Im from Josh & Hazel Guide to Not Dating by Christina Lauren
August West from Long Shot by Kennedy Ryan
Morgan MacKinnon from Untamed by Pamela Clare
Alaric McCabe from Seduction of a Highland Lass by Maya Banks
Just Listen by Sarah Dessen | 4 out of 5
Kulti by Mariana Zapata | 4.25 out of 5
The Lion’s Lady by Julie Garwood | 4.25 out of 5
Sierra Burgess is a Loser (2018) | 1 out of 5
Guardian Angel by Julie Garwood | 4.25 out of 5
The Duke Buys Bride by Sophie Jordan | 2.5 out of 5
The Gift by Julie Garwood | 4 out of 5
