Salvaged

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Salvaged by Jay Crownover

Hudson Wheeler is a nice guy. Everyone knows it, including his fiancée who left him with a canceled wedding and a baby on the way. He’s tired of finishing last and is ready to start living in the moment with nights soaked in whiskey, fast cars, and even faster girls. He’s set to start living on the edge, but when he meets Poppy Cruz, her sad eyes in the most gorgeous face he’s ever seen hook him in right away. Wheeler can see Poppy’s pain and all he wants to do is take care of her and make her smile, whatever it takes.

Poppy can’t remember a time when she didn’t see strangers as the enemy. After a lifetime of being hurt from the men who swore to protect her, Poppy’s determined to keep herself safe by keeping everyone else at arm’s length. Wheeler’s sexy grin and rough hands from hours restoring classic cars shouldn’t captivate her, but every time she’s with him, she can’t help being pulled closer to him. Though she’s terrified to trust again, Poppy soon realizes it might hurt even more to shut Wheeler out—and the intense feelings pulsing through her are making it near impossible to resist him.

The only thing Poppy is sure of is that her heart is in need of some serious repair, and the more time she spends with Wheeler, the more she’s convinced he’s the only man with the tools to fix it.

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2ijRhq4
Barnes and Noble: tinyurl.com/hqotakt
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/salvaged-7
Google: http://tinyurl.com/h4cv47s
ibooks: tinyurl.com/jfcz6yx
Amazon UK : http://tinyurl.com/zgmx5hp
Amazon Canada: http://tinyurl.com/jzd4cbq

ADD SALVAGED TO YOUR GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28497297-salvaged

 

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EXCERPT:

I rounded the corner at the end of my block and came to a halt. The puppy took that as a sign that we were done playing outside and started jumping all over my lower legs and pawing at my shins. He whined at me until I picked him up, and as soon as he could reach my face, his little tongue started darting all over my chin and cheeks. I wondered if he could feel the tension that made my limbs stiff and the anxiety that tightened all my muscles. I felt my breath catch in the back of my throat and there was no stopping my eyes from rapidly blinking to make sure what I was seeing was real and not a figment of my imagination.

He looked like one of those black-and-white art prints that hung in every diner and restaurant I’d ever eaten in. The one that was a throwback to another era when cool was something you had to cultivate and couldn’t buy on Amazon. He was leaning against a black-and-silver car that looked like it should be on the cover of a hot-rod magazine and not parked on a busy and crowded Capitol Hill street. He had on dark jeans and a dark canvas jacket that had the logo of his garage embroidered on the front. His ankles were crossed on the curb in front of him and one booted foot bounced up and down, giving the impression that he’d been waiting for me for a while. His arms were crossed over his chest and his eyes were locked on mine as I stood still, unsure what to do. He had an effortless kind of charisma that radiated off of him. It was equal parts intimidating and irresistible. I was unsure if my feet wanted to rush me toward him or run me as far from him as possible.

The puppy made the decision for me. Seeing another human, and thus another opportunity for pats and rubs, he threw his wiggling little body out of my arms before I could react. He hit the ground with a little yelp and then bolted right for Wheeler. I let out a gasp and took off after him thinking I could catch the end of the leash that was trailing behind him. I didn’t want him to run into the road or veer off into a yard where he didn’t belong. I was light-years away from being able to handle a confrontation with a hostile stranger that didn’t want the puppy in their space.

I didn’t need to worry because Wheeler pushed his long, lean frame off the polished side of the car and reached the scrambling animal within just a few strides. He crouched down as the puppy hurled himself into his arms and scooped the excited bundle up in one fluid motion. Then he was rising back up to his full height, which meant he was towering over me when I made my way over to where he was standing. I was embarrassed at how out of breath I was. I was supposed to be stronger than I was before, but I could hardly handle a little jog up the block or the way my heart raced at the sight of him.

I shook my head and put my hands on my hips as I looked up and into those arctic eyes. He was scratching the puppy under the chin and looking at me from under lashes that had the barest hint of red to them. “Why don’t you have a coat on?”

It wasn’t what I was expecting but his question reminded me that I was cold and that the lightweight hoodie that had the Saints of Denver logo on it wasn’t doing much to keep the bitter chill in the air off my skin. The shirt came from the tattoo shop where both Rowdy and Salem worked and was probably the most exciting garment I had in my closet. It was the only thing I owned that was bright and colorful. I rubbed my arms up and down and fired my own question right back at him. “What are you doing here?”

The puppy barked like he was telling me not to be rude but I was unsettled by Wheeler’s unexpected appearance, and not the typical unsettled that I struggled with because he was a man that I didn’t know. It was the kind of unsettled that made parts of my body I forget could react to an attractive man feel warm and tingly. The kind of unsettled that had me involuntarily leaning closer to him as he started to shift so that he could pull his heavy jacket off one arm without letting go of the dog.

“I wanted to talk to you about the dog. Did you find someone to take him yet?” He shifted the puppy to his now bare arm as I watched the endless amounts of ink that covered his skin move and flex as he shook his other arm free of the coat.

“Uh…not really.” The truth was I hadn’t really put that much effort into finding someone because I didn’t want to let the puppy go. In just a few days I’d grown surprisingly attached even though I knew I wasn’t allowed to keep him in my apartment. I’d already asked since Dixie was allowed to keep Dolly, but the landlord informed they were grandfathered in before the laws surrounding pit bulls in Denver changed. My little guy wasn’t that lucky.

My response made Wheeler chuckle. He stared at me silently as he held out the coat he’d taken off in his free hand.

“Put this on.” I stared at him like he’d suddenly started speaking Russian until he shook the coat again and frowned at me. His voice was serious and left no room for argument when he repeated the command. “Put this on, Poppy.”

 

REVIEW:

Salvaged is the story of two people who have taken the hardest hits in life, and yet come together to heal each other. Poppy was abused and tortured by her ex husband and is still having trouble dealing with people. Hudson was cheated on twice by his ex fiance, who is now in love with a woman and pregnant with his child. The two are so damaged, and yet find comfort in each other.

 

Jay always manages to create fresh and interesting characters that feel real. I loved Poppy and Hudson, they both had such a great journey, together and separately. Two people who needed someone to love and want them for who they are and to be treated with respect. I am so glad Jay wrote this story, it’s for all those people who never thought they would get the love they wanted and deserved.

 

About Jay Crownover:

Jay Crownover is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Marked Men, The Point, and the Saints of Denver series. Like her characters, she is a big fan of tattoos. She loves music and wishes she could be a rock star, but since she has no aptitude for singing or instrument playing, she’ll settle for writing stories with interesting characters that make the reader feel something. She lives in Colorado with her dogs.

Website: http://www.jaycrownover.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJayCrownover?ref=hl
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/JayCrownover
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/Crownover

Social Media Post Suggestion:

Jay Crownover’s SALVAGED (Saints of Denver #4) is here! Order your copy today! #Salvaged

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2ijRhq4
Barnes and Noble: tinyurl.com/hqotakt
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/salvaged-7
Google: http://tinyurl.com/h4cv47s
ibooks: tinyurl.com/jfcz6yx
Amazon UK : http://tinyurl.com/zgmx5hp
Amazon Canada: http://tinyurl.com/jzd4cbq

Hearts on Air

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Hearts on Air by LH Cosway

4 stars! 

“Trev was the one thing in this world I could never, ever resist. I’d always want him. Only him. Even when I know wholeheartedly that I shouldn’t.” 

Trev and Reya were best friends, until they became much more. After years of pining for the guy she always wanted, Reya had him. Until he signed on to a parkour reality television series and the two drifted apart. Now, two years later, Trev reenters Reya’s life, and he is determined to bring her back into his. And he does this by bringing her on the road while his show is filming throughout Europe.

Reya is determined not to let Trev get under her skin again, but being in close quarters through some of the most romantic cities in the world make it difficult to resist him. Little does she know, Trev has been harboring some serious intentions for Reya, and this time he’s not going to let her go.

“Happiness was a stranger, but misery was a dear old friend.” 

I love the Hearts series so so much. Each book brings something unique and special to the table, every story something new, and every character a breath of fresh air. While this can be read as a standalone, we got brief glimpses of Reya and Trev in previous books in the series, and I have always been intrigued by their dynamic and have wanted to read their story.

I love reality television romance, it’s something we rarely see in the book world, but when we do it adds a little something extra to the story. That and Reya were my favorite parts of this book, I loved her as a heroine. She was alluring, curvy, and fierce. She had her issues and her insecurities, but they were what made her wonderful and she didn’t let them hold her back from living her life. Trev and Reya were explosive together, a delightful and beautiful couple. I know readers will love their story.

“He smelled like home. He embraced me like love.” 

ARC provided by author in exchange for an honest review 

180 Seconds

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180 Seconds by Jessica Park

4 cried my eyes out stars

“It’s going to hurt until it doesn’t anymore.”

180 seconds is about a college junior Allison. After sixteen years of being tossed around the foster care system, unwanted, she was adopted by her father. Now years later in college, she still lacks social skills and would prefer to spend her time studying or in her room. While talking a walk one day, she gets roped into a social experiment where two people stare into each others eyes for 180 seconds, no breaks. The person she does this with is another college junior named Esben, and the experience has a profound effect on the both of them.

“We are engaged in a form of intimacy that scares the absolute hell out of me. It’s as if there is a weight on my chest that I want to shove off, and I’ve never been this terrified before.
Or this whole and hopeful and connected.
My body starts to tremble. I want more of what I’m feeling, and I also want none of it.”

I went into blind and it was wonderful! It was on the sweeter side and more emotional than I usually like my books, but I still really enjoyed it all the same. I love heroines that aren’t the norm, and Allison wormed her way into my heart very early on in the book. This is a story not just about love, but friendship, family and kindness to others. But what I loved most actually was this was a new adult college read: I really missed reading that kind of book, it feels like no one is writing them anymore.

Anyways, if you are up for an intensely emotional novel, this book is the one for you! I really liked it and look forward to more that Park has to offer readers in the future.

“You can’t reach what’s in front of you until you let go of what’s behind you.”

The Handmaid’s Tale

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The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood

“Don’t let the bastards grind you down.”

I first read The Handmaid’s Tale back when I was in high school, as a part of the local book club the library held for teens. I remembered thinking “This would never happen”. Flash forward to 2017 and well, there are some similarities and parallels to be drawn. I had remembered loving this book when I read it then, but it had been so long, that I didn’t remember any of it, so I decided it was time for a reread.

The Handmaid’s Tale is a dystopian novel about a woman named Offred, a breeder in this new world. Handmaid’s are women of a certain age who have been proven to be fertile, and they live with the Commander’s and their families where they serve only to create more children. This book is exactly the title, it is Offred’s tale, as we see her present day circumstances, and also her reflecting on her past, the way things used to be, when the country changed, her family and friends.

Ignoring isn’t the same as ignorance, you have to work at it.”

I somehow really connect with Atwood’s writing style. I’ve seen a bunch of reviews saying this book is boring, and I honestly do see where those reviewers are coming from. This book isn’t fast paced at all and there are lots of descriptions. But personally, I find this book completely fascinating and haunting, both times I read it I devoured it. There’s a reason it’s a contemporary classic, and it’s because the story in this book could be any woman in any country. Honestly, there are some politicians out there, the things we find horrifying in this novel is their wet dream come true. And it terrifies me.

My favorite part about this book is it really made me ponder a lot of things. Like, what if this happened to me? There are lots of what ifs that we never get answers to, things to think about. But I never felt unsatisfied in not getting those answers. Atwood intended for us to think about it ourselves and make up our own minds. It doesn’t mean anyone is right or wrong, it’s meant to make us consider.

Anyways, I haven’t watched the Hulu series yet, I saw the horrible movie they made in 1990 and I can honestly say any adaptation is probably better than that one. So I look forward to the series!

I highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone, even if you don’t like it, I see it as a cautionary tale that people need to hear.

“When we think of the past it’s the beautiful things we pick out. We want to believe it was all like that.”

Rhapsodic

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Rhapsodic by Laura Thalassa

5 stars!

“People like us are not victims. We’re someone’s nightmare.”

Rhapsodic is the tale of Callie the Siren, present day bounty hunter with a past that’s always tied to her. When she was a teenager, she needed help and called upon The Bargainer to help her clean up her mess. Lost and alone, she kept calling him back for more and more favors until her wrist was wrapped in the hundreds of favors she owed him. Until one day, he left her and she didn’t see him again.

Now, seven years later he has come back, and it’s time for those favors to be repaid. The Bargainer needs Callie’s help, for something is wrong in the Otherworld, and she has the ability to get answers where he cannot. The only problem? Callie’s help has made her a target, and no one knows who is coming for her.

“Now, cherub,” his words roll off his lips like honey, “the first repayment of the day: you’re coming home with me, and you’re not leaving until your debts have all been paid.”

Rhapsodic is a book that has been recommended to me over and over again, and yet I waited because only the first book was out. I binge read all three of her Fallen World books, one in a row, so I know how addictive her books can be. So when the second book A Strange Hymn came out, I decided to pick this one up. And I am so glad I did.

Thalassa writes the perfect hero. At least, the perfect men for me. Her heroes are flawed, and not always good, but they love their heroines and treat them well. Plus there’s just the right amount of alpha male where it can be considered hot but doesn’t leave me banging my head on the table with frustration. Des to me is perfect, he may not be your typical good guy or bad guy, but he has a job to do, people to protect, and he cares for those close to him.

I fell into this book so easily, Thalassa’s writing flows across the page. I hope this woman does nothing but write the rest of her life, because I haven’t found an author whose writing I meshed with this well in a long time. I’ve read four of her books so far and loved all four of them. And I’m a picky bitch. Seriously, I’ve been told that by other readers.

I highly recommend this book, for all types of readers. You won’t regret it!

“And the mountains may rise and fall, and the sun might wither away, and the sea may claim the land and swallow the sky. But you will always be mine. And the stars might fall from the heavens, and night might cloak the earth, but until darkness dies, I will always be yours.”

A Night of Corruption Blog Tour

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GET YOUR TICKETS HERE!

 

Attending Authors:

Lauren Blakely
Ruth Clampett

Stylo Fantome

Vanessa Fewings

Penny Reid

CD Reiss-her only 2017 signing!

Aleatha Romig- her only 2017 signing!

 

 

 

GET YOUR TICKETS HERE

 

Event Sponsored by:

 

Thank You to the Following Blogs for Their Participation in This Tour!

 

Avephoenix Naughty Readings

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BookBistroBlog

Booked All Night

Clare’s Mad About Books

Ebs and Her Reads

Lulu’s Library

Love Sex and Other Dirty Words

Movies, Shows, & Books

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Once Upon a Romance Blog

Rachel Reads Ravenously

Restless Book Obsession

SnoopyDoo’s Book Reviews

The Divas Book Lounge

TrashyBibloBlog

Vox Libris

  1. T. F. Book Bloggers

Stay

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Stay by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy

4.5 stars!

“My confidence took a hit after the divorce. But it’s slowly coming back. I feel stronger. More self-assured.”

Hailey runs her own anonymous virtual personal assistant business with her ex-husband, and her favorite client ends up being her favorite hockey star, Matt Erikson. Matt just recently went through a tough divorce and tries to spend as much time with his twin girls as he can. Matt also is intrigued by his virtual assistant, and wants to meet her in person.

Hailey is definitely interested, but her history with her ex has really taken a hit on her confidence. Matt also has his issues with his ex that get in the way of his personal life. But, it may be time for the two of them to take a chance and put themselves out there.

“I’m ridiculously attracted to you. Hottie. I figured I should be up front about that.”
“Shut up and kiss me again, Snipes.”

Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy have never let me down! Every single book I’ve read by this pair has been pure magic! I cannot get enough! Stay is another great novel that you have to make next on your to be read. I picked up this book and never wanted to put it back down. It’s actually because of Bowen and Kennedy that I love hockey romances, I’ll pass on the football and you better pass me the puck!

I gotta say the best part about this book is we got mature characters, by that I mean a driven and smart heroine who works hard, and a man who isn’t sleeping around. I cannot tell you how many books I’ve read where the guy is constantly slutting it up until he meets the heroine. Both Hailey and Matt had standards and goals, and it was so refreshing.

This was an unconventional slow burn romance, one I can see myself rereading in the future. This book was low angst and low drama, so it’s perfect for all of you out there allergic to those things. I happen to prefer angst and drama, and I still loved this book. I can’t think of anyone who wouldn’t like it!

“I’m a goner for this man. Our relationship might not be ‘official’, but holy hell, I officially feel all the feelings for Matt Erikson.”

ARC provided by the authors in exchange for an honest review

Persepolis

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Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi

4 stars!
So in an effort to diversify my reading (aka read something other than romance for once) I joined the Goodreads group Our Shared Shelf, a feminist book club run by Emma Watson. With the recent political climate in the US, I wanted a way to expand my mind and find other readers to relate to. I highly recommend this group, and while I am more of a lurker than a discusser, it’s a lot of fun and great to be surrounded by intelligent, like-minded people.

Persepolis is a book this group read about a year ago, but when I saw it amongst the material the group read I knew immediately I wanted to read it. When I was in college my World Literature class watched the movie (I know, the movie and not the book? *sigh*) and I have been meaning to read it ever since. On top of that I live in Los Angeles, a heavily Persian community and many of my real life friends are from Iran, so I was interested in learning more about the history of the country.

This book is an autobiographical memoir by Marjane Satrapi, mostly of her childhood living in Iran in turbulent times. It takes place mostly during the late seventies and early eighties, and depicts what life was like for her in a changing country. Marjane and her parents are rebels against the new regime, seeing that what the government is telling them isn’t always true. This book shows how Marjane adjusts to a new restrictive lifestyle as well as a history of the country told by her. It was very personal, you feel what Marjane feels. I fell in love with her as a character, you cannot help it while reading this book.

I highly recommend this to anyone who is willing to read something outside the box, and anyone eager to gain perspective on events in other countries that you may have not known before.

Mature Content

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Mature Content (Cyberlove #4) by Megan Erickson and Santino Hassell

4 stars!

Beau Starr and TrashyZane are both gay online stars, they each have their own channel and have hundred of thousands of subs. But both have very different brands, Beau is the straight laced, positive smiley guy, and Zane is well…. TrashyZane. Both hate each other, until a surprise evening of hate sex shows them they have undeniable chemistry. But one issue is constantly between them, do they even like each other?

The Cyberlove series is one of the best MM series there is, you always get something different with every book. This installment was seriously hotter than the other ones, and that’s saying a lot because this is a series that is on fire! I liked the hate/love trope it had going on, both characters legitimately got to know each other as a result of this. I do wish it had been a bit longer so as to develop their relationship a bit more, it felt rushed at the end, but otherwise it was great! I need more Cyberlove in my life!!!

Mature Content is book 4 in the Cyberlove series and can be read as a standalone novel.

ARC provided by the authors in exchange for an honest review

When It’s Real

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When It’s Real by Erin Watt

2.5 stars

When It’s Real is the story of a girl named Vaughn who is hand picked to be the new girlfriend of Oakley Ford, a famous pop star. Oakley needs to polish up his public image, showing he can be a devoted boyfriend and not just the playboy partier everyone thinks he is. Vaughn agrees to do this because her family needs the money, her parents passed away leaving her and her sister in charge of their siblings.

At first, Vaughn and Oakley cannot stand each other. She thinks he’s rude and he thinks she’s a prude. But as time goes by a small friendship forms, and we all know where it goes from there.

I was so very sad that I didn’t like this book. I love Erin Watt, Paper Princess and Broken Prince are some of my all time favorite books EVER. And for that I’ll read anything this duo writes. But I failed to see the attraction between the two main characters in this one, to me they had zero chemistry and just sort of landed together. The book started out very strong but near the middle just slowed down. I also felt the book was too long.

Watt did a great job portraying celebrity life, all of its positives and negatives. It can make dreams come true, but at a price. I really liked how Oakley wanted to express himself differently and that he wanted another side of his story to be heard.

I think many people will love this book a lot, but it just wasn’t for me.

ARC provided by publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Riveted

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Riveted by Jay Crownover

3.5 stars

“I was the girl that everyone always assumed was good… so they never asked… but he had and the world stopped.”

Riveted is the story of Church and Dixie. Dixie is that girl who is always sweet and happy, who never lets it show when life gets her down. Dixie knew early on that Church was the man for her, but he didn’t get the memo. Coworkers at a bar, Church is aware that Dixie is attracted to him and a nice person, so that’s why he asks her to come home with him to the South when there’s a family emergency.

Dixie goes with Church knowing she shouldn’t, that she’ll lose her heart even more than she already has. But maybe this trip will be the kick in the pants Church needs to see the good thing he has right in front of him.

“No matter what kind of armor we wear, all of it has a chunk, a dent that speaks to a battle we fought and lost.”

Jay Crownover is an author I always come back to if only for one thing: her characters. I love the dynamic, lovable people she brings to life in her books, you never get the same character twice. Her books are a much needed escape from reality, even when her characters have issues, I am always happy to peak into their lives for a little bit.

My favorite parts of this book were Dixie and Church themselves, I felt they were developed really well and neither one of them annoyed me at any point in the book. I understood their actions and what justified them.

I enjoyed this book, but mostly the second half of it. I’ve noticed something in this book, as well as in Honor and Charged: Crownover has been getting long winded with her writing and it’s been taking away from my enjoyment of the book. The first 100 pages of this book felt super long and almost nothing plot wise happened, and this went away the last ⅔’s of the book which picked up a lot for me. In the nicest way possible, I really hope this doesn’t continue, because I almost didn’t keep reading because of the long winded writing. It felt way too long and a lot could be edited out. That’s just my opinion.

Anyways I am excited for Salvaged and cannot wait for Poppy and Wheeler’s story!

“Sometimes all people can see is what’s different, but those differences are what make us who we are.”

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

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The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

5 stars!

“I want them to know the real story. The real me.”
“All right. Show me the real you, then. And I’ll make sure the world understands.”

Evelyn Hugo is an iconic aging actress, famous for her work in the movie industry but also famous for having been married seven times to seven men. Monique Grant is a writer for a magazine, but has been in a bit of a career rut as of lately. On top of that she’s getting divorced, so she jumps on the opportunity to interview the famous Evelyn Hugo. When she meets Evelyn, she discovers Evelyn wants more than a simple article, she wants to tell her life story to Monique for a biography. And Monique is getting the story exclusively.

“I’ve spent a very long time learning how to spin the truth. It’s hard to undo that wiring.”

I absolutely loved this story! Taylor Jenkins Reid has this uncanny ability to suck you into the lives of her characters and never let you go. They feel so utterly genuine, I felt as if I was a part of their lives instead of an outsider reading about them. Reid also does an amazing job developing her characters, I was rooting for all of them to get what they want and to achieve their goals.

I never really know what to expect when I dive into a book by Reid, but I can honestly say this book was full of surprises and twists I didn’t see coming. This book spans from the 1950’s to the present day, and we get to know all of the loves of Evelyn’s life. Evelyn herself was enchanting, I found myself fascinated by her life story, her choices and her perseverance. While love was a motivating factor, to me this was mostly a story about success and survival. Evelyn was always going to do what it takes to be a star and stay at the top, and she would fight for what she wanted.

Hollywood and the film industry can be a ruthless place but it can also be one where greatness can be achieved for the lucky ones. I think Reid captured the industry and the time periods this story took place in perfectly.

This is one of the best books I’ve read all year and I think if you go into it with an open mind and a kind heart, you’ll fall in love with this book like I did.

“If you love someone enough, you should be able to overcome anything.”

ARC provided by publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

The Highwayman

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The Highwayman by Kerrigan Byrne

2.5 stars

This is a book that’s very much beloved and lots of people have recommended it to me. And while historical romance isn’t my top choice when picking up a romance, I do enjoy the genre. This book, just……

The plot was okay, and I really enjoyed the beginning, but near the middle to the end I felt very disconnected from the characters. I literally did not care if they ended up together or not. When I should have been feeling empathetic or heartbroken, I felt mostly blah. I felt like a sociopath, I felt nothing.

I want to read more in the series because there are conflicting reviews, but otherwise this one fell kind of flat for me.

The Queen and the Cure

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The Queen and the Cure by Amy Harmon

5 stars!

“Come to me, and I will try to love you. I will try to love you, if you but come back.”

The Queen and the Cure is the story of Kjell, brother of King Tiras, bastard son and soldier. He and his men have been traveling the lands hoping to hunt and kill the last of the Volgar, a bird creature hybrid that is dwindling in size. During his journey, they come upon a young woman named Sasha, who has the Sight and can see the future. Locals deemed her a witch and pushed her off of a cliff, leaving her bloodied and broken. Kjell, heals her and in return Sasha thinks she belongs to him.

As much as Kjell tries, he cannot keep Sasha away from him as she is determined to remain by her side. He decides to bring her back to his home city, and along the way Sasha begins to creep under his skin. But Kjell has lost his heart to the wrong woman before, and he has no wish to let anyone else in.

“He would not be able to let her go, he thought. He would never be free of her.”

Amy Harmon has such a beautiful way with words, she weaves them to what she wills, and spins beautiful tales and descriptive stories that will remain with you for a long time to come. The Bird and the Sword was one of my favorite books from last year, and to get a sequel set in the same verse was an unexpected and very welcome surprise.

For someone who is mostly successful for her contemporary works, I always find myself blown away at the depth and intricate world building Harmon has to deliver, as if she has always been writing fantasy and not anything else. Her fantasy rivals the greats, current and deceased.

I love the world created in this book, it’s one I want to get lost in. In my mind, this world is real and I don’t want to leave. The characters so tangible and genuine they could be real instead of fiction. I felt for them, my heart stretched for them and their love and their pain.

Basically I loved this book, and I hope you give it a chance and read it too. You won’t be disappointed. By the end, this book had me like:

“I fell in love with you in pieces. Layer by layer, day by day, inch by inch.”

Dating-ish

/ Rachel (Reads Ravenously) / Leave a comment

Dating-ish by Penny Reid

5 stars!

“I’d had some terrible first dates since breaking up with David, but this one took the cake. It took all the cakes. In less than twenty minutes, my perfect match had irrevocably propelled himself to the top of my worst dates list.”

I want to study Penny Reid’s brain. Like not in a murdery creepy way, but a you fascinate me tell me all of your secrets and make me interesting kind of way. Not weird at all, right? Nope. K. Brilliant.

Anyways my first draft of this review looked like this:
I LOVED IT. YOU WILL TOO. ROBOTS, CUDDLING, OMG. PIZZA SHOES.

But I’ve had a while to think on it now and I may sound a bit more coherent. On Facebook Penny had mentioned she didn’t know how readers would respond to this novel, citing it as really weird. To be completely honest, I get really friggin excited when she says things like this, because those are the books by her that I love the most. I always enjoy her books, but those are the ones that feel most free to me, like she had no barriers when writing them.

I should probably talk about the plot. This book opens with Marie going on an internet date, meeting a stranger and it just goes completely wrong in every possible way. Like it is literally her worst date EVER. As a result of this Marie decides to do research for an article on alternatives to men. This leads Marie to an interesting world of professional cuddlers, dry humpers and orgasm meditation.

While researching, her date reappears, and he’s not the man she met on that disastrous date. And he may have a solution to her dating problem….

“ Where are all the men? And I don’t mean man-children. I mean men. You know, the guys whose interests extend beyond playing Halo on their Xbox, and who actually make eye contact, and aren’t constantly scanning the room for a better option.”

It’s hard to say this fellow Reiders, but Dating-ish may have become my favorite book in the Knitting in the City series. It hurts me to say that because I feel like I am betraying/cheating on Sandra and Alex, but this book was SO DANG GOOD. Like I mentioned above, I had a very hard time writing a review after reading it, my mind just needed to wrap itself around all of the awesomeness that was thrown my way. I loved Marie, I loved Matt. I loved them together, I pined, I burned I perished when they were apart. This book had the perfect combination of humor and angst that we only ever get in a Penny Reid novel. I am like a drug addict waiting for my next hit of Reid, even though the woman puts out numerous quality books a year I want MORE. There will never be enough!!! Lol.

Honestly, go into this book without spoilers, don’t even look at key plot points. I feel this book is better experienced if you go in almost blind. I went in not even knowing who the hero was and it totally enhanced the reading experience for me.

There’s a reason Penny Reid has made a name for herself in a community that is oversaturated with thousands of authors and books. She delivers original and unique concepts, is able to make them relatable, and she makes you fall in love with her odd yet realistic characters. You’ll never get the same book twice with her. And that’s why she’s one of my all time favorite authors EVER. And why I will read any book written by her, even if it’s about a person watching paint dry while eating rice crackers.

“You are my person.”

ARC kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest review