Tag: Book TBR

Book Review: Better Together

Title: Better Together

Author: Christine Riccio

Pub. Date: June 1, 2021

Pages: 448

Pub: Wednesday Books

Genre: YA LGBT Contemporary Romance

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Goodreads

Jamie’s an aspiring standup comic in Los Angeles with a growing case of stage anxiety.

Siri’s a stunning ballerina from New Jersey nursing a career-changing injury.

They’ve both signed up for the same session at an off the grid Re-Discover Yourself Retreat in Colorado. When they run into each other, their worlds turn upside down.

Jamie and Siri are sisters, torn apart at a young age by their parent’s volatile divorce. They’ve grown up living completely separate lives: Jamie with their Dad and Siri with their Mom. Now, reunited after over a decade apart, they hatch a plot to switch places. It’s time they get to know and confront each of their estranged parents.

With an accidental assist from some fortuitous magic, Jamie arrives in New Jersey, looking to all the world like Siri, and Siri steps off her flight sporting a Jamie glamour.

The sisters unexpectedly find themselves stuck living in each other’s shoes. Soon Siri’s crushing on Jamie’s best friend Dawn. Jamie’s falling for the handsome New Yorker she keeps running into, Zarar. Alongside a parade of hijinks and budding romance, both girls work to navigate their broken family life and the stresses of impending adulthood.

Freaky Friday meets The Parent Trap in New York Times bestselling author Christine Riccio’s Better Together, a sparkling and heartfelt story about sisters, second chances, finding romance, and finding yourself. Continue reading “Book Review: Better Together” →

Book Review: The Hunter and the Mage (The Raven and the Dove #2)

Title: The Hunter and the Mage

Author: Kaitlyn Davis

Pub. Date: September 21, 2020

Pages: 495

Pub: Amazon Digital Services

Genre: YA Fantasy Romance Retelling

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Goodreads

Return to the world of The Raven and the Dove, where winged people rule the skies, a lost kingdom lives at sea, and two star-crossed lovers hold the fate of each in their palms. Perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Sabaa Tahir, and Leigh Bardugo!

A mage written in prophecy…

When Lyana wakes in the Sea of Mist, adventure is the first thing on her mind. But between her unruly new magic and an unyielding young king, the world below comes with more responsibility than she ever dreamed. An entire civilization exists within the fog, and its survival depends entirely on her.

A hunter forged in blood…

Adrift at sea on a ship full of strangers, Rafe fights to cope with his new reality. He’ll do anything to return to the sky and the people he left behind. When a surprising offer comes his way, he instantly accepts, sparing no time to consider the consequences.

Loyalties are tested and an ancient war begins anew…

With rebellion in her heart, Cassi defies her king and befriends the prince she’s been ordered to kill. Oblivious to the threat, Xander welcomes her into his inner circle, determined to rescue his mate. As one works to help and the other to hinder, an ancient enemy stirs, forcing Cassi to choose between trusting the man who broke her heart and turning her back on everything she’s ever known.  Continue reading “Book Review: The Hunter and the Mage (The Raven and the Dove #2)” →

April/May/June TBR

It’s insane to me that it’s already April.

I read a lot in the last three months and since there are so many exciting books coming out, I’m keeping this TBR list kind of short and definitely open.  There are a few books that I definitely want to prioritize, as well as a bunch of eARCs. But for the most part, I’m going to stick with kind of reading whatever I want, depending on my mood.

Like with my last TBR post – I’m not going to be differentiating between reading a physical book vs. audio. Work never seems to slow down, so I’ve been doing a lot of audiobooks recently. So, if a book is available on audio, I’m probably going to listen to it, over physically reading it.

As for eARCs – I read those in order of release (for the most part) and I’m going to stick to that.

eBooks are definitely for mood reading – and I have quite a few I’m almost desperate to read.

So, let’s get into it! Continue reading “April/May/June TBR” →

Book Review: A Court of Silver Flames (A Court of Thorns and Roses #4)

Title: A Court of Silver Flames

Author: Sarah J. Maas

Pub. Date: February 16, 2021

Pages: 768

Pub: Bloomsbury Publishing

Genre: Fantasy Romance

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Nesta Archeron has always been prickly-proud, swift to anger, and slow to forgive. And ever since being forced into the Cauldron and becoming High Fae against her will, she’s struggled to find a place for herself within the strange, deadly world she inhabits. Worse, she can’t seem to move past the horrors of the war with Hybern and all she lost in it.

The one person who ignites her temper more than any other is Cassian, the battle-scarred warrior whose position in Rhysand and Feyre’s Night Court keeps him constantly in Nesta’s orbit. But her temper isn’t the only thing Cassian ignites. The fire between them is undeniable, and only burns hotter as they are forced into close quarters with each other.

Meanwhile, the treacherous human queens who returned to the Continent during the last war have forged a dangerous new alliance, threatening the fragile peace that has settled over the realms. And the key to halting them might very well rely on Cassian and Nesta facing their haunting pasts.

Against the sweeping backdrop of a world seared by war and plagued with uncertainty, Nesta and Cassian battle monsters from within and without as they search for acceptance-and healing-in each other’s arms. Continue reading “Book Review: A Court of Silver Flames (A Court of Thorns and Roses #4)” →

Book Review: Hot British Boyfriend

Title: Hot British Boyfriend

Author: Kristy Boyce

Pub. Date: February 9, 2021

Pages: 336

Pub: HarperTeen

Genre: YA Contemporary Romance

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

After a horrifying public rejection by her crush, Ellie Nichols does what any girl would do: she flees the country. To be more precise, she joins her high school’s study abroad trip to England. While most of her classmates are there to take honors courses and pad their college applications, Ellie is on a quest to rebuild her reputation and self-confidence. And nothing is more of a confidence booster than getting a hot British boyfriend.

When Ellie meets Will, a gorgeous and charming Brit, she vows to avoid making the same mistakes as she did with the last guy she liked. Which is why she strikes up a bargain with Dev, an overachieving classmate who she’s never clicked with, but who does seem to know a lot about the things Will is interested in—if he helps her win over her crush, then she’ll help him win over his.

But even as Ellie embarks on a whirlwind romance, one that takes her on adventures to some of England’s most beautiful places, she still needs to figure out if this is actually the answer to all her problems…and whether the perfect boyfriend is actually the perfect boy for her. Continue reading “Book Review: Hot British Boyfriend” →

Book Review: The Roommate

Title: The Roommate

Author: Rosie Danan

Pub. Date: September 15, 2020

Pages: 325

Pub: Berkley

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

House Rules:
Do your own dishes.
Knock before entering the bathroom.
Never look up your roommate online.

The Wheatons are infamous among the east coast elite for their lack of impulse control, except for their daughter Clara. She’s the consummate socialite: over-achieving, well-mannered, predictable. But every Wheaton has their weakness. When Clara’s childhood crush invites her to move cross-country, the offer is too much to resist. Unfortunately, it’s also too good to be true.

After a bait-and-switch, Clara finds herself sharing a lease with a charming stranger. Josh might be a bit too perceptive—not to mention handsome—for comfort, but there’s a good chance he and Clara could have survived sharing a summer sublet if she hadn’t looked him up on the Internet…

Once she learns how Josh has made a name for himself, Clara realizes living with him might make her the Wheaton’s most scandalous story yet. His professional prowess inspires her to take tackling the stigma against female desire into her own hands. They may not agree on much, but Josh and Clara both believe women deserve better sex. What they decide to do about it will change both of their lives, and if they’re lucky, they’ll help everyone else get lucky too. Continue reading “Book Review: The Roommate” →

Book Review: Caught (Sea Temptress Series #1)

Title: Caught

Author: Kimberley Cale

Pub. Date: September 10, 2020

Pages: 224

Pub: Self Published

Genre: Romance Mythology

Rating: ⭐️⭐️.5

A vengeful pirate…
Ruthless pirate captain Quinn O’Connor is bent on getting revenge on the creatures who wrecked his ship and killed his crew. When he claims their leader as his captive, he doesn’t expect the scorching consequences that come with being stranded with her on a mysterious island.

A beautiful sea temptress…
Lorelei, a daughter of Poseidon, is willing to bargain with the dangerous pirate who captured her in order to save the ones she loves. He believes the worst of her and her kind, and when he drags her onto dry land, turning her beautiful tail into a pair of unsteady legs, she’s not sure if she’ll be able to return home—and soon she starts to wonder if she really wants to.

Magic and mayhem bring them together…
With each smoldering kiss, each heated touch, their desire blazes higher. Can they overcome misunderstandings and monstrous enemies seeking to tear them apart? Will a mermaid challenge her fate for the love of a pirate? Will the vengeful pirate give up his revenge and take on a god to save his mermaid? Continue reading “Book Review: Caught (Sea Temptress Series #1)” →

Book Review: By the Book

Title: By the Book

Author: Amanda Sellet

Pub. Date: May 12, 2020

Pages: 384

Pub: HMH Books for Young Readers

Genre: YA Contemporary Romance

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

As a devotee of classic novels, Mary Porter-Malcolm knows all about Mistakes That Have Been Made, especially by impressionable young women. So, when a girl at her new high school nearly succumbs to the wiles of a notorious cad, Mary starts compiling the Scoundrel Survival Guide, a rundown of literary types to be avoided at all costs.

Unfortunately, Mary is better at dishing out advice than taking it—and the number one bad boy on her list is terribly debonair. As her best intentions go up in flames, Mary discovers life doesn’t follow the same rules as fiction. If she wants a happy ending IRL, she’ll have to write it herself.
Continue reading “Book Review: By the Book” →

Book Review: Amelia Unabridged

Title: Amelia Unabridged

Author: Ashley Schumacher

Pub. Date: February 16, 2021

Pages: 304

Pub: Wednesday Books

Genre: YA Contemporary Romance

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Eighteen-year-old Amelia Griffin is obsessed with the famous Orman Chronicles, written by the young and reclusive prodigy N. E. Endsley. They’re the books that brought her and her best friend Jenna together after Amelia’s father left and her family imploded. So when Amelia and Jenna get the opportunity to attend a book festival with Endsley in attendance, Amelia is ecstatic. It’s the perfect way to start off their last summer before college.

In a heartbeat, everything goes horribly wrong. When Jenna gets a chance to meet the author and Amelia doesn’t, the two have a blowout fight like they’ve never experienced. And before Amelia has a chance to mend things, Jenna is killed in a freak car accident. Grief-stricken, and without her best friend to guide her, Amelia questions everything she had planned for the future.

When a mysterious, rare edition of the Orman Chronicles arrives, Amelia is convinced that it somehow came from Jenna. Tracking the book to an obscure but enchanting bookstore in Michigan, Amelia is shocked to find herself face-to-face with the enigmatic and handsome N. E. Endsley himself, the reason for Amelia’s and Jenna’s fight and perhaps the clue to what Jenna wanted to tell her all along. Continue reading “Book Review: Amelia Unabridged” →

Book Review: The Upside of Falling

Title: The Upside of Falling

Author: Alex Light

Pub. Date: February 18, 2020

Pages: 288

Pub: HarperTeen

Genre: YA Contemporary Romance

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

It’s been years since seventeen-year-old Becca Hart believed in true love. But when her former best friend teases her for not having a boyfriend, Becca impulsively pretends she’s been secretly seeing someone.

Brett Wells has it all. Being captain of the football team and one of the most popular guys in school, he should have no problem finding someone to date, but he’s always been more focused on his future than who to bring to prom. When he overhears Becca’s lie, Brett decides to step in and be her mystery guy. It’s the perfect solution: he gets people off his back for not dating and she can keep up the ruse.

Acting like the perfect couple isn’t easy though, especially when you barely know the other person. But with Becca still picking up the pieces from when her world was blown apart years ago and Brett just barely holding his together now, they begin to realize they have more in common than they ever could have imagined. When the line between real and pretend begins to blur, they are forced to answer the question: is this fake romance the realest thing in either of their lives? Continue reading “Book Review: The Upside of Falling” →