Bout of Books 21 [Sign Up Post]

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda Shofner and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, January 8th and runs through Sunday, January 14th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 21 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team.

I don't want to make a TBR list, because I'm very unpredictable these days. I just want to be surprised of how I will do. Hope to read from three to five books though.

[Update Post] Bookish Bingo: Winter 2017 - 2018

These are the books that I have read this past month that cross some of the spots from the bingo:

• COLD SETTING: The Slippery Slope, by Lemony Snicket
• SCI-FI: Catstronauts: Mission Moon, by Drew Brockington
• ROMANCE: End Game, by Lisa Renee Jones
• SPINOFF: Darker, by EL James
• LGBT+: True, by Ella Frank
• 2017 RELEASE YOU MISSED: The Time in Between, by Kristen Ashley
• MUSIC THEMES: Complicated, by Kristen Ashley
• WINTER RELEASE: The Hookup, by Kristen Ashley

I have not done a single line! ARGG. But I like this bingo, I will try to make more than one line. Recommendations are welcomed because I need a buddy read (maybe) and I seriously need to know what a villainous book is. Are you doing this?

[Review] The Hookup, by: Kristen Ashley

Moonlight & Motor Oil #1

THE HOOKUP

by: Kristen Ashley
Publication Date: December 17th, 2017
Read Date: December 30th, 2017
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Adult
Format: Kindle Edition
Pages: 358

 

When the new girl in town, Eliza “Izzy” Forrester decides to hit the local drinking hole, she’s not ready to meet the town’s good, solid guy. She’s definitely not prepared to engage in her very first hookup with him.

Then Izzy wakes up the next morning in Johnny Gamble’s bed and good girl Izzy finds she likes being bad for Johnny.

Even so, Izzy feels Johnny holding her at arm’s length. But Johnny makes it clear he wants more and Izzy already knows she wants as much of hot-in-bed, sweet-out-of-it Johnny Gamble.

Floating on air thinking this is going somewhere, Izzy quickly learns why Johnny holds distant.

He’s in love with someone else. Someone who left him and did it leaving him broken. Whoever was up next would be runner-up, second best. Knowing the stakes, Izzy will take what she can get from the gentleman that’s Johnny Gamble. And even knowing his heart might never mend, Johnny can’t seem to stay away from Izzy.

Until out of nowhere, his lost love comes back to town. He’s not going back, but Johnny still knows the right thing to do is let Izzy go.

And Izzy knew the stakes, so she makes it easy and slips through his fingers.

But that’s before Johnny realizes Eliza moved to town to escape the danger that’s been swirling around her.

And that’s why Johnny decides to wade in.

That and the fact Eliza Forrester makes breakfast with a canary singing on her shoulder and fills out tight dresses in a way Johnny Gamble cannot get out of his head.

my rate

Okay, I liked this. It had a different beginning than the other books that KA writes. Is refreshing because is the newest one of her and I have to admit that, once again, I want someone like the main male character of this book for myself. I have to point out that I was a little disappointed that I didn't actually see much of motor oil in the book, but Johnny was too hot so I didn't complain much.

I'm not going to talk much of the story because the blurb says a lot and that's basically what you will get. But what I did like was all those little stories inside the bigger one. This book teases you a lot of what will be going down in the next book because there will be one. You'll get so attached to these characters that you will want more. Johnny and Izzy come from different backgrounds but they match like the last piece of the puzzle. I love all their chemistry and I love to bits that they went straight to the point and no bullshit. They had a problem, they would talk about it.

I liked the end too but obviously, they will be more so I'm gonna wait not so patiently for the next book in this series (which will be the last one, I believe, and I will be happy with that). Just to make a note for the next book, I need it to be like this one, straight to the point. I will also love more motor oil and less moonlight (haha), but overall I just want all the glory of this series. It was a great book and I will recommend it because is a KA book. Go for it!

Stalking the Shelves [26]

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga’s Reviews, which is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. You can read more about the creation of this meme by visiting the official launch page here.

October 8th, 2017 to December 31st, 2017

READ THESE PAST WEEKS:

• Seven Ways We Lie, by Riley Redgate
• The Bad Beginning, by Lemony Snicket
• Tate, by Ella Frank
• The Reptile Room, by Lemony Snicket
• The Wide Window, by Lemony Snicket
• The Miserable Mill, by Lemony Snicket
• Fuck, I'm in my Twenties, by Emma Koenig
• The Austere Academy, by Lemony Snicket
• The Ersatz Elevator, by Lemony Snicket
• The Bad Guys Vol. 1, by Aaron Blabey
• The Bad Guys Vol. 2, by Aaron Blabey
• The Bad Guys Vol. 3, by Aaron Blabey
• The Vile Village, by Lemony Snicket
• The Hostile Hospital, by Lemony Snicket
• The Slippery Slope, by Lemony Snicket
• Real Friends, by Shannon Hale
• Skater Girl (Babymouse #7), by Jennifer L. Holm
• Mission Unpluckable (The Bad Guys #2), by Aaron Blabley
• 7 Ate 9, by Tara Lazar
• Catstronauts: Mission Moon by Drew Brockington
• End Game, by Lisa Renee Jones
• True, by Ella Frank
• Darker, by EL James
• The Time In Between, by Kristen Ashley
• Midnight Soul, by Kristen Ashley
• Complicated, by Kristen Ashley
• The Hookup, by Kristen Ashley

RECENT ADDITIONS TO MY PHYSICAL BOOKSHELF:

• Trust Me, I'm Lying, by Mary Elizabeth Summer
• Trust Me, I'm Trouble, by Mary Elizabeth Summer
• You Are Here, by Jenny Lawson
• The Body Finder, by Kimberly Derting
• I'll Give You the Sun, by Jandy Nelson
• Turtles All The Way Down, by John Green
• Wonder Woman; Warbringer, by Leigh Bardugo
• Windwitch, by Susan Dennard
• The Hammer of Thor, by Rick Riordan
• The Ship of the Dead, by Rick Riordan
• The Dark Prophecy, by Rick Riordan
• Starfall, by Melissa Landers
• Broken Hearts, Fences and Other Things to Mend, by Katie Finn
• Revenge, Ice Cream and Other Things Best Served Cold, by Katie Finn
• We All Looked Up, by Tommy Wallach
• The Star-Touched Queen, by Roshani Chokshi
• 365 Days of Wonder, by RJ Palacio
• All the Bright Places, Jennifer Niven
• To All the Boys I've Loved Before, by Jenny Han
• Walk on Earth a Stranger, by Rae Carson
• The Night We Said Yes, by Lauren Gibaldi
• All American Boys, by Jason Reynolds
• Foolish Hearts, by Emma Mills (UPPERCASE SURPRISE!)

[Review] Complicated, by: Kristen Ashley

COMPLICATED

by: Kristen Ashley
Publication Date: November 7th, 2017
Read Date: December 28th, 2017
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Adult
Format: Kindle Edition
Pages: 571

  

When small town Nebraska sheriff Hixon Drake meets Greta Dare, the connection couldn’t be stronger, but the timing couldn’t be worse.

Dealing with the fallout of a divorce he never wanted and setting up a new home for his kids, Hix becomes that guy, that one he never wanted to be, and puts a stop to things before they can even start. Protecting his kids, and himself, is his only priority.

Greta, on the other hand, has found the place for her and the brother she adores that’s perfect for them—a sleepy little town in Nebraska. She’s learned from life that there are no hopes and dreams. The only thing to look forward to is peace. And that’s what she works hard to build for herself and her brother. Right up until Hix walks into her life.

Hix can’t fight the pull and stay away from Greta for long. And Greta’s finding it hard not to hope for something more with all the promise that is Hix.

But when the first murder that’s happened in over five decades rocks his small, sleepy county, Hix has got to learn to trust again, convince Greta to take a shot with him, and at the same time catch a killer.

In other words, things are definitely…Complicated.

my rate

Have any of you seen the Netflix series, Longmire? No? Well, you NEED to. Because every single page of this book made me think of that series and let me enlighten you by telling you that the series is the shit. Now, back the book, the story was also da bomb, so rest assured, if you have never taken one of my many recommendations, you need to take this one seriously. YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT.

Now that the hype is contained (is not), let me tell you about the story. It takes place in the middle of nowhere, Nebraska. Where the best news is when the high school football team wins or when a cat is rescued from a tree, no joking those things happen IRL. There’s no crime and 911 closes down at 11pm, because no one calls after that because everyone is tucked in their beds and sleeping. But a county like any other, there’s a sheriff and that is our main male character, Hixon T. Drake, aka Hix. He’s the hero when problems come, but who rescues him when his problems are in the mouth of everyone? That’s where our main female character comes, Greta K. Dare. She’s barely new in town, does hair and sings on weekends for a living. Her music made these two connect, his problems made this two disconnect, but their pull was too strong so they kept on going, which by default made everything a little bit complicated.

This book cannot have a better title, I swear. Everything that happened made everything more complicated, but at the same time very fucking easy. I fell in love with Hixon slowly and then all that once (cliché, I know), but I identified with Greta from the beginning. I wanted together from T minus chapter 1, so that means something. Their romance was so palpable that I dreamt of having myself a Hix.

KA have lots of books. Books that I love and hold dear in my heart because I love them. I never had a favorite, because all of them were #1 in my heart. BUT. This book is basically the best in this whole year, maybe decade and of course, my #1 book of KA. Others can fight for #2, but this one is the one. I’m not bullshitting you, read this book. I loved it and I actually want it in my hands so Imma looking it up to have myself one. I’m trusting that if you read all my feeling, you outta read this book ASAP.

More convincing? This book has action, a lot of it. Hix is trying to catch a killer after a murder was committed in his county after more than 30 years. There’s also a problem of exes, mothers that are worth a shit and so much happiness all around by Mamie and Andy that makes you laugh alone. Plus the town is HILARIOUS, just read what an old lady says about Greta’s mother showing up in the salon to make a mess:

“That’s it,”Joyce stated. “She strolls in here and does any of that, it’s gonna be me goin’ to your momma’s house and dragging her out to take her to one of Pastor Keller’s revivals. He’ll dip her in the river and hold her down until she sees Jesus. And if she doesn’t, he’ll hold her down until she sees Jesus.”

You see? That is shit you cannot miss! Just go and read it, I gave you the links, so what you waiting for? Later.

[Review] Midnight Soul, by: Kristen Ashley

Fantasyland #5

MIDNIGHT SOUL

by: Kristen Ashley
Publication Date: August 25th, 2017
Read Date: December 27th, 2017
Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Adult
Format: Kindle Edition
Pages: 645

 

Against his will, Noctorno Hawthorne, an undercover vice cop, finds himself embroiled in magic, mayhem and parallel universes. Too late, he meets an amazing woman only to find she’s destined for his identical twin in another world.

And things aren’t going real great there.

Noc is recruited to help save that world.

What he doesn’t know is his destined love resides there.

Franka Drakkar wears a mask. A mask she never takes off to protect herself in a world of malice, intrigue, and danger.

When Franka meets Noc and he discovers her secrets, convinced she carries a midnight soul, having shielded herself from forming bonds with anyone, she struggles with accepting his tenderness and care.

When Noc meets Franka, over wine and whiskey, her masks slips and Noc knows it’s her—only her—and he has to find a way to get her to come home with him.

And then make her want to stay.

my rate

Look, I really don't understand why I didn't read this book when it actually came out. I guess I wasn't going to be as interested in it as I actually was. The whole Fantasyland series was superb, so now that I finished with this one, I can confirm that this book is my second fave in the series.

I thought I was going to be put off reading about Tor's twin from another universe, aka Noc. They are basically the same person but from different parallel universes. But, alas, I was not put off at all. I was also going in slowly because I wasn't a fan of Franka from the beginning, but after literally saving two worlds, I gave her the benefit of the doubt. Now I can say that I really like her. I love to read both POVs, but I dislike whenever the POV changed to Valentine because she was a serious mystery that I didn't actually want to resolve.

The romance in here was off the charts. Noc always knew what he wanted and he was really patient in showing Franka what she also wanted but didn't actually say it. The book didn't actually have much action as some of the others had, but I enjoyed the romance a lot. I laughed at whatever happened in the language barrier that there was, it was very hilarious.

Overall, it was an awesome read and at the perfect time. I have been trying to catch up with the last KA books, so you'll see at least two more reviews of books of her in the near future. As I always say, I recommend the books, hands down and eyes closed.

PS, I haven't reviewed the books before this one (I am very ashamed), so no previews reviews.

Thursday Tracks [71]

hosted by Gone with the Words

Ohhh! You know, and if you don't you'll know now, that I LOVE, love, LoVe music. Just as I live and breathe words, I live and breathe music. Those two things are just part of me as any other organ in my body. As you can see in my Music page, I hear music while reading! My Thursdays will become from now on... Thursday Tracks day! A feature created to share what song, album, playlist, artist I got stuck in my head every week. Now, this week song is...

WHAT ABOUT US?

Artist: Pink!

Album: Beautiful Trauma

favorite lyrics: What about us? What about all the times you said you had the answers? What about us? What about all the broken happy ever afters? What about us? What about all the plans that ended in disaster? What about love? What about trust? What about us?

Hear me next Thursday!

#AMONTHOFFAVES : December 28th

Hosted by Girlxoxo, Traveling with T and Estella’s Revenge. A month in where we look back at the year that was – sharing our fave experiences. They have every day of the event (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday) planned out so you can join in anytime. There will also be a link-up on all of their blogs – put a link to your post so that everyone can stop by each and every post to leave comments, high fives, good vibes and well wishes.
Every day is a different "challenge" and I hope to do them all. *crossing my fingers*
My posts from days before are under THIS tag.

Favorite Book Covers From Books Read This Year

 

 

You know, when you don't read much in a year... your options become very limited. I still love my covers, where are yours?

[Review] The Time in Between, by: Kristen Ashley

Magdalene #3

THE TIME IN BETWEEN

by: Kristen Ashley
Publication Date: August 29th, 2017
Read Date: December 25th, 2017
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Adult
Format: Kindle Edition
Pages: 563
 

After a painful loss, Cady Moreland is coming to Magdalene to start the next chapter of her life. A chapter that began eighteen years ago but had a heartbreaking ending. The time in between was full of family and friendship, but Cady could never get the man she fell in love with all those years ago out of her heart.

Coert Yeager has learned to live without the girl who entered his life right when she shouldn’t and exited delivering a crippling blow he never would have suspected. The time in between was full of failing to find what he was missing…and life-altering betrayal.

But when that girl shows up in Magdalene and buys the town’s beloved lighthouse, even if Coert wants to avoid her, he can’t. A fire in town sparks a different kind of flame that won’t be ignored.

As Cady and Coert question the actions of the two young adults they once were thrown into earth-shattering circumstances, can they learn from what came in between and find each other again?

my rate:

  

I need to apologize to Coert for all the many times that I read this name wrong in the book even though I knew I was reading it wrong. I truly apologize. I tried, but when I was not paying attention, I would read it wrong. I'm sorry.

Now that out of the way... I have to admit that I loved the book. I have to agree with some other reviewers that say that it was a little bit cliché, but nonetheless, I loved it all. I wept a little because the story was a little sad too. Overall, KA did it again.

From the past two books, we know Coert Yeager. Derby County Sheriff. The guy that cannot settle and no one knows why. We now know why and it broke my heart. We see a glimpse of the redhead, that now we know is called Cady. These two people are not opposites but they clash and the city might as well be war zone (in a good way). Coert and Cady have history, a long one. I have to admit that I was truly annoyed by the flashbacks because I don't love them much, but oh well. Just be prepared for them, because there are lots.

I loved the romance, all of it. The story of them was the bomb. I also have to admit that after they were finally together, everything went flat. There wasn't much action, but that only meant that their happiness went up and up, something that I didn't complain about, but you might. Take everything I am saying into consideration because I will not recommend you something I that I loved, but you might not.

KA is one of my top ten favorite authors, hands down. I am thrilled that I finish another of her series, but I am kind of mad that she hasn't finish others that came before. Either way, I will still read her and I recommend any of her books, again, hands down.

past reviews