We’re almost halfway through the year and I’ve plowed through sixty-two books so far. As was the case last year, they’ve mostly been in audio format. I like audiobooks because they leave my hands free for working on crochet projects, and they give me something to listen to in the car. My work commute is less that five minutes, but every minute counts I guess. I started the year finishing up Michael Connelly‘s entire back catalog. I then shifted into a few light-hearted reads, promptly followed by some EL James (don’t judge – Zachary Webber‘s voice makes the Grey series an annual re-listen for me). Then I dove into contemporary…
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There was this trend going around Bookstagram recently in which folks asked their spouses or significant others or non-bookish folks to try to guess the titles of romance books based only on their cover art. Of course I had to join in, so I asked my husband to give it a try… His answers provided some good laughs for my Instagram followers, including one of the authors, who called on their publisher to change the title of their book… And because more is always better, I also asked Griffin to supply his answers… You may notice that he got book 4 almost completely correct (it’s the only one that’s not…
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I had the absolute privilege of meeting so many incredible authors at Steamy Lit Con. There are so many more I wish I had taken pics with, but I just got to chatting with them and then totally forgot to take pictures. They were all so friendly and gracious with my fan-girling. Definitely some special memories. I’m really hoping I can go back next year!
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I love getting book mail and Wednesday Books has been spoiling me rotten with awesome reads lately. I just got back from a few days of vacation and had these two beauties waiting for me. Both books are new releases from Dahlia Adler and they look so good! ABOUT THE BOOKS Cool for the Summer by Dahlia Adler Lara’s had eyes for exactly one person throughout her three years of high school: Chase Harding. He’s tall, strong, sweet, a football star, and frankly, stupid hot. Oh, and he’s talking to her now. On purpose and everything. Maybe…flirting, even? No, wait, he’s definitely flirting, which is pretty much the sum of…
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Off the Map by Trish DollerBeck Sisters series book 3Out now from St. Martin’s Press I fell in love with the Beck Sisters from the moment I met Anna in Float Plan. Now we follow honorary Beck sister Carla as she traverses the beautiful Irish countryside on her way to Anna’s wedding. Along the way she is escorted by brother of the groom, Eamon Sullivan. Do the two of them fall for each other along the way? Of course they do! But the insta-love/insta-lust seemed a little too…insta I guess? It didn’t grab me at all. And while this book does deal with some serious issues, like Carla’s father’s struggle…
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Something Wild & Wonderful by Anita KellyPublication date: 7 March 2023 from Forever I usually wait a day or two after reading a book to write a review of it, to give my brain time to work out my thoughts, but I literally finished reading Something Wild & Wonderful like three minutes ago and if I don’t get this overwhelming love out of my head right now I might literally explode. This book was so beautiful, y’all. Like, it wrapped me up in this cloud of happiness, even when there were tears streaming down my face (tissue count: 5). Ben and Alexei are such beautiful characters, and I identified with…
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BOOK TOUR STOP A Brighter, Darker Art by Halli Starling Available now on Kindle Unlimited! Once again I have to thank Pride Book Tours for introducing me to queer authors and stories I may not have otherwise found. A Brighter, Darker Art by Halli Starling is the sequel to last year’s Ask Me For Fire. And although this second book can technically be read as a standalone, I urge you to read Ambrose and Barrett’s beautiful love story first. This book brings the spotlight to Raf, who we met in book one as Ambrose’s funny and fashionable best friend. Raf is the owner of several art galleries, and with his…
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We’re fairly big Tolkien nerds in this family, especially Boy #2. We have all three Lord of the Rings movies (extended editions, of course) and watch them regularly. Last year we added the gorgeous illustrated edition of the books to the already extensive library of Tolkien books on the boy’s bedroom bookshelves. And he and I frequently exchange funny LotR memes. So when he decided to get his first tattoo, it surprised absolutely nobody that it would have a Tolkien theme. He selected a part of this beautiful cover artwork from the 75th Anniversary edition of The Hobbit. Thank you to the folks at Olde Anchor Tattoo in Oswego for…
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Here are the reading challenges that I am taking part in this year. I’ll update these graphics at the end of each month. PopSugar is a challenge I tried last year, but did not complete. So I’m trying again this year! There are forty regular prompts and ten advanced ones, and each year the list has a theme. This year is a throwback year, so there are prompts such as a book from the year you were born and a book you read more than ten years ago. A book with a rabbit on the cover had me scratching my head until I realized that it’s the year of the…
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It’s the first reading wrap-up of the new year! I got off to a blazing start with 21 books this month, which is about double what I had been doing the past few months. And this was also a huge month for audiobooks! It’s so nice to have a book in my ear while I’m driving or while I’m doing boring tasks at work. This month I also took a deep dive into the Osemanverse, starting with a reread of my beloved Heartstopper series. I’m hoping to wrap up with the last few books in February. And let’s talk about reading challenges for a minute. Last year I tried to…
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Behind the Scenes by Karelia Stetz-Waters Publication date: 31 January 2023 from Forever Publishing Twenty twenty-one’s Satisfaction Guaranteed was my first exposure to Karelia Stetz-Waters’ work, and it was insta-love. It’s become a comfort read for me, and I’ve probably read it too many times. Now she’s releasing the pug-tastic Behind the Scenes, and it’s more of what we’ve come to love about her work. Ash is a former filmmaker and current workaholic who relaxes by watching ASMR food videos by a woman who never shows her face. Rose is a business consultant who spends her off hours…making ASMR food videos in which she never shows her face. When the…
