Year: 2020

February 2020 Wrap Up

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January seemed to go on forever, and February was over in the blink of an eye. It was only two days shorter, but man, it flew by. It was a good reading month, but not a great reading month. I’m always hoping to read more than I do, but so far this year I’ve been slower than usual. Without further ado, let’s get to what I read!

In total I read 19 books. Of those 19 seven were physical or kindle books and 12 were review books. I will be unhauling one of the physical books but the rest have moved to my read shelf.

For ratings it was still a pretty good month. I had six books that were three stars, 10 that were four stars and 3 five star books!

Now if we are going to talk about my challenge to brought in less books than I read, I just barely succeeded this month (keep in mind that the only books I count for this are books I purchase which I have not read at the time of purchase). I read 19 books and brought in 17 books, but I did end up reading two of the books I brought in, so that was good.

I’m hoping to read even more in March and to continue that trend as the year progresses. And of course, we will most likely see more examples of Calypso trying to help with my pictures!

Happy reading!

Can’t Wait Wednesday 3/3/2020

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Can’t Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings based on the meme Waiting on Wednesday by Breaking the Spine. In this weekly post people share a book that they’re excited about being released.

Today I want to talk about I’ll Be The One by Lyla Lee. There are so many buzzwords that make me want to read this one immediately such as a plus sized main character and Kpop. Unfortunately I have to wait until June, but it’s going to be a long wait!

Skye Shin has heard it all. Fat girls shouldn’t dance. Wear bright colors. Shouldn’t call attention to themselves. But Skye dreams of joining the glittering world of K-Pop, and to do that, she’s about to break all the rules that society, the media, and even her own mother, have set for girls like her.

She’ll challenge thousands of other performers in an internationally televised competition looking for the next K-pop star, and she’ll do it better than anyone else.

When Skye nails her audition, she’s immediately swept into a whirlwind of countless practices, shocking performances, and the drama that comes with reality TV. What she doesn’t count on are the highly fat-phobic beauty standards of the Korean pop entertainment industry, her sudden media fame and scrutiny, or the sparks that soon fly with her fellow competitor, Henry Cho.

But Skye has her sights on becoming the world’s first plus-sized K-pop star, and that means winning the competition—without losing herself.

Happy reading!

February Book Haul

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It’s that time of the month again where I go through my stats to see how I did. When it comes to new books, my goal is always to bring in less than I read each month. With that in mind, I keep track of everything that I bring in each month, but the only ones that count towards my new books/read books ratio are the ones that actually get added to my TBR.

Firstly I do have a few books added to my collection that I’d read before purchasing them, so they don’t count towards my challenge. This month I added a few more Nancy Drew books to fill in some holes in my collection as well as a copy of Snug, which I read as an eArc and wanted a physical copy of.

Next I bought the rest of Heather Graham’s Krewe of Hunters series that I was missing so I have all of them available to me. I also picked up three books from Book of the Month this month. My regular book was You Are Not Alone while the other two were add-ons. I then picked up two graphic novels, but managed to read both of them in the month of February, so that one was a win.

And then…a few trips to Barnes and Noble and Amazon happened. Oops? I picked up a number of books that I’ve been meaning to get for a while as well as some new releases that I’ve been looking forward to. I won’t lie, some of this pile was a present to myself out of my tax refund, but I’m hoping March will be a much smaller book haul month cause I need to get to my physical books!

Finally, no book haul post would be complete without Calypso’s help. She likes to keep me on my toes when I’m trying to take pictures!

Happy reading!

Review: Odriel’s Heirs

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The brave, burning with fire, harnessed the Dragon’s Rage….

As the Dragon Heir, seventeen-year-old Kaia inherited the power of flame to protect her homeland from a godlike necromancer’s undead army. But after centuries of peace, the necromancer has faded to myth, and the Dragon Heir is feared by the people. Persecuted and cast out, Kaia struggles to embrace and control her seemingly useless gift while confined to her family’s farm.

But when the necromancer’s undead terrorize the land once again, Kaia runs away to join the battle.

With the help of her childhood rival, the handsome Shadow Heir, and a snarky, cursed cat, Kaia must figure out how to control both her fire and her confidence in time to save Okarria. If she fails, she will sacrifice her family, her new friends, and the enchanting world she has only just begun to see.

And time is running out. 

This story is non stop, there was never a slow point or a point where it felt like it lagged. I really enjoyed the fact that it was so fast but also full of detail. Some of the author’s descriptions were rich and perfectly painted an image. There were certainly some elements of the story which were similar to other fantasies, but you are going to see that in a lot of stories, especially if they are following a hero’s journey.

I loved the little glimmers of personalities and felt that Kaia was a complex character. She definitely had the most depth out of everyone, but I could see other characters growing and becoming more fully fledged in further books.

I do hope that there is a little bit more world building in the next book as I feel like I don’t completely understand the world and it may be a little confusing for some at first. Still, it was a fun read and great start to a series.

Happy reading!

Rapid Fire Book Tag

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I was tagged by Jenny at JenJenReviews to do this tag. Let’s see how this one goes.

E-Book or Physical Book?

I read both and don’t really dislike either, but physical typically wins.

Paperback or Hardback?

Again, both are in my library but hardbacks are definitely going to last longer.

Online or In-Store Book Shopping?

Why do you keep asking me these questions? It’s hard to choose! Online is great because it’s a larger selection, but I love the instant gratification of going to the bookstore.

Trilogies or Series?

Trilogies. I like the end to be in sight, and sometimes series go a bit too long.

Heroes or Villains?

Villians, I have a bad boy complex.

A book you want everyone to read?

Don’t Read the Comments by Eric Smith. 100%

Recommend an underrated book?

Persuasion by Jane Austen, I feel like it gets overshadowed by Pride and Prejudice (which I also love) but it’s a wonderful story.

The last book you finished?

Heart of the Matter by Ruth A. Casie

The Last Book You Bought?

The Flying Saucer Mystery by Carloyn Keene, I’m trying to fill the holes in my collection.

Weirdest Thing You’ve Used as a Bookmark?

Probably a receipt.

Used Books: Yes or No?

Absolutely!

Top Three Favorite Genres?

Romance, Mystery/Thriller, Fantasy

Borrow or Buy?

Buy, but I do utilize my library too.

Characters or Plot?

Plot, while I love complex and deep characters I need the plot to move.

Long or Short Books?

Short, but I’ll read both.

Long or Short Chapters?

Short to medium, too long will make me lose interest.

Name The First Three Books You Think Of:

The Ten Thousand Doors of January
Snug
The Forever House

Books That Makes You Laugh or Cry?

Laugh for sure.

Our World or Fictional Worlds?

Fictional Worlds

Audiobooks: Yes or No?

Yes!

Do You Ever Judge a Book by its Cover?

I try not to, but I can’t say it doesn’t happen.

Book to Movie or Book to TV Adaptations?

Depends on the length of the book, but typically TV since it can cover more.

A Movie or TV-Show You Preferred to its Book?

Stardust. I didn’t really like the book, but loved the movie.

Series or Standalones?

Standalones.

Whew, that’s all there is! If anyone would like to do this one feel free to consider yourself tagged!

Happy reading!

Review: Heart of the Matter

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Addison Moore, a well-known psychiatrist, is having difficulty coming to terms with the death of her grandmother, Cookie. The woman was everything to her after her parents died in a plane crash over Lockerbie, Scotland. Little did Addy know, an old picture tucked away in the family bible of Cookie with a handsome stranger would lead her to a discovery for which she is little prepared.

Ethan Taylor is an art historian. He’s lived with his Great Uncle Ben for a long time and would do anything for him. He never anticipated Ben’s dying wish would introduce him to his biggest sacrifice.

Neither Addy nor Ethan are prepared for the lengths at which their families went through to keep Cookie and Ben apart. As they put the pieces together, they uncover a decade’s old unsolved murder implicating Cookie and Ben. Will Addy and Ethan’s blossoming love be able to stand the strain of finding the truth? Will they be able to get to the heart of the matter?

This one was such a fun read! We follow two people who have recently gone through tremendous loss and are drawn together because of the relationship between the people they lost. Addy and Ethan are instantly attracted and both want to discover what the relationship was between their loved ones. Along with that there’s a mystery that needs to be solved regarding events that happened in the past.

It is a whirlwind story and a super quick read. There is a touch of insta-love but with the length of the book that is completely reasonable. There’s just enough mystery to keep you intrigued within the story. In essence it is a very warm story about two people finding love, but there are definitely some deeper subjects explored such as grief and moving on. I would definitely pick up more stories by this author in the future as I truly enjoyed this story, the characters and the writing style.

Heart of the Matter is currently available on Kindle Unlimited, so be sure to pick it up!

Happy reading!

Writing Update: February

DeAnne2 Comments

So if you’ve been following my blog at all you know that NaNoWriMo last year was not the best for me. It was my third year doing it and the first time I failed.

Yep, that’s about how I looked when I threw in the towel. For whatever reason I just couldn’t get myself to write as much as I needed to. I know part of it was the fact that November was so busy, but still, it was rough.

Since then I’ve been trying to get more organized and decide just what I want to work on. I have so many WIPs that sometimes I get pretty scattered. I’ve now gathered up all of my notebooks that contain scene ideas and character notes, so I know where all of them are. I’ve also moved all of my writing to one place where before it was in a few different places.

I think my next plan of action is to pick only a couple of my WIPs to work on. I know, you may be screaming at me to pick one and only one, but my use doesn’t work like that. It’s very very fickle and likes to change its mind. I do want to concentrate on only a couple though, so I need to decide which ones are the highest priority.

I’m also thinking about participating in Camp NaNoWriMo in April so that I can work on something existing and not have to wait until November. I’m still a little undecided on that as April is usually a busy month for me.

So that’s where I am, besides some light editing and streamlining I haven’t done a ton of writing, but preparation is a good thing.

What are you working on? Happy writing!

That Harlequin Feeling

DeAnne1 Comment

What is ‘That Harlequin Feeling’? Harlequin has been doing extensive consumer research to launch a new campaign and redesign their covers – something that has been very exciting to see. I love picking up a Harlequin book and have fond memories of seeing both my grandmother and mother reading them before I myself started reading them. I was excited to receive their press release regarding the research they’ve done and are happy to share it with you. Make sure to also visit ThatHarlequinFeeling.com to watch the video and download two free ebooks!

Two years of extensive consumer research has reaffirmed what Harlequin has believed for 70 years: that reading a Harlequin romance novel makes women feel uplifted, inspired and empowered. As a result, Harlequin is launching That Harlequin Feeling, a new national campaign that celebrates the powerful and positive feelings that millions of readers get from Harlequin books.

“That Harlequin Feeling campaign is an unapologetic celebration of the happiness Harlequin brings to readers’ lives,” says Farah Mullick, Senior Director, Retail Business Development at Harlequin. “Harlequin romance novels have it all: hopeful fresh starts, dramatic family sagas, unexpected twists and turns. Readers feel a deep emotional connection to the characters and their happy endings.”

With two books sold per second worldwide, Harlequin reaches readers internationally in 32 languages. An innovator in the billion-dollar romance industry, Harlequin pioneered the series romance model. Harlequin Series includes 12 romance lines with recognizable branded packaging and a set number of books published on a reliable monthly schedule. Sixty-six original titles are released in print and ebook formats across the 12 Harlequin series every month. Each series offers a unique type of romance, from suspenseful reads to inspirational stories of faith and family.

Harlequin’s consumer research helped define the distinct characteristics of each series for readers and influenced new cover designs that communicate the incredible variety of stories. “The new look drew heavily on insights from thousands of romance readers,” says Tony Horvath, Creative Director, Series & Digital Publishing at Harlequin. “The results are contemporary, spontaneous covers that reflect what readers want to see in 2020. Similar to a movie poster, the book covers tell a story with one image.”

Harlequin is encouraging women in North America to discover That Harlequin Feeling by downloading two free ebooks from ThatHarlequinFeeling.com.

Happy reading!

Review: Passion on Park Avenue

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For as long as she can remember, Bronx-born Naomi Powell has had one goal: to prove her worth among the Upper East Side elite—the same people for which her mom worked as a housekeeper. Now, as the strongminded, sassy CEO of one of the biggest jewelry empires in the country, Naomi finally has exactly what she wants—but it’s going to take more than just the right address to make Manhattan’s upper class stop treating her like an outsider.

The worst offender is her new neighbor, Oliver Cunningham—the grown son of the very family Naomi’s mother used to work for. Oliver used to torment Naomi when they were children, and as a ridiculously attractive adult, he’s tormenting her in entirely different ways. Now they find themselves engaged in a battle-of-wills that will either consume or destroy them…

Filled with charm and heart and plenty of sex and snark, this entertaining series will hook you from the very first page.

This one was such a fun roller coaster ride. In it we primarily follow Naomi, but also Clair and Audrey, who all find out that they were in relationships with Claire’s husband the day of his funeral. They form a fast friendship and a pact to look out for each other.

A lot of the book has to do with holding grudges and how to move on from them, people changing and also takes a look at what Alzheimer’s not only does to those who suffer from it but those around them. While this was a great romance between Naomi and Oliver, it had much more depth than I expected. Layne really dove into their feelings and internal conflicts between each other.

I really loved the banter between them and their friends/family. The writing style was so fluid and easy that it made for a really fast read.

Happy reading!

Review: Magic 7

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On his first day of class at a new school, Leo, a boy who talks to the ghosts of famous dead people for fun, meets Hamlin, who can talk to animals, and Farah, a human flamethrower. The new friends band together to track down the thief who has made off with the school’s prized trophy, and must use all their powers to fight off an army of gigantic robots intent on destroying them. What they don’t know is that this is all just part of a much, much bigger plan…

This was so fun! In this story we primarily follow Leo who can talk to ghosts, most of which are historical figures or famous people. He’s just had to relocate and is not only dealing with his special gift, but having to start over at a new school. He quickly finds himself thrown into a mystery and meets a couple interesting characters.

I loved the artwork and the way all of the characters fit together but were individual in their own ways. The colors were bright and vibrant, which added to the feel of the story and will definitely make it appeal to its target audience. I would definitely be interested to see where this series goes, as this was a great beginning.

Happy reading!