Early Update on my Challenges

 

These were my challenges for 2023:

1 - read at least 12 TBR Orphans.

2 - read the Alex Craft series by Kalayna Price

I totally succeeded to read the Alex Craft series!

As for the TBR Orphans: I read 11, the oldest being from 2014

For 2024 I plan on once again trying to read at least 12 TBR Orphans.

I also want to finish some series that are on my TR pile:

Karma Marx duology: 1 read, 1 to go

Jessie Shimmer trilogy: 1 read, 2 to go

House Immortal trilogy: 2 read, 1 to go

Souls of Fire series: 2 read, 2 to go

Dar Swan series: 2 read, 2 to go

What are your reading plans for 2024?

Teaser Tuedays - Ghost of a Chance

"If it makes you feel any better, Spider will pay for what he's done." "That's a given," Pixie said, an odd look on her face that cleared quickly when she realized I was watching her.

(33% Ghost of a Chance by Katie MacAlister)

Fun Christmas Read: All I Want for Christmas Is a Werewolf

I'm sharing some Christmas Reads with you this week!

All I Want for Christmas Is a Werewolf

by Liana Brooks

Del hates Christmas. As a child, she spent too many Decembers on the streets after her parents abandoned her. As an adult, the enforced family focus, the clients who see the holidays as an excuse to get gropey, and the mistletoe her well-meaning colleague Maureen hung over her work desk just seals the deal: December sucks.

If only it could stay Halloween for a couple of months instead. Del loves the excuse to slay monsters, the spooky atmosphere—and of course, the werewolves. Because everyone knows werewolves make the best lovers... Pity they’re not real.

When Maureen conjures up a list of eligible bachelors for the holidays and insists Del take her pick, Del does the only reasonable thing: she lies. And when nosy office Grinch Rafael Kane asks who the lucky fellow is, Del announces it to the whole office: she's getting a dog.

So now, the first item on Del’s holiday to-do list? Find a dog. Fast. Because if she doesn’t, nothing will protect her from Maureen’s list of Miami bachelor rejects.

A charming, sensual romance for everyone who believes in found families, happily ever after—and werewolves.

Naughty Christmas Read: Five Golden Rings

 I'm sharing some Christmas Reads with you this week!

Five Golden Rings

by Jeffe Kennedy

The Twelve Days of Christmas were never quite this naughty…

All Matilda Campbell wanted was to spend a romantic and relaxing Christmas in the Mexican Caribbean. When her lover dumps her—at the airport, no less—she decides to go solo. But fate and a well-timed margarita intervene, introducing her to the charming and seductive Miguel D’Oro on the plane.

Miguel offers Tilda an outrageous bargain, involving escalating naughty gifts for each of the twelve days of Christmas. The only rule is that she must accept what he gives her and what he tells her to do, or face a sensual punishment. Giving up control is just what Tilda is looking for, so she impulsively agrees.

As Tilda embraces a newfound freedom in abandoning herself to pleasure and Miguel’s demands, she only wonders what will happen when the holiday is over…

Heartwarming Christmas Read: Relocating Christmas

 

I'm sharing some Christmas Reads with you this week!

Relocating Christmas

by Kerry Anne King/Kerry Schafer

A heartwarming Christmas mystery with a touch of magic.

Nickle Wood is not a thief, although her rap sheet begs to differ. It’s just that a lot of objects are not where they are meant to be and the universe has chosen her to move them. Christmas is absolutely the worst, with every brightly wrapped package a potential landmine.

She and her private-eye boyfriend, Hawk, have agreed: no presents. But he can’t resist giving her a little something and Nickle’s fragile trust is broken. She thought he understood the problem, but maybe he doesn’t really know her at all. Insult to injury, the gift, a beautiful pendant, clearly wants to be elsewhere.

Nickle ventures out into a Christmas Eve snowstorm, determined to relocate the pendant on her own, but when it leads her to a runaway teen and a dog sheltering together behind a dumpster, Nickle knows she’s going to need Hawk’s help to find the girl’s missing mother. Can they trust each other – and Nickle’s unusual ability – enough to work together and pull off a Christmas miracle?

This delightful stand alone novella continues the story of Nickle and Hawk from King’s beloved novel Other People’s Things.

Teaser Tuesdays - Girl, Goddess, Queen

 

I'm never there alone. If I'm in the library, he is too.

He must really love those scrolls.

(page 139, Girl, Goddess, Queen by Bea Fitzgerald)

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Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, previously hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: - Grab your current read - Open to a random page - Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) - Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their  TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Fall of Ruin and Wrath - Book Review

 

Fall of Ruin and Wrath (Awakening #1)

by Jennifer L. Armentrout

What is it about:

SHE LIVES BY HER INTUITION. HE FEEDS ON HER PLEASURE.

Long ago, the world was destroyed by gods. Only nine cities were spared. Separated by vast wilderness teeming with monsters and unimaginable dangers, each city is now ruled by a guardian―royalty who feed on mortal pleasure.

Born with an intuition that never fails, Calista knows her talents are of great value to the power-hungry of the world, so she lives hidden as a courtesan of the Baron of Archwood. In exchange for his protection, she grants him information.

When her intuition leads her to save a traveling prince in dire trouble, the voice inside her blazes with warning―and promise. Today he’ll bring her joy. One day he'll be her doom.

When the Baron takes an interest in the traveling prince and the prince takes an interest in Calista, she becomes the prince’s temporary companion. But the city simmers with rebellion, and with knights and monsters at her city gates and a hungry prince in her bed, intuition may not be enough to keep her safe.

Calista must follow her intuition to safety or follow her heart to her downfall.

What did I think of it:

This was a nice enough read.

In my opinion the world building was glossed over a bit, but I would have been willing to overlook it if the story had been a bit better.

To be fair: the sexual tension and steamy scenes were really good. The overall story however wasn't for me. I especially thought the inclusion of her best childhood friend felt a  bit forced and unnecessary.

Still I was entertained enough to finish the book. I don't think I will get my trotters on the next book though.

Why should you read it:

It's an entertaining read.

 

Spellbent - Book Review (reread/repost)

 

Spellbent by Lucy A. Snyder

What is it about:
When an innocent spell somehow opens a portal to Hell, young mage Jessie Shimmer manages to kill the demon about to stomp on downtown Columbus, Ohio, but she loses an eye, a hand, and her lover and mentor, Cooper. Benedict Jordan, ruling mage for the area, forbids any attempts to find Cooper, who may still be alive in Hell, and strips Jessie of her resources. With little more than her ferret familiar, her magic, and the help of Cooper's smart-ass half-brother, Jessie must rescue Cooper and uncover Benedict's motives.

What did I think of it:
I loved this book. Jessie is one kickass heroine and I got sucked into the story right from the start and couldn't put the book down before I finished it. I must say that if you really look closely at the story at times there's not much happening besides Jessie trying to figure out what to do next, but still it feels really fast paced and action packed which I think is an amazing feat. The one thing I can say against this story is that Cooper disappears quite early in the story, before I could really get a feel of Jessie's relationship with him. I'd have loved to read a bit more about the two of them together and just about Cooper. But there's going to be a sequel to this book in Oktober (Shotgun Sorceress) so I might get my wish.

Thoughts on rereading:

I read this in 2010 and could only remember the overall story, not the smaller details. I still feel the same though: knowing more about Jessie's relationship with Cooper would have been nice. Now I often felt like Cooper is a dodgy jerk, making it hard to root for Jessie finding him. Still this is an awesome read, and I will dig up book 2 soon. 

Why should you read it:
If you like Urban Fantasy which features a no nonsense heroine this is your book!

Teaser Tuesdays - The Inheritance Games

 

The older couple i'd seen earlier leaned into each other. All i could think was: ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.

(page 35, The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes)

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Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, previously hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: - Grab your current read - Open to a random page - Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) - Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their  TBR Lists if they like your teasers!