Forgotten Storm by A.R. Vagnetti

🍎🍎🍎🍎

So the next book I picked up was Forgotten Storm by A.R. Vagnetti. This is the first in her Storm series and also her debut novel. I applied this read to Fall in Love for the starts with F prompt. This also covers the Bang in the Night Bingo prompts a shocking twist and bite me.

Nicole used to dream about a man named Logan that fulfilled all of her fantasies. Two years ago, the dreams ended. After being on the run for years, she is starting to feel an itch that she can't stop. Suddenly Logan shows up, not only is he real but he's a vampire. He brings Nicole's forgotten memories from her youth and soon she learns she's the key to a century-old prophecy to bring down her father, the vampire king Dimitri.

So, before we get into my thoughts on the book, I want to talk about how I found this. A.R. Vagnetti is actually a friend of my Aunt Rowie! She came to town a couple months ago for a high school reunion and we were able to see each other a couple days. One night we were talking about books and when she heard I read paranormal romance she said her friend writes it. She also said it had sex (and that she skipped it since there was so much), but I didn't mind. I immediately bought the first book and added the other three books to my cart. The paperback was actually cheaper than the eBook, so I ended up buying a copy of it. When I was looking through my long tbr on goodreads for books that started with F and were paranormal or adjacent, I totally had spaced about this book. Which is crazy because I had reorganized my paranormal and fantasy shelves the day before.

I didn't know too much before going into this outside of it being too steamy for my aunt. I have to say, I liked it. Now, it was good and I liked a lot of the elements. The writing style was a little odd to me. I'm not sure what exactly it was, but sometimes I would just think, that was an odd transition. Even though I though it was good, it wasn't quite as engaging. It was very easy for me to put it down. I just wasn't quite as pulled into the story as normally happens. Once the plot starting really going I was expecting to be a little more engaged, but there were some choices made by the character that kept pushing things back. There are quite a few things I can get nitpicky about. The biggest issue I had though is that it felt a little over plotted. There were almost too many twists and/or setbacks and character points. I feel like it needed paring down a little bit. That is an issue I've seen before from indie-published author debuts. They just aren't quite there to self-edit for streamlining of the plot and want to just throw everything but the kitchen sink into their book. This led to me disliking Nicole the further we got in the book. When we got to the big battle at the end, I almost didn't really care if she made it through or not. It was a solid 4-stars for a debut novel, but some choices started getting made around the 200 pages mark that I think I'm going to drop it to a 3.5 and just round up on goodreads. I just wasn't emotionally invested in the book overall.

I'll definitely pick up the other books. I'm super sad that one character I wanted a book for ended up dying in the battle. There were some teaser for other couples. I also want to see how she grows as an author. There's a lot of good and unique world building here, I just wish that it was more engaging. We'll see when I pick up the next one!

Have you read Forgotten Storm?

Bookishly Yours,

Stasi🍎

STATISTICS: Forgotten Storm, A.R. Vagnetti, 4-stars, 3 days, paperback, 312 pages, published in 2020

Remembering a Witch by Lauren Connolly

🍎🍎🍎🍎

Saturday night I was doing a little bit of organizing of my bookshelves while on the phone. I ended up pulling my paperback copy of Remembering a Witch by Lauren Connolly to read. I ordered this last year for a readathon, but never got to it. This is a standalone novella. It was inspired by the #justiceforfenella. The hashtag was created by the Heaving Bosoms podcast when they reviewed The Highlander Takes a Bride by Lynsay Sands. It ended up being a two-parter and one of my favorites of their episodes. They just crack me up when they go completely off the rails! I was able to use this for the green on cover prompt for Fall in Love. This also covers the I put a spell on you and into the woods prompts for the Bang in the Night Bingo.

Fenella has been having dreams about a previous life; she is the reincarnation of an ancestor of hers, Marabella. Her dreams have been the memories of Marabella and her love Henry. While walking her dog at the local college campus, Fenella runs across a new professor Graham, who is the spitting image of Henry. They are both drawn together, but is their love truly theirs?

I really enjoyed this novella. I do wish it was a little longer, but only because I loved it. The way that Lauren set up the magic system was really intriguing and I wanted to learn more about both Fenella's and Graham's magic. I also really enjoyed how she was able to enter the previous memories/dreams and witness what happened in the past. I also loved her familiar Daisy, the sweetest little pit bull. There was a time jump in here, but I feel like with how short it is it made sense. We also get to see that they've been together six months and it helped the book not feel rushed.

I'm certainly intrigued to read more and am so happy that I was able to find Lauren through Heaving Bosoms. Also, she apparently here in Colorado, so that's always fun too! I love supporting authors from my state. I hope that Lauren writes more in this world, whether it's extending Fenella's and Graham's story or not. I'll certainly be keeping an eye on her socials in case she writes anything else.

Have you read Remembering a Witch?

Bookishly Yours,

Stasi🍎

STATISTICS: Remembering a Witch, Lauren Connolly, 4-stars, 0 days, paperback, 70 pages, published in 2019

How to Flirt with a Naked Werewolf by Molly Harper

🍎🍎🍎🍎

It's that time again for the Smart Women Read Romance patreon exclusive review. I am a patron of their amazing podcast, and the theme for October was werewolves/shifters. How to Flirt with a Werewolf by Molly Harper was the winner! This is the first book in her Naked Werewolf series. I applied this to the Fall in Love prompt trees on the cover. It also covers the Bang in the Night Bingo prompts howlin' for you, #squadgoals, full moon on the cover/stepback, into the woods and CSI: crime scene investigation.

Mo has just moved to Grundy, Alaska. She's trying to escape her overbearing parents and needed to get as far away as she could from both them and the life she was living. She rents a cabin for a year and hopes to re-evaluate her life. Mo ends up taking over as the cook at the local restaurant and starts finding acceptance in this little town. Of course the one person that pushes against accepting her into the community is Cooper, local hunting guide and werewolf.

I love Molly Harper, as I've mentioned before, and was super excited to reread this. I was nervous since I remembered not loving it as much as her Jane Jameson series. I previously rated it 4-stars and it is still the same. One thing that keeps Molly Harper as one of my favorite authors is the way she develops her communities and friendships between all the characters. I would love to live in one of her worlds. While this isn't as heavy on the romance as her other books and kind of leans on the fated mate trope a little, I still enjoyed the banter between Mo and Copper.

Mo is also a Molly Harper heroine through and through. She's snarky, had an odd upbringing and is dealing with issues. The snarkiness always has me chuckling. It's something that Molly is so good at writing and it always makes me wish I was able to come up with fun quips like that just as quick. It gives me the same kind of enjoyment that Gilmore Girls did with their banter. It's been a few years since I've read the series, but I do remember that this was my favorite of the three. This one is set in Grundy and the other two are with the pack that Cooper is related to. They're good and I might reread those as well with the readathons I have going on, but I enjoyed being in Grundy more than the little town the wolf pack created.

I've been wanting to read the Molly Harper books I haven't read yet, but it was nice to reread an older book of hers. It's just leading me to upping her on my tbr for the next month. I really recommend Molly Harper if you're looking for a more comedy, light-hearted paranormal. There are dark and gritty things addressed, but with a lighter touch. I can always count on Molly Harper to have me chuckling throughout her books. I can't wait to see what others thought tonight, but I'm also nervous. It's always hard for me to hear others rate a book poorly or not enjoy something that I really love. That's why I try to suggest books I haven't read for the monthly polls. We'll see how it goes!

Have you read How to Flirt with a Naked Werewolf?

Bookishly Yours,

Stasi🍎

STATISTICS: How to Flirt with a Naked Werewolf, Molly Harper, 4-stars, 0 days, paperback, 371 pages, published in 2011

Her Halloween Treat by Tiffany Reisz

🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎

I read Her Halloween Treat on the first day of fall! I'm so happy the seasons are changing and we are getting cooler weather. It's my happy place. But anyways, this is the first book in her Men At Work series. It's been on my radar since last year, but I found out about it a little late to fit into my Halloween reading. Now's the perfect time! I used this as my first read for the Bang in the Night Bingo and it can cover the prompts a dark, dark and stormy night, into the woods and trick or treat. I've also applied this to the prompt fall themed cover for Fall in Love.

Joey is returning home to Oregon from Hawaii for her brother's wedding. On her stop in LA, she decides to swing by and surprise her boyfriend of 2 years. She is devastated when his wife opens the door. Heading to Oregon earlier than expected, she finds Chris, her brother's best friend finishing up the cabin she'll be staying at. He's a contractor and has renovated the cabin. After her friend Kira urges her to sleep with the first man she sees, Joey can't help thinking about Chris that way. Chris has had a crush on Joey since high school, so they quickly find themselves caving to their desires.

This started off quickly and was such a treat (heh!) to read. I feel like them talking about their history and establishing there was a previous connection before really helped solidify their relationship later in the book. Not that you can't fall in love with a one-night stand, but it just felt a little more natural and realistic. I loved how real Joey felt and even though she was into Chris, she was upfront with her emotions being all over the place. Chris was such a geeky, sexy man and I loved him. I loved the weird sayings and metaphors they both kept using and really loved their banter.

Being a Harlequin, this was shorter read and things moved at a quicker pace. I think that the way Tiffany laid out the plot and relations between them kept it from feeling rushed. It was a quick pace, but didn't feel unnatural to me. It had everything I could want from a Harlequin romance. It's been forever since I've read one and this is definitely one of my favorites! Not overly cheesy at all. I'm definitely going to be picking up the next two books in the series, set around Thanksgiving and Christmas. I've heard these are a little different than her other books, but if you're looking for a sweet, spicy holiday read, definitely add this to your tbr!

Have you read Her Halloween Treat?

Bookishly Yours,

Stasi🍎

STATISTICS: Her Halloween Treat, Tiffany Reisz, 5-stars, 2 days, eBook, 218 pages, published in 2016

Yes & I Love You by Roni Loren

🍎🍎🍎🍎

Still feeling in a contemporary romance mood, I went through my tbr for Fall in Love. I thought I'd look through Shelby-s 5-star reads and see if there was something I had marked as want to read and that sounded good. I ended up picking Yes & I Love You by Roni Loren. I have a few of her series on my tbr, but was more intrigued by her newest series. This is the first book of her Say Everything series.

We meet Hollyn (I love that name), the face behind the popular reviewer Miz Poppy in New Orleans. She is dealing with extreme anxiety and Tourette's. As recommended by her therapist, she rents an office in a shared space building to be around other people and help her push herself. There's a new barista in the coffee bar, improv actor Jasper. He's back in town after not making it big in LA and splitting with his girlfriend. When Hollyn is forced to start doing video reviews or lose her job, she goes to Jasper to help her gain confidence in front of the camera. They quickly acknowledge the attraction between them, and soon they're also "practicing" dating and fulfilling each other's physical needs.

This was a book I saw a lot of when it came out, but mostly due to people's criticisms of the cover. I did hear that it had good representation, but I think of the illustrated covers out there, I don't mind this one. Is it weird, yeah. Does it lead you on thinking it's a rom-com, not really. I think after reading the first little bit and understanding what kind of representation is here, the cover makes more sense and makes me like it more. I really felt for Hollyn and enjoyed how blunt she was with Jasper. He also has ADHD or something similar, but it's never really talked about being diagnosed outside of his mention of it at the end. I just wanted his "disorder" to be addressed a little more too. Mainly since I felt bad that it wasn't really addressed when he was in school. Granted he was in the foster care system, so things like that have an even higher chance of getting missed.

I loved the connection between them and how they both just seemed to fit together. There were some awkward moments between them, but I loved how upfront Hollyn was once anger pushed her passed her guards. Jasper was so flirty and cute. The way he was with Hollyn made me really love them together. When he was going on about Miz Poppy and his love for her to Hollyn was so awkwardly adorable. He just felt like a cute puppy sometimes and was one of those charming and easy-going people that gets along with everyone easily. I also loved how improv was talked about and how it could be seen as a good skill to have in everyday life. It almost makes me want to take an improv class myself, but I probably won't. Speaking in front of people is just not something I handle well, which is why I have blog and not other medium of reviews. I loved the progression of their relationship and of Hollyn pushing past her comfort and really learn to be more comfortable and accepting of herself. It was really inspiring.

I really enjoyed reading this and will definitely continue with this series and for sure pick up other of Roni Loren's books I have on my tbr. If were to be specific, I'd probably make this a 4.5-star rating. It just didn't blow me away enough to get the full 5-stars. I do think it took about 25-30% for me to really get into the story and didn't quite fully connect emotionally to both characters. If you are looking to add some representation to your reads, definitely check this one out!

Have you read Yes & I Love You?

Bookishly Yours,

Stasi🍎

STATISTICS: Yes & I Love You, Roni Loren, 4-stars, 2 days, eBook, 352 pages, published in 2021

Love in the Night Readathon Round 3 TBR

Update: Wrap Up is posted!

Happy Saturday!

I can't believe it's already the last weekend in September and October is just around the corner. That means it's spoopy time! I love Halloween, but the lighter side of it. If you don't already know, I'm not one for horror. It just doesn't work for me. Hell, there was a really good kdrama a few years ago called The Master's Sun (which I adored), but had a friend of mine watch with me to help calm me from the scary ghost stuff. Let's be honest, it wasn't that scary, but I did need assistance. So yeah, wimp supreme here.

But back to the readathon. Love in the Night is back for round 3! It's hosted by most of the same hosts, Shae, Izzy, Crystal, Stef and Laura. This time they are going for a long weekend, with the readathon running from Friday October 1st through Monday, October 4th. I'm happy to have another weekend readathon that includes both Friday and Monday! Since it's a shorter time, they are doing a scavenger hunt instead of a bingo board. The "clues" are below!

As you can see, there are only 5 prompts. If you read just one shifter book over the weekend, there's a pretty good chance you'll meet all the prompts. I'm hoping to get through 3 over the weekend, but we'll see what happens. I'll also be looking to get some prompts covered for Fall in Love and Bang in the Night Bingo! Check out those tbrs for more ideas, but I'll also list some tailored ideas below!

🐺 I've been participating in the Kate Daniels readalong, so I'd like to read at least the next book I have since the next live is October 15th. Another Ilona Andrews option is her The Edge series since I've been really into her writing recently.

🐺 Another author I want to get through more of the backlist of is Juliette Cross. I can continue in her Nightwing (dragon shifter) series, or pick up her Vampire Blood series. I've also been wanting to reread Stay a Spell as well, so that's another option.

🐺 More reread options I have is G.A. Aiken's Dragon Kin series. I've been wanting to reread it for a while now, but I just haven't picked it up. I know her newer series, The Scarred Earth Saga, is a spin-off or related. She also writes under the name Shelly Laurenston and writes a lot of shifter romances. I loved the Pride series and have been wanting to reread it as well. Or I can finally get around to starting her Honey Badger Chronicles series (with honey badger shifters, which are introduced in her Pride series).

🐺 I can also pick up one of my favorite paranormal authors, Molly Harper. The next book I have to read in her Half-Moon Hollow is Nice Werewolves Don't Bite Vampires. Or I can finally start her Mystic Bayou series.

🐺 Another series I can continue is one of Felicity Heaton's. I know the next book I have in her Eternal Mates series is about a dragon shifter. I also want to finish her Cougar Creek Mates series so I can get to her spin-off, Black Ridge Bears.

🐺 If I'm looking for a new author to pick up, I saw that Gena Showalter's Atlantis series has shifters. Another author would be Terry Spear and her Heart of the Wolf and Highland Wolf series. There's also Shana Abe's Drakon series with dragon shifters. I've also been wanting to start Kristen Ashley's Fantasyland series since Smart Women Read Romance did an episode on book 2 recently. I can't quite figure out if the first book is about a dragon shifter, or someone with dragon affinity though. I'm also interested in trying Celia Kyle's Bears of Grayslake series.

🐺 Some other options I have are picking back up Vicki Lewis Thompson's Wild About You series. I've read the first couple books a few years ago, so I'd want to reread those before moving forward. I also want to pick up the next Immortals After Dark book by Kresley Cole. The last idea I have right now is Alanea Alder's Bewitched and Bewildered. The next book I have is book 3, which is about a wolf-shifter.

So I have a lot of options and ideas, almost too many for the weekend readathon. With a shifter focus, I almost went too crazy looking at my series to continue lists and lists on goodreads. I have really come to appreciate shifters after growing up a vampire girl. I certainly prefer romance novel shifters, that's for sure. The family focus, touchy-feely shifters just do it for me. Plus I love alphas, so it hits a lot of my buttons. 

I think for sure I want to read at least one Kate Daniels book, but I might save it for the end of the weekend. I know I'll end up wanting to binge the next books. I'd like to read at least two different authors, but we'll see what happens! If you'd like more options, check out my tbr and wrap up from round 2! I'll be updating in my stories like usual if you want more updated real time.

Are you participating in Round 3 of the Love in the Night Readathon?

Bookishly Yours,

Stasi🍎

To Hate Adam Connor by Ella Maise

🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎

After bingeing To Love Jason Thorn in one sitting, I immediately jumped into book two of the Love & Hate series, To Hate Adam Connor by Ella Maise. Like I mentioned in my previous review, the books do have illustrated covers now, so I purchased both in paperback before the change. I just love these covers so much more. Plus they have a white/super pale gray base and spine and love the way they look on my shelf. I applied this to the prompt over 300 pages for Fall in Love.

We pick up shortly after the previous book, with Lucy getting left by Jameson. They've graduated and he moved to Pittsburgh, without asking her to come with. Suddenly without a place to live, Lucy moves in with Olive and Jason while she tries to find a job and new place. Also just moved in is Jason's movie star neighbor Adam. He's been in the tabloid recently after divorcing his wife. Of course Jason doesn't jump at the chance to introduce everyone, so Olive and Lucy spy on the neighbor. When Olive and Jason have to head to London for a week, Lucy continues her spying escapade, especially when she hears him in the backyard with his 5-year old son Aiden. One afternoon, she sees Aiden left alone in the back and ends up almost drowning in the pool. She jumps the fence and saves him, only to be thrown in jail for trespassing and treated like a stalker. Even though she's a fan and has the hots for Adam, she now hates him. Adam needs a new caretaker for Aiden, and Lucy ends up being the only viable option.

I loved this book just as much as the first, but in a different way. Lucy is dealing with a lot of trauma from her childhood and finally caving to a relationship with Jameson did it's damage as well. I loved how connected Adam and Lucy were and the progression of their relationship. They both tried to fight it as much as they could, but the more Adam saw Lucy with his son and her view on life, the more he wanted to get to know her. Then when he finally gets a peek at her vulnerabilities, he's almost immediately a goner. And while I thought To Love Jason Thorn was steamy, hoo boy does Adam know how to get it. I feel like there's more scenes with Jason, but Adam is definitely spicier.

I didn't really like the ex drama here, especially when it's treated as an evil ex. I feel like it's been overdone in the past, but it didn't feel cliché here. I understood the split and why she was "evil." She just was a self-centered actress that wanted her career back that she had in her youth. I didn't like how she treated Adam and Aiden. I know that it was a tough decision for Adam and why he waited so long, but I did wish he pushed for sole custody earlier. Especially when Aiden constantly didn't want to visit his mom for more than a couple days, if at all. I'm a big fan of single dad romances and really enjoyed how there wasn't really an issue made about Aiden or the fact that he was a single-parent. Once again we didn't really get any of the stereotypical "he's too good for me" drama common with celebrity romances. I loved how firm Adam was with Lucy and wouldn't let her hide herself or her feelings. While he did push her at times, I loved how he stepped back just as often. He was just perfect.

I really loved these two books and am adding Ella Maise to the top of my contemporary tbr. I really want to read her other books and have heard great things about Marriage for One. Maybe that'll be the next one I pick up. I mentioned this before, but I wish there were more friends of these four so we could have more books. I want more in this world, and would love a romance where the woman is the star. I don't think there will be more based on what I've seen on her website, but a girl can dream.

Have you read To Hate Adam Connor?

Bookishly Yours,

Stasi🍎

STATISTICS: To Hate Adam Connor, Ella Maise, 5-stars, 1 day, paperback, 430 pages, published in 2016

Something About Emmaline by Elizabeth Boyle

🍎🍎🍎🍎

Looking for a new audiobook to listen to at work and errands, I went through my prompts for Fall in Love and checked ideas with what was available from my library through Hoopla. There were quite a few books I wanted to read next, but weren't available. I ended up setting for Something About Emmaline by Elizabeth Boyle. This is the first book in her Bachelor Chronicles series. I am applying this for the prompt give an author a second chance. I had read His Mistress by Morning earlier this year and didn't really enjoy it. I try to read more than one book before setting an author down for good, so this was the best option going off of authors I've read this year.

Alex, Baron Sedgwick is tired of the marriage mart. To avoid marriage minded mammas and debutantes, he makes up a wife. Her name is Emmaline and she's very ill and unable to come to town. One day he receives receipts to pay for purchases made, by Emmaline. He arrives at his house in town to find that not only is Lady Emmaline in residence, but she's also renovating his house. They come to the agreement to stay "married" for the next two weeks before going their separate ways.

This was cute and I definitely like it a better than His Mistress by Morning. I think if I were to get super specific, I'd go with a 3.75 star rating. I liked how Alex and Emmaline connected and how she was constantly able to get one up on him. I also felt like when we got to the end there was too much going on that needed to be resolved. I also don't like the fact that she was made to married before on top of who she actually finds out is her birth father. It just was too much. Another thing that really bothered me was the pacing. They are spending two weeks together. The first 60% of the book is in the first 24-48 hours. We don't even get through the rest of the two weeks before the end. I almost wish that it was flipped and that we got brunt of their relationship development later in their time together than the first days. While I did understand the need to show the first little bit of time together to keep them in forced proximity, there was too much going on (once again) and we didn't move forward quick enough for my tastes.

I went with 4-stars mostly based off of my previous rating of her book. Now that I'm really getting into it, maybe I'll change my ratings to 2-stars for the other and this one at 3-stars. I might pick up other books in this series, but it took until about the 65% for me to really fell engaged with the characters and want to finish reading the book. It took me way too long to get through it. It was cute and I can see how others would enjoy this. Maybe I'll mark it as a 3.5 rounded up on goodreads

Will I pick up another Elizabeth Boyle, maybe another in this series. It depends on the tropes. Mostly likely not. I just don't get engaged with her writing and way the plot develops as I can with others. I feel like because I had similar issues with the mechanics of these two books, her other books might not be that different. We'll see. If anything it'll probably be in audiobook format if there's nothing else my library has that I want to listen to at that time. I am glad to give her a second chance though.

Have you read Something About Emmaline?

Bookishly Yours,

Stasi🍎

STATISTICS: Something About Emmaline, Elizabeth Boyle, 4-stars, 10 days, audiobook, 374 pages, published in 2005

To Love Jason Thorn by Ella Maise

🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎

Another outlier purchase on my shelves was To Love Jason Thorn by Ella Maise. This was a book I had seen a review of on instagram that I immediately added to my tbr. Recently Ella announced that there were going to be new covers, fitting the popular illustrated ones. I am not a fan of a lot of the illustrated covers, especially these ones. I went ahead and purchased the older covers while I could. Both books in the Love & Hate series got the new covers. Thank goodness I did. I applied this to the Fall in Love prompt author found on instagram.

Olive has been in love with her brother's best friend since she was 6-years old. She met Jason when he moved to town and spent most of his time at their house due to family issues. When his mom passes he moves with his dad to LA and they lose contact. Now, Olive is getting reading to graduate from college and is overwhelmed by the popularity of her debut novel. It's getting optioned for a movie deal and she's a fish out of water. Who do they want to play the male lead, none other than hot movie star Jason Thorn. He who inspired the hero in her novel. They are brought back together and Jason helps Olive navigate this new world.

Oh my gosh. I loved this book. I was so drawn in and couldn't put it down. I loved how awkward Olive was and how she was always so nervous and anxious about what was going on. She did silly things sometimes, but they felt so natural and I could relate to doing stupid things when flustered. I loved how happy Jason was to see her and wanted so much to be her friend again. Once things start to get steamy between them, hoo boy. I loved the tension and steam between them. It was so hot and I loved how all in Jason was when it came to Olive. 

I'm not the biggest fan of celebrity romances, especially contemporary ones, but I loved how this was set up. There wasn't really any "she's not good enough" things and I loved how accepting Jason's people were of his relationship with Olive. Granted, there was a fake marriage and they were forced together, but it could've gone the stereotypical route. I also loved how Jason was constantly showing up, despite being a movie star. There just was so much I absolutely loved about this. While the 3rd act conflict felt a little rushed, I kind of saw it coming. I knew that there was something going on with Charlotte, just based on how she was acting. The way that they reconnected after the fight was so swoony and just brought everything full circle from the prologue/first chapter.

I really, really loved this book and almost wish that Olive and/or Jason had more friends so we could have more books. I want to read more in this world by Ella Maise. I know book 2 is about Lucy, so I can't wait to jump into it. I'm definitely going to check out Ella's other works and know that Marriage of One has been recommended a few time recently by people I follow. I laughed, cried and swooned with this book and highly recommend it. My contemporary romance list is growing!

Have you read To Love Jason Thorn?

Bookishly Yours,

Stasi🍎

STATISTICS: To Love Jason Thorn, Ella Maise, 5-stars, 0 days, paperback, 418 pages, published in 2015

The Duplicate Bride by Ginny Baird

🍎🍎🍎🍎

Still feeling in a contemporary mood, I decided to go through my paperbacks and see what I haven't read before. I don't usually buy books without knowing the author or having read it in eBook first, but I saw The Duplicate Bride by Ginny Baird on Lisa's youtube channel during a book haul I believe. It has my favorite trope, wrong sibling. A few days later I saw the second book at Walmart. I decided to grab it and ordered the first online. I applied this to the prompt new to me author for Fall in Love! This also listed on the back of the book as the first in the Blue Hill Brides series, but I haven't seen any series pages outside of the author's website.

Hope is enjoying summer break and not having to work, being a school teacher, and is ready to celebrate her twin sister's wedding. Jackie, her twin, is having issues as a wedding planner with her latest wedding. She's supposed to meet her fiancé Brent to meet the rest of his family and do the final preparations for the wedding. It's a week long celebration ending in the nuptials. Jackie can't make it as early as planned and asks Hope to pretend to be her. Hope turns her down, but says she'll go early to explain the issues and be there to help out. When she arrives, the family assumes she's Jackie, including Brent. As Hope gets pulled into the festivities and her lie by omission starts snowballing, Brent and Hope start to connect.

Okay, so a couple things I want to mention. There is technically cheating in here, both emotional and a couple of kisses. Although Brent doesn't actually know he's cheating. Also, unbeknownst to me, this is also a clean romance. It makes sense for the trope, but we didn't get anything at the end either. I just want to preference that. Now, Jackie and Brent are planning a marriage of convenience. Brent is hoping that it will help secure his position in the family business and Jackie is rebounding and just wants to get it over. They've barely even kissed and aren't really open with each other much. When Brent runs into Hope as Jackie, he feels something different. He thinks it's at first the jitters from getting married.

I enjoyed this rendition of the trope. I enjoyed the connection between Hope and Brent. I also loved how obvious and visceral Ginny wrote Hope and the guilt, confusion, pining and hope that she was experiencing. She was going into this with good intentions and things just kept snowballing. I felt for her so bad and could really understand and connect with her ups and downs. What really bothered me with the story was her sister. I feel like her keeping to push her arrival back was fine, it fits the plot, but the things she said was so horrible to her sister. It just felt off. Now I know that not all sibling relationships are perfect, but I feel like "twin sense" is a thing and was a little disappointed. Also I didn't like how Jackie kept almost gas-lighting Hope. She was getting torn into so many pieces and her sister almost didn't care. Plus she ends up placing most of the blame on her at the end. Now Hope took a lot of the blame onto herself, but I wished that her sister had stepped up more. I feel like the reconciliation between Hope and Brent was fine. I wanted way more grovel from Jackie though.

I overall enjoyed this read. I'll probably pick up the second book, since I own it. Knowing that it's a clean romance, I'm not sure it'll be at the top of my list. I don't have to have steam in my books, but I do prefer it to at least have more tension. We'll see how the second book goes. Maybe she was trying not to do too much here with the taboo-ness of the trope. We'll see. I loved Brent's family and hope that there's more written for them.

Have you read The Duplicate Bride?

Bookishly Yours,

Stasi🍎

STATISTICS: The Duplicate Bride, Ginny Baird, 4-stars, 0 days, paperback, 368 pages, published in 2020

The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood

🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎

The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood is not only a new release (out last Tues, Sept 14th), but also her debut novel. There was a lot of hype leading up to release, especially with Reylo (the fan pairing of Kyle Ren and Rey from the new Star Wars trilogy) being the inspiration. I applied this to the prompt of new release for Fall in Love.

Olive is a PHD candidate and working late one night in the lab. She had told her best friend she was on a date, but she's also in the building. To hide her lie, she kisses the first person she runs into in the hall. Adam is known as the ass of the professors, constantly being strict with students on during their committee reviews. To keep up the rouse, they start fake-dating.

OH MY GOSH! Guys, the hype is real. I was super nervous going into this because of how much hype this is getting. I first saw it a few months ago from someone I follow on bookstagram that has similar tastes. I ended up preordering the book, which is odd for me. I usually only preorder books from series that I'm completely hooked into or from my favorite authors. I just knew I wanted to support this story though, being that it's a STEM female author writing about female STEM and the less glamorous side of science. I loved the idea and wanted to support it.

This book guys, this book. I stayed up until waaaaay past my bedtime to finish it in one setting. I just couldn't put it down. There was a lot of science, which was so perfect. For two characters whose life revolves around science 80+ hours a week, I'm glad that it wasn't just glossed over. I also loved the conversations had about women in STEM and just academia versus going into the industry. I knew there was a difference, but didn't quite understand the full debate between choosing which route to go. I loved learning more about that world. Growing up I always enjoyed my STEM classes, so this was so much fun.

Let's get to the characters though. Olive, oh sweet Olive. I was not expecting to connect to her so much. Even now writing this I'm tearing up just thinking about how similar some of her thoughts were, especially related to her mom passing. There were several moments I needed to take a breath because something she said or thought hit so close to my own thoughts. I just can't believe how much of myself I ended up seeing in Olive. She had me crying and laughing and was everything I didn't know I wanted. Adam was the perfect grumpy scientist and I loved how he was so amused and drawn to Olive. I loved the way that their relationship progressed and how natural it felt. I also loved how much Adam cared for Olive and yet they both were holding back from each other. Mutual pining during fake-dating is such catnip for me.

I also loved the third act conflict and how it played out. Yes there was the end of their term for the dating, but I completely understood how and why Olive decided not to push for more. It hurt my heart, but I understood it. I also loved how amazing her friends were and Adam's friend as well. It just was so well done I didn't want it to end. Was this book perfect, no. I don't care. It hit me in all the right places and really gave me what I needed from a rom-com contemporary romance.

I still can't believe this is Ali's debut novel. She does say in her author blurb that she's written before, but mainly scientific papers. Her blurb cracks me up and I've completely enjoyed following her on instagram. She's also a crocheter, so I love seeing all her works, especially the sciencey ones. At the end of the book is a preview of her second novel, Love on the Brain. It's set to come out sometime next year and I can't wait. It looks like it'll be set at NASA in Houston which is totally my jam. There is a lot of hype around this book, but I have to say it lived up to it for me. If you are into science and romance, definitely pick this book up.

Have you read The Love Hypothesis?

Bookishly Yours,

Stasi🍎

STATISTICS: The Love Hypothesis, Ali Hazelwood, 5-stars, 0 days, paperback, 384 pages, published in 2021

Moody Reader Book Tag

 Here are at another book tag! This time I recently saw a new one that Jen at The Book Refuge did called the Moody Reader Tag. Check out her video if you haven't seen it yet. I definitely wrote down the questions and thought it'd be a fun option for the blog! Here we go...

1. Do you consider yourself a moody reader?
100%. If you've been following me for a while, you would know that I try to have a lot of options and don't really stick to a tbr outside of a couple books I try to read for book clubs. Even then, there's really only two that I do every month. All my other book clubs I go based on if I want to read that book or end up with time as we get closer to the meeting.

2. Do you set tbrs and stick to them?
Not really. When I post a tbr I do it more like an optioned list and will usually pull from those options, but it's definitely not set in stone. If there's a group book or buddy read planned, I'll usually try to at least get to that one.

3. Do books effect you emotionally? And does the emotion/mood rub off on you?
I am a very emotional reader. I cry so easily normally, and when I read it's no different. I'll tear up for happy and sad. I also have that issue with movies. A lot of the time after I watch a new movie or read a new book series I'll have dreams where I'm in that world or in similar situations. That's a big reason why I don't watch horror. Heck I've gotten nightmares just from trailers that are approved for all ages that play during commercials.

4. When you are feeling sad, what do you read or not read?
I try to go for rom-coms or books that I know will be feel good. I try to avoid angsty books normally since I am so easily affected, but a lot of the times if I'm really down I'll either reread or not read at all. I'll find myself watching movies or tv shows and just trying to not get stuck in a spiral.

5. Most often do you use reading to escape, learn or critically reflect?
Escape. 99.9%. There are a times I'll read a book if I'm picking up a new hobby or want to learn something (like Victorian Flower Languages). 

6. What is a book that made you laugh out loud?
Most recently, what sticks out is Single Dad Seeks Juliet by Max Monroe. I was in a funk and this was so surprisingly funny and just completely shifted my mood. It really brought be out of a reading slump and I immediately bought a paperback. I only read it last month, but I already want to reread it. It'll definitely be going into my few books that I like to reread. Although like with crying, I'm fairly easy to make laugh (except for stoner humor, I just don't think it's funny).

7. What is a book that made you cry?
Well, as I mentioned above a lot of books I read will make me tear up. I mean Kiss An Angel by Susan Elizabeth Phillips was the first time I was actually triggered and that book had me crying and completely stressing out. Although that wasn't actually because of the book but a weird book and real-life spiral. For a book that made me cry just because of the book, the most recent that I can remember is How to Propose to a Prince by Kathryn Caskie.

8. What is a book that you didn't even know what to feel?
Umm... I would have to say Blindsided by Amy Daws. I was expecting a lot of humor and it just felt like all of the emotions it was trying to hit were all just a little bit short. That's the only one I can think of.

9. Are you most likely to read on a Sunday or a cloudy day?
Both. I love cloudy days and it's very rare that I go more than a day without reading. Although let's not talk about this month (it took me 8 days to even pick up a book).

10. Do you usually set the mood when you read? Music, lights, candles?
I used to want silence, but then about a year ago I started listening to either classical music or ambience/meditation music. However, in the last couple months I started pairing my ambience with my reads. I saw Melissa (from Library and Labradors) post on her instagram about a Harry Potter room ambience that she was listening to while reading. Of course I looked it up and now will either leave it on the classical channel on my tv or pull up a specific video on youtube. My favorites lately are Victorian Ball for historicals, Cozy Terrace for general rain sounds, Space Station for sci-fi and Farm for the cowboy contemporaries I read. I do go more towards the ambience noise over music when I switch to youtube. It changes based on what I'm reading and my mood.

11. Can you leap from book to book or do you need a break?
It depends on the series. I usually read a lot and will pick up book after book. I tend to binge series or binge a few books from a series at a time, but it really depends. There are some authors that tend to rehash things a lot or have the several books about the same event from different character's perspectives. I've found that to not get burned out or lessen my enjoyment I usually need a few books and some time between those.

12. Tag some people.
If you are reading this, consider yourself tagged! If you do the tag, let me know and I'll check it out!

I really enjoyed doing another book tag and hope you've learned more about me and my moody reading. I really enjoy doing this and read so much last month I didn't really have a chance to fit one into my schedule. If you do the tag or have any other's that you'd like me to do, let me know!

Are you a moody reader as well?

Bookishly Yours,

Stasi🍎

Curran POV by Gordon Andrews - Part 1

🍎🍎🍎🍎

I am participating in the Kate Daniels readalong hosted by Heather, Stef and Megan. Kate Daniels is a series written by husband and wife duo Ilona Andrews. For some of their books they've posted short stories and other POVs on their website. Curran, a main character from Kate Daniels, has several POVs that are written by Gordon. The first 9 were bound together in a collection and is free on their website! I'm goin to leave the rating open for now until I get through all of the scenes. Since the books for this month are only the first two and the prequel novella, I'm only reading the first three for now. Also, I'll be applying this to the Fall in Love reading challenge, but wait until I've read all shorts in the bind up before allocating it to a prompt. I'll also wait until then to do my statistics, but I'll add my reading time to it (a whole 20 minutes). Update: I've read the rest of the collection and have given the bind up 4-stars.

The first short is titled Unicorn Lane and corresponds to book 1, Magic Bites. This scene is when Curran and Kate first meet at the dilapidated building on Unicorn Lane. It's a neutral area and also a criminal cesspool. It was really fun getting to see his initial thoughts and impression on Kate. Even more so knowing how much he learns about her later. I also loved how he played with her and we got to see it wasn't quite as sinister as Kate thought it was.

The second short is Fernando's and also goes with Magic Bites. This is when they bump into each other at the restaurant Fernando's on separate dates. It was even more fun to see how he kept watching her and felt that her date wasn't worth being with her. Knowing that they become a couple in the future it was really nice seeing Curran's pov before the romance really kicks in. It helped show how much care and interest he had in her from the start. Also, I loved how he mentioned stealing her away from the fancy restaurant and going for burgers. The romance reader in me wanted an alternate universe where that happens. I'm sure there are books out there where it happens for real. I also liked seeing a bit more of Myong and what her relationship with Curran was really like.

The third short is Soup. It's the final short for this review and corresponds with book 2, Magic Burns. Oh this scene. It was so swoony and touching and yet funny. I loved seeing Curran's prep before he brings her chicken soup after getting rescued once again. Later in Magic Burns it's alluded that it meant more than Kate realizes. Having read a lot of shifter books I got the hints of what was happening, but it was nice to get that confirmation from Curran himself.

I really enjoyed chatting with everyone last night and can't wait to get to the next couple books! I really enjoyed reading Curran's shorts and it did more for the books than I expected. It was such a nice touch. Next month the plan is to read books 3, 3.5, 4 and 4.5. The Curran POVs that correspond are 4-9, which is the remaining of this bind up. If you are interested in joining the readalong, I highly encourage you to do so! I'm really enjoying the series so far and am happy to finally have the excuse to read it!

Have you read any of Curran's POVs?

Bookishly Yours,

Stasi🍎

A Questionable Client by Ilona Andrews

🍎🍎🍎🍎

In case you've missed my last couple reviews, I'm doing a readalong of the Kate Daniels series by husband and wife writing duo Ilona Andrews. The series has been on my tbr for a while and I just never picked it up because it's quite long for a series and I got away from long series focused on one character. These are more Urban Fantasy but there are some romantic elements that start to come into play starting with the third book. The readalong I'm joining is hosted by Heather, Stef and Megan. There is a live later today to go over the first two books, this prequel novella and the Curran POVs that correspond. As I've mentioned previously, a free bind up is available for the first 9 POVs on their website! I applied this to the Fall in Love prompt starts with the letter A.

During Magic Bites, we meet a side character Kate Daniels goes to for information named Saiman. She gets a discount for his information thanks to a bodyguard job she did that was their meeting. This novella is about that bodyguard job and set before the first book.

I loved getting to see more Saiman and for a longer time. He's such an interesting character with the shapeshifting ability. If anything I just want to learn more about him. I'm hoping we get to see him throughout the rest of the series from time to time. Their banter is so fun and I love that Kate just doesn't take any of his crap. I also loved how it ended. She ended up being able to ask the magical cat the one questions and I loved what she did with it!

Usually I try to read the first book of a series before going back to the prequel. Sometimes it just hits more having sat with the characters previously through a full length book. This was the case here, although I feel like there was enough world set up that you could read this first without feeling too lost. We mainly just stay in Saiman's apartment, so there isn't a lot of other interactions with the world and people.

I really enjoyed this quick novella and am looking forward to reading more in this world. I am so hyped for the series and am so happy that even the little snippets they write still feel really fulfilling and add more to the story and the world. I'm having a great time so far! If you'd like to join the readalong, check out the announcements that each of the hosts did. All live videos will be on Stef's channel. I can't wait to chat with everyone tonight!

Have you read A Questionable Client?

Bookishly Yours,

Stasi🍎

STATISTICS: A Questionable Client, Ilona Andrews, 4-stars, 0 days, eBook, 65 pages, published in 2013

Magic Burns by Ilona Andrews

🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎

Continuing the readalong of the Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews, the next book I read was Magic Burns. This is book two in the series. The readalong is being hosted by Stef, Heather and Megan. This is one of their longer running series, so they are doing a readalong focusing on a couple books a month. This Friday is the live show. [I'll link once it's up] I was also able to apply this read to the author duo prompt for Fall in Love!

We pick up shortly after Magic Bites left off. Kate is now the go between the Mercenary Guild and Order of Merciful Aid. There's a magic flare coming that heightens magic. It occurs about once every seven years. It seems a god is trying to manifest during this time, taking out the city of Atlanta. Kate teams up with the Pack once again, but also finds allies in the vampires and Oracles.

There's a lot that goes on in Urban Fantasies, so I feel like my summaries are kind of short. I don't want to go into too much detail and spoil anything, but at the same time there's just so much that happens if I touch on all the main points it'd be longer than my review. This was such a fun book, but I did feel it was a little perpendicular to Magic Bites. While I gave that 5-stars, I like my long running urban fantasies to kick it up a little bit each book and I just didn't get as much as I wanted to move the overall plot along (we know it's there, we just aren't dealing with it directly at the moment). I also loved getting to see more of the Pack. Now I am spoiled a little bit and know that Curran and Kate eventually get together (and apparently it really starts heating up in the next book). 

Another thing I knew was coming was that Kate has a daughter. I was pretty sure Julie, whom Kate saves in this book, was her when we first met her, but I double-checked after the book to see what her name is. It is Julie, so I think this is her. I know that the Kate Daniels spin-off that started earlier this year focuses on her. 

I loved expanding the world and our understanding of how things work. We also get a plethora of new side characters and learn more about the ones already established. It's so magnificently done and Ilona Andrews writing just really draws you in. I think what I didn't like about this book was the big bad storyline was a little convoluted this time and it took longer than I wanted for Kate to figure out what was going on. I just wish that we reached that point a little earlier and then had a little more time after the big battle with everyone. I know that there's a lot more books to come, but I'm sure we're going to jump right in to the next big issue pretty quickly in the next book (as these types of books do) and I wanted a little bit more breathing time for our characters. There is a mention of several months passing and Julie finally finding a school to go to, but it was all so quick it didn't feel like any time actually passed. It just would've been nice to actually breathe along with the characters.

I'm super enjoying my time reading Kate Daniels and can't wait for the live Friday to discuss with everyone. I have one more novella and some shorts to read, but we have time! Also there are some free shorts that are scenes from Curran's POV. There's a bind up of the first nine for free on Ilona Andrew's website. The plan for this month is to discuss the first two books, the prequel novella and corresponding POVs. Also, I'll be doing a review of all three POVs that correspond to this month's books. Since they are so short I'll be combining them. I'm so excited for next month's books as well, but I'll go over those on my last review for this month's selection.

Have you read Magic Burns?

Bookishly Yours,

Stasi🍎

STATISTICS: Magic Burns, Ilona Andrews, 4-stars, 1 day, eBook, 261 pages, published in 2008

Bang in the Night Bingo

Update: Wrap up is posted!

Happy almost spooky season! I hope September has been cooling off for you and getting you ready for fall and Halloween! We're still in the 80s and 90s here in Northern Colorado which as been super fun (sarcasm alert)! On a happier note, there is a book club hosted mostly on instagram called But Do They Bang? It's hosted by Jacque, Beth and Melissa. I haven't participated in too many of the books, but do keep track of what they're reading. Recently they announced a spooky season bingo called Bang in the Night! Below is the board!

The bingo runs from September 22 (the 1st day of Autumn) through October 31st, Halloween! They are doing giveaways for bingos, but there are a couple rules. You can only apply one book to 3 prompts max. To enter for prizes you need to tag the hosts when you share your bingo. If you share progress on instagram or twitter, make sure to also use the #BangInTheNightBingo hashtag. 

I am also participating in the Fall In Love challenge, so a lot of books will cross between them. Check out my tbr/idea list for more ideas. I will try to just stick with ones that aren't already mentioned there for this post. I'm also going to be sticking to books that were already on my tbr or radar when going through lists on goodreads. There are a couple prompts I'm still not sure on, but they said they'll be recs and ideas posted when it gets closer. If you want more options, definitely check out all of their twitters and instas! Now, here are my ideas!

🦇 Before we get into specific tropes, there are a couple ideas I'll be working on that might work for various prompts. This month's Smart Women Read Romance exclusive patreon review will be for How to Flirt with a Naked Werewolf by Molly Harper. There's no decision on the October book yet, that will be discussed during the review later this month. This might cause me to jump back into Molly Harper (one of my favorite paranormal authors). I'll also be joining the read-a-long for Ilona Andrew's Kate Daniels series. There's going to be a couple books a month and it's an urban fantasy series with romantic elements. It's been on my tbr for a while, so I'm excited to finally start it. It's hosted by Heather, Stef and Megan.

🦇 As for releases in October, I have several that are coming out that I'm excited for, but they're all at the end of the month. The only main one that I can think of that's earlier in the month is Walking in a Witchy Wonderland by Juliette Cross. Cathy Yardley is also starting a new series and the first book is Love, Comment, Subscribe and is out on the 1st. I also went through a list on goodreads of anticipated released from October 2020 and had several books that I've been wanting to read. They include The Bookworm's Guide to Dating by Emma Hart, Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade (book two is one of the releases October 2021 I'm excited for), and Love is a Rogue by Lenora Bell (book two comes out later this month). There are more, but I'm trying not to have too many ideas.

🦇 For gothic romance, I didn't see too many options that I already had marked as "want to read." I don't quite understand what differentiates gothic romance. I did find a couple different lists though and saw a couple options. There was The Widow of Rose House by Diana Biller, Too Wicked To Kiss by Erica Ridley and Ann Aguirre's Gothic Fairytales series.

🦇 Another prompt is tarot/astrology. I did want to mention that the previous Stay a Spell series by Juliette Cross have had those, so the holiday novella I mentioned above might as well. I also saw The Beginning of Everything by Kristen Ashely, Night Pleasures by Sherrilyn Kenyon and Lord Lightning by Jenny Brown.

🦇 As for the Halloween themes prompts, I have several Halloween themes books on my tbr that I'd love to get to this season. Tiffany Reisz's Her Halloween Treat, Crazy, Sexy, Goulish by G.G. Andrew, Halloween Boo by Sarah Spade and Captive Bride by Katharine Ashe.

🦇 Hades and Persephone retellings is a big prompt. I've read quite a few and if you haven't read Hades by Alessa Thorn, I highly recommend it. Based on a list I saw that marked these as other retellings, I might pick up Pestilence by Laura Thalassa, Promise of Darkness by Bec McMaster, A Deal with the Elf King by Elise Kova and/or Hades by Carly Spade. Hades is a more recent find for me that's a contemporary retelling. Then there's always Lore Olympus on WebToon. One of my favorites!

🦇 Some other options that I found scrolling through my tbr that might fit some prompts are The Kitchen Witch by Annette Blair and Escape the Monster Breeding Grounds by Amanda Clover. Escape the Monster Breeding Grounds is actually a "choose your own adventure" style book, so I thought that might be a fun option for the prompt "A Shocking Twist!" A popular monster romance lately is Morning Glory Milking Farm by C.M. Nascosta.

I'm super excited for a more generic Halloween bingo since I feel like a lot of them more focus on paranormal only around this time of year. I love paranormal, but this fits easier with my mood reading. I'm hoping to get at least one bingo, but with it being a little over a month I'm hoping for a black out! I don't know if I'll keep with using one book per prompt, but we'll see how much I end up reading as we get towards the end of October. My reading has definitely slowed down this month, but it could pick back up.

Will you be participating in Bang in the Night Bingo?

Bookishly Yours,

Stasi🍎

Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews

🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎

I have read Ilona Andrews before and really love their writing. Their biggest series is Kate Daniels. I have heard great things about it by both my sister and Jessen from Smart Women Read Romance. I hadn't picked it up yet thought since it's a larger series and I've mostly moved one from long series focused on one couple. Also, this is Urban Fantasy with romantic elements. I have heard that the romance doesn't really kick in until the third book. I just wanted to mention that. The first book in the series is Magic Bites. So, why have I picked it up now? Heather, Stef and Megan are holding a readalong for the series with a couple of the books a month. I like that it's spread out and we are still quickly getting through it, but it's not too quick. The first live show is this Friday! [I'll like once it's up] I also applied this to the book I'm excited for prompt for Fall in Love.

Kate Daniels is a mercenary, not working for the Guild or the Order. We are in a kind of dystopian future. There are fluctuations between tech and magic that come at random points of time. Kate's only remaining family member, her father's friend has passed and she takes it upon herself to solve his death. She runs into the head of the local shifter and vampire sects while also trying to balance the various official departments interested in the case.

Oh my gosh. I absolutely adored this. I used to read a lot of paranormal and paranormal urban fantasy and this felt so nostalgic. I've heard that the series doesn't really start getting good until book 3, but I have also heard that's when the romance picks up. I think maybe knowing that romance comes eventually, it didn't bother me as much that there was really much here. I didn't mind that there wasn't and was so drawn into the story. Ilona Andrews writes in such an engaging way that just sucks me in. I liked the way that she set up the world and while there's still some mysteries and things that can be more explored, I didn't feel like it detracted from the story.

They didn't really info dump too much and I was able to pick up the different kinds of magic pretty easily. The only confusion on my end was differentiating between the different government(?) agencies, but since she didn't really deal with them too much it didn't bother me too much.

I'm so intrigued to continue the series and can't wait to see where this goes. I am getting such nostalgic vibes reading this and am kicking myself a little bit for not starting the series earlier. If you haven't read Ilona Andrews, I couldn't recommend them more. If you weren't aware, Ilona Andrews is a wife and husband writing duo that publishes under her name. I love their Hidden Legacy and Innkeeper series as well. They've also just started a spin-off series Aurelia Ryder that centers around Kate's daughter!

Have you read Magic Bites?

Bookishly Yours,

Stasi🍎

STATISTICS: Magic Bites, Ilona Andrews, 5-stars, 1 day, eBook, 261 pages, published in 2007

Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase

🍎🍎🍎🍎

So, it took longer than usual, but Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase is my first book read in September. I was super busy with reorganizing my place and building new furniture. I also was bingeing the Marvel podcast I'm obsessed with The Abingers. If you are into Marvel, definitely check them out. Every episode leaves me laughing and in such a good mood. But back to books. It took 7 days for me to pick up a book. Partly due to the push I made at the end of August. What got me back to reading was The Rake Appreciation Society. By the way, the meeting has been moved back to this Thursday the 16th. The book club is hosted by Crystal and Jen. Once the live show is up, I'll link it here. Lord of Scoundrels is the third book in Loretta's Scoundrels series and one of her most popular books. I was also able to apply this to the enemies to lovers trope for Fall in Love. Also, I did want to mention that I read this in both audio and eBook. Since I read about 55% of it in audio form, I've marked it as such since it was the larger portion.

Jessica arrives in Paris to collect her wayward brother. He's fallen into man crush and joined the friend group of Sebastian, Marquess of Dain. As he is a lot more wealthy, her brother has started to bankrupt the family. Once Jess meets Dain, there is an undeniable attraction between the two. After several encounters that turns everything Sebastian thought about society ladies on his head, they start to connect. With a lot of emotional trauma to heal and Jessica's straightforward nature, their relationship has a lot of back and forth.

I really enjoyed this and can see why so many people love this. I do think that the hype did get to me a little bit and I really enjoyed it. If I were to do a more specific rating, it'd be 4.5-stars probably. Jessica is pretty bamf and I enjoyed her character for the most part. There were a few times where I wish she understood the extent of Dain's trauma. I understood her pushing him and being strong in her beliefs, but I did want her to step back a little on her strictness when dealing with Dain. This was definitely an enemies to lovers story, which I'm not fond of. While that led to good tension and banter between the two, I wish that we would've move for firmly into the lovers area earlier. It took until about 70% for there really to be a shift in their relationship. Even then it didn't last long before a slip back. 

Dain suffered from a lot of trauma and I felt so bad for him. He was a damaged hero to perfection. The only part that really affected me emotionally was the beginning when he was a young boy and was learning that to want to be hugged and loved was not something to ever be wished for. I teared up and even thinking about it now is getting me all into my feels. I just wanted to hold that poor little boy and show him that he is wanted in this world. Like I said before, I just wish that Jess had realized earlier that not only he had some trauma, but how much was there. 

For an older historical, this was such a great option. I can certainly understand all the hype behind this book. If you're looking for an older historical without the typical problematic elements, certainly try this book. Loretta Chase has been on my tbr for awhile now and am happy to finally try her books. I certainly want to read the rest of the series, but I didn't feel weird reading out of order since they're loosely connected. I'll certainly need to move her backlist further up my tbr!

Have you read Lord of Scoundrels?

Bookishly Yours,

Stasi🍎

STATISTICS: Lord of Scoundrels, Loretta Chase, 4-stars, 2 days, Audiobook, 375 pages, published in 1995