New to Me Author

 L.A. Cotton... an author I have not read before.  What happened was, my Kindle had died.  I wanted to read before I fell asleep, so I pulled out my old Nook and clicked on a book I had downloaded prior to switching to Kindle.  It was Loyalty and Lies by L.A. Cotton.  I thought the title was interesting and the cover looked like a book I would enjoy.  It was definitely a college contemporary romance... the kind I like to read, but this was a little different than what I'd been reading lately.  For one thing, I was left wondering about a lot of plot points.  For another, the romance wasn't dark or bully, but more secret.  The author definitely knows how to keep readers coming back though, I'll give her that!  The following is my review.

****

While I truly did enjoy this book, it was a literal roller coaster of emotions.  The main characters were on again off again so much my head was spinning and my heart was aching.  At the end of the book, I'm still lost as to what is truly going on in Chastity Falls.  I know one thing, I do NOT like Braiden or his father.  

I almost have more questions than answers when it comes to this story, but I know that I WANT to know.  For example, I don't know the whole story of everything that Ana went through prior to arriving at CFA.  I don't know how the Donohues managed to get guardianship of Jackson.  And I'm not sure why everyone seems to bow to the Donohues in that town.  The author gave just enough information and drama to keep the reader engaged and intrigued, but not enough for them to walk away from the series at this point.  I'll be looking into getting book two as soon as I can.

Dark Bully Romance

Dark romance and Bully romance are fairly new genres or tropes I've added to the type of books I read.  At first, I was certain I wouldn't like them, but there's a draw to that type of story and hopeful redemption.  This book, Marked by Ruby Vincent was available in Prime Reading and so I gave it a shot.  I was intrigued and invested almost instantly, but with most of the bully romances that I've read, there's quite a bit more of the actual romance part than I saw in this book.  That being said, it is the first book in a series and it's quite possible and even probable that there will be more of that in the future books.  

I have a small Amazon update and then I'll post my review.  So, while I am able to post reviews again on Amazon, it seems they still haven't restored my countless reviews that were taken down during this debacle.  I'm not sure if I should just let it be so I don't risk my reinstated abilities, or if I should e-mail again and request an update on the status of those missing reviews.  We are talking thousands!  Any thoughts from you, my readers? Ok so now on to my review...

Marked by Ruby Vincent

There was a lot less romance in this "Bully Romance" than I was expecting, so I'm not sure if it's because that happens later in the series or what.  Other than that, this book really hooked me and dragged me in and now I have all of these questions that I NEED answers to.  Which is excellent for an author to create such a sense of urgency because now I will be doing my best to get my hands on book two, if not the whole rest of the series.

In typical High School Bully fashion, the new girl is the one who ends up getting bullied.  In this school, however, the students truly feel as if they have no choice.  Another thing I'm eager to get answers for!  The main guys in the book are the same good looking and talented boys you see in most books of this nature, but I like how each one seems to be good at something different.  I really like Maverick's character.  I felt like him and Val connected and I would love to see how that progresses.

I'm utterly horrified at some of the revelations at the end of the book, and if you haven't guessed it yet, be prepared for a cliffhanger.  I had suspicions of one of the situations, but the other has me shook.  All in all, if you're into bully romance, dark romance, and that sort of book, you'll probably enjoy this one.

Second Chance Romance

 I am loving randomly choosing some Prime Reading books on my Kindle at night.  I like to read a physical copy during the day, but at night when I'm laying in my bed, I read on my Kindle.  This time I chose Boomerangers by Heather M. Orgeron.  I had never read this author before, but the cover was hot and the blurb was cute.  I'm a sucker for second chance romances.  Anyway, I found it to be a very quick read and super cute.  Following is my review.

I checked this book out using Prime Reading.  I thought it sounded like a fun read, and I was right, but I wasn't expecting the highly emotional parts.  Spencer is a mother, and the things she's going through with her kids cut right to my heart, since I'm a mother as well.  

As for the romance, be still my heart!  I LOVE a good second chance romance and that's what this book is all about.  I'm an even bigger fan of high school sweethearts who make it, so if these types of tropes are your thing, you're going to enjoy this book for sure.

Prime Reading and Alexandra Moody

 Recently, I've been reading some books out of my Prime Reading selection (so I can return them and check out more, of course!)  My most recent one was I Hate You More by Alexandra Moody.  It was a super short cute read that was perfect escapism for the place my mind was in at the time.  It's been a struggle dealing with financial issues, health issues, teen kids, and of course a pandemic.  Sometimes a YA novel is just the perfect solution for me.  I found this enemies to lovers book to be entertaining and relaxing.  You'll find my review below...but first...

I have WON people!  I have finally managed to get Amazon to reconsider their decision regarding my reviews.  They have reinstated my ability to write reviews and other content on the site, and claim that my previous reviews will be restored as well, though I haven't seen that yet.  But, so far I've been able to write 3 reviews and not been blocked or received any error messages!  It's been a long battle, but for me it's worth it.  I just love supporting authors too much for me to have let this one slide.  Thanks to any of you who offered me support, advice or even just let me vent.  I appreciate it!  And now the review...

I Hate You More ~ Alexandra Moody

This was a really cute read that was included in Prime Reading.  I enjoy reading YA Romance because it helps to bring me back to a simpler time when I need an escape from adult worries and stresses.

This book was sort of a slow burn and a big enemies to lovers feel.  Both characters had made some assumptions and mistakes regarding the other and when they thought they hated each other, it was really something else entirely.   One thing that I did not like in this story was the best friend, Tessa.  While she did redeem herself in the end, I found her way too pushy and I didn't really feel like she had her best friend's best interest at heart.  She seemed too motivated in everything happening exactly as she had planned it instead of truly listening to what Ally wanted and needed.  Also, Chase's parents are horrible people.

Anyway, just really sweet and cute read that's going to be a quick one, but a nice escape from the daunting real world we live in right now. 

Sweet on Street!

I just finished a cute little YA Romance by Stephanie Street.  It was called Don't Pretend You Love Me... at least I think that's what it was called.  Here's my only negative comment about this author, why change the title of the book once it's published?  Is it a publishing house thing?  Is it because sales aren't doing well?  I'm honestly confused.  Anyway, it was called that when I clicked on it in my Prime Reading, but then it showed up as something else and then on GoodReads, yet a different title.  But for my purposes of this post and my review, we are going with Don't Pretend You Love Me, which I actually like best anyway, as one of the characters says that very line in the book.  In any case, I will surely read more by this author... especially when I am needing a sweet and cute escape from adulting and reality.  It was adorable to it's core and if you like that sort of reading, this is going to be one of your go to authors!  Below is my GoodReads review, you all know the story by now, but I still can't review on Amazon.  It may never be a possibility for me again, and that makes me super sad.

***

This was a very cute and sweet "Friends to lovers" romance.  Very PG-13, so it's definitely safe for younger readers, or those of us who  like the sweet fluff from time to time.

I have always loved the friends to lovers trope, especially when they've been friends forever and everyone around them can tell how they feel about each other, but they're unwilling to admit it to themselves or each other.  This is the epitome of that trope and I found it cute and enjoyable to read.  A lovely escape from real life, when real life can be so traumatic and complicated.  

I also enjoyed how we kept getting little peeks into the best friend, Eden's life, and how there must be a story there too.  I'll admit to checking when I was done reading and we will get to read Eden's tale as well in this series.

If you enjoy sweet romance, or this type of trope, I'm sure you will enjoy this book.

Fairy Tales and TikTok

A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer... I was gifted this book, along with the second in the series by a TikToker who completely made my day!  I was finally able to start reading it, and intended to finish it in February, but my month was long and stressful and emotional and I didn't read as much as I wanted to.  In fact, I'm still not reading as much as I would like due to busy schedules, anxiety issues, and a plethora of other things.  But, I'm happy to say that I was finally able to finish book one in this amazing series.  I've even managed to start on book two, which is already SO good!  If you are not a part of TikTok, and you enjoy books and reading or writing, I urge you to join us.  BookTok, as it's known, is a community of bookish people on the TikTok app and it's an extremely generous, caring, and entertaining group of people.  I love spending time on the app and seeing what others are reading and what they thought.  I love seeing authors promoting their books and letting us in on little secrets.  I know a lot of people have the idea that the app is bad news, but when you find your people, it's just wonderful!  Anyway, back to the book...it was SO good, and I'll be sharing my GoodReads review below, like usual.  I did want to mention, however, that my Amazon situation has not been resolved and it seems that it may be permanent.  At least that's what they are telling me after a LOT of conversations with many different people at Amazon.   But if you know me, you know this is not over.  I WILL keep fighting!

**** 

I was gifted this book from a TikToker and I could not be more pleased.  First of all, in my job, I work with special needs children.  I also volunteer with them on my off time.  So, imagine my surprise and delight when there is a character with Cerebral Palsy in this book.  I am loving that sort of inclusion!  Let's see more and more of that in our books, movies and TV shows!  Other than that amazing fact, I also found out that this is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, and what reader among us doesn't love Beauty and the Beast?  I love the way this author changed things and created her own world and story out of this classic.  

One thing I really love about this story, is how strong Harper is.  A female character with this strength is such a positive role model for our young women, but especially when you add in the other difficulties she faces.  I found it very endearing that she put others ahead of herself and stopped at nothing to help those in need.  Another very important lesson for our young people to learn.

This author is gifted in writing villains as well.  I hated the enchantress almost immediately and that hatred grew and grew with every visit she made to the prince.  The prince, on the other hand, is a character who saw great growth throughout the book.  He improved upon himself and learned from his mistakes, creating a person the reader could begin to really root for.  I also really loved the character Grey.  

I'm very glad that I was gifted both the first and second books in this series, as I wanted to begin book two as soon as I'd finished the first, and you will too!  Now that I've begun book two (and am already immensely enjoying it,) I can only hope to get a copy of book three before I finish!

Back to Milestone!

 I have traveled back to Milestone with the next book in the series by Piper James!  This one is called Teasing Mr. Moneybags.  My GoodReads review will be below, but I wanted to just say how much I am enjoying this contemporary romance series.  For the past year or so, I've really been into contemporary romance and more realistic fiction.  Don't get me wrong, I still love my paranormal and dystopian, but as the world got crazier and crazier, it was nice to read some normalcy.  My reading has always been an escape.  I read for fun, I read for enjoyment, and I read for an escape from reality and adult life... no matter how short that escape may be.  This series is just perfect for that.  It brings you back to those feelings of meeting someone and falling for them.  And when the problems you had to face were more easily fixable than a worldwide pandemic or murder hornets! Anyway, since Amazon still hates me, below is my GoodReads/Bookbub/BeanStack review of Teasing Mr. Moneybags by Piper James!

*****

I loved returning to Milestone and seeing what this group of characters I've come to love is getting up to.  In this volume we get to see Karly's story and I was not disappointed.  In addition to her fun and quirky way of life, I saw a lot of her angst and worries.  I like when a character becomes so multi-faceted.  

I also loved getting to know Max and Marshall a bit more.  I found their father to be utterly repulsive, and I'm very curious to see if we will get some of the sister's story at some point in this series.  I also can't wait for Felicia's story.  

Karly and Max have instant tension and attraction and I like that we can tell that but it takes them a bit to get there.  I really enjoyed the teasing that Karly did to get Max to own up to how he was feeling.  I also like how she was able to bring a personality out of him that we couldn't see at first.  Through all the misunderstandings and mistakes, this relationship has sparks and heat.  I absolutely loved Max's grand gesture at the end.

One thing I really love about this series, is how each book focuses on a different couple, but we also get to see the previous (and future?) couples and keep up with them as we move along in the series.  I can't wait to read more!

A Royal Audiobook

So, I was able to listen to another audiobook recently and I just finished it today.  It's another one that was gifted to me from a friend in Nookin' It.  (She was actually a friend of my husband's from when they were younger and then her son and my daughter became really close in elementary school, but I suppose that's not the point.)  Anyway, this was American Royals by Katherine McGee.  I had heard of the book on TikTok and had added it to my wish list, but as you'll see from my following GoodReads review, I didn't really know what it was all about before listening.  Speaking of reviews, I'm still unable to post any reviews to Amazon and I have stopped receiving replies to my e-mails asking why.  Any advice out there?  I'm really irritated because I do love being able to help out those authors by leaving a review after I've read their books.  To any authors who might be reading this, rest assured I will not stop trying and in the meantime will continue to review your books on GoodReads, BookBub and in this blog.  Well, enough of my rambling...the following is my review of American Royals.  I do recommend this book, I was very entertained!

I listened to this book on Audible, so first of all I would like to say that the narrator did a fantastic job.

The story itself was immediately interesting to me.  I'll be honest, I've heard people recommend this book, but I wasn't sure what it was about and assumed it would be sort of like Gossip Girl.  Wherein the "Royalty" was actually just rich people who thought they were better than everyone else.  I was actually pleasantly surprised when I learned that it was sort of an alternate history type story in which we see what the country might be like if George Washington had been the first King, rather than the first President of America.

I liked how the book was told in several different points of view, so you can really get a feel for all the moving parts of the story.  How each situation kind of ends up affecting the other storylines and how all of these characters' lives are interwoven.  I especially enjoyed Beatrice's POV and Nina's.  All of the characters were intriguing, and kept me interested in what was going on and what might happen next.

Little did I know when I started, that I would become so invested, because there was quite a cliffhanger at the end and now I don't have book two to read right away.  It's been officially added to my wish list, however!

I do think fans of Gossip Girl will enjoy this book, but I also think fans of books like Princess Diaries or other royalty stories will enjoy it as well.

More Chicagoland

 A friend of mine told me to read the Chicagoland Vampire books a few months ago.  I'll admit it's taking me awhile to get through them as I read other things as well, but I do love them.  They'd actually been on my TBR for quite awhile, I just hadn't gotten to them yet, but Beka gave me the nudge I needed to move them up.  What I'm learning as I read them, is that most fiction books can give us some kind of life lesson if we know where to look.  The following is my GoodReads review of book 11, Dark Debt and towards the end you will see the lesson that is sticking with me from this series.

I love when a series goes on for this many books and I'm still fully invested in the story and characters.  Every new situation that arises for Ethan, Merit and all of the characters in Chicagoland pulls me and keeps me entertained and interested.

The end of book 10 has us hanging and book 11 picks it right back up.  The premise of Ethan's creator coming back into the picture was one I wasn't prepared for, but it appears as if that's happened and of course, chaos ensues.  The other thing I didn't anticipate was the human factor in this scenario.  Perhaps I should have considered it, since a lot of the problems the vampires face seem to begin with human influence.

What I love the most about this series, is how the main characters... regardless of house or supernatural status... come together in the time of need of whomever needs them.  This is a lesson our own world needs to learn.  That it does not matter the color of ones skin, the religion, the sexuality, or any of that...we are all human and should be willing to step up and help each other when needed.