Piper Sheldon

I've been reading the Pipers lately, I guess!  I am so thankful that Ms. Sheldon sent me copies of her books to read.  I'm enjoying them immensely.  I hadn't ever read a book by her before and I'm seeing how big of a mistake that was.  I'm adoring these books and the characters in them.  I'm going to be very sad when the series is over.  The second book was SO good that I immediately began reading the third in the series when I finished.  (So glad I was able to do that due to the generosity of the author.)

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The Treble With Men by Piper Sheldon

I think I liked this second book in the Scorned Women's Society even better than the first, (And I LOVED the first!)  After reading, through a TikTok made by the author, I finally saw how it was inspired by Phantom of the Opera.  I have to admit that I feel foolish for not seeing it before that, but also it made me love it even more.

Both of the main characters in this book have a history that has altered how they behave in front of people.  It's this similarity that I think makes them perfect for each other.  I also love how part of their history is shared.  It almost gives it that second chance romance feel, which I happen to love.

Since this is book two in a series, I have to mention that I love the group of friends in the SWC and I love that we get to basically see an update on the characters in book one.  (If you haven't read it, please do!  They can be read as stand alone but are so much better in order!)  This group of women are all about reclaiming their power, each in their own way and for their own reasons, but reclaiming it all the same through the love and support of each other.  And while there is a romance in each book, I love that the women seem stronger on their own accord and not because of a man or a relationship.

One thing that really stood out to me in this book, is that our mistakes do not get to define us, nor determine our future.  We are able to move past them, learn from them and become better people because of them, but we do not have to continuously punish ourselves for mistakes we've made in our pasts.  It's imperative that we move forward from them.

I have loved these books so much, and have already begun reading book three in the series.  I encourage anyone who loves a good romance with some spice, anyone who loves women reclaiming their power, and anyone who is a fan of Piper Sheldon, to go out and get these books and get reading them!  You won't be sorry!

Piper James

Since I first picked up the first book in the Milestone Mischief series, I've been a fan of Piper James.  As I have come to the final book in the spin off series, Red River Romps, I find myself hoping that she continues to write such fun and entertaining stories for us readers.  I'm rather sad to see this world and these characters go, but I'm excited to see what else she might have in store for us.  If you haven't read any of these books yet, feel free to look back at my other blog posts.  They are all well worth the read!

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It Started with a Snap by Piper James

Just like the rest of this series, I was instantly invested in the story and the characters.  Not only did I already love this world, but I had high hopes for this particular couple and Ms. James did not let me down.  I am such a sucker for these types of romances, and with both Milestone Mischief and Red River Romps, I've been on cloud 9.

I love how each book continues on in the same world, but can also be read as a stand alone.  There are no cliffhangers, but you still get to sort of 'catch up' with previous characters with each new book that comes out.  I have to admit to being rather said that this is the final book in the series, though I'm also super excited to see what the author has in store for us next.

In this book, there are some tropes that I really love, including enemies to lovers.  I love when all that tension finally hits it's mark and in this story it was executed perfectly.  The fireworks were incredible and reading the romance of it all gave me butterflies in my stomach.

If you love a small town romance, enemies to lovers, and a great story with some spice, you're going to love this book and this whole series.  I highly recommend all the Piper James books!

Dual Perspectives

I tend to like books with a dual perspective, as long as it's done well.  As in, you can definitively tell when the POV has changed.  This was one of those books, but more than that, it was a dual perspective that we needed.  Not to get too much on a soap box here, but we, as a people, need to get better at seeing things through other people's eyes.  We need to open our minds and hearts to the struggles other people are facing.  And most importantly we need to be willing to truly SEE what is going on around us.  I think this book, along with other books like The Hate U Give, are paramount to getting us to this point.  The following is my review, but my words won't do this book justice.

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I'm Not Dying With You Tonight by Gilly Segal and Kimberly Jones

This was an amazing book and so important.  I loved the way it showed, through alternate points of view, what it's like in a situation like this as both a white person and a black person.  Though obviously the events are scary for both girls, different aspects hit differently depending on their background and understanding of what's happening.  The authors did a marvelous job of showing this through each girl's thoughts and behaviors.

The book also does an excellent job at showing how fast things can go from tense to riots and violence.  So much can go wrong so fast, and a majority of it is because one side refuses to see things from the other side's perspective.  I think that's the biggest point that Lena was trying to get across to Campbell.

I hope more people will start reading books like this and educating themselves through fiction.  While white people will never know what it's like to be black, we can open our minds and read stories from their point of view and by black authors and try to empathize and understand.  I think it's vital for our future.

Hate Doing It!

I absolutely HATE leaving less than a 4 star review.  I hate it, but I also really want to be honest with how I felt about what I read.  This book could have been better and I wanted my review to reflect the things I thought needed work.  But I still end up with this overwhelming sense of guilt for leaving anything negative that the author might see.  Let me know what you think, guys, was this worded ok?  Could I have done better with this review?

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Every Breath You Take by Blair Babylon

I'm giving this book 3 stars, simply based on the length of time for me to get into the story.  By the time I was truly invested, the book was almost over.  There were several times I considered setting it aside and trying to come back to it later.

That being said, I'm glad I sort of powered through because at the end, I WAS invested and now I really want to read the rest of the series and see what's in store for Georgie and Alex!  I just wish a bit more background into Georgie's past was included with this book, or that it was a bit easier to understand what was happening.

One thing is, I did like the writing style.  There was a lot of descriptive language that kind of pulled you in and allowed you to really "see" what was going on.  I could definitely see myself really enjoying other books by this author, and the rest of this series especially.

ACOWAR

Do people refer to the sequels by the acronym as well?  I'm not even sure, but ACOWAR sounds pretty amusing in my head.  Especially with some of the content of this book!  (If you know, you know.)  Anyway, enough of my antics...  This book was SO good and I just can't even with myself for sleeping on this series for so long!  I'm on a waiting list for the next book, but in the meantime,  here's my review for book 3 in the ACOTAR series!

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A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas

I found myself more intrigued with this book than the previous two.  Not that they weren't good, but I think I really was held more captivated in this book and on the edge of my seat.  The things Feyre and Rhysand have to go through and what they must endure is a lot to take in.  There's also quite a bit of sacrifice here.

One thing that really sticks out to me in this book, and possibly it's because of bits and pieces I've picked up from BookTok, but I find it incredibly amazing how supportive that Rhysand is, even when he is also super protective of everyone around him...especially Feyre.  He still wants her to be involved and make her own choices and be strong in her own ways.  He's just the kind of guy you would want, or if you already have that type of guy (like I do,) he's the type of soulmate you would want for your children.

My heart broke and broke repeatedly in this book.  There were times where it was put back together and times that I don't know yet if it will recover.  I love that amidst all the action and plotting and war in this book, there are also very real emotions as well. 

I definitely feel like I had been missing out on this series, and I'm so thankful for BookTok bringing it more attention.  That being said, fans of the first two books, or fans of fantasy romance or Fae books in general will probably love this book!

Scorned Women Society

I love the BookTok community so much!  This place has opened me up to new authors, new reading friends and I get book mail, y'all!  So, this book, along with the two others in the series were sent to me by the author and they are even signed!  Much love to Piper Sheldon for spoiling me like that.  I also really loved the book and am well on my way to finishing book two!  The following is my review for book one in the Scorned Women Society series!

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My Bare Lady by Piper Sheldon

I "met" this author on TikTok and she was generous enough to send me a few of her books to read!  I fell in love with the covers, let me tell you!  Of course, it's the inside you want to hear about.  

I was not disappointed.  This book started off strong and just got better as I turned the pages.  One thing I truly love is when an author tells you a song title and artist in their story so you can go listen as you read and feel as if you are there.  I got that a few times with this book and was so happy (and I got some new songs to add to various playlists on my Spotify!)  In addition to the musical descriptions, the author describes people and places in a manner that lets the reader truly see what she's seeing but not in a way that makes it dull to read.

I'm a sucker for a romance in which neither of them realizes how the other feels, that's what we get with this couple.  Each is afraid, in their own way, to truly let loose and let someone in that deep.  I also love how great the supporting characters are and I'm sure to love each tale of the Scorned Women Society as much as this first one.

Thanks again to the author for sharing her creations with me, I've already begun reading The Treble with Men and am hooked again!