W...W...W...Wednesday 31/12/14

To play along, just answer the following 3 questions:

• What are you currently reading?

• What did you recently finish reading?

• What do you think you’ll read next?

Happy New Year guys!!!!! Here is this week's W...W...W...Wednesday.

My current read is Jane: The Woman Who Loved Tarzan by Robin Maxwell

I recently finished reading A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

I think my next read will be Breathe With Me by Kirsten Proby

Teaser Tuesday 30/12/14 'Jane:The Woman Who Loved Tarzan'

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
  Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teaser.

This week's teaser comes from Tarzan: The Woman Who Loved Tarzan by Robin, page 215.




"Wait, please wait!"  I was crying now, tears washing my cheeks, desperate to stop him.  "If you fight Kerchak...and if you are hurt, if you are killed, what will happen to me?  Think, Tarzan, think!  What would Kerchak do to me?!"  The image those words evoked was like a dart to Tarzan's brain."

My New Year's Reading Resolutions for 2015

Shadows (Lux #0.5) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 474 KB
• Print Length: 191 pages
• Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton (26 Jun 2014)
• ASIN: B00KNC2MLK

The last thing Dawson Black expected was Bethany Williams. As a Luxen, an alien life form on Earth, human girls are…well, fun. But since the Luxen have to keep their true identities a secret, falling for one would be insane. Dangerous. Tempting. Undeniable.

Bethany can’t deny the immediate connection between her and Dawson. And even though boys aren’t a complication she wants, she can’t stay away from him. Still, whenever they lock eyes, she’s drawn in. Captivated. Lured. Loved.

Dawson is keeping a secret that will change her existence...and put her life in jeopardy. But even he can’t stop risking everything for one human girl. Or from a fate that is as unavoidable as love itself. 

Cover:  I love the covers for this series.

I'm a big fan of The Lux series, and am a big fan of Daemon and Katy...but I was intrigued.  Dawson and Bethy play a vital role in the series, so I wanted to see where it all started with them.
They were adorable.
I loved them as a couple- and I was so glad I got to see more of them.
I feel the romance and declarations of love, were a tad fast, but then this was only a novella.  I wished it had been a big longer- but then who doesn't wish that (I apologise for the innuendo).
I really enjoyed this one.  Must read for fans of the Lux series- and I would say to read it after or during the series, not before.  I feel you'd get more out of it that way.
4/5 stars.

Read from October 23 to 24, 2014

My True Love Gave To Me: Twelve Holiday Stories

• Hardcover: 368 pages
• Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books (9 Oct 2014)
• Language: Unknown
• ISBN-10: 144727279X
• ISBN-13: 978-1447272793

On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me ...This beautiful collection features twelve gorgeously romantic stories set during the festive period, by some of the most talented and exciting YA authors writing today. The stories are filled with the magic of first love and the magic of the holidays.





Cover: The design of this book is fantastic.  A gorgeous tiffany blue with vibrant pink edges to the pages.  It's stunning and I don't own anything else quite like it.

I was excited for this one as I'm always looking for Christmas themed books this time of year, and this short story anthology seemed like the perfect romantic, fluffy read- and I recognised a few authors names that I had read before, Stephanie Perkins, Rainbow Rowell and Myra McEntire, as well as my all time favourite author, Laini Taylor.
And I was surprised by just how slow I found this book!
I thought, being 12 short, romantic reads that I would simply blaze through it.  But I really didn't enjoy some of the stories- so I feel that probably dragged it down a little.

I struggled with a few.
Angels in the Snow, Polaris is Where You'll Find Me, Kraumpslauf.

I loved, Midnights, What the Hell Have You Done Sophie Roth, Welcome to Christmas CA, and of course The Girl Who Woke the Dreamer.

Overall, the stories I liked were fantastic.
But they almost had a shadow cast over them by the others.

The stand out story for me was definitely The Girl Who Woke The Dreamer by Laini Taylor.

The book overall I rate 3/5 stars.  But I've also rated each one of the stories individually.

"Midnights" by Rainbow Rowell 4/5 stars

"The Lady and the Fox" by Kelly Link 4/5stars

"Angels in the Snow" by Matt De La Peña 2/5 stars

"Polaris is Where You’ll Find Me" by Jenny Han 2/5 stars

"It’s a Yuletide Miracle, Charlie Brown" by Stephanie Perkins 4/5 stars

"Your Temporary Santa" by David Levithan 1.5/5 stars

"Krampuslauf" by Holly Black 2/5 stars

"What the Hell Have You Done, Sophie Roth?" by Gayle Forman 4.5/5 stars

"Beer Buckets and Baby Jesus" by Myra McEntire 3.5/5 stars

"Welcome to Christmas, CA" by Kiersten White 4/5 stars

"Star of Bethlehem" by Ally Carter 4.5/5 stars

"The Girl Who Woke the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor 5/5 stars

Read from December 07 to 14, 2014

W...W...W...Wednesday 24/12/14

To play along, just answer the following 3 questions:

• What are you currently reading?

• What did you recently finish reading?

• What do you think you’ll read next?

This week I'm currently reading Christmas Fireside Stories anthology.

I recently finished reading Broken by Kelly Elliot.

I think my next read will be The Martian by Andy Weir.

Teaser Tuesday 23/12/14 'Christmas Fireside Stories'

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
  Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

This week my current read is Christmas Fireside Stories anthology.

My current page is 27 from the story Kate's Miracle by Rita Bradshaw.

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Now you be a good lad and help Ellie look after your little sister, all right, Harry?' Kate Fuilay stared into her son's big brown eyes.  He nodded solemnly and she reached out and patted his silky curls, saying as bright a tone as she could dredge up from the deep despair within, 'I won't be long, hinny.'"

Mistletoe and Snow by Nora Roberts

• Paperback: 464 pages
• Publisher: Mills & Boon (19 Sep 2014)
• ISBN-10: 0263250172
• ISBN-13: 978-0263250176
• Have an enchanting Christmas with Nora Roberts
  After four years away Shane Abbot returns to her country home town to find not much has changed, except that she has a new neighbour. Vance Banning is bad-tempered, unfriendly and too attractive. But this winter is about to show Shane and Vance the true meaning of Christmas!
  Jake Tanner was ruggedly gorgeous, but so infuriating, and Samantha Evans wanted nothing to do with him. Until they are trapped by the snow together and suddenly Sam begins to feel her resolve melting…
  Contains: First Impressions and Song of the West

Cover: A really cute, festive cover that I really like. Also sparkle.  Sparkle for the win.

I always like to pick up Nora Roberts Christmas themed books in December.  They've become a kind of yearly tradition for me.  So when I saw this one in the supermarket, I knew that it was coming home with me to read in the run up to Christmas.

Mistletoe and Snow is a bind up of two stories; First Impressions and Song of the West.

My favourite of the two stories was definitely First Impressions.  A cute little story.  I loved the romance, and the chemistry between them.

Song of the West was kind of irritating.  The heroine (and I use that term loosely) was extremely frustrating.  The hero (again, loose term) was overbearing and brutish.  There was no chemistry or attraction there.  

Overall, a cute little read in the run up to Christmas.  I wish there has been more actual Christmas in the plot lines, but none the less a great, fluffy read with one story stronger than the other.

3/5 stars.

December 2014 Book Haul/In My Mailbox

W...W...W...Wednesday 17/12/14

To play along, just answer the following 3 questions:

• What are you currently reading?

• What did you recently finish reading?

• What do you think you’ll read next?

 

My current read is Mistletoe and Snow by Nora Roberts

I recently finished reading My True Love Gave To Me: Twelve Holiday Stories

I think my next read will be Christmas Fireside Stories.

 

Teaser Tuesday 16/12/14 'Mistletoe and Snow'

This week my current read is Mistletoe and Snow by Nora Roberts, a bind up of the novels First Impressions and Song of the West.
Teaser comes from First Impression, page 102.

 

"I've been giving this a lot of thought", Shane answered, ignoring Donna's comment.  "Number one, why would I have fallen in love with him in the blink of an eye if it wasn't right?  It must be right, so number two, sooner or later he's going to fall in love with me."

A Sweet Montana Christmas by Roxanne Snopek

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 325 KB
• Print Length: 130 pages
• Publisher: Tule Publishing Group (20 Nov 2014)
• ASIN: B00PYPHS9M

Melinda Sweet loved her husband before she learned of his wealth and she loves him still, despite the fact that it’s gone. Unfortunately, while she knows the collapse of his Chicago financial services business had nothing to do with him, he believes otherwise. His upbeat adjustment to their new – and temporary – life on his grandfather’s rundown honey farm is a foil to cover the burden of failure. She wasn’t expecting to throw – in five weeks – the traditional Sweet Christmas Open House, but it’s a good earning opportunity and how hard could it be?

Austin Sweet is determined to make his wife proud of him again. But he also wants to erase the sting of shame he feels from his parents, to whom he owes a debt of gratitude for arranging for this caretaking job. Getting paid to fix up this disaster is better than living in their basement, sure. But what does he know about bees? Or fixing broken plumbing? Or cleaning a chimney?

But when Austin’s grandfather gives him the farm as a Christmas gift, there’s only one response. Accepting the gift will secure a future that will make his wife even more unhappy than he already is. Refusing the gift will finalize the rift between him and his family, but he’d rather lose them than Melinda. Then he discovers she’s spared him the choice. Austin’s not-so-Sweet side rears up as he determines that he’s done trying to make everyone happy. He’ll get his wife back, no matter what. And they’ll decide their future together. 

Cover:  Another super sweet and romantic cover that I'm a sucker for.

Come December I'm always on the look out for sweet little romantic Christmas reads.
This was a cute little contemporary about a couple that have been having difficulty- stress of his company going bust, and the pressures of her job at the maternity hospital has led to them separating.
But taking care of the family farm, might actually bring them back together.
For me, I found t difficult to get into this one.  To care about the characters.
Just wasn't really one for me.
1.5/5 stars.

Read from November 28 to 29, 2014

Tis' The Season Book TAG

Just To Be With You (Sullivans #12) by Bella Andre

• Format: Kindle Edition
• Print Length: 400 pages
• Publisher: Oak Press, LLC (5 Mar 2014)
• ASIN: B00IJI2RH4

JUST TO BE WITH YOU is the newest book in Bella Andre's New York Times and USA Today bestselling Sullivan series. Over 1.5 million Sullivans sold so far! 

BOOK DESCRIPTION: Ian Sullivan, the powerful and wealthy CEO of Sullivan Investments, has never failed at anything in his life...apart from love and marriage. Certain that he’ll never take the plunge again, the last thing he expects is for a beautiful actress to turn his perfectly organized world completely upside down. 

Tatiana Landon, one of the hottest talents in Hollywood, has been waiting for true love her whole life. When she meets Ian, she’s certain she’s finally found it...along with a passion that sizzles hotter than anything in her wildest dreams. All she needs to do now is find a way to convince him to take the risk of loving again. 

Ian soon realizes that Tatiana is just as focused on winning his heart as he is on locking it away. But when unexpected circumstances thrust them into a world where real-life rules don’t apply, will Ian finally recognize Tatiana as his one true love? 

Cover:  Another simple but beautiful, cute romantic cover.

I love the Sullivan series.  One of my favourite adult, contemporary romance series out there.
The previous book, It Must Be Your Love,wasn't my favourite of the series.  I was a tad disappointed with it to tell you the truth.  I didn't dislike it, but it didn't have the same spark.
I'm glad to say that I didn't find that with this one.
I loved it.
The chemistry and romance between Ian and Tatiana was amazing.
The CEO and the actress.  Sounds impossible, but they were made for each other.
After the breakdown of his first marriage, Ian believes that his work life means he can't commit to a serious relationship again.
Tatiana knows how Ian loves his work, but she doesn't want him to change.  But can she make Ian see that she loves him as he is?
Perfect little read.
Highly recommend this series.
5/5 stars.

Read from November 23 to 24, 2014

W...W...W...Wednesday 10/12/14

To play along, just answer the following 3 questions:

• What are you currently reading?

• What did you recently finish reading?

• What do you think you’ll read next?

 

 

 

 

 

My current read is My True Love Gave To Me- twelve short stroy anthology.

 

I recently finished reading The Land of Stories: A Grimm Warning by Chris

Colfer.

 

I think my next read may be Mistletoe and Snow by Nora Roberts.

 

Teaser Tuesday 09/12/14 'My True Love Gave To Me'

This week, my current read is My True Love Gave To Me, a short story anthology.
Teaser comes from page 95, and from the story, Polaris is Where You'll Find Me by Jenny Han.

"Elves.  Elves in motion are otherworldly.  They are long, and lovely and lean, when they dance they are whirling dervishes that sparkle and gleam like sun shining on snow.  I should know.  I've been watching them my whole life."

Cowboy, It's Cold Outside by Katherine Garbera

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 1381 KB
• Print Length: 102 pages
• Publisher: Tule Publishing Group (7 Nov 2014)
• ASIN: B00NWR78L2

Photo journalist Trey Scott comes back to Marietta for Christmas, only to find no one home... except for the enchanting Lucy DeMarco. Although Lucy isn’t crazy about the holidays, Trey does his best to restore her enthusiasm, starting with nestling her snug in his bed. But if he’s only in town until New Year’s...





Cover: A perfect, romantic Christmas cover.  I'm a sucker for these.  As we all  know.

I'm always looking for Christmas themed reads this time of year.  The more romantic, the better.
This is one that I requested via NetGalley.
It was an OK little read.  It was short, and I think it lacked development.  Everything happened at light speed.
There was potential for a really emotional read but I didn't have the time to really grow to know and love the characters.
But I enjoyed the quick, Christmas read.
2/5 stars.

Read from November 26 to 27, 2014

November 2014 Reading Wrap Up

Waiting On Wednesday 03/12/14

Waiting on Wednesday is all about sharing the books that I'm eagerly waiting to be released. 

This week, the book I'm waiting to be released is Princess of Thorns by Stacey Jay.  I loved Of Beast and Beauty by her that I read last year so I'm looking forward to reading something else she's written, and this sounds fantastic.
Released December 9th.

Game of Thrones meets the Grimm's fairy tales in this twisted, fast-paced romantic fantasy-adventure about Sleeping Beauty's daughter, a warrior princess who must fight to reclaim her throne.

Though she looks like a mere mortal, Princess Aurora is a fairy blessed with enhanced strength, bravery, and mercy yet cursed to destroy the free will of any male who kisses her. Disguised as a boy, she enlists the help of the handsome but also cursed Prince Niklaas to fight legions of evil and free her brother from the ogre queen who stole Aurora's throne ten years ago.

Will Aurora triumph over evil and reach her brother before it's too late? Can Aurora and Niklaas break the curses that will otherwise forever keep them from finding their one true love? 

W...W...W...Wednesday 03/12/14

To play along, just answer the following 3 questions:

• What are you currently reading?

• What did you recently finish reading?

• What do you think you’ll read next?

I recently finished reading A Sweet Montana Christmas by Roxanne Snopek.

This week my current read is The Land of Stories: A Grimm Warning by Chris Colfer.

I think my next read will be My True Love Gave To Me, short story anthology.

Teaser Tuesday 01/12/14 'The Land of Stories: A Grimm Warning'

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
  Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teaser.

This week my current read is The Land of Stories: A Grimm Warning by Chris Colfer.

 

Teaser comes from page 115.
"The fairy Inaugural Ball was just a day away but it was only one of the major things occupying Alex's mind.
As soon as she'd agreed to go on a walk with Rook, she found herself jugging two fixations at the same time. One minute she was obsessing about what to wear and how to behave at the ball, and the next she was daydreaming about how wonderful or tragic her walk might be."

Come Home For Christmas, Cowboy by Megan Crane

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 284 KB
• Print Length: 103 pages
• Publisher: Tule Publishing Group (15 Nov 2014)
• ASIN: B00PPDJ7OW

This Christmas season, Christina Grey Cooper has finally accepted that her marriage to her college sweetheart Dare is over.

So she packs up her things, leaves a note, and heads back home for Marietta, Montana in the hope that a Christmas with her family will help piece her head—if not her heart—back together.

Dare isn’t about to let the love of his life go, and who cares if that’s what he thought he wanted? He’ll do what it takes to win Christina back—even if that means suffering through Christmas with his in-laws, pretending to still be happily married for the sake of family harmony, and trying not to get caught up in all that holiday nonsense he’s never believed in…

But Christmas is magical, especially in Montana.

And if Dare has any hope of convincing Christina to give him one more chance, it’s going to be here…

Cover:  My kind of cute, romantic little cover.

I requested this one via NetGalley, as in the run up to Christmas, I'm always looking for cute, light and fluffy romance reads set around the Holidays.
And this one was definitely a fast paced little read.
I liked that it was a story about a couple on the edge of divorce, instead of people meeting for the first time.
Dare has finally pushed Christina away.  She feels their marriage is over.
Unknown to her, Dare feels he has to push her away, that the abuse he suffered a s a child will infect her- and he loves her too much to ruin her.
It was a cute read- but I don't feel we got to know these characters enough.  I feel it could have done with being longer, and delving more into their lives and relationship.
I feel we were told about, rather than shown.
It was sweet, but I came away from it wanting more.
2/5 stars.

Read on November 19, 2014

Discussion: BookTube- Staying, Going, a Numbers Game?

Booking Through Thursday 27/11/14

Booking Through Thursday is a weekly meme hosted by Booking Through Thursday and a different question is posted every week. 

How much do you actually read? Few of us get as much time as we’d really LIKE for reading, but do as much as we can, so … how many books do you read? How many hours a day?

My reading can vary, as I think it must do with most people.
I go through stages, other wise known as the dreaded 'reading slump'.
Also, it depends on the size of the books.
But, I have been keeping a rather steady pace.  I normally read on average, two books a week.
I've read 107 books so far this year.
I do most of reading on my journey to work, as I use public transport, it takes about 45 minutes.  That gives me an hour and a half a day just to read.
Plus I'll normally read for an hour or so in the evening.

W...W...W...Wednesday 26/11/14

To play along, just answer the following 3 questions:

• What are you currently reading?

• What did you recently finish reading?

• What do you think you’ll read next?

I'm currently reading Cowboy, It's Cold Outside by Katherine Garbera

I recently finished reading I Love How You Love Me by Bella Andre

I think my next read will be The Snow Globe by Sheila Roberts

Waiting On Wednesday 26/11/14 'You Were Mine'

Waiting on Wednesday is all about sharing the books that I'm eagerly waiting to be released. 

This week, the book I'm waiting on is You Were Mine by Abbi Glines.
Released 2nd December.
I love Abbi Glines and collect her books, so clearly this is one I need to pick up.

From #1 "New York Times "bestselling author Abbi Glines comes a brand-new Rosemary Beach novel about Tripp Newark and his hidden romantic past with Bethy Lowry. 

In the eyes of the wealthy playboys who frequent Kerrington Country Club in Rosemary Beach, Tripp Newark is a hero. Under pressure from his parents to become a lawyer and lead a conservative, upper-class life, Tripp disappeared from town five years ago to travel the world, forfeiting the opportunity to inherit millions. Yet few know what he was really running from...

Bethy Lowry was unraveling long before her boyfriend drowned in a riptide trying to save her after she'd had one too many drinks--again. A trailer park kid working as a cart girl among the wealthy patrons of Kerrington Country Club, Bethy has always been impressionable. But five years ago, before she earned her reputation as a hard-drinking, easy girl, she had spent a single summer with Tripp Newark that changed her life forever...