W...W...W...Wednesday 31/08/2016

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 The Protector by Ellen Jodi Malpas

 

I recently finished reading Mad for the Plaid by Karen Hawkins

I think my next read will be Before Jamaica Lane by Samantha Young

 

Paper Princess (The Royals #1) by Emma Watt

Format: Kindle Edition
Print Length: 370 pages

Sold by: Amazon Media EU S.à r.l.

ASIN: B01DT9ZWNI
 

From strip clubs and truck stops to southern coast mansions and prep schools, one girl tries to stay true to herself.

These Royals will ruin you…

Ella Harper is a survivor—a pragmatic optimist. She’s spent her whole life moving from town to town with her flighty mother, struggling to make ends meet and believing that someday she’ll climb out of the gutter. After her mother’s death, Ella is truly alone. 

Until Callum Royal appears, plucking Ella out of poverty and tossing her into his posh mansion among his five sons who all hate her. Each Royal boy is more magnetic than the last, but none as captivating as Reed Royal, the boy who is determined to send her back to the slums she came from.

Reed doesn’t want her. He says she doesn’t belong with the Royals.

He might be right.

Wealth. Excess. Deception. It’s like nothing Ella has ever experienced, and if she’s going to survive her time in the Royal palace, she’ll need to learn to issue her own Royal decrees. 

Cover:  I really like this cover.  I think it's really quite pretty and it drew me in.

I hadn't really heard of this book, but I saw a beautiful post on Instagram and the cover intrigued me. I of course looked up the synopsis on Goodreads and the tagline 'this generation's Cruel Intentions' really  hooked me in.

And this was a bit of an odd read for me, because it kept me turning pages, I didn’t want to put it down, but at the same time I was never really 100% sure I liked what I was reading.  But something drew me in.

Ella has had a tough life.  I really liked her character- she had a lot of courage and spunk.  She helped her Mum through her terminal illness, and since she passed away, she’s struggled to support herself through school.  And she’s done it by working multiple jobs…one of which is a stripper.

Until Calum Royal shows up out of the blue claiming to be her guardian.  And whisks her off to his giant mansion and offers to put her through an elite prep school, shopping trips, a car…but she has to put up with his five sons, who have made it very clear to her that they don’t want her there.

An interesting relationship develops between Ella and the Royal brothers.  It starts off rocky, but eventually a sort of friendship starts with some of them, but there seems to be an odd connection between her and Reed. 

I wasn’t sure if I was enjoying it, because the rich lifestyle and they’re spoilt behaviour, and it’s pretty messed up. I couldn’t understand Calum- and his grief over his wife’s death and yet I couldn’t reconcile his behaviour with someone that was upset and supposedly loved their wife enough to never have cheated on them.  Getting with someone (and not a nice someone) 6 months after her death.  No wonder his kids are messed up- undercover fights, pain killer addiction, threesomes, sharing a girlfriend.

I liked Ella, but I struggled to see how the attraction to Reed started.  I mean he was awful in the beginning – and she’d been so strong and independent, particularly with the snobs at school.

Towards the end I started to warm to Reed, albeit reluctantly.

But the end of this book, with its massive cliff hanger, had that come crashing down, but I think there’s more to that than initially meets the eye.

Rating was hard, because I was engrossed but not always entirely comfortable.

3.5/5 stars.
And I will be picking up the sequel because of that cliffhanger.

Rapid Fire Book Tag

W...W...W...Wednesday 24/08/16

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 Your Irresistible Me by Layla Hagen

I recently finished reading Ever After: A Cinderella Story by Wendy Loggia

I think my next read will be Jaws by Peter Benchley

Valentine by Samantha Young

Format: Kindle Edition
Print Length: 88 pages
Publisher: Samantha Young (11 Feb. 2015)
ASIN: B00TJ3G4U4

Joss & Braden. Ellie & Adam. Jo & Cam. Olivia & Nate. Hannah & Marco. Shanon & Cole. And one Valentine’s Day they’ll never forget.

It’s Valentine’s Day! How do Joss & Braden, Ellie & Adam, Jo & Cam, Olivia & Nate, Hannah & Marco and Shannon & Cole keep the fire burning in their relationships while trying to juggle busy careers and the joyful chaos of parenthood? Find out in VALENTINE, six sexy and emotional short stories, one for each couple in the On Dublin Street series so far, making up a short novella about one very special day.

VALENTINE: An On Dublin Street Novella is a special gift to fans of the series.


Cover:  Doesn’t really match the rest of the UK editions, but it’s only an ebook so it’s not a big issue.

I love the On Dublin Street series, it’s one of my favourite adult contemporary series, so I was excited to delve into this novella.  And it didn’t disappoint.  It was great to see all my favourites couples (bar the last) together and how they spent their valentines.  Short, sweet and sexy and a must read for any fan of the On Dublin Street books.

4.5/5 stars.

Book Haul | August 2016

Booking Through Thursday 18/08/16 'Mind Blowing'

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

What’s the most mind-blowing, world-changing book you’ve ever read? (Or article, poem, whatever.)

This was a tough one because there have been so many amazing books that have blown my mind in totally different ways but most recently I would say Me Before You by Jojo Moyes.  I found it a very emotional story, tackling a controversial subject but with such humour through out, and a truly remarkable heroine that I just love.

W...W...W...Wednesday 17/08/2016

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 The One Real Thing by Samantha Young

I recently finished reading Valentine by Samantha Young

I think my next read will be Seed by Lisa Heathfield

Every Beat Of My Heart (Sullivans 14.5) by Bella Andre

• Format: Kindle Edition
• Print Length: 79 pages
• Publisher: Oak Press, LLC (5 Aug. 2016)
• Sold by: Amazon Media EU S.à r.l.
• ASIN: B01JVEHJPO
• "You are cordially invited to a very special wedding..."
  
  What do you get when two Sullivans pick the same wedding date?
  Two super-sexy grooms.
  Two beautiful brides.
  Two very unconventional (four-legged and furry) ring bearers.
  And Sullivans from around the word coming together to celebrate vows of forever with auto mogul Zach Sullivan and dog trainer Heather Linsey--and pro baseball star Ryan Sullivan and sculptor Vicki Bennett.
  
  This is the double wedding millions of Sullivan fans have been waiting for...
  
  Special Note: EVERY BEAT OF MY HEART is part of Bella Andre's New York Times and USA Today #1 bestselling series about The Sullivans. If you are already a fan of the series, you will love getting to reconnect with all your favorite San Francisco and Seattle Sullivans. If you are just getting started, this is a great way to meet everyone--and you'll likely enjoy reading the other books, too. 

 

Cover:  I just love The Sullivans covers, there's just something super cute about them that I love.

 

I'm a huge fan of The Sullivans series.  I love how they're simple contemporary adult romances. 

And with this little novella it was great to catch up with some of the earlier characters from the series with a double wedding.  Seeing Heather and Zach, and Vicky and Ryan finally tie the knot was great- getting that little bit extra after their stories ended.

Definitely worth picking up if you're up to date with the series.

4.5/5 stars.

The Book Memories Tag

LONDON VLOG | MADAME TUSSAUDS, FOYLES & TRAFALGAR SQUARE

W...W...W...Wednesday 10/08/16

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 Paper Princess by Emma Watt

I recently finished reading The Duke and I by Julia Quinn

I think my next read will be Romancing Mr Bridgerton by Julia Quinn

An Offer From a Gentleman (Bridgertons #3) by Julia Quinn

Format: Kindle Edition
Print Length: 421 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0062353659
Publisher: Avon (25 Aug. 2015)
ASIN: B00UG8RP2W

Sophie Beckett never dreamed she'd be able to sneak into Lady Bridgerton's famed masquerade ball—or that "Prince Charming" would be waiting there for her! Though the daughter of an earl, Sophie has been relegated to the role of servant by her disdainful stepmother. But now, spinning in the strong arms of the debonair and devastatingly handsome Benedict Bridgerton, she feels like royalty. Alas, she knows all enchantments must end when the clock strikes midnight.Who was that extraordinary woman? Ever since that magical night, a radiant vision in silver has blinded Benedict to the attractions of any other—except, perhaps, this alluring and oddly familiar beauty dressed in housemaid's garb whom he feels compelled to rescue from a most disagreeable situation. He has sworn to find and wed his mystery miss, but this breathtaking maid makes him weak with wanting her. Yet, if he offers her his heart, will Benedict sacrifice his only chance for a fairy tale love?
 Cover: There's something about this cover that I really like.  Maybe it's the Cinderella-esqu image, but I just like it.

I recently reading The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn, and I fell in love with it.  So much so that after I finished reading it I immediately had to pick up An Offer From a Gentleman.  And I'm so glad I did.
I've discovered a new to me Regency author where I can just binge read book after book.
I enjoyed An Offer From a Gentleman just as much as The Viscount Who Loved Me, although with this one, I felt it was bit of a Cinderella retelling...and I FREAKING love them.  I read The Prince Who Loved Me by Karen Hawkins earlier this year, and this reminded me of that book as well.  Regency fairytale retellings are a favourite of mine.
An Offer From a Gentleman really reminded me of my favourite movie as well, Ever After: A Cinderella Story- a Cinderella story that maybe can't be described a wholly believable but a tad more realistic- no fairy godmothers or magic.
A fabulous Regency romance, and I can't wait to delve into more of these books.
5/5 stars.

The Viscount Who Loved by (Bridgertons #2) by Julia Quinn

Format: Kindle Edition
Print Length: 400 pages
Publisher: Avon (28 April 2015)
ASIN: B00UG8RP22

1814 promises to be another eventful season, but not, This Author believes, for Anthony Bridgerton, London's most elusive bachelor, who has shown no indication that he plans to marry. And in all truth, why should he? When it comes to playing the consummate rake, nobody does it better...
--Lady Whistledown's Society Papers, April 1814

But this time the gossip columnists have it wrong. Anthony Bridgerton hasn't just decided to marry--he's even chosen a wife! The only obstacle is his intended's older sister, Kate Sheffield--the most meddlesome woman ever to grace a London ballroom. The spirited schemer is driving Anthony mad with her determination to stop the betrothal, but when he closes his eyes at night, Kate's the woman haunting his increasingly erotic dreams...
Contrary to popular belief, Kate is quite sure that reformed rakes to not make the best husbands--and Anthony Bridgerton is the most wicked rogue of them all. Kate's determined to protect her sister--but she fears her own heart is vulnerable. And when Anthony's lips touch hers, she's suddenly afraid she might not be able to resist the reprehensible rake herself...
 
 

Cover:  There a few different covers for this book.  Fairly typical Regency Romance cover- nothing about it screamed ‘Read Me’ which is probably why it’s taken me such a long time to actually getting round to reading a Julia Quinn novel.

I’ve never read a Julia Quinn novel before, and I don’t really know why.  I would call myself a huge fan of Regency Romance.  I think because there are so many Regency novels out there, it’s easy to get lost in a sea of them.  I was aware of Julia Quinn, but I didn’t really know where to start really.

One day I was looking for some new Regency Romance authors to try, because I’d finished reading The Rogue Not Taken by Sarah MacLean- one of my favourite Regency Romance authors, and I was craving something similar.  So I Googled ‘Best Regency Romance Authors’, Which lead me to a list featuring ‘Julia Quinn’, which lead me to a top 5 list of someone favourite Julia Quinn books.  Long winded I know.

But at number one on that list was The Viscount Who Loved Me.  And even though it’s number 2 in a series, I decided to give it a go.

And I’m so glad that I did.  I loved it.

Anthony has decided that it’s time for him to get married and produce an heir.  He’s convinced, that like his father, he will die young.  So he wants to avoid romantic complications such as loving his wife.  He wants to marry someone he gets on well enough with, but not someone he’ll fall in love with. 

He decides on the Season’s belle of the ball Edwina. 

There’s one complication- Edwina’s older sister Kate.

Kate is a strong willed lady.  And she steadfastly guards her sister against Rake’s.  And the Viscount is definitely a Rake. 

With each interaction the banter and chemistry builds between them.  I loved their arguments.

Maybe the Viscount is as risk of falling in love after all.

This book was exactly my kind of read.  I absolutely fell in love with it.  I loved the quirky banter, it made me smile while reading it.

I didn’t feel that not reading the first book really mattered an awful lot as the story stands by itself, but I will definitely be going back and picking up the first book.  I will be picking up more Julia Quinn novels that’s for sure.

It’s nice to read another Regency Romance with substance to it, I feel an obsession coming on.

 5/5 stars.

Booking Through Thursday 04/08/16 'I Don't Read'

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

What is your response when somebody tells you “I don’t read.”

'This conversation is over.'

I'm just kidding.  Normally I'm like, what- really?!?!?I'm a firm believer that everyone is a reader, they just haven't found the right book.

W...W...W...Wednesdays 03/08/16

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 The Duke and I by Julia Quinn

I recently finished reading An Offer From a Gentleman by Julia Quinn

I think my next read will be Romancing Mr Bridgerton by Julia Quinn

Waiting On Wednesday 03/08/16 'A Scot in the Dark'

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

The book I'm waiting on this week is A Scot in the Dark by Sarah MacLean.

One of my favourite Regency authors, I recently read the first book in this series, and so am eagerly awaiting the release of the second book in this Scandal and Scoundrel series.

Released 30th August.

Lonesome Lily Turned Scandalous Siren

Miss Lillian Hargrove has lived much of her life alone in a gilded cage, longing for love and companionship. When an artist offers her pretty promises and begs her to pose for a scandalous portrait, Lily doesn't hesitate...until the lying libertine leaves her in disgrace. With the painting now public, Lily has no choice but to turn to the one man who might save her from ruin.

Highland Devil turned Halfhearted Duke

The Duke of Warnick loathes all things English, none more so than the aristocracy. It does not matter that the imposing Scotsman has inherited one of the most venerable dukedoms in Britain—he wants nothing to do with it, especially when he discovers that the unwanted title comes with a troublesome ward, one who is far too old and far too beautiful to be his problem.

Tartan Comes to Town

Warnick arrives in London with a single goal: get the chit married and see her become someone else's problem, then return to a normal, quiet life in Scotland. It's the perfect plan, until Lily declares she'll only marry for love...and the Scot finds that there is one thing in England he likes far too much...

The Land of Stories: An Author's Odyssey

• Hardcover: 480 pages
• Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (14 July 2016)
• ISBN-10: 0349132291
• ISBN-13: 978-0349132297

In the highly anticipated continuation of the Land of Stories series, Conner learns that the only place to fight the Masked Man's literary army is inside his own short stories!

When the twins and their friends enter worlds crafted from Conner's imagination, finding allies no one else could have ever dreamed of, the race begins to put an end to the Masked Man's reign of terror. Can the twins finally restore peace in the fairy tale world?


Cover:  I love this cover.  The covers for this series are just stunning! Some of my favourites.

This series is amazing!  
Book 5 in The Land of Stories was one of my most highly anticipated releases of this year.
And I wasn't disappointed.  The series just goes from strength to strength.  Chris Colfer has created such a beautiful and diverse world that completely absorbs me while I'm reading.  The characters are delightful, and in each book we meet more.
A series that I recommend to everyone, and now I have to wait an age for the next book!
5/5 stars.