Week in Review #8

Hi guys!

How is everyone doing this week? My week was good (for once yay!). A lot of things are starting to move in a good direction and I'm relieved. Plus, all those inspiring speeches this week have given me hope! Seriously, can we talk about how amazing and inspirational Michelle Obama's speech was? Talk about wow!

I'm always a little nervous to share my reviews/graphics with authors on Twitter, but I was really excited about my review for A Promise of Fire by Amanda Bouchet, so I tweeted her a link and omg her reaction made my whole day!

@nickofthebooks @SourcebooksCasa Oh my gosh! I love this review and the graphic so much! Thank you! I'm going to read this again and again!!

— Amanda Bouchet (@AuthorABouchet) July 28, 2016

@nickofthebooks I love both! Rereading now!! :) @SourcebooksCasa

— Amanda Bouchet (@AuthorABouchet) July 28, 2016

I had a huge smile on my face the whole day thanks to her reaction!

Anyways, let's get to the recap part of my week in review!

Flash Giveaway for A Promise of Fire by Amanda Bouchet

Hi friends! 

I have an amazing flash giveaway for everyone on the blog today thanks to the wonderful people over at Sourcebooks Casablanca for 5 ARC copies of A Promise of Fire by Amanda Bouchet. 

First, a little about the book:

A PROMISE OF FIRE
by Amanda Bouchet
Series: Kingmaker Chronicles #1
Genres: Fantasy, Romance
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Publication Date: August 2nd 2016
Source: ARC received for review
Rating: ★★★★★
Amazon - Barnes & Noble

Catalia "Cat" Fisa is a powerful clairvoyant known as the Kingmaker. This smart-mouthed soothsayer has no interest in her powers and would much rather fly under the radar, far from the clutches of her homicidal mother. But when an ambitious warlord captures her, she may not have a choice…

Griffin is intent on bringing peace to his newly conquered realm in the magic-deprived south. When he discovers Cat is the Kingmaker, he abducts her. But Cat will do everything in her power to avoid her dangerous destiny and battle her captor at every turn. Although up for the battle, Griffin would prefer for Cat to help his people willingly, and he's ready to do whatever it takes to coax her…even if that means falling in love with her.

Review: A Promise of Fire by Amanda Bouchet

A PROMISE OF FIRE
by Amanda Bouchet
Series: Kingmaker Chronicles #1
Genres: Fantasy, Romance
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Publication Date: August 2nd 2016
Source: ARC received for review
Rating: ★★★★★
Amazon - Barnes & Noble

Catalia "Cat" Fisa is a powerful clairvoyant known as the Kingmaker. This smart-mouthed soothsayer has no interest in her powers and would much rather fly under the radar, far from the clutches of her homicidal mother. But when an ambitious warlord captures her, she may not have a choice…

Griffin is intent on bringing peace to his newly conquered realm in the magic-deprived south. When he discovers Cat is the Kingmaker, he abducts her. But Cat will do everything in her power to avoid her dangerous destiny and battle her captor at every turn. Although up for the battle, Griffin would prefer for Cat to help his people willingly, and he's ready to do whatever it takes to coax her…even if that means falling in love with her.

Blog Tour Stop: To Have and To Hold by Lauren Layne

TO HAVE TO HOLD
by Lauren Layne
Series: The Wedding Belles #1
Genres: Contemporary, Romance
Publisher: Pocket Books
Publication Date: July 26th 2016
Source: ARC received for review
Rating: ★★★★
Amazon - Barnes & Noble

Discovering her fiance is an international con man just moments before they exchange vows devastates celebrity wedding planner Brooke Baldwin's business—and breaks her heart. Now a pariah in Los Angeles, she seeks a fresh start in New York City and thinks she’s found it with her first bridal client, a sweet—if slightly spoiled—hotel heiress. Then she meets the uptight businessman who’s holding the purse strings.

Seth Tyler wishes he could write a blank check and be done with his sister Maya's fancy-pants wedding. Unfortunately, micromanaging the event is his only chance at proving Maya’s fiance is a liar. Standing directly in his way is the stunning blonde wedding planner whose practiced smiles and sassy comebacks both irritate and arouse him. He needs Brooke’s help. But can he persuade a wedding planner on a comeback mission to unplan a wedding? And more importantly, how will he convince her that the wedding she should be planning... is theirs?

Blog Tour Stop: Why Do Dukes Fall In Love by Megan Frampton

WHY DO DUKES FALL IN LOVE
by Megan Frampton
Series: Dukes Behaving Badly #4
Genres: Historical
Publisher: Avon
Publication Date: July 26th 2016
Amazon - Barnes & Noble

In Megan Frampton’s captivating new Dukes Behaving Badly novel, we learn the answer to the question:

Why do dukes fall in love?

Michael, the Duke of Hadlow, has the liberty of enjoying an indiscretion . . . or several. But when it comes time for him to take a proper bride, he ultimately realizes he wants only one woman: Edwina Cheltam. He’d hired her as his secretary, only to quickly discover she was sensuous and intelligent.

They embark on a passionate affair, and when she breaks it off, he accepts her decision as the logical one . . . but only at first. Then he decides to pursue her.

Michael is brilliant, single-minded, and utterly indifferent to being the talk of the ton. It’s even said his only true friend is his dog. Edwina had begged him to marry someone appropriate–—someone aristocratic . . . someone high-born . . . someone else. But the only thing more persuasive than a duke intent on seduction is one who has fallen irrevocably in love.

Week in Review #7

Hi guys!

I hope you all had a wonderful week. Mine was rather low-key. It was a rather dusty week at my house because a bunch of our tiles popped up and we had to get those repaired. I'm still finding dust everywhere!

I was able to read 4 romance novels this week. Sadly, two were duds. :( Here's my recap:

Review: It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover

IT ENDS WITH US
by Colleen Hoover
Genres: Contemporary, Adult
Publisher: Atria Books
Publication Date: August 2nd 2016
Source: ARC from publisher for review
Rating: ★★
Amazon - Barnes & Noble

Lily hasn’t always had it easy, but that’s never stopped her from working hard for the life she wants. She’s come a long way from the small town in Maine where she grew up. She graduated from college, moved to Boston, and started her own business. So when she feels a spark with a gorgeous neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid everything in Lily’s life suddenly seems almost too good to be true.

Ryle is assertive, stubborn, and maybe even a little arrogant. He’s also sensitive, brilliant and has a total soft spot for Lily; and the way he looks in scrubs certainly doesn’t hurt. Lily can’t get him out of her head, but Ryle’s complete aversion to relationships is disturbing. Even as Lily finds herself becoming the exception to his no dating rule, she can’t help but wonder what made him that way in the first place.

As questions about her new relationship overwhelm her, so do thoughts of Atlas Corrigan, her first love and a link to the past she left behind. He was her kindred spirit, her protector. When Atlas suddenly reappears everything Lily has built with Ryle is threatened.

With this bold and deeply personal novel Colleen Hoover delivers a heart-wrenching story that breaks exciting new ground for her as a writer. Combining a captivating romance with a cast of all too human characters, “It Ends with Us” is an unforgettable tale of love that comes at the ultimate price.

Review: Broken Prince by Erin Watt

BROKEN PRINCE
by Erin Watt
Series: The Royals #2
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Young Adult
Publisher: Self-Published
Publication Date: July 25th 2016
Source: ARC from authors for review
Rating: ★★★★
Amazon - Barnes & Noble

These Royals will ruin you…

From wharf fights and school brawls to crumbling lives inside glittery mansions, one guy tries to save himself.

Reed Royal has it all—looks, status, money. The girls at his elite prep school line up to date him, the guys want to be him, but Reed never gave a damn about anyone but his family until Ella Harper walked into his life.

What started off as burning resentment and the need to make his father’s new ward suffer turned into something else entirely—keep Ella close. Keep Ella safe. But when one foolish mistake drives her out of Reed’s arms and brings chaos to the Royal household, Reed’s entire world begins to fall apart around him.

Ella doesn’t want him anymore. She says they’ll only destroy each other.

She might be right.

Secrets. Betrayal. Enemies. It’s like nothing Reed has ever dealt with before, and if he’s going to win back his princess, he’ll need to prove himself Royally worthy.

Cover Reveal: Undecided by Julianna Keyes

UNDECIDED
by Julianna Keyes
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult
Publisher: Self-Published
Publication Date: April 4th 2016
Amazon - Barnes & Nobles

Nora Kincaid has one goal for her second year of college: be invisible. Last year’s all-party-no-study strategy resulted in three failed classes and two criminal charges, and if she messes up again she’ll lose her scholarship. But there’s one problem with her plan for invisibility, and his name is Crosbie Lucas: infamous party king, general hellraiser…and her new roommate’s best friend.

Crosbie’s reckless reputation and well-known sexcapades aren’t part of Nora’s studious new strategy, but as she’s quickly learning, her new plan is also really boring. When Crosbie’s unexpected gestures of friendship pull her head out of her books long enough to see past his cocky veneer, she’s surprised to find a flawed and funny guy beneath it all. The muscles don’t hurt, either.

But as Nora starts to fall for Crosbie, the weight of one of last year’s bad decisions grows even heavier. Because three failing grades and two misdemeanors are nothing compared to the one big secret she’s hiding…

Week in Review #6

Hi friends

How are all of you doing? I hope everyone had a good week. I'm starting to sound like a broken record, which is really sad and upsetting, but this was another week of violence, carnage and hatred. I would really love some tips as to how you all stay positive through perpetual news like this because I'm finding it difficult to deal with all the panic and anxiety that comes along every time something like this happens. I've been reading more and more to get my mind off things, but the relief is very short-lasting.

I read a lot of adult books this week because that's what I was in the mood for. Some were great, some not so great, but overall, I had a good reading week. Here is my recap: 

5 Reasons To Pick Up The Everything I Left Unsaid Duology by M O'Keefe

 

 

I'm very very ashamed to admit this, but even though I binged this duology last year after grabbing copies from NetGalley and loving the heck out of them, I never got around to reviewing them. I was going through a difficult time at the time and it must have slipped my mind. Anyways, I found myself re-reading bits and pieces of this one that I had loved and gahh my obsession with the series surged right back up. Instead of doing one of my typical reviews for this series, I thought I'd do a list review, because this is one of those books where I know I'll spoil readers if I ramble about it. 

Review: Steadfast by Sarina Bowen

STEADFAST
by Sarina Bowen
Series: True North #2
Genres: Contemporary
Publisher: Self-Published
Publication Date: July 12th 2016
Source: ARC received for review
Rating: ★★★★
Amazon - Barnes & Noble

She’s the only one who ever loved him—and the only one he can never have.

Jude lost everything one spring day when he crashed his car into an apple tree on the side of the road. A man is dead, and there's no way he can ever right that wrong. He’d steer clear of Colebury, Vermont forever if he could. But an ex-con in recovery for his drug addiction can’t find a job just anywhere.

For Sophie Haines, coming face to face with the man who broke her heart is gut-wrenching. Suddenly, he’s everywhere she turns. It’s hard not to stare at how much he’s changed. The bad boy who used to love her didn’t have big biceps and sun-kissed hair. And he’d never turn up volunteer in the church kitchen.

She knows it’s foolish to yearn for the man who returned all the heartsick letters she wrote him in prison. But the looks he sends her now speak volumes.

No one wants to see Sophie and Jude back together, least of all Sophie's police chief father. But it's a small town. And forbidden love is a law unto itself.

Week in Review #5

Hi friends

I hope everyone is doing okay. Before I get to my review, I just wanted to say, in the midst of all this senseless violence, death and hatred, please take care of yourself and your loved ones. Too much is going on  in this world and I know it looks bleak but we have to believe that love will eventually win and fight for it.

I had a reading list all planned for this week, but I wasn't in the mood for any of the titles I picked up, so I ended up just reading whatever I felt like at the time. I also took a visit to the library next door and stocked up on some historical romance novels. Here is my recap: 

Review: The Score by Elle Kennedy

THE SCORE
by Elle Kennedy
Series: Off-Campus #3
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult
Publisher: Self-Published
Publication Date: January 11th 2016
Source: ARC from publisher for review
Rating: ★★★★
Amazon - Barnes & Noble

He knows how to score, on and off the ice

Allie Hayes is in crisis mode. With graduation looming, she still doesn’t have the first clue about what she's going to do after college. To make matters worse, she’s nursing a broken heart thanks to the end of her longtime relationship. Wild rebound sex is definitely not the solution to her problems, but gorgeous hockey star Dean Di-Laurentis is impossible to resist. Just once, though, because even if her future is uncertain, it sure as heck won’t include the king of one-night stands.

It’ll take more than flashy moves to win her over

Dean always gets what he wants. Girls, grades, girls, recognition, girls…he’s a ladies man, all right, and he’s yet to meet a woman who’s immune to his charms. Until Allie. For one night, the feisty blonde rocked his entire world—and now she wants to be friends? Nope. It’s not over until he says it’s over. Dean is in full-on pursuit, but when life-rocking changes strike, he starts to wonder if maybe it’s time to stop focusing on scoring…and shoot for love.

Review: Hell Breaks Loose by Sophie Jordan

HELL BREAKS LOOSE
by Sophie Jordan
Series: Devil's Rock #2
Genres: Contemporary, Adult
Publisher: Avon
Publication Date: July 26th 2016
Source: ARC from publisher for review
Rating: ★★★
Amazon - Barnes & Noble

Hell hath no hunger like a man let out of a cage . . .

Shy and awkward, First Daughter Grace Reeves has always done what she’s told. Tired of taking orders, she escapes her security detail for a rare moment of peace. Except her worst nightmare comes to life when a ruthless gang of criminals abducts her. Her only choice is to place her trust in Reid Allister, an escaped convict whose piercing gaze awakens something deep inside her. Reid is nothing like her other captors.

He’s tougher, smarter…and one blistering look from him makes her hotter than any man ever has.

Reid spent years plotting escape and revenge . . .years without a woman in his bed. For this hardened felon, Grace Reeves isn’t just out of his league—she’s from another planet, but that doesn’t stop him from wanting her. Escaping Devil’s Rock was tough, but resisting this woman could be the end of him. For a man with nothing to lose, protecting her . . . claiming her as his own, becomes more necessary than his next breath.

Underrated Romance Books On My TBR

Hi everyone! 

How is everyone doing. I'm excited to take part in Top Ten Tuesdays, hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, because I'm a list-lover!

Today's topic was Top Ten Books That We Loved That Have 2000 Ratings or Less on Goodreads. I went through my list and sadly, not many fit that criteria. So instead, I decided to pick 5 books that have been on my TBR for a while that have less than 2000 ratings.

Week In Review #4

Hello friends! 

How is everyone doing? I hope everyone is doing okay and that my US readers are going to have a great 4th of July weekend!
I had a decent week in reading, though I did have one DNF which made me quite sad. Check out my review below: