I got a lot of reading done in April. After not reading much in March, I was happy to finally start getting a bunch of books off my TBR. I really enjoyed pretty much everything I read as well. Did you read any good books this month?
Totally Spooked by Zoey Indiana
I spent years fighting alongside some of the best males I’ve ever known. One mission went wrong and I watched as my twin brother died in my arms. Now, I’ve settled into a less dangerous job developing new sonar technology for the military. My life looks perfect, but I can’t get rid of this feeling I’m missing something. My family and friends keep pushing me to date, hoping I’ll finally find someone to keep me busy. I don’t want Mrs. Right Now… I need my fated mate. My beast drives me to find her, so I keep agreeing to blind dates that end badly. But when a friend shows up on Halloween with an invite to a shifter speed dating event, I can’t pass on this chance to find my fated mate.
I really liked this! It was super cute and I loved the relationship in here.
Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover
When Tate Collins meets airline pilot Miles Archer, she knows it isn’t love at first sight. They wouldn’t even go so far as to consider themselves friends. The only thing Tate and Miles have in common is an undeniable mutual attraction. Once their desires are out in the open, they realize they have the perfect set-up. He doesn’t want love, she doesn’t have time for love, so that just leaves the sex. Their arrangement could be surprisingly seamless, as long as Tate can stick to the only two rules Miles has for her. Never ask about the past. Don’t expect a future. They think they can handle it, but realize almost immediately they can’t handle it at all. Hearts get infiltrated. Promises get broken. Rules get shattered. Love gets ugly.
I loved this book so much. Yes, I did ugly cry…
Falling for the Gravekeeper by Gena Showalter and Jill Monroe
Jane Ladling told her side of the story. Now Special Agent Conrad Ryan tells his. Welcome to Aurelian Hills, a small town rich in history and community, and six feet deep in murder. When a local playboy doctor is found dead in an unearthed grave, Conrad is on the case. But this loner by choice is ill prepared for the cemetery’s quirky owner. A beautiful brunette with a curious nature, a fascination with cats, hats and a talent for distracting him. Doesn’t help when she, well, tries to help, and constantly inserts herself into the investigation. With suspects stacking up, wild theories flying and a would-be amateur sleuth giving him a run for his money, Conrad must do what he does best. Buckle down, piece together the evidence and save the day. What he won’t do? Fall for the enchanting gravekeeper. Not him. No way.
This was so cute and fun. I really enjoyed getting Conrad’s point of view.
Wild is the Witch by Rachel Griffin
Iris Gray knows witches aren’t welcome in most towns. When she was forced to leave her last home, she left behind a father who was no longer willing to start over. And while the Witches’ Council was lenient in their punishment, Iris knows they’re keeping tabs on her. Now settled in Washington, Iris never lets anyone see who she really is; instead, she vents her frustrations by writing curses she never intends to cast. Otherwise, she spends her days at the wildlife refuge which would be the perfect job if not for Pike Alder, the witch-hating aspiring ornithologist who interns with them. Iris concocts the perfect curse for Pike: one that will turn him into a witch. But just as she’s about to dispel it, a bird swoops down and steals the curse before flying away. If the bird dies, the curse will be unleashed―and the bird is a powerful amplifier, and unleashing the curse would turn not just Pike, but everyone in the region, into a witch. New witches have no idea how to control their magic and the consequences would be dire. And the Witches’ Council does not look kindly on multiple offenses; if they found out, Iris could be stripped of her magic for good. Iris begs Pike to help her track the bird, and they set out on a trek through the Pacific Northwest looking for a single bird that could destroy everything.
I loved this so much! Rachel has a beautiful writing style that feels so warm and comforting. I cried at the end of this too…
People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry
Poppy and Alex. Alex and Poppy. They have nothing in common. She’s a wild child; he wears khakis. She has insatiable wanderlust; he prefers to stay home with a book. And somehow, ever since a fateful car share home from college many years ago, they are the very best of friends. For most of the year they live far apart—she’s in New York City, and he’s in their small hometown—but every summer, for a decade, they have taken one glorious week of vacation together. Until two years ago, when they ruined everything. They haven’t spoken since. Poppy has everything she should want, but she’s stuck in a rut. When someone asks when she was last truly happy, she knows, without a doubt, it was on that ill-fated, final trip with Alex. And so, she decides to convince her best friend to take one more vacation together—lay everything on the table, make it all right. Miraculously, he agrees. Now she has a week to fix everything. If only she can get around the one big truth that has always stood quietly in the middle of their seemingly perfect relationship. What could possibly go wrong?
This was so good! I really liked how it would flip from past to present. I loved Alex and Poppy and their romance.
The Baby-sitter’s Club: Kristy’s Great Idea by Raina Telgemeier
Kristy thinks the Baby-sitters Club is a great idea. She and her friends Claudia, Stacey, and Mary Anne all love taking care of kids. A club will give them the chance to have lots of fun—and make tons of money. But nobody counted on crank calls, uncontrollable two-year-olds, wild pets, and parents who don’t always tell the truth. And then there’s Stacey, who’s acting more and more mysterious. Having a baby-sitters club isn’t easy, but Kristy and her friends aren’t giving up until they get it right!
I really enjoyed this graphic novel. I loved this series growing up and I liked reading it like this.
5 Worlds: The Sand Warrior by misc. authors
The Five Worlds are on the brink of extinction unless five ancient and mysterious beacons are lit. When war erupts, three unlikely heroes will discover there s more to themselves and more to their worlds than meets the eye. . . . The clumsiest student at the Sand Dancer Academy, Oona Lee is a fighter with a destiny bigger than she could ever imagine. A boy from the poorest slums, An Tzu has a surprising gift and a knack for getting out of sticky situations. Star athlete Jax Amboy is beloved by an entire galaxy, but what good is that when he has no real friends? When these three kids are forced to team up on an epic quest, it will take not one, not two, but 5 WORLDS to contain all the magic and adventure!
This was interesting. I liked the art style but the storyline wasn’t my favorite. I probably won’t continue this series.
Sweet Home Cowboy by Maisey Yates, Nicole Helm, Caitlin Crews, and Jackie Ashenden
The Hathaway sisters might have grown up apart, but when they agree to move to Jasper Creek, Oregon, to revitalize their grandfather’s farm, it seems a straightforward decision. Until they meet their neighborhood cowboys… Sweet-natured Teddy has never met a man worth taking a risk on, until now. Tomboy Joey has more affinity with farm equipment than men, until a brooding cowboy changes her mind. Prickly baker Georgie can’t resist the temptation of the most forbidden cowboy of all, and sparks fly between ceramicist Elliot and the grumpy single-dad rancher next door. The sisters’ feelings are anything but simple, but with the love and support of each other, they discover that a cowboy might be the sweetest thing of all about coming home.
This was so cute! I loved the sisters and their love stories. The chickens in here were awesome too and I loved their names.
Dating Sucks by Andie M. Long
Once upon a time a speed dating event was held in Withernsea… Join some of your favourite Withernsea characters in this short story prequel and discover when Shelley and Theo first met (and didn’t realise it) and how the dating agency came to be.
This was so cute! I can’t wait to continue on in this series! (The author was sweet enough to send me the next book so I’m hoping to be able to read it in May!)
What Stays Buried by Suzanne Young
Calista Wynn will lose her ability to speak with the dead on her thirteenth birthday. And with only a few weeks left, children have started going missing. When Calista meets The Tall Lady—an angry spirit with a grudge against Calista, her family, and the entire town—she knows she’s found the ghost responsible for the disappearances. It’s up to Calista, the only one who can see The Tall Lady, to stop her. If she doesn’t, Calista won’t just lose her powers… she’ll lose everyone she has left.
This was so good! It had some creepy moments and I loved the characters. This deals a lot with loss and grief and I cried quite a bit in this book.
Hooked by Emily McIntire
Once Upon A Time, there was a little boy. His belly full of laughter, his life full of joy. Until one day, something changed; stripped his innocence away. The hole inside making space for the devil to come and play. His dreams gone forever, he grew up way too fast. An endless night of crocodiles, and watches made of glass. He grew into a villain, the taste of vengeance on his tongue. Craving to make his enemies pay for the misdeeds they had done. Instead he found a darling girl, and refused to let her go. For what better way to make the man pay, than to steal his little shadow.
This was great! Very dark with sweet moments thrown in. The smut was amazing too. I really liked the characters in here.
Deviled Eggs with a Sprinkle of Sin by Cara Wylde
I knew attempting to cook something from scratch was a bad idea. All I wanted was to impress my friends with some homemade deviled eggs. Now there’s a seven-foot-tall creature of Hell in my kitchen who’s saying I’m a powerful witch and that I summoned him. He’s more than happy to… ahem… devil my eggs, if that’s my wish and command. No. Not a witch, and I definitely don’t want a horned and hooved demon, or his barbed tail anywhere near my eggs. Naberius is sin itself, and if I don’t banish him quick, I’m afraid he might corrupt me. One problem, though. I have no idea how I summoned him in the first place. It turns out my grandma’s recipe book is actually filled with spells, and since no one told me I’m a witch, I can’t read them. Time to find out what really happened to the women in my family and why they kept me in the dark. It might take a trip to Hell and a contract signed with Naberius, but I’ll get to the bottom of it. I know what you’re thinking… Is it smart to sign a contract with a demon? No, it’s not. But hear me out…
I really liked this! There was a lot more world building in this book than there was in the first one. I really liked the relationship between the two characters in here.
Weddings from Hell by Maggie Shayne, Jeanine Frost, Terri Garey, and Kathryn Smith
What happens when “the happiest day of your life” turns into a nightmare? Forget the drunken best man or the bridesmaid dresses from the ’80s . . . none of these wedding day disasters can compare to a cursed bride determined to make it down the aisle, or a vampire who is about to disrupt your wedding.
I really liked all but one of the stories in here. I really enjoyed the fact that they all centered around weddings.
The Heartbreaker of Echo Pass by Maisey Yates
Shy Iris Daniels is on a mission to shake up her life. She’s sick of being underestimated, and she’s got a new business plan to prove it. The one thing she didn’t factor in is her new landlord, Griffin Chance. The gruff mountain man isn’t what she expected, but Iris recognizes the pain in his eyes. Yet the attraction he ignites is much more unfamiliar…and might be the perfect chance for Iris to embrace the adventure she yearns for. Griffin Chance knows firsthand how senseless the cards dealt in life can be. He wouldn’t have isolated himself on a remote mountain ridge if he didn’t. Innocent Iris craves excitement, and he’s a man who thought he’d forgotten how to feel. But when their connection grows deeper than either of them anticipated, Griffin has to decide if he can put down the pain of his past and step into a love he never believed possible.
I loved this book! I’ve been wanting to read Iris’ story for so long and was not disappointed. Very sweet and heartbreaking at times.
Take Me There by Susane Colasanti
In one short week . . . three lives change. Rhiannon is devastated after the breakup with her boyfriend and wants him back. Nicole’s ex is still in the picture, but she can’t help having a new crush. James and Rhiannon are just friends, though he may try to take it to the next level. Will their desire to take a mean girl down a notch bring these three friends what they want . . . and more?
I wanted to like this more than I did. I couldn’t get into it and didn’t really like the characters. I’ve loved other books by this author, this one just didn’t do it for me.
Charmed and Dangerous by Debbie Herbert
A young witch, Callie, returns home from exile after a traumatic Ouija board incident six years earlier. She falls for classmate James MacLauren and struggles to keep her magical abilities a secret from him. Then there’s the even trickier problem that her rogue warlock father and his coven will kill anyone who prevents Callie from joining them in dark magic. Someone like James . . . But James has a secret of his own. He’s part of a hidden race of immortals living in the Appalachian hollows and the last thing he needs in his life is a witch who could imprison him with a binding spell. But it will take all of his superhuman physical strength, and all of Callie’s extraordinary magical skills, to survive when two covens and an army of immortals engage in battle. Should they fail, they face either death or utter domination by the power of dark magic.
I really enjoyed this. I’m glad I finally got to this book and now I can’t wait to read book two.
Those are all the books I read this month! Thank you for reading. Until next time.