I got quite a few books read this month. I was hoping to finish a few more, but I’m happy I got a lot of my ARCs read though. Did you read any good books this month?
Arctic Hearts by T.A. Note
What happens when a family of renowned monsters has a human child? They hide them away out of shame until they can toss them out for good…or at least, that’s my story. I’ve spent my whole life cursing the Fates for the life I was born into, but that all changed when my brother whisked me away to an isolated cabin. He gave me a sanctuary, a place of freedom to be myself. And the Fates? They gave me North. He is the warmth and love I’d been missing my entire life…ironic considering what he is. However, happy endings are always hard-earned. Although we’ve found each other and planned forever, what happens when the enemies of our past collide and threaten to rip us apart? We fight.
I enjoyed this. I really liked the premise and the plot. The characters were great and I loved how this ended.
His Deception by Angel Rayne
A monster made me a captive in the dark. Now, I’m starting to love it…and him… When I first met Tristan, I thought he was cold. Heartless. Maybe even a sociopath. I was right. He stalked me. Kidnapped me. And now I’m his prisoner. I want to hate him. I should hate him. But I can’t. Not when he rescued me from an even bigger monster. Not when he’s risked everything to protect me. Not when he looks at me like I’m the only light he’s ever had in his dark, tortured life. I know I must do whatever is necessary to escape this cell. To survive. I can only hope I have the strength to leave my monster when the time comes…
I ate this book up. So addicting and I loved getting more of Tristan’s backstory. That ending was crazy!
Live and Let Grow by Penny Reid
Alice is in love with her best friend. Now all she needs to do is tell him. Best buds Milo Manganiello and Alice Hooper have been the one constant in each other’s lives for over fifteen years. The charismatic and compassionate physics professor was there when Alice got married, and he was there ten years later when she got divorced. Likewise, the candid and kind computer science professor has always been there for Milo. She babysits his apartment and plethora of houseplants when he’s traveling and they share breakfast together every day he’s in town. Alice wasn’t always in love with Milo, but the feeling has grown, and when Milo returns from his latest globe-trotting adventure, Alice decides it’s time to spill the seeds. Does Alice have the grit to confess? And will feelings take root? Or is hers a love destined never to bloom?
I really enjoyed this. So sweet and a fast read.
Of Darkness and Ruination by Rachel Fallon
Starlight in her veins, and a soul that calls for darkness. On the magical continent of Celesterra, all humans are enslaved to the ruling fae… Asteria Zagreus, a mortal young woman enslaved on Celesterra, must face Placement Day, the one day where all humans, at the age of Twenty-One, are placed in new kingdoms and given new masters to serve. Come Placement Day, Asteria is forced into the Dusk Kingdom and given to its Prince, Cyrus Tynan. When she refuses him and his desires, Asteria realizes she has only one escaping her enslavement and finding something thought impossible—freedom. Asteria must begin to play her own game within the court…and with the Prince of Dusk Kingdom himself. Enemies come from all sides, however, and the merciless ruler of the Night Kingdom, King Calix Atarah Erebus, starts making his move against the Dusk Kingdom. Yet, darkness calls to Asteria in mysterious ways, and an equally mysterious soldier makes her question who the real monsters are—especially when it comes to a brutal king and a callous prince. With a bloody war brewing on the horizon, Asteria must decide who the true villain of her story is. Her choice, and the consequences of it, will ripple out across the continent. Chaos rises, resistance gathers, and a soulmate bond is tested, while Asteria begins down a path that will change the course of history…
For being such a long book, I flew through this. I love these characters and so much happens in here. I’m dying for book two!
Same Time Next Year by Tessa Bailey
Adored by all, Britta is an ambitious waitress working at Sluggers. The popular bar holds a special place in her heart and is a regular hangout for the Bridgeport Bandits, the local hockey club. With a half brother on the team, Britta has a strict no-dating policy for hockey boys. But she does have a soft spot for one particular player. A beast on the ice, Sumner Mayfield is on the brink of breaking into the NHL. But time’s running out. With his work visa about to expire, Sumner’s only chance to stay in Bridgeport is to marry an American—and get a green card. Otherwise, it’s back to Canada for the defenseman. On New Year’s Eve, the team begs Britta to marry Sumner that very night. Sum is embarrassed yet hopeful—he’s desperately in love. But Britta balks at first. Until something about Sumner’s soulful brown eyes and ripped physique makes her reconsider…
This was okay. I liked the romance but wished the characters connected more.
Ship of Shadows by Tee Harlowe
He broke my heart once. Now working with him might shatter it for good. I’m chained to my crown. Queen of a court I don’t want. Ever since my brothers and father disappeared, I’ve been forced to rule, to give up the freedom I crave. It’s all the pirate lord’s fault. Bastian Lore sailed into my life, charmed me completely—then betrayed me. The scoundrel kidnapped my brothers and delivered them straight to the shadow court, where they’re trapped, their shadows now under the court’s control. Worse, Bastian has returned—and his offer to rescue my brothers and find my missing father is too good to be true. All he wants in return? My help finding a cure for his mysterious illness. I don’t trust him, but if anyone can navigate the shadow court and get my family back, it’s him. He’s as charming as ever. But I can’t fall for him again. If I’m not careful, it won’t just be my heart that I lose—it’ll be my family, my court… and my life.
I loved this! Such a great romance and an amazing plot. I couldn’t put it down. I can’t wait for the next book!
Only by Rachel H. Drake
The rules of the guardian angels are as follows: 1. Do not reveal yourself to humans. 2. Do not speak with your true voice, instead only your whispers. 3. Use your whispers for the good of your charge, not for personal gain. 4. Do not form attachments, you must move on. I have broken all of these rules, for her.
I really enjoyed this. I loved the characters and their romance. Very steamy.
Lucy Loves Him Not by Rebecca Jo Jackson
Lucy Rhodes finished the school year as a kindergarten teacher and she’s excited to get started on her decade-long summer tradition of running the Sweet River Summer Festival. A tradition started by her grandmother, but for the past few years Lucy has carried it on herself in honor of that beloved memory.
But, this summer, the new city manager Adam, throws a major wrench in Lucy’s tradition and seems set on ruining her perfectly set plans. After a meet-disaster, and the drawing up of an extensive contract, Adam and Lucy decide to work together on the festival. Even if it might drive her crazy. While working together they realize the Texas summer isn’t the only thing heating up. Adam’s looking for a place, or a person, to call home. And Lucy’s big heart has room to spare.
I loved this! So hard to put down. I loved the characters and the romance.
Year One by Nora Roberts
It began on New Year’s Eve. The sickness came on suddenly, and spread quickly. The fear spread even faster. Within weeks, everything people counted on began to fail them. The electrical grid sputtered; law and government collapsed—and more than half of the world’s population was decimated. Where there had been order, there was now chaos. And as the power of science and technology receded, magick rose up in its place. Some of it is good, like the witchcraft worked by Lana Bingham, practicing in the loft apartment she shares with her lover, Max. Some of it is unimaginably evil, and it can lurk anywhere, around a corner, in fetid tunnels beneath the river—or in the ones you know and love the most. As word spreads that neither the immune nor the gifted are safe from the authorities who patrol the ravaged streets, and with nothing left to count on but each other, Lana and Max make their way out of a wrecked New York City. At the same time, other travelers are heading west too, into a new frontier. Chuck, a tech genius trying to hack his way through a world gone offline. Arlys, a journalist who has lost her audience but uses pen and paper to record the truth. Fred, her young colleague, possessed of burgeoning abilities and an optimism that seems out of place in this bleak landscape. And Rachel and Jonah, a resourceful doctor and a paramedic who fend off despair with their determination to keep a young mother and three infants in their care alive. In a world of survivors where every stranger encountered could be either a savage or a savior, none of them knows exactly where they are heading, or why. But a purpose awaits them that will shape their lives and the lives of all those who remain. The end has come. The beginning comes next.
This book is so dark and addicting. Very sad at times. I can’t wait to get to the next book.
Rosario + Vampire Season 2 Vol. 6 by Akihisa Ikeda
Yuokai Gakuen has been repaired and the new semester is underway. Tsukune and gang are back, and more powerful then ever. Anti-Thesis’s true identity is relieved. With new adversaries looming on the horizon, and something much more sinister then the gang has ever faced before.
So much fun and I can’t wait to continue on in this series.
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster and Illustrated by Jules Feiffer
For Milo, everything’s a bore. When a tollbooth mysteriously appears in his room, he drives through only because he’s got nothing better to do. But on the other side, things seem different. Milo visits the Island of Conclusions (you get there by jumping), learns about time from a ticking watchdog named Tock, and even embarks on a quest to rescue Rhyme and Reason! Somewhere along the way, Milo realizes something astonishing. Life is far from dull. In fact, it’s exciting beyond his wildest dreams. . . .
This was interesting. For only 250ish pages it took me forever to read…
Dashed by Amanda Quain
Margaret Dashwood lives her life according to plan, and it involves absolutely zero heartbreak, thank you very much. Five years ago, love tore her family apart, and since then, she’s kept her own heart as safe as possible. It hasn’t been easy, especially since her sister Marianne—the world’s biggest romantic—has conveniently forgotten that love burned her so badly she literally almost died. So when their oldest sister Elinor invites Margaret along for a Marianne-free summer cruise, she can’t wait to soak up every scheduled moment with sensible Elinor before heading off to college. But just before they set sail, a newly-single Marianne announces that she’s crashing their vacation. Suddenly, Margaret’s itineraries are thrown overboard, and the ship’s cabin feels even tinier with her sister wailing about her breakup from the bottom bunk. The only solution? Find Marianne a dose of love to tide her over until they reach land. With help from Elinor, her husband Edward, and Gabe—a distractingly handsome new friend on the crew—Margaret sets out to create a series of elaborate fake dates that will give Marianne the spontaneously curated summer romance of a lifetime. But between a chaotic sister, the growing storm of feelings between Margaret and Gabe, and an actual storm on the horizon, this summer is destined to go off course. Margaret will have to decide what’s more important—following the plan, or following her heart.
I loved this! I could not put this book down. I cried so much in here and I loved the romances.
The Wife Situation by Lyra Parish
Easton Calloway needs a wifey pronto, and he chooses me to temporarily fill the position. While I want to tell him to eff off, I can’t walk away from the temptation. So I do what any broke actress living in New York City would do, and agree to the terms and conditions. It should be easy: a year of marriage, a cushy penthouse, and a spending allowance. After 365 days, I’ll receive divorce papers and a check for millions. All I have to do is pretend we’re happily married without falling in love. Doable, right?
I loved this! Such a great romance and I can’t wait for book two!
The Dating Dare by Jayce Lee
Tara Park doesn’t do serious relationships. Neither does she hop into bed with virtual strangers. Especially when that particular stranger is her best friend’s new brother-in-law. It isn’t an easy decision, though. Seth Kim is temptation personified. His unreasonably handsome looks and charming personality makes him easy on the eyes and good for her ego. When a friendly game of Truth or Dare leads to an uncomplicated four-date arrangement with Seth, Tara can’t say she minds. But their dates, while sweet and sexy, have a tendency to hit roadblocks. Thankfully, their non-dates and chance meetings get frequent and heated. Seth is leaving for a new job in Paris in a month and a no-strings attached fling seemed like a nice little distraction for both… But soon Seth realizes that Tara Park doesn’t come in a “nice & little” package–she’s funny and bold, sweet and sexy, and everything he ever wanted and never expected to find. Neither of them are ready for something serious and both have past relationship baggage they’ve been ignoring, but with a shot at forever on the line will they follow their hearts and take a chance on happily-ever-after?
I really enjoyed this. I loved the banter and the relationship between the two characters.
Grave New World by Gena Showalter and Jill Monroe
Jane Ladling cordially invites you to the world’s most romantic wedding. But first, there’s a few items to check off her to-do list. Actually plan the festivities Find a way to pay for said festivities Avoid finding a dead body. OOPS! Solve a murder As the owner of a landlocked cemetery and self-proclaimed expert amateur sleuth, Jane knows death inside and out. After receiving an invite to speak at a local writer’s club, she discovers a dead body upon arrival, plus an invitation from the killer. Player one is ready. Are you? Now the game is on! With a newly elected (smoking hot) sheriff who doubles as her overprotective fiancé, a gaggle of enabling best friends, and a lovingly vicious guardcat at her side, the intrepid Jane has no doubt she’ll win. But as clues lead everywhere and nowhere at once, another victim is discovered, and an ancient family curse rears its ugly head. Jane realizes she’s caught in a battle between cat and mouse. To succeed, she’ll have to lay a trap of her own…
I adored this. I love these characters so much. The ending was perfect and I didn’t really figure out the murderer.
Nothing Like This by Bethany Monaco Smith
From the time I was sixteen years old, Hyla Montgomery has been my dream, but our story has never been easy. Filled with heartache, fraught with drama, it’s been a fight from the start.
We’ve fallen apart, come back together, held on to each other, and let go. It’s never been an easy path, it’s always been muddy and overgrown with thorns that have cut us and twists and turns that have tried to break us. Somehow we survived. But is survival enough to give us a forever together?
When Hyla presents me with my dream—the future we dreamed together—the past crashes into the present and I have to decide if we’re ready to live the life we dreamed together or if it was all a pipe dream that was never meant to be.
I really enjoyed this. I loved getting to see all my favorite characters and go through their journey again from a different perspective.
Feels Like Home by Maggie Shayne
When Chicago cop Jimmy Corona returns to his Oklahoma hometown, he discovers that the once-shy Kara Brand has blossomed into a beautiful woman with heart and courage — a combination that makes her a perfect match for him and his young son.
I liked this but it definitely isn’t a favorite. I loved Kara but did not like Jimmy.
The Runaway by Roxanne Tully
Runaway bride seeks cover in the last place her politician fiancé and his people will ever think to look – the small town she grew up in. Now all she needs is a place to stay and a disguise as the bride-to-be of Denver Kings star hockey player .When Pepper Woods left Hideaway Springs nearly a decade ago, I said good riddance. The polished homecoming queen and class president was far too “city girl” for my likes.
I couldn’t care less that she got engaged to the President’s son. I barely even noticed.
But now she’s back. Racing into the only Inn in town. With a veil tucked in her purse and running shoes on her feet, ranting like it’s the end of the world when my father tells her we’re sold out.
I should walk away. I’ve got practice in one hour and not going to let Perfect Pepper distract me.
So, how does she end up on the back of my motorcycle on my way to the arena?And why—of all the insane things I could have done—did I offer to disguise her as my fiancé to throw off Mr. Politics and his search party?
I loved this! I adored Chase and Pepper’s relationship and can’t wait to see what’s in store for the rest of the brothers.
Those are all the books I read this month! Hope you enjoyed!