Hi everyone! I haven’t making tbrs for the last few months becayse I was in a reading slump and mood reading seem like the best option, but I’m not in areading slump anymore and it’s time to catch up on some of my goals and some of the series that I put aside because of the slump. So that’s why the tbrs are starting again.
Here are some of the books I’m planning to read in April:
The Great Hunt by Robert Jordan: It’s been over a year since I read the first book in this series, so it was time to continue with it. I’m almost done with this and I’m really enjoying it.
The Burning God by R.F. Kuang: I’m so intimidated by this book, Im pretty sure its going to hurt me. I read the first two books in the series in 2020 and I dont want to let too much time pass before finishing it, so it’s time to get to this book.
The Time of Contempt by Andrzej Sapkowski: I have tried to read this before but I wans’t in the mood for it, hopefully now I can finish it and continue with the series.
Race to the Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse: One of my goals for this year is to read more books by Indigenous authors and I have been failing that goal, so it’s time to start working towards accomplishing it. I have heard great things about all of Roanhorse books and this was the first one to be available from my library..
Oculta by Maya Motayne: I loved the first book in this series, Nocturna, and I have been waiting for this sequel for such a long time, I’m so glad I’m finally going to be able to continue with this story. Release date: April 6th.
Twice Shy by Sarah Hogle: I really liked Sarah Hogle’s debut novel You Deserve Each Other, so I’m excited to pick up her new release especially since the premise sounds amazing. Release date: April 6th.
To Love and to Loath by Martha Waters: I loved the first book in this series and I’m really intrigued about the relationship between the characters that are the protagonists of the book. Release date: April 6th.
Damaged Goods by Talia Hibbert: I’m one of the co-host for the Accidentally in Love book club this month and this is the book that we are going to read . I’mreally excited since I have read two of the books in this series and I enjoyed them.
What books do you want to read in April? Have you read any of the books on my tbr?
Hi everyone! Today I’m going to talk about the books I read in March, which were mostly the books in the Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews. I literally did nothing else with my free time the last two weeks but read these books and it was such a fun experince.
Without further ado, let’s talk about the books
These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong (4 stars): Roma and Juliette felt so real and I really enjoyed their complicated, angsty relationship. Also, the side characters were pretty interesting and there was a sort of romance between some side characters that gave me life. Also, the way this book explore political struggles and colonialism was fantastic (full review)
The Kate Daniels Series by Ilona Andrews (4 stars): I read the 10 books and 3 novellas in a period of 2 weeks and absolutely loved it, I gave all the books 4 or 4,5 stars except for the last one that got a 3,5 but was still a good book. The series has an amazing main character, who is strong, smart and compassioante but also very flawed, and it also has so many lovable side characters, I was so invested in all of their stories. The main relationship was a slow burn, dislike to love romance and it was so good. Also, the world and magic system were so intricate and interesting, this series included mythologies from all over the world and it was really fast paced, easy to read, full of action. Reading these books was such a fun experince. My main issue with this series is that the writing got a bit repetitive because they recounted who all the organizations and charcters were and what happened with them in previous book over and over again throughout the series.
Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert ( 4 stars): I loved reading about Eve and seeing her grow throughout the book. The tension between Eve and Jacob gave me life, their chemistry was so evident and their bickering, especially at the beginning, was so entertaining. The way they both accepted and made space for the needs of the other person was incredibly sweet. Also, this book has some really steamy scenes.
Accidentally Engaged by Farah Heron (4 stars): I enjoyed seeing the main character work to improve different aspects of her life. Also, the romance was really sweet, I liked seeing Reena and Nadim become friends and then seeing that friendship evolve into something more. Also, Nadim was really sweet and considerate. (Full review)
First Comes Like by Alisha Rai (3,7 stars): I like the two main characters and the exploration of complicated family dynamics. I also really appreciated having more traditional Muslim heroine in a romance novel. My main issue with this book is that the chemistry and tension between the characters weren’t there. (Full review)
Anchored Hearts by Priscilla Oliveras (3,5 stars): A full review is coming closer to the release date. But for now, I really liked this slow burn, second chance romance. The tension and chemistry between the characters was great. My issues with this had to do with the writing and the fact that I found the hero a bit frustrating.
Marriage and Murder by Penny Reid (3,5 stars): My enjoyment of this series comes in a big part from nostalgia. The characterization of Cletus is very good, even if he can be irratating at times, he has a very strong personality, but Jenn got a bit lost in the background, even when she had some important realizations in this book. The strength of this book is definitely Cletus and Jenn together.
Tarot magicomístico de estrellas (POP) by Amelia Andrade (4 stars): this is an introduction to the tarot but the illustrations in the tarot cards are famous people who embody the essence of the card. It’s done by a Colombian author and illustrator and it’s really cool, so if you speak Spanish and you are interested in the tarot, I would recommend this.
What is your favorite and least favorite book you read in March? What book are you looking forward to reading in April?
Hi everyone! I had planned to talk about my most anticipated releases of March 2021, but when I went to look at my goodreads shelf I realized that most of the books I was looking forward to in March were romance books, so I decided to make a post dedicated to talk about the romance books that are coming out in March and that I’m incredibly excited about.
Cletus Byron Winston wishes to marry Jennifer Anne Donner-Sylvester (aka The Banana Cake Queen) posthaste! He’s spent the last year wanting nothing more than for the celebrations to be brief, libations flowing, and BYOB (bring your own blueberries). His future mother-in-law has other plans, plans his intended has been willing to indulge, much to Cletus’s chagrin. Therefore, so must he. To a point. But truth be told, he wouldn’t mind if the meddlesome matriarch disappeared, at least until the nuptials are over.
On the night of Cletus and Jenn’s long-awaited engagement party, just when the surly schemer is of a mind to take matters into his own hands, a shocking event upends everyone’s best laid plans and sends the small hamlet of Green Valley into complete disarray. The final months leading up to Cletus and Jenn’s matrimonial bliss are plagued with chaos and uncertainty. Will Cletus and Jenn finally make it to the altar? Or will murder and mayhem derail their happily-ever-after? And most importantly, who done it?
I love cozy mysteries and getting my favorite chracters from a beloved romance series solving the mysteries is a mix that I’ very happy about. I liked the first book in this series, but I did feel like the mystery was missing something, so I’m hoping that Penny Reid’s second attempt at a cozy mystery is better. But no matter what I love the main characters so much that I will be happy reading this.
Reena Manji doesn’t love her career, her single status, and most of all, her family inserting themselves into every detail of her life. But when caring for her precious sourdough starters, Reena can drown it all out. At least until her father moves his newest employee across the hall–with hopes that Reena will marry him.
But Nadim’s not like the other Muslim bachelors-du-jour that her parents have dug up. If the Captain America body and the British accent weren’t enough, the man appears to love eating her bread creations as much as she loves making them. She sure as hell would never marry a man who works for her father, but friendship with a neighbor is okay, right? And when Reena’s career takes a nosedive, Nadim happily agrees to fake an engagement so they can enter a couples video cooking contest to win the artisan bread course of her dreams.
As cooking at home together brings them closer, things turn physical, but Reena isn’t worried. She knows Nadim is keeping secrets, but it’s fine— secrets are always on the menu where her family is concerned. And her heart is protected… she’s not marrying the man. But even secrets kept for self preservation have a way of getting out, especially when meddling parents and gossiping families are involved.
This sounds so good! I love seeing Muslim rep in romance books, even more when the author is Muslim themselves. In a way, this is a friends to lovers romance, which is my favorite trope and I’m looking forward to reading it!
Eve Brown is a certified hot mess. No matter how hard she strives to do right, her life always goes horribly wrong—so she’s given up trying. But when her personal brand of chaos ruins an expensive wedding (someone had to liberate those poor doves), her parents draw the line. It’s time for Eve to grow up and prove herself—even though she’s not entirely sure how…
Jacob Wayne is in control. Always. The bed and breakfast owner’s on a mission to dominate the hospitality industry—and he expects nothing less than perfection. So when a purple-haired tornado of a woman turns up out of the blue to interview for his open chef position, he tells her the brutal truth: not a chance in hell. Then she hits him with her car—supposedly by accident. Yeah, right.
Now his arm is broken, his B&B is understaffed, and the dangerously unpredictable Eve is fluttering around, trying to help. Before long, she’s infiltrated his work, his kitchen—and his spare bedroom. Jacob hates everything about it. Or rather, he should. Sunny, chaotic Eve is his natural-born nemesis, but the longer these two enemies spend in close quarters, the more their animosity turns into something else. Like Eve, the heat between them is impossible to ignore—and it’s melting Jacob’s frosty exterior.
This is one of my most anticipated books of the year, I have read most of Talia Hibbert’s books, I love her characters and her writing, and the Brown Sisters series in particular is such fantastic. Also, I’m even more excited for this because so many people have mentioned that this is their favorite book in the series.
Their night on the town is a blank, but when Zora Abbott and Dallas Hamilton awaken in a Vegas hotel room, they’re man and wife. With news of the nuptials spreading virally, the high-profile best friends decide to stay married, temporarily. Maybe under the cover of marriage, Dallas can even make his best friend’s baby dream come true. But can their friendship survive their newly unleashed passions?
I just heard about this book today (March 2nd) and I added it inmediatly to my tbr and now I can’t wait to read it. Friends to lovers and fake marriage in the same book??! What else could I ask for? Nothing, the answer is nothing.
Daisy Patel is a software engineer who understands lists and logic better than bosses and boyfriends. With her life all planned out, and no interest in love, the one thing she can’t give her family is the marriage they expect. Left with few options, she asks her childhood crush to be her decoy fiance.
Liam Murphy is a venture capitalist with something to prove. When he learns that his inheritance is contingent on being married, he realizes his best friend’s little sister has the perfect solution to his problem. A marriage of convenience will get Daisy’s matchmaking relatives off her back and fulfill the terms of his late grandfather’s will. If only he hadn’t broken her tender teenage heart nine years ago…
Sparks fly when Daisy and Liam go on a series of dates to legitimize their fake relationship. Too late, they realize that very little is convenient about their arrangement. History and chemistry aren’t about to follow the rules of this engagement.
This sounds like something I’m going to love, because marriage of convenience is a trope I really enjoy. But if I’m honest, I’m a bit nervous about reading this because I didn’t love the first book in the series, but I didn’t truly dislike it either, so I guess this is my teying to decide if Sara Desai is an author for me or not.
Ever since her journalist mother died on assignment, Marin has played it safe, refusing to set foot outside the state of Tennessee. Her wild-child younger sister, Sadie, has trotted the globe as a photographer, living off of art and adrenaline.
When Sadie returns from a tough assignment abroad and looks a little worse for wear, Marin reluctantly agrees to a sisters’ spa weekend on the tropical island of Saba. But her lifelong fear of travel is affirmed when Sadie misses the flight, Marin’s luggage gets mixed up with another passenger’s, and an episode of turbulence sends her hurtling into the lap of Lucas Tsai, the handsome stranger who stole her sister’s seat.
For the first time in a long time, Marin has to step outside of her comfort zone as she explores the island with Lucas and learns what she’s been missing out on. With each breathtaking new experience, Marin gets closer to her real self, the man she’s falling for, and the heart-wrenching truth about why she’s there in the first place.
I always enjoy books about characters stepping out of their conform zone and going on adventures, so I’m excited about this one. Also, the sypnosis sounds like the perfect set up for a rom-com and I’m here for it.
After a public meltdown over her breakup from her cheating musician boyfriend, Cherisse swore off guys in the music industry, and dating in general for a while, preferring to focus on growing her pastry chef business.
When Cherisse’s younger sister reveals she’s getting married in a few months, Cherisse hopes that will distract her mother enough to quit harassing her about finding a guy, settling down and having kids. But her mother’s matchmaking keeps intensifying.
Cherisse tries to humour her mother, hoping if she feigns interest in the eligible bachelors she keeps tossing her way, she’ll be off the hook, but things don’t quite go as planned. Turns out for the first time in ages, she and Keiran King, the most annoying man ever, are on the island at the same time. Avoiding him is impossible, especially when Keiran’s close friend is the one marrying her sister, and he’s the best man to her maid of honour.
Keiran doesn’t know what to make of Cherisse now. They’ve always butted heads. To him she’s always been a stuck-up brat who seeks attention, even while he secretly harbored a crush on her. Now with Cherisse’s sister marrying one of his good friends he can’t escape her as the wedding activities keep throwing them together.
When things turn heated after a rainy night of bedroom fun, they both have to figure out if they can survive the countdown to wedding day, without this turning into a recipe for disaster.
First of all, what a beautiful cover!!! This book is set in Trinidad and Tobago, which is so cool, I have never read a book set there and I’m excited to read the first one, especially because I am from Colombia, which means I live so close to Trinidad and Tobago.
What March 2021 romance releases are you excited for? Are you looking forward to any of the books I mentioned?
Hi everyone! Yesterday, I shared my favorite YA books of 2020 and now it’s time to talk about my favorite romances. I decided to have a separate list for romance because it’s my most read genre, I read 84 romance books in 2020 out of 198 books that I have read so far this year, which means about 42% of books I read were romance.
I only chose one book per author, which was really hard, and I changed the order of these books a thousand times, so just know that I recommend all of them very strongly. Without further ado, here are my top romance books of 2020 organized from my “least” favorite to my favorite:
This book includes both fake dating and opposites attract, which are two of my favorite tropes. The main characters are both so different, Ellie is a very messy dreamer and Darcy is very serious and organized, but each of them is great in their own way and they complement each other so well, they have so much chemistry and they are sweet together. I loved the complicated family dynamics in the book and seeing Elle stick up for herself at the end was amazing. I think the astrology aspect of this book adds a cool and unique element to the story and I really enjoyed it.
I loved the dynamic between the main characters in this book, the heroine is the grumpy one and the hero is soft and nice. They have so much chemistry and the sex scenes are really steamy. My two favorite things about this book are the hero, who is caring, patient, and understanding, he takes the time to get involved with the heroine’s interests, he cooks for her and he looks after not only the heroine but his friends as well. The other thing I really loved was seeing the character development of the heroine, seeing her confront her fears and stand up for herself at the end was wonderful. I also loved that this book is very diverse, the heroine is Black and Autistic and the representation is Own Voices for both of those things.
This book revolves around a marriage of convenience, which is a trope I really enjoy. The hero is a bisexual fat Scotsman and the heroine is a bisexual Black woman. They are both adorable. Xeni has a tendency of blurting out everything she likes about Mason when he’s around her and Mason is so understanding and caring with Xeni. Their relationship is so well developed throughout the book, they meet and there’s an instant attraction between them but it doesn’t become insta-love. They have so much chemistry and they open up to each other and are vulnerable with each other in a way that was very sweet to read about. Also, this book is really steamy.
It’s so rare for me to like both of the main characters in a book equally, but Jasmine and Ashton are both amazing. Jasmine is ambitious, kind, and charismatic, but she is afraid of being alone and she has a track record of dating men who don’t treat her well. Ashton is kind of awkward and shy and he deals with a lot of anxiety, but he’s also adorable and sweet. Their romance is fantastic because they have so much chemistry, but they also have a really strong emotional connection. I appreciated that the conflict in this story feels realistic because it is easy to understand where both characters are coming from. Also,Jasmine and Ashton’s work is a big part of the story, there’s a lot of behind the scenes from the show they are filming and it adds a cool element to the story.
This is a hate to love, slow-burn romance with so much banter. The main character Liya doesn’t make the best first impression not to the love interest Jay and not to the reader, but after a while, it’s easy to see beyond that first impression to how amazing she is. Liya is so strong, smart, and independent, and Jay is so patient and kind. They are both Indo-American and the representation is Own Voices. I think the reason I love this book so much is that it elicits all kinds of emotions, some characters are easy to hate, there are gossiping, cruel people that are so frustrating, Jay is swoon-worthy and Liya’s past awakens so much sympathy. This book gives all the feels.
This is a fantastic hate to love romance that has so many hilarious scenes. Honestly, I laughed out loud so many times while reading this. This book does an amazing job showing how the relationship between the main characters slowly evolves and changes from hate to friendship to love. Sabrina and Nick are adorable together and the best part about this book is that they both act like adults, who TALK to their significant other, don’t assume the worst, and actually trust each other. There is no miscommunication in this book and Lucy Parker steps away from the “romance formula” in the third act of the book, both of those things made this book feel very refreshing.
I really love both of the main characters in this book, but especially Hattie. She is witty, she is charming, she is smart and her fight to be in control of her own life is so impressive and captivating. Whit is great too, he is quiet, caring and smart, and the two of them together are perfection. Their bantering and flirting are so entertaining, they have so much chemistry and Sarah MacLean does a great job of building the tension between them in a way that it’s enthralling. Also, this book is the steamiest historical romance that I have read so far.
1. Only When It’s Us by Chloe Liese
The main characters in this book have a frenemies to lovers, slow burn, angsty and emotional romance. The pranks, the bickering, the fighting, the trust, how caring they are, made their relationship fascinating. This book is so emotional since both of the main characters are dealing with difficult situations; the heroine’s mom is gravely ill and the hero is dealing with the lasting consequences of an illness that left him with a disability and that changed his life completely. Those storylines gave so much depth to the story and made this book even more captivating, they even ended up making me cry, which rarely happens. Also, I loved the secondary characters so much, especially Ryder’s family, that I read the next two books about his siblings, loved them both and this series has quickly become one of my all-time favorites.
What are your favorite romance books that you read in 2020?
Hi everyone! Today, I want to talk about rereads. I don’t reread books, I used to reread two series (one is fantasy and one is romance) because they were my favorite series, but the authors of both of them disappointed me recently, so I’m not rereading those series anymore and the only other book I have ever reread is The Alchemist because I read it and then I had to read it again for school.
I realized this year after a discussion with my friends that the reason why I haven’t been rereading books (or rewatching movies or tv shows for that matter) is messed up. In my mind, there are so many books I haven’t read yet and that I want to read, that I have this feeling that re-reading was a waste of time and that I wasn’t being “productive” enough. I read as a hobby, I read because it makes me happy and it gives me comfort, but my way of thinking has been permeated by this capitalist idea that even our hobbies have to be productive and that we have to use time efficiently even when we are doing things for fun.
After I made this connection of why I don’t re-read books, I immediately recognized that I need to change the way I have been thinking about it. I want to reclaim my free time and stop unconsciously accepting and reproducing this capitalist’s view of time. Which is why I started to write down a list of books that I want to re-read and it was so hard to come up with books because my mind keeps telling me ¿do you really need to re-read this book? ¿would your time be better spent reading books you haven’t read before?
But I’m not going to listen to that little nagging voice, I’m going to try to leave that mindset in the past and I’m going to re-read some books in 2021:
Bergman Brothers Series by Chloe Liese: This is a series I started to read in June 2020 and it has quickly become one of my favorite romance series, I think Only When It’s Us is going to be my favorite romance of 2020, so I really want to experience these stories again.
Beard Science by Penny Reid: There’s a spin-off series with the main characters of this book and I read the first book when it came out a couple of months ago and while I enjoyed it, I think I’ll enjoy the new series more if I re-read this book before continuing with the other books. This may become a reread of the entire Winston Brothers Series, but I’m not sure yet.
Get a Life, Chloe Brown + Take a Hint, Dani Brown + A Girl Like Her + Wanna Bet? by Talia Hibbert: Right now, Talia Hibbert is my favorite romance author and since I’m writing my favorite romance books of all time, I need to chose which one is my favorite because I’m going to have a one book per author rule. That’s why I want to reread all my favorite books by her.
Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility & Persuasion by Jane Austen: I love Jane Austen and I have read most of her books. I have also read so many retelling of her books and I have watched so many adaptations, and I think tiny part of the reason why is because I wanted to experience these stories again but I didn’t let myself reread the original books. I think it’s finally time to enjoy these stories again and I’m hoping I’ll love them even more now that 7 years have passed.
The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson, Truthwitch by Susan Dennard and An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir: I read these books in 2014, 2016 and 2017 respectively, and I always meant to continue with the series but I never did and then a lot of time passed and I knew that if I wanted to continue with them, I had to reread these books and I kept putting it off, but it’s finally the time to reread them and continue with the series.
The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers: I always think of this book as one of my favorite sci-fi books of all time, but while I remember loving it, the truth is that I don’t remember that much about the story, so I want to refresh my memory.
Do you reread books? Is there a book or books that you reread over and over again?
Hi everyone! For blogmas day 3, I’m sharing my November wrap up. I read a lot of books in November, so I’ll keep this introduction short. As usual, in my wrap ups, I rank all the books I read in a month from least favorite to favorite. Without further ado, here are all the books I read:
MY LEAST FAVORITE BOOK
Night of the Mannequins by Stephen Graham Jones (3 stars): I don’t know how to feel about this story. It was not what I was expecting at all and I think I would have liked the story I was expecting more than the story this book actually tells. It did some things I hated and it did some things I liked.
THE OK ONE
American Christmas by Adriana Herrera (3,5 stars): This was short, sweet, and heart-warming. I think the plot was interesting but the ending was SO unrealistic and I wish we got to see the characters actually being ok and dealing with things going badly. I do understand that they deserved a happy ending, but at the same time, I can’t say I loved the ending.
THE ONES I LIKED
Wrapped Up in You by Talia Hibbert (3,7 stars): This was short and sweet. Talia Hibbert did an amazing job handling mutual pinning in a short novella. I liked the main characters and their friends to lovers romance.
Blood Rites by Jim Butcher (3,7 stars): I mainly enjoyed this book because Murphy has a big role in it, I really like her friendship with Harry. I like that we got to know more about Thomas, and I also appreciate that we learned more about the different types of vampires. The case in this book isn’t the most interesting, but it is ok.
Death Masks by Jim Butcher (3,7 stars): The beginning is slow and it drags a bit. The books in this series are starting to feel a little formulaic to me. Nonetheless, I ended up really enjoying the second half of the book, the villain this time around is interesting and I always enjoy seeing the recurring side characters.
Burn for me by Ilona Andrews (3,7 stars): I really enjoyed this, but I was expecting more. I like the main characters and their dynamic. But I’m hoping that the plot, world-building and the main character’s powers get more complex and interesting as the series progresses.
Crazy Stupid Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams (3,7 stars): I really liked the friends to lovers romance in this book and the main characters. But I had issues with the romance not feeling- at some points- like the main focus of the book.
THE ONES I REALLY LIKED
Never Look Back by Lilliam Rivera (4 stars): The writing in this book is very captivating, I liked the main characters, I think this does a great job of discussing depression and PTSD, but my favorite part of this book is that it’s a love letter to Puerto Rico and that aspect of it made me so emotional.
Furia by Yamile Saied Méndez (4 stars): I really liked the main character, Camila, the fact that this includes female Fútbol and it’s set in Argentina, the discussions about feminism and femicide, the evolution of Camila’s relationship with her mom, I even liked the romance.
The Duchess Deal by Tessa Dare (4 stars): I really like the way Tessa Dare writes historical romances. I like the characters in this book, especially Emma, I like the whole grumpy/sunshine dynamic between the main characters, and I especially like how steamy this is.
Recipe for Persuasion by Sonali Dev (4 stars): I really like Sonali Dev’s writing, I like the main characters and the romance in this book. But my favorite part is the complicated family dynamics, the presence of all relatives in this book adds a lot to the story.
The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline (4 stars): This book has an interesting but devastating concept and characters that you root for. The last half of this book kept me at the edge of my seat and there was a point while reading when I couldn’t help but think “WHAT ELSE ARE YOU GOING TO DO TO THEM?!” There were a couple of things that happened towards the end that weren’t that realistic, but I didn’t mind too much.
Emerald Blaze by Ilona Andrews (4 stars): The world-building and magic system are amazing, I LOVE the family dynamics and all the side characters, I really like Catalina and I liked Alessandro more than in the first book. I also really liked their relationship, the romance in this book can be a bit cheesy and over the top, but it wasn’t that bad and it didn’t affect my enjoyment of the story.
Sword of Destiny by Andrzej Sapkowski (4 stars): I like the characters in this series so much and I love seeing more of them and getting to know them better through these stories. The complicated relationships between them are so entertaining.
4.The Dragon Republic by R.F. Kuang (4 stars): This book is brilliant. I’m not the biggest fan of Military fantasy, but this series does it so well that I’m still really engaged with the story. I LOVE the main group of characters so much and I appreciate the way this book discusses colorism, colonialism, and the role of religion within colonialism.
3. Brazen and the Beast by Sarah MacLean (4 stars): I really loved both of the main characters, but especially Hattie. Her fight to be in control of her own life was wonderful. She was witty, she was charming, she was smart. I LOVED Hattie. And her bantering and flirting with Whit was fantastic. I loved Whit too and the two of them together were perfection.
MY FAVORITE BOOKS OF THE MONTH
2. The Stange Case of the Alchemist Daughter by Theodora Goss (4,5 stars): I love the characters, monstrous girls are my favorite thing in the world, I love their relationship with each other and the found family aspect of the book, I found the premise and the mystery really interesting, I love the funny and unique structure in which this book is told, I love that it includes characters out of classical stories, basically I love everything about this.
1.Cementery Boys by Aiden Thomas (4,5 stars): This book is SO GOOD! My favorite thing about this book is the main characters. I love Yadriel and Julian so much. Julian is like a puppy and I LOVE HIM. And the romance between Yadriel and Julian warms my heart and makes me so happy.
Was november a good reading month for you? What were your favorite and least favorite books of the month?
Hi everyone! It’s blogmas day 1 and I’m … very excited… a bit stressed…not sure why I decided to do blogmas at the last possible minute. But mainly I’m excited. I’m going to try my hardest to post every single day from December 1st to December 25th, because I did it last year and it was so much fun, but I’m throwing a caveat because I’m not at all confident that it’s doable. So I’ll do my best and, in any case, you will be getting a lot of content from me in the next few weeks.
With that out of the way, if you are a romance reader or if you want to start reading romance, and you are looking for Christmas-themed or winter-themed romance books, here are some recommendations for you:
Headliners by Lucy Parker
Two rival tv presenters have to work together in order to keep their jobs, so this is a hate to love romance set during Christmas time. Sabrina and Nick were adorable together and they both acted like adults, who talk to their significant other, don’t assume the worst, and actually trust each other. Also, this book is absolutely hilarious, I almost cried because of how hard I was laughing while reading this book.
Wrapped Up in You by Talia Hibbert
This is a friends to lovers romances, where the hero has been pinning for the heroine for years and the timing is finally right to do something about it. The hero is a cinamon roll, the heroine is a little clossed off and there’s a great dynamic between them. This novella is short, cute, it’s set during Christmas and it includes a lot of cats… what else could you want?!
American Christmas by Adriana Herrera
This a m/m short novella revolving around an already establish couple who are spending their first Christmas together in their apartment and want to make it special, but a lot of things go wrong. The main characters are precious and they have a beautiful relationship.
The Reindeer Falls Series by Jana Aston
This series of short novellas is set in a town with a Christmasy name where everyone is obssesed with Christmas and it follows three sisters finding love in unexpected places. The first book is hate to love romance between the main character and her boss, the second book is a foodie romance between a chef and the judge of a baking contest, and the third one is a romance with Santa (kind of!). These are all super fun and cute!
The Simple Wild by K.A. Tucker
This book is set in Alaska, so there are a lot of wintery vibes. Alaska as a setting is stunning and captivating, and getting to know more about this state and the challenges the population faces was really interesting. The story revolves around a very entertatining hate to love romance, but the best element of the book for me is the complex father/daughter relationship and the way that relationship evolves throughout the book.
From Lukov with Love by Mariana Zapata
This book revolves around figure skating, which makes this a perfect book to read during this time since it’s a winter sport. This is a hate to love, slow burn romance between two figure skaters who don’t like each other but end up competing as a pair. Honestly, the romance in this book is the most beautiful enemies to friends to lovers relationship of all times. The heroine goes through so much character development, the hero is there for her and they are perfect for each other.
Do you enjoy Christmas romances? What Christmas or Winter Romances are your favorites?
Hi everyone! I’m so excited to share this post with all of you. I read A LOT of romance and I have been thinking about sharing romance recommendations for each of my favorite tropes for a long time and I don’t know why I haven’t done it before. But that’s about to change!
Friends to lovers is my favorite romance trope. On one hand, it’s because having friendship as a foundation makes it easier for me to believe in two characters falling in love, especially since most romances take place over a short period of time. On the other hand, I enjoy the entire arc of a friends to lovers romance from the “oh shit, I like them” realization to the “do they like me too?” doubts, to the build-up and sexual tension, and finally to the characters getting together.
If you are a fan of this trope too, here are some of my favorite friends to lovers romances:
This book has my favorite combination of tropes: friends to lovers and fake dating. A heroine in urgent need of a fake boyfriend comes up with the best candidate, her best friend. This book does a great job of actually showing how close the main characters are before they start fake dating and how they never saw each other as anything more than friends until they have to pretend to be together.
I usually don’t enjoy when a character has been pinning for their friend for a long time, but Talia Hibbert executes it so well that she won me over. A guarded heroine and a sweet and understanding hero have a one-night stand and then decides to be just friends but the hero pins for her for years until the heroine has to move in with him for a while and sparks fly between them.
This is the perfect example of a book where the characters have always seen each other *only* as friends but for whatever reason, they kiss and they realize that they could be more. In this case, the reason is that the heroine is a romance writer looking for inspiration, she asks her best friend and things get really steamy really fast between them!
This book not only includes the friends to lovers trope, it also includes “the heroine asks the hero to teach her to flirt with/ seduce guys” trope, which, if you ask me, is the perfect combination! The sexual tension while they practice seduction is to die for and then they finally succumb to their attraction and it’s amazing.
All the other couples in these books have been friends for a long time, so I like this book because it’s about two people who have only known each other for a little bit over a year before the book starts. The main characters are really close, the dynamics between them is great, everyone in their group of friends thinks they should be dating, but the timing hasn’t felt right. Until one night the sexual tension between them becomes too much to ignore.
The main characters in this book have been friends for a long time and both of them have considered being more than friends but the timing has never been right to talk to the other about their feelings, so they have settled into being just friends and they are ok with that. Until one day, the heroine walks in while the hero is getting out of the shower and sees him naked and they can’t ignore the chemistry and the attraction between them any longer.
What are some of your favorite friends to lovers romances?
Hi everyone! I hope you all had a lovely July! Today, I want to update you on some cool things that happened in July and I want to talk about all the books I read this month and as always, I’ll rank them from least favorite to favorite. But before getting into the post, I want to encourage you to support the Black Lives Matter movement in any way you can. If you want to know how to help, click this link.
First, some bookish updates: 1) I’m part of the team behind Colored Pages Book Tours, which is a company that prioritizes international and own voices readers when it comes to blog tours. The Company just launched but we have already started organizing tours, so check out the website or twitter to see if you are interested in participating in any of them. 2) I wanted to share that I was invited to be one of the judges of the 2020 Ripped Bodice Awards for Excellence in Romantic Fiction, which I’m incredibly honored and excited about!
That’s it! Those are my updates and now, without further ado, let’s talk about the books I read in July:
*Click on the title of the book to go to the Goodreads page + the amazon links are affiliate links which means I get a small commission if you decide to use them, it doesn’t affect the price of books*
My Least Favorite Book of the Month
This month there wasn’t one book that I truly disliked, so for my least favorite of the month I chose a disappointing mystery book:
13. The Hollow by Agatha Christie: This book was ok, but I definitely expected and wanted to see more of Poirot. He appeared so little in this and it was almost like the focus of this book was not on the case but on the relationships between the characters. The case was interesting enough, but most of the characters in this were very unlikeable at times, which is not uncommon in Agatha Christie’s book and I usually don’t mind, but for some reason, in this one, I found them a bit annoying. (Amazon)
The “I Mostly Liked Them, But…” Books
These are books that I had significant issues with, but they had redeeming qualities that made me mostly enjoy them:
12. Summer Knight by Jim Butcher: This ended up being ok, as always with this series it was a quick and entertaining read but I had issues with it. Some of the plot elements in this book felt forced and unrealistic to me, and while I enjoyed getting to see a new element of the world thanks to the fairies and the role they played, I felt like the fairies acted very out of character a lot in this book, they were introduced as one thing but when Harry needed help they suddenly became entirely different characters. Still, I will continue with the series, because as I said the books are quick and entertaining. (Amazon)
The Ones I Liked
The ones I liked are books that I had really small issues with, but after I finished themI hadmainly positive feelings towards them:
11. Go Deep by Rilzy Adams: This started strong, I really enjoyed getting to know the characters, their relationship as best friends and then seeing how fast that relationship changed. I wasn’t the biggest fan of the conflict, it relied too much on the two characters not talking to each other but since it’s a short book the conflict was resolved easily so it wasn’t a big issue. (Amazon)
10. I’m Afraid of Men by Vivek Shraya: This is a short but impactful nonfiction book. The author shares vulnerable and honest insights about gender, sexuality, and toxic masculinity based on their own experience. (Amazon)
9. Artificial Condition by Martha Wells: I enjoyed reading this. Murderbot is still an amazing main character and I really liked ART, the sarcastic and slightly rude spaceship that was introduced in this book. The relationship between Murderbot and ART was very entertaining. I really like the humor in this series. My only complaint is that the plot in this one was a lot less interesting than the plot in the first book. (Amazon)
8. Lock Every Door by Riley Sager: My reading experience with this book was very weird because it took me a bit to get into this, but after a while, I started to really enjoy it and I actually ended up liking most of the book. Unfortunately, I found the ending a bit disappointing. Riley Sager does a great job of creating tension throughout and I was at the edge of my seat for a big portion of the book and that’s the main reason why I enjoyed this book. (Amazon)
7. If My Body Could Speak by Blythe Baird: The writing in this collection was so powerful but so unpretentious at the same time and that made it hit harder. The poems are beautiful and raw. I can’t wait to read more of Blythe Baird’s poetry. (Amazon)
6. You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson: This is a cute, fluffy YA contemporary. I loved Liz as the main character and her journey and character development. The f/f romance is so sweet and heartwarming. (Amazon)
The Ones I Really Liked
I consider books I really liked the ones I really enjoyed, but they are not new all-time favorites:
Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert: This book has amazing main characters and there’s a lot of character development. This book is so funny, I laughed out loud more than once. The characters have so much chemistry and the relationship is so adorable, I loved all their interactions, I just wish there were a bit more angst and yearning. Also, it has great anxiety rep! (Amazon)
Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb: this book does a great job of establishing Fitz as a protagonist and making you feel for him and root for him. I found the world fascinating and the political intrigue aspect of this book was very cleverly done, I’m looking forward to the next books when Fitz is older and maybe he will have a bit more agency and be more involved in what’s going on. (Amazon)
Always Only You by Chloe Liese: This is a slow-burn, sunshine x grumpy romance where the grumpy one with the heart of gold is the woman and the smiley, sunshiny character is the man. Chloe Liese has a special talent that allows her to create wonderful and complex characters who you can’t help but root for. The heroine is an Autistic woman (#ownvoices) with a chronic illness (rheumatoid arthritis) and the hero is Ren is an Shakespeare-loving Hockey player. Their relationship is so heartwarming! (Review + Amazon)
My Favorite Book of the Month
My favorite books of the month can have different ratings depending on how good a particular reading month was. This month I read two brilliant books that instantly became new favorites:
The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune: This book was adorable. The stars of this were definitely the children, they were cute and funny and just lovable. Also, the main character, Linus, was so sweet and his character development in this book was amazing. I love the relationship Linus forms with the kids and how good he is to them. This is such a hopeful book and it made me so happy. Also, there’s a heartwarming m/m romance. (Review + Amazon)
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia: This book is creepy, atmospheric, and disturbing; and the writing is brilliant, beautiful, and captivating. This book has a very three-dimensional and flawed main character and I absolutely rooted for her the entire time, and the villains are so well crafted. This book includes a very frustrating but interesting depiction of eugenics and a fascinating exploration of sexism and colonialism. (Review + Amazon)
What were your favorite and least favorite books you read this month? Have you read any of the books on this wrap up? Do you agree with my opinions about them?
Hi everyone! Today I want to talk about the best romance books that I have read in 2020 so far. This list was so hard to make because I have read 40+ romance books this year and I have loved so many of them that choosing my favorites felt impossible. So much so that even when I was finishing this post, I made a last minute change! But after thinking about it a lot, here are my picks in no particular order:
–The main characters in this book have a frenemies to lovers, slow burn, angsty and emotional romance. The pranks, the bickering, the fighting, the trust, how caring they were, made their relationship fascinating.
–The heroine is a soccer player and it was cool seeing the woman being a talented and dedicated athlete
–This book is so emotional since both of the main characters are dealing with difficult situations. The heroine’s mom is gravely ill and the hero is dealing with the lasting consequences of an illness that left him with a disability and that changed his life completely. For me, both of those storylines were handled very well and gave so much depth to the story.
–This book has amazing secondary characters and I can’t wait to read book 2, which comes out next month (August 4th, 2020)!
–This is a hate to love, slow-burn romance with so much banter. The main character Liya doesn’t make the best first impression not to the love interest Jay and not to the reader, but after a while, it’s easy to see beyond that first impression to how amazing she is.
–Jay is so patient and kind and Liya is so strong, smart, and independent. They are both Indo-American.
–The female friendship in this book is incredible and Jay’s family is kind, understanding and non-judgemental.
–This book elicits all kinds of emotions, some characters are easy to hate, there are gossiping, cruel people that are so frustrating, Jay is swoon-worthy and Liya’s past awakens so much sympathy. This book gives all the feels.
–This book deals with darker topics like sexual assault, domestic violence and death of a loved one. I think it handles them really well, but it was very hard to read at some points.
–This is a marriage of convenience story, the main characters who don’t know each other have to get married to get the inheritance of an old lady playing matchmaker.
–The hero is a bisexual fat Scotsman and the heroine is a bisexual Black woman. They are both adorable. Xeni has a tendency of blurting out everything she likes about Mason when he’s around her and Mason does magic, cooks, plays the bagpipes and a 100 other instruments, and it’s so understanding and caring with Xeni.
–The main characters are instantly attracted to each other, they have so much chemistry and they are open with each other about what they like sex-wise. There were some very steamy scenes!
–The best part about this book is how the main characters opened up to each other and they were vulnerable with each other in a way that was very sweet to read about.
–This book has a black, autistic main character and the representation is #ownvoices for both of those things. Ruth is an amazing protagonist, she is geeky, loving, funny and anxious.
–The best part of this book is getting to see Ruth go through a lot of character development to learn how to confront her fears and stand up for herself.
–The hero is sweet, kind and very swoony. He cooks for the heroine all the time and takes a sincere interest in the things she cares about.
–The chemistry between the main characters is off the charts and the sex scenes in this book are so steamy. This book is very sex positive and there are discussions about consent.
-This book deals with an abusive relationship in Ruth’s past and it addresses the guilt that a lot of abuse victims feel.
–This is a friends to lovers story that is very emotional and angsty. There’s forced proximity since Jasmine has to move in with Rahul for a while and that changes their relationship.
–Jasmine is a plus-sized, queer, Black woman, and Rahul is a brown man who has a Muslim father and a Hindu mother.
–Jasmine is dealing with trauma that has made her try to block off her feelings and not get attached to anyone.
–Rahul has been pinning for the heroine for years and there’s so much yearning and angst because of it. He cares deeply for her and once things start to change between them, he decides to show her that they can be good together.
–This book deals with topics that may be triggering like alcohol dependency, parental neglect, death of a parent, and severe anxiety.
What are the best romance books that you have read in 2020 so far? Have you read any of my favorites?
