angelreads, Author at Angel Reads

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Romance Genre Battle: Military vs Paranormal

Apr 26, 2020

Hello, everyone! It’s me again—Ely from Of Wonderland. I’m here to do my monthly takeover of Angel Reads!

I thought I might do something a little fun and different today! You’re probably well-aware that Angel loves a good romance book, and naturally, she sucked me into that life too. I’ve been pretty content to sit in my bubble of historical romance, but I challenged myself to step out of that comfort zone. So I picked out two genres I don’t have much experience with, picked out two books for both genres and today we’re putting them to battle.

Basically, I’m going to tell you which books and genre I preferred.

Paranormal

Grave Phantoms by Jenn Bennett

I started the project off with this one and I think that was a good idea, despite it not being my favourite on this list. While this is paranormal, it’s also historical as it takes place in the 20s. So I think it was a nice way to ease myself into the genre. Plus, I enjoy Jenn Bennett’s YA work so I felt like I was in safe hands.

As I said, this wasn’t my favourite book on the list and a lot of that has to do with the paranormal parts. This is the third book in the series and the first one I read. I think that was fine in the sense that there wasn’t anything I’d missed. But I do wish I’d started with the other books—the heroines in those books just sounded more interesting and the paranormal aspects sounded more up my alley with mediums and cursed ancient Egyptian artefacts.

Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning

Oh boy. This book is the definition of a trip. There is so much stuff in this book that just blew my mind, but not in a good way. It was definitely more of a ‘who signed off on this?’ kind of reaction. I can’t even speak about any of it without spoiling it, but just know if you read this you are signing up for some weird-ass shit.

So did I enjoy this? Well, eh. I found the plot and the world kind of interesting. I didn’t hate the paranormal aspects even though I’m not usually a fae kind of person. The characters though? Mac has got to be up there as one of the worst ever. I swear to God if you made a drinking game out of the number of times she describes her outfit or nail polish, you’d be dead in the first few chapters. But somehow…I still kind of want to know what happens next?

Military

The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros

I was reading this one partly for this post, but also partly for the ‘Bestie picks my TBR‘ project that Angel and I have going on. She warned me that this would break my heart. She really did. But I chose to ignore that, which was stupid but OH MY GOD. It broke my heart into tiny pieces and I loved every second of it.

I didn’t think I’d enjoy the military aspect, but that’s really more of background information than having a whole lot to do with the actual plot. So the military is kind of key to the premise, but less so in the actual story—I hope that makes sense. In fact, I’d almost consider this more of just a straight contemporary.

The Darkest Hour by Maya Banks

This was my first time reading anything by Maya Banks and I’m feeling a little conflicted about it. I felt like this book followed a lot of characters rather than just focusing on Ethan and Rachel. In a way that was okay but Ethan is probably my least favourite of the brothers, at least in this book. I get that we’ll be following the brothers in the other books but I’d have been happy just to go into those having only seen the brothers as side characters.

Anyway, yes, I found Ethan kind of boring. I didn’t really feel a spark between him and Rachel—maybe because I could kind of guess certain things that were going to happen. That all being said, I did really like the way Maya Banks wrote—it was easy and enjoyable. It certainly didn’t hit me in the same way The Last Letter, but it also wasn’t Darkfever, you know?

Final Thoughts

So for this genre battle, I have to say that military won mostly because of how much I loved The Last Letter. However, I’m not going to completely give up on paranormal romance genre yet but at least now I have somethings to compare them too.

Well, that’s me signing off for now. I’ll see you all again next month!

April Book Haul | Recent Books I Have Bought

Apr 23, 2020

I don’t do many book hauls on here, simply because I buy a lot of books through work and never really remember when I buy things. But today I thought I would share some of my recent buys. I mostly buy either from my store if it’s a physical book or from amazon for ebooks and most of my romances.

I try and limit the books I buy, but that never really works out for me. Honestly, I have no control and I’m always buying books. But anyway here are the latest books that I have bought. As always these are in no order.

Check, Please!, Book 2: Sticks & Scones (Check, Please! #3-4) by Ngozi Ukazu: I’ve been waiting months for the second issue to come out. I read the first Check, Please earlier this year and fell in love. I had so much fun reading it and I couldn’t wait to see what was going to happen next. And this one came into work last weeks and I got it right away.

Only Mostly Devastated by Sophie Gonzales: I picked this one up a couple of weeks ago and I’ve already read it. It’s fantastic! It was such a fun and emotional read and I really hope more people get a chance to read it. And it’s a #LoveOzYA so get on it.

Heartstopper: Volume One (Heartstopper #1) by Alice Oseman: I’ve been waiting to pick this series up for some time now. I’ve read a couple of Alice Oseman’s books before and really enjoyed and I’ve heard some really good things about these graphic novels.

Heartstopper: Volume Two (Heartstopper #2) by Alice Oseman: I know that once I finish volume one, I would want to keep on reading so I picked up the second volume as well. I just couldn’t help myself and we have them both in stock. So it wasn’t a hard decision.

There Was Still Love by Favel Parrett: I had seen this one floating around but it never really caught my eye. I did some more research, and it sounded like something that I might enjoy. And then my best friend Ely read it, loved it and talked about it a whole lot. And that is always a good indication for me.

The One You Can’t Forget (The Ones Who Got Away #2) by Roni Loren: I read the first in this series not too long ago and really enjoyed it a lot. And I knew that I needed to pick up the rest in the series. So I tracked down the rest of the books that I didn’t have. I’ve already read this one and loved it so much.

The One for You (The Ones Who Got Away #4) by Roni Loren: This was the last one that I needed to get from this series and now I’ve got them all and cannot wait. I do have to wait a little while between the books though because gosh do they tear me apart.

Fix Her Up (Hot & Hammered #1) by Tessa Bailey: I have heard a lot about this book and this series and when I saw it in the shop I couldn’t myself and bought it. I’m a sucker for romance like this. It uses one of my favourite romance tropes and sounds adorable! I cannot wait to read it.

Incandescent (Knights Rebels MC #1) by River Savage: I didn’t know too much about this one when I got it. I first saw it in a video I was watching. And I’ve been in the mood for MC romances lately and this one sounded interesting.

And those are some of the books that I’ve bought recently. What are some of the books that you have bought? Do we share any that is the same? Let’s Chat!

Romance Reviews | Suffragette, Second Chances & Hot Shots

Apr 21, 2020

Today I thought I would share some mini-reviews on some romance books that I’ve read recently. I’m loving reading romance more and more these days and I love reading a big range of it as well. Here are my reviews for Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore, The Ones Who Got Away by Roni Loren and Burn Zone by Annabeth Albert.

Bringing Down the Duke (A League of Extraordinary Women #1) by Evie Dunmore

Pages: 356
Publish date: September 3rd 2019
Publisher: Berkley
ISBN: 9781984805683
Purchase: Book Depository – Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU – QBD

England, 1879. Annabelle Archer, the brilliant but destitute daughter of a country vicar, has earned herself a place among the first cohort of female students at the renowned University of Oxford. In return for her scholarship, she must support the rising women’s suffrage movement. Her charge: recruit men of influence to champion their cause. Her target: Sebastian Devereux, the cold and calculating Duke of Montgomery who steers Britain’s politics at the Queen’s command. And her challenge: not to give in to the powerful attraction she can’t deny for the man who opposes everything she stands for.

Sebastian is appalled to find a suffragist squad has infiltrated his ducal home, but the real threat is his impossible feelings for green-eyed beauty Annabelle. He is looking for a wife of equal standing to secure the legacy he has worked so hard to rebuild, not an outspoken commoner who could never be his duchess. But he wouldn’t be the greatest strategist of the Kingdom if he couldn’t claim this alluring bluestocking without the promise of a ring…or could he?

Locked in a battle with rising passion and a will matching her own, Annabelle will learn just what it takes to topple a duke…

Bringing Down the Duke:

I’ve been wanting to pick up Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore for a while now but I finally got around to it a few weeks ago. I’m loving historical romances more and more but for the most part, I’ve stayed in the same time frame. When I saw this was also about the British suffrage movement I knew that I had to pick it up. And it didn’t disappoint.

Bringing Down the Duke follows Annabelle Archer has earnt her place as one of the first females to be offered a place at Oxford University. And in exchange for her scholarship, she must support the rising women’s suffrage movement. Her task is to recruit men with influence to their cause. And her target? Well, it’s none other than, Sebastian Devereux. The Duke of Montgomery who is under the Queen’s command.

Annabelle wants to get amazing from her demanding and challenging family, while Sebastian needs a wife of equal standing. But together Annabelle and Sebastian are fire and smoke. They can’t stand each other but gosh do they have amazing chemistry. The romance is swoon-worthy and I couldn’t put the book down. For most of the book, Sebastian is cold and calculated, but Annabelle can break down those walls. While Annabelle might have this hard exterior, Sebastian can break her walls down.

But Sebastian cannot give Annabelle what she wants and deserves. It’s hard at times seeing this dynamic between Sebastian and Annabelle. But the reader can see them both want each other and it was so beautiful. They are both very stubborn so it made it that little bit of extra fun. They both have so much on the line, but they can’t help but fall for one another and that was beautiful.

Overall, I loved Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore. It was fun and entertaining, while also being heartbreaking and challenging. The romance between Annabell and Sebastian was swoon-worthy and exactly what I want from my historical romances. If you are looking for something new and bright in historical romance, then pick this one up.

The Ones Who Got Away (The Ones Who Got Away #1) by Roni Loren

Pages: 354
Publish date: January 2nd 2018
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
ISBN: 9781492651406
Purchase: Book Depository – Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU – QBD

Liv’s words cut off as Finn got closer. The man approaching was nothing like the boy she’d known. The bulky football muscles had streamlined into a harder, leaner package and the look in his deep green eyes held no trace of boyish innocence.

It’s been twelve years since tragedy struck the senior class of Long Acre High School. Only a few students survived that fateful night—a group the media dubbed The Ones Who Got Away.

Liv Arias thought she’d never return to Long Acre—until a documentary brings her and the other survivors back home. Suddenly her old flame, Finn Dorsey, is closer than ever, and their attraction is still white-hot. When a searing kiss reignites their passion, Liv realizes this rough-around-the-edges cop might be exactly what she needs…

The Ones Who Got Away:

This is another one that has been on my TBR list for some time now. I had heard a heap about it in the romance community and it was all fantastic. So when I found in stock at a bookstore – well I grabbed it of course and now I have the whole series.

The Ones Who Got Away by Roni Loren follows Liv Arias who never through that she would return to Long Arce. It’s been twelve years since she survived a school shooting that killed most of her senior class. Now she returns to town for a documentary that brings back not only Liv but the other survivors as well. This means Finn Dorsey is back and the attraction between this is still very much there. But can she forgive him about everything that happened in the past?

I’m not going to lie, this book broke me. This book tore me to pieces. But it was also beautiful, heartwarming and the romance was so good. Liv, Finn and the other Ones Who Got Away went through a lot and being back in down rehashing everything for this documentary is an emotional rollercoaster for all. Liv and Finn a have past and it’s the first time that they are seeing each other in some time. Let’s just say that they still very much have feelings for one another.

I enjoyed both Finn and Liv as protagonists. They felt real, impactful and drove the novel. I love second chance romances and it was done so well here. The reader can see the past and present emotional and connects between the both of them. I love that their past wasn’t closed over and they both had to deal with things that did happen that day. I loved getting to know their story and while it was emotional as hell, it was also beautiful.

Overall, The Ones Who Got Away by Roni Loren is not an easy read. You will cry, shout and hurt. But it’s also beautiful and filled with a romance that puts a smile on my face. I loved getting to know Liv and Finn, as well as the rest of the ones who got away. I want to know more about them even more now. This second chance romance is adorable and beautiful. Be prepared to cry, but also be prepared to smile.

Burn Zone (Hotshots #1) by Annabeth Albert

Pages: 336
Publish date: April 27th 2020
Publisher: Carina Press
ISBN: 9781335459497
Purchase: Book Depository – Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU

Danger lurks everywhere for Central Oregon’s fire crews, but the biggest risk of all might be losing their hearts…

Smokejumper Lincoln Reid is speechless to see Jacob Hartman among his squad’s new recruits. Linc had promised his late best friend he’d stay away from his little brother. And yet here Jacob is…and almost instantly, the same temptation Linc has always felt around him is causing way too many problems.

Jacob gets everyone’s concerns, but he’s waited years for his shot at joining the elite smoke jumping team, hoping to honour his brother’s memory. He’s ready to tackle any challenge Linc throws his way and senses the chemistry between them—chemistry Linc insists on ignoring—is still alive and kicking. This time, Jacob’s determined to get what he wants.

Close quarters and high stakes make it difficult for Linc to keep his resolve, never mind do so while also making sure the rookie’s safe. But the closer they get, the more Linc’s plan to leave at the end of the season risks him breaking another promise: the one his heart wants to make to Jacob.

Burn Zone:

I received an earc of Burn Zone by Annabeth Albert for review from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way changed my thoughts and feelings about the book.

I started reading Annabeth Alberts books last year and have since then been more intrigued by what she has written. I haven’t loved any of her books, but I’ve enjoyed them that I want to read more from her. They are great M/M romances that I can just sit back and read and not worry about too much.

Burn Zone by Annabeth Albert follows Jacob Hartman as he begins his first day as a recruit of Lincoln Reids elite smoke jumping team. There has always been heat between Jacob and Linc. But Linc has tried to stay away from the temptation, he promised Jacobs late brother and Linc’s best friend that he would. But now being this close together, it’s not as easy. And Jacob doesn’t get the warm welcome and support that he wanted and expected. He knows everyone’s concern, but he wants to do this.

I loved the heat between Jacob and Linc. It is intense and is always going. This made the novel quite fast-paced and that made the novel more enjoyable. Jacob and Linc have a past, and while it’s not all romantic or full of tension, Linc and Jacobs brother were best friends and it’s not something that they can hide. Because of this Linc has a hard time being able to accept these feelings for Jacob and that does cause a lot of tension throughout the book. While also the fact that Linc also feels guilt about his best friends death.

Overall, Burn Zone by Annabeth Albert is an okay read. Like her other books, they aren’t my favourite. But they are great books to just sit and read and not worry too much about anything else. The romance was hot and adorable at the same. Plus the tension of them fighting fires leaves the reader wanting to know what is going to happen next. I will continue this series just to see what happens next with everyone.

And that is it for this post! I hope that you enjoyed these mini romance reviews. Have you read any of these books? What did you think of them? Are you planning on it? Let’s Chat!