Monthly Wrap Up Archives - Page 23 of 28

Slow Start to the Year | January Wrap Up

Feb 5, 2019

January was a strange month for me. I went into a little reading slump – which wasn’t the way that I wanted to start the year, but by the end of the month, I was finally reading more again.

I read 13 books in January, and that is on the lower end for me. But like I said I’m getting back into the groove. I also read mostly contemporary, which didn’t surprise me at all. In summer, I always feel like reading more contemporary books. Anyway time for the wrap-up.

Unearthly (Unearthly #1) by Cynthia Hand: I don’t know why I waited so long to pick this series up, but I adored it. Unearthly was a really great start to a new series. There wasn’t much info dumping, but the world building was spread throughout the novel. This really helped with the pacing of the book and just moved things along nicely. Plus the romance was amazing!

Hallowed (Unearthly #2) by Cynthia Hand: The tension between Clara and the Angel world is intensifying and that just adds to the novel so well. A really good middle book to a series. It didn’t suffer from being boring or not adding anything to the series, it just worked really well.

Boundless (Unearthly #3) by Cynthia Hand: A fantastic way to finish this series. The world building was great, the romance was adorable, the characters engaging. I read this whole series in about 4 days and I have no regrets. You can check out my full series review as well.

Real Deal (Single Dads Club #1) by Piper Rayne: I couldn’t really decide what to read, so I thought a re-read would be nice. This is a good romance read, that doesn’t really wow me. But I needed just to go away for a little. I did enjoy the romance though.

Dirty Talker (Single Dads Club #2) by Piper Rayne: This is probably my favourite of this trilogy. I think both the plot and the protagonist really capture me. I loved Ava’s relationship with not only Dane but also his daughter.

Sexy Beast (Single Dads Club #3) by Piper Rayne: I have a love/hate relationship with this one. I love parts of the novel, but then there are some parts that I loathe. It’s a strange mix. It was a great way to finish this series though. Loved seeing all the men in the dads club finally happy.

Emergency Contact by Mary H.K. Choi: This isn’t one of my favourite books out there. While I did struggle a lot reading the first half, I really enjoyed the second half. The protagonist became more real and I was able to connect with them a lot. The plot also started to move forward in the second half and things started to come together. I also really enjoy the slow-burning relationship of Penny and Sam. Throughout the whole novel, Sam and Penny were able to confide in each other and as the novel goes on their relationship changes. Emergency Contact explores the notion of finding yourself and those around it. It’s about family, friends and finding new paths | Full Review.

Full Measures (Flight & Glory #1) by Rebecca Yarros: I really needed to do a re-read of these books. Rebecca Yarros always makes me feel great and I love Full Measures so much.

Eyes Turned Skyward (Flight & Glory #2) by Rebecca Yarros: This one gets me every time. It just makes me cry and smile and everything in between. The romance is amazing, the friendships are great and I just love reading about these boys.

Overnight Sensation (Brooklyn Bruisers #5) by Sarina Bowen: I loved Overnight Sensation. Sarina knows how to write a fantastic sports romance that isn’t just about the sport or the romance. It’s about relationships, finding out who you are and learning about not only yourself but those around you. Jason and Heidi were fantastic, I couldn’t get enough of them. Alone there were pretty good, but together, they just blew up. Full Review

Him (Him #1) by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy: I think I have talked about this book enough. I love this duo and I will re-read as many times as I can.

Us (Him #2) by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy: This one gets me every time. I can’t read it without crying and wanting everything to be alright. If you love hockey romance and wanting a queer romance, then pick this up. It’s steamy and just breaks my heart.

A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer: I adored A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer. I was captivated by the characters, world, and the plot from the very first chapter. Rhen and Harper are fantastic characters on their own, with brilliant character arcs. But together they are like fire and it’s one that I want to keep on spreading. I loved that Harper’s disability wasn’t shoved aside, the reader is also able to see Rhen come to terms with the things that he has done when the monster. Full Review

And that is it for January! What are the books you read last month? What did you love and what did you hate? Did you read anything that I did? What was your favourite January read? Let’s Chat!

A Re-read Kind of Month | December Wrap Up

Jan 3, 2019

December was a Re-read month for me. I think I only ended up reading a few new book this month and you know what, I am not even upset. It’s this time every year, that I just feeling like readings books that I love, or just want to get back into. I read 17 books all up in December and I am pretty happy with that, especially since it was a crazy month work wise for me. Like always these are in no particular order.

Queen of Air and Darkness (The Dark Artifices #3) by Cassandra Clare: I loved Queen of Air and Darkness. I didn’t know what to expect going in. I had to think the worse or else, I would have been even more shattered. Queen of Air and Darkness explores family, friend, love, and loyalty to its core. It explores forbidden love and family heartbreak. But with beautiful writing, fantastic characters and a plot that just keeps you guessing, you won’t be able to put the book down. If you have been thinking about picking up this series, please do. Clare is able to intertwine many different storylines, effortlessly, that just adds another layer to both her world and her characters| 5 Stars. Full Review.

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry: I just love Katie McGarry, and I don’t even know how many times I’ve re-read her books. They just put me in such a great mood. Noah and Echo have one of my OTP’s for so long now. This series is one of the first contemporary ones I read and I just can’t get enough of them.

Crossing the Line (Pushing the Limits #1.1) by Katie McGarry: This is a nice little snippet of a side character that we come to know in the first. I liked that this wasn’t a full book, I just don’t think it would have worked as well. But I really enjoyed reading it.

Dare You Too (Pushing the Limits #2) by Katie McGarry: Beth always makes for an interesting protagonist. She always catches me off guard even when I’ve read this one multiple times. Dare You Too, is always an intense read, but I always fall in love.

Red at Night (Pushing the Limits #3.5) by Katie McGarry: This is probably my least favourite Katie McGarry book, and it’s only a novella. I just wasn’t able to connect with the protagonists enough in this one. The story was good and maybe, if it was longer and I was able to see them more, I would feel different. I don’t hate it, I just don’t love it like her other books.

Crash into You (Pushing the Limits #3) by Katie McGarry: This is one of my favourites of the series, I adored both protagonists. It deals with so many interesting aspects that pull me in right away. I seriously love this book every time that I read it. Rachel and Isiah, just melt my heart.

Take Me On (Pushing the Limits #4) by Katie McGarry: I have a love/hate relationship with this one. There are some parts that just pull me to pieces and I adored them. And there are parts that grind my gears. I did like the sports aspect of this one, and that’s what really drove me to love it.

Breaking the Rules (Pushing the Limits #1.5) by Katie McGarry: I loved being back with Noah and Echo. They just make everything shine bright. In saying that, there was lots of tension between these two and it really does play with their relationship. But I did love seeing them grow not only as a couple but on their own as well.

Chasing Impossible (Pushing the Limits #5) by Katie McGarry: I adore Abby and Logan, they just melt my heart and gosh do they make me smile. I think this one is one of the more intense books as there is more at stake. But that is why I really enjoyed it.

Nowhere But Here (Thunder Road #1) by Katie McGarry: I love this series so much. The sense of family, the sense of friendship. And motorcycle clubs just work for me. I love the intensity and not know what is going to happen next.

Walk the Edge (Thunder Road #2) by Katie McGarry: I love Razor and Breanna so much. It’s the clique bad boy and good girl trope, but it just works so damn well here. I loved that the reader is able to see more inside this club and get to know them more.

Long Way Home (Thunder Road #3) by Katie McGarry: These characters both make me smile and break my heart. I love that everything isn’t black or white, it’s gray and stormy. There are a lot of things answered in this one as well and just the way that things link – yes please.

The Selection (The Selection #1) by Kiera Cass: I don’t love this series, I really don’t. But they are great re-reads, especially when I have no idea what I want to pick up. I really enjoy how this world works and everything that follows.

The Elite (The Selection #2) by Kiera Cass: Things just get more intense in this one. You don’t know who to trust. Who to believe or what is going on. That just makes you want to read more and more.

The One (The Selection #3) by Kiera Cass: The romance just annoys me. But I do this to myself, I don’t like love triangles and this one is just annoying. But I still like reading these books. So I put myself through it.

The Heir (The Selection #4) by Kiera Cass: This is one of my new reads this month. I was putting off reading the last two books in the series because I did hear a lot of negative things about it. In saying that I didn’t hate it as much as I thought I would. Eadlyn was hard to like and that does make it harder to read, but I read this series for pure entertainment.

The Crown (The Selection #5) by Kiera Cass: I wasn’t a fan of how everything was wrapped up in this one. I felt that everything went way to fast and tied up with a nice little bow. I think that if things did slow down that the romance aspect would have worked better for me.

The Prince & The Guard (The Selection 0.5, 2.5) by Kiera Cass: While I was re-read and reading this series, I thought I would give the short stories a quick read. They were fine, didn’t really tell me much that I didn’t already know.

And that is it for December. wow. That took me a while. I think I needed to do some re-reads this month. I just needed to read and not really think about things too much, I got to sit back and relax.

What did you read in December? Did we read any of the same things? Let’s Chat!

Books That I Loved Reading in 2018

Dec 28, 2018

2018 has been a year, there have been many ups and downs. Not only in my personal life, but my reading a blogging life as well. But I was in my final year of university, working 3-4 days a week, and I had an internship.

But that didn’t stop me from reading. As of the 28th of December, I have read 198 books. That is the most I have ever read in a year. And what I liked about this year was that I read a whole heap of different books, and that excites me. A while ago, I wrote about my reading habits changing and as I look back at all the books that I read this year, I can totally see it. I also read a lot of romance this year, and I am not mad at all about it, reading more romance books have been something bound to happen over the last couple of years and I read a lot this year!

So while talking about all this, today I thought I would share all my favourite books that I read in 2018. There is a mixture of 2018 releases and some back titles. So here we go, like always these are in no order.

The Cruel Prince by Holly Back: It’s addicting, dark and messes with your emotions. It’s a world of court intrigue and the conflict between fae and humans. It explores the notion of being human and the emotions that come with it. The Cruel Prince has set up a fantastic new series for Holly Black. I received Wicked in the mail this week and I cannot wait to dig in | 4.5 Stars Read Full Review

Say You’ll Remember Me by Katie McGarry: This one is intense and takes you on a journey. It’s heartbreaking and uplifting. It explores family, social standards and second chances. With classic Katie McGarry romance, Say You’ll Remember Me is an exploration of teen love and it’s ups and downs | 4 Stars. Read Full Review

Allied (Ruined #3) by Amy Tintera: In the final book of the ruined trilogy, everything comes together in a battle of all forces. It all started when Emelina wanted to save her sister, but now she is fighting her. Emelina and Olivia wanted to bring peace to the people of Runia. But when the meaning of freedom changes for Olivia, everything changes. With Olivia filled with vengeance, Emelina starts to pull away. And tension rises between the two sisters. And it’s not just Emelina seeing the change in Olivia, but the people of Runia as well. 4.5 Stars |

Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett: I loved Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett. It explores what it means to love, have family and friends. It’s a coming of age novel that really grabs you from the start with its honesty and reliability. Zorie and Lennon were such great protagonists that made the story that much better. Plus they were stuck in the middle of the wildness with only each other for company, things are bound to get heated. Starry Eyes is for everyone that wants to be taken away with honest and flawed characters and romance that will warm your heart | 4.5 Stars. Read Full Review

The Love That I Have by James Moloney: When Margot Baumann reads the letters from people imprisoned in Sachsenhausen concentration camp during WWII her whole life changes. She starts to really understand the horrific circumstances that the prisoners are going through. It’s then how she learns about Dieter Kleinschmidt. Through the beauty of his letters, she wants to save him, help him. Do everything that she can. The Love That I Have is a very confronting novel, it explores a different side of WWII that we don’t let see a lot. And I really enjoy it. But gosh this novel is brutal | 4.5 Stars

Bright We Burn (The Conqueror’s Saga #3) by Kiersten White: If you haven’t picked up this trilogy please do. Bright We Burn by Kiersten White is intense, brutal and keeps you on the edge of your seat. This book left me a mess but in the best possible way. This gender twist, historical fiction explores family, finding yourself and war. Lada and Radu and some of the most intriguing, captivating and alluring protagonist I have ever read and they will never leave me. It’s about war and betrayal, oh all the betrayal and will leave you gobsmacked right at the end. This books is dark, don’t forget that Lada is the female Vlad the Impaler | 5 Stars. Check out my full review

The Chase (Briar U #1) by Elle Kennedy:It was a great sports romance read that you all know I love. The romance was adorable and I loved how slow burning it was. Fitzy and Summer are adorable together and sometimes even sexy which was a nice combination. The Chase explores trusting in yourself and learning to love who you are. It’s about friendship and family and creating something new. If you are looking for a slow-burn college romance then this one is for you | 4 Stars. Check out my full review.

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller: If you haven’t read it and love Greek Mythology, please pick it up. And even if you don’t want to try some, it’s the perfect way to fall into it. The romance is beautiful and heartbreaking. The story will tear you to pieces, but you will be happy when it’s all over. If you are just looking for a fantastic read, then pick this up | 5 Stars. Also check out 5 reasons why I love it.

Queen of Air and Darkness (The Dark Artifices #3) by Cassandra Clare: I loved Queen of Air and Darkness. I didn’t know what to expect going in. I had to think the worse or else, I would have been even more shattered. Queen of Air and Darkness explores family, friend, love, and loyalty to its core. It explores forbidden love and family heartbreak. But with beautiful writing, fantastic characters and a plot that just keeps you guessing, you won’t be able to put the book down. If you have been thinking about picking up this series, please do. Clare is able to intertwine many different storylines, effortlessly, that just adds another layer to both her world and her characters| 5 Stars. Full Review.

Circus Hearts Trilogy by Ellie Marney: I love these books so much. I had the lovely chance of being Ellie’s beta reader for this series and I have so much love. I’ve now read nearly every one of Ellie’s published books and I have loved each one. This series is intense, full of romance and suspense and always kept me on the edge of my seat. It has the same core themes as other romance novels, but the fact that it’s set in a circus set’s it apart. Please pick this series up.

The Accidentals by Sarina Bowen: I loved The Accidentals by Sarina Bowen. It’s an emotional rollercoaster of a book, but it was so worth it. The Accidentals explores grief, family and finding yourself in this massive world. It’s a coming of age story that is explored through music and love. The romance and friendships are adorable and just added another dimension to the novel. The Accidentals also explores new family and sometimes it’s so hard to come together at times, but in the end, you do love each other. If you are looking for a book that may just pull you to pieces this is for you | 4 Stars, Check out my full review.

Royally Yours (Royally #4) by Emma Chase: Royally Yours by Emma Chase is addicting, intriguing and compelling. Royally Yours explores the notion of romance, fighting for what you believe in and loving yourself. It explores what it’s like to rule a country as a woman and the hardships that follow. The romance in Royally Yours is addicting, beautiful and full of chemistry| 4.5 Stars. Full Review

KGI Series by Maya Banks: This is a new romance series I started this year and I really, really enjoyed it. There are a whopping 11 books out so far and I have now read all of them now. This series follows KGI ‘A super elite, top secret, family-run business.’ All members have some sort of military background or training. And they just happen to always get into trouble. One of the things I love about this series that there isn’t really any ‘alpha males.’ Yes, they are protective of those that they love, but there is no demanding aspect and gosh I love it.

And that is it. Wow. As I said before 2018 was a good year for me, genre and readership-wise. I read a whole heap of different books and I just loved that. I hope that I can do the same in 2019, in saying that I am going on a book buying ban, so let’s see how it all goes.

What books did you love reading in 2018? Do we share any that is the same? Are you planning on reading any on my list? Let’s Chat!