Angel Reads

18 Jul

Romance Recs: Favourite College Romances

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It’s for a new romance recommendations post! I love doing these posts so much. And today is one of my favourite sub-genres. I love reading college romances. I find them so much fun to read and they are seriously addicting. There was a time when it was mostly what I read. So today I’m sharing some of my favourites.

I tried to share books that I haven’t spoken about before in this series, but there will be a few crossovers as I couldn’t help but add them to this list. Please do check out the other recommendation posts in this series for more of my favourite romances. Let’s get into it like always these are in no order.

The Deal (Off-Campus #1) by Elle Kennedy: I couldn’t do this post and not include Elle Kennedy’s Off-Campus series – that just isn’t right. I first read this series back in 2016 and fell in love with everything about it. It’s such a fun series and if you are looking for some college romances then this is it.

Getting Lucky Number Seven (Taking Shots #1) by Cindi Madsen: This was one of the first college romances I read, and I had so much fun reading it. I love the different characters, the different stories and how each character is trying to figure out their lives.

The Year We Fell Down (The Ivy Years #1) by Sarina Bowen: Again I couldn’t do this post without including Sarina Bowen, and this has to be one of my favourite college romances series. I love so many books from this series that I really couldn’t pick a favourite, but The Year We Fell Down is very close to winning for me.

Bringing Down the Duke (A League of Extraordinary Women #1) by Evie Dunmore: I didn’t even think about this one until I was going through all my read books. But it’s perfect. I loved Bringing Down the Duke so much. It’s fun, entering and different from other colleges/university romances and that is what makes it stand out.

Full Measures (Flight & Glory #1) by Rebecca Yarros: This technically doesn’t happen fully just in college but flight school as well. But I had to include it. Because this is one of my favourite romance series of all times. It makes me cry and laugh and everything in between.

Undeclared (Woodlands, #1) by Jen Frederick: This is such a fun series and it’s one that I could go back and re-read a few times. It’s exactly what you want from a college romance.

Wilder (The Renegades #1) by Rebecca Yarros: This series is college at sea, so why wouldn’t I add this to my list. I love how different it is from all the other college romances I’ve read. But also has the same tropes, even when they are on the water. This is such a fun series.

And that is it for this post! Have you read any of these? What did you think? What are some college romance series that you gave read and loved? Let’s Chat!

17 Jul

My Life in Books | Book Tag

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Book Tag Time! I just always have so much fun doing bookish tags and I want to do them a lot more. Are you enjoying them? Today I’ve decided to do the My Life In Books Tag. I can’t seem to find the original creator, but if anyone knows whom that might be. Please do let me know. I did see this tag over at Pretty Purple Polka Dots. So go and check them out!

Before I get into this, I just want to check in with you all. Are you doing okay? How is everything going? What are you reading at the moment? I hope everything is good with you all. Let’s get into today’s bookish tag.

I tried to do something different here and with questions that didn’t regard books that I haven’t read yet. I tried to pick from my read books. Mostly trying to stick with books that I’ve read in the last couple of years.

Find a book for each of your initials

A: After the Fall (The Fallen Men #4) by Giana Darling. I just posted my series review the other day, but gosh damn did this book hurt.

S: Scarlet (The Lunar Chronicles #2) by Marissa Meyer. I did a re-read of this series a few months ago and gosh damn I love it. Scarlet is probably my least favourite, but it’s still a 4 star.

G: Girl Against the Universe by Paula Stokes. I read this one a few months ago and it was such a fantastic read. Check out my review now.

Count your age along your bookshelf – what book is it?

So this is slightly hard at the moment as I’m current re-arranging and building new bookcases. So my books are all over the place. But I just started from the first stack of books that I currently have.

The Midnight Lie (The Midnight Lie #1) by Marie Rutkoski is the one that was picked! Ah, I need to get on reading this one. Marie Rutkoski’s Winners Trilogy is one of my favourites and I can’t wait to read more from her.

A book set in your city/country

Every Breath (Every #1) by Ellie Marney has to be my pick for this one. It’s one of my favourite books and series of all time – and it’s set in Melbourne. I just love everything about this series. It’s got so many things that I love and if you haven’t had the chance to pick it up please do.

A book that represents a destination you’d love to travel to

Bringing Down the Duke (A League of Extraordinary Women #1) by Evie Dunmore. I mean I’ve already been to the UK. But I am dying to go again. I could live there. That’s not just a saying. I want to live there. But we will see. I love Bringing Down the Duke so much, and if you haven’t had the chance to check out my review, do.

A book that’s your favourite colour

If you haven’t realised purple is my favourite colour. Has been since I was little, I don’t even think I’ve ever had a different favourite colour. I picked Who Wants to Marry a Duke (Duke Dynasty #3) by Sabrina Jeffries for this one, look at that cover. And also I’m loving Sabrina Jefferies at the moment. My review for this one will be coming very soon!

Which book do you have the fondest memories of?

This just has to be Cassandra Clare books in general. She introduced me to this world that I now love so much. Her characters are fantastic, her plots kill me and the romances are seriously some of the best. Lady Midnight was a game-changer for me and gosh I just want to read more and more.

Which book did you have the most difficulty reading?

I really didn’t know which way to go with this question. Was it hard because of the content or just hard to get through? I’m going with a book that made me cry so damn much and that is The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo.

I’m not even joking I cried for the last 4o minutes of the audio. And not a nice little tear, I was a full-on sobbing mess. Check out my review for more.

Which book in your TBR pile will give you the biggest accomplishment when you finish it?

This isn’t hard. The Diviners (The Diviners #1) by Libba Bray. This is on my Best Friend TBR and I still haven’t read it. I will get to it. I hope. I’ve tried it once before and it wasn’t what I in the mood for. Hopefully, soon I can pick it.

And that is it for the My Life In Books Tag! I had so much fun with this one, and some of the questions really made me think. I’m not tagging anyone, but if you would like to do it, then consider yourself tagged! Have you read any of these books? What did you think of them? Let’s Chat!

16 Jul

Heat, Flying High and Birthday Girl | Mini Romance Reviews

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Today I thought I would share some mini-reviews of recent romance books that I have read. Two are 2020 releases while the last one is new to me author that I picked up for the first time. Let’s get into it.

High Heat (Hotshots #2) by Annabeth Albert

Pages: 336
Publish date: July 27, 2020
Publisher: Carina Press
ISBN: 9781488057069
Purchase: Book Depository – Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU

Smoke jumping is Garrick Nelson’s life. Nothing, not severe injuries nor the brutal physical therapy that follows, is going to stop him from getting back with his crew. But when a lost dog shows up on his front porch, he can’t turn her away, and he can’t take care of her on his own. Thankfully, help comes in the form of his new sexy, dog-loving neighbour. As they work together, trying to re-home their little princess, Garrick can’t resist his growing attraction for the other man, even though he knows this guy isn’t the staying type.

Rain Fisher doesn’t take anything too seriously. He dances through life, one adventure at a time, never settling in one place for too long. When his hot, conveniently buff, neighbour shows up on his doorstep, dog in tow, Rain’s determined to not just save the adorable puppy, but her reluctant owner as well. He never expects their flirtation might tempt him into stay put once and for all…

High Heat:

I received an earc of High Heat by Annabeth Albert from Carina Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way influenced my thoughts and feelings about a book.

I was looking forward to High Heat. I enjoyed book one in the series as well as Annabeth Albert’s previous book. But this one just wasn’t for me. From the start, I wasn’t clicking with the characters or the story. Which I found strange. I enjoyed Garrick in the first book and I was so looking forward to getting to know him more. But as soon as I was in his perspective, it fell flat to me.

Both Garrick and Rain were both interesting characters, but that is what they felt like; characters. I love when an author can make me see their characters as real people, but I didn’t feel that here. They were entertaining and I liked getting to know them. But they were just on the page.

Garrick is this tough guy that wants to get to the job he was going before the accident. But he can’t and it takes him a long time to realise that. I enjoyed seeing this. You all know me I love seeing different types of disabilities in books, and I really liked the way that Annabeth Albert explored it here. Garrett wasn’t only dealing with the physical pain of his injury, but also the mental. I think that Albert had a great balance of this.

Rain was such a character – he did make me laugh several times. But then there were times where I felt that his personality took over the story in High Heat instead of helping it. If that makes any sense at all.

Overall, I was disappointed with High Heat by Annabeth Albert. I was really looking forward to Garrett’s story, but I was disappointed with the outcome. The romance was something that I liked, but I felt the characters were a little flat. I enjoyed the representation of disability and the many aspects that come with it. But the plot didn’t grab me. I might continue with the series – I will just have to wait and see.

Classified (The Elite #3) by Brooke Blaine and Ella Frank

Pages: 226
Publish date: 21 June 2020
Publisher: –
ISBN: 9798653162893
Purchase: Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU

MATEO MORGAN
CALL SIGN: SOLO

GRANT HUGHES
CALL SIGN: PANTHER

In the heat of the hot California sun, tempers flare and desires ignite as Solo and Panther try to resist their attraction while fighting to be number one.
With passion this intense, the question remains:
Who’s gonna come out on top?

Classified:

I read the first two books in The Elite Series earlier this year and enjoyed them a lot. And with the second book finishing on a cliff hanger, I knew I needed to read book three as soon as it came out. I enjoyed it and felt like it was the perfect ending to this series.

The romance in Classified really brings the heat and I love it, Morgan and Grant and just so adorable together and I loved that the reader gets to see a different side of them in this book. The first two books in this series are about them understanding their feelings for one another and letting things go. But Classified explores their relationship more.

I did feel that the cliffhanger from book two was a little letdown. I didn’t feel that there was enough tension at that moment. It’s later in the novel that the tension is brought to the forefront. But I would have liked to see more of it from the getgo.

Both Morgan and Grant are great characters and I really enjoyed seeing them explore their relationship more. But they also had their moments. Miscommunication and insecurities are one of the main force of turmoil in this novel. And while I normally don’t like this, it did work well her.

Overall, I enjoyed reading Classified by Brooke Blaine and Ella Frank. It was a great conclusion to the series and brought together some great moments. I loved Morgan and Grant together, and the ending had me smiling so much. This is a great little series that is great for someone that loves military romances but wants something a little different.

Birthday Girl by Penelope Douglas

Pages: 416
Publish date: April 15, 2018
Publisher: Penelope Douglas LLC
ISBN: 9781976333088
Purchase: Book Depository – Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU

JORDAN

He took me in when I had nowhere else to go. He doesn’t use me, hurt me, or forget about me. And he listens to me, protects me, and sees me. I can feel his eyes on me over the breakfast table, and my heart pumps so hard when I hear him pull in the driveway after work.

I have to stop this. It can’t happen.

My sister once told me there are no good men, and if you find one, he’s probably unavailable. Only Pike Lawson isn’t the unavailable one.
I am.

PIKE

I took her in because I thought I was helping. As the days go by, though, it’s becoming anything but easy. I have to stop my mind from drifting to her and stop holding my breath every time I bump into her in the house. I can’t touch her, and I shouldn’t want to.

But we’re not free to give into this. She’s nineteen, and I’m thirty-eight.

And her boyfriend’s father.

Unfortunately, they both just moved into my house.

Birthday Girl:

Penelope Douglas has been on my to-read list for a few years now. But I didn’t know where to start. After hearing pretty great things about Birthday Girl, I thought it was a perfect choice. And I’m really glad that I decided with this one. While it wasn’t my favourite book I’ve ever read, I did enjoy reading it.

Both protagonist were such a pleasure to read and I loved getting to know both of them throughout Birthday Girl. At times I felt that their characters felt a little flat. But it wasn’t the whole book. Jordan was interesting and I liked getting to know her. I loved her growth as well.

Pike was a really interesting character. I didn’t particularly love him, but I didn’t hate him, just indifferent. I liked knowing about him and knowing his feelings. But I didn’t care too much. At times I felt that he was just annoying.

I enjoy reading age-gap romances and there is one here for sure. The romance had a great built-up I enjoyed seeing that a lot. It’s a slow burn one for sure, so that is not your thing, then this isn’t for you. But I did enjoy seeing the relationship build between Jordan and Pike. It went from nothing to something quite sweet. In saying this, I did feel that the book ended before the reader gets to see Jordan and Pike together. It’s a big book and I felt like as soon as anything happened – the book ended.

Talking about age-gap romance. I like how it was handle here. A big deal wasn’t made, but it was also not overlooked. It was a great balance and that was perfect.

Overall I enjoyed reading Birthday Girl by Penelope Douglas. It was a great romance novel that I would recommend to others, especially those looking for age-gap romances. Jordan and Pike were great together, even though I wished I saw more of them together. I will need to pick up something from Penelope Douglas again for sure.