Music! Coleman Hell - 2 Heads

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Review: The Taming of Malcolm Grant (The MacGregors: Highland Heirs #4) by Paula Quinn

AN ALLURING LASS
Emmaline Grey spends her days with her beloved dog, dreaming of the sea-until a brawling Highlander shatters her quiet life to pieces. Though her blindness prevents her from seeing his face, his voice is a warm blend of velvet and silk, and his rakehell ways unmistakable. Risking the wrath of a rival clan as she nurses him back to health, Emma soon realizes the real danger is the magnetic pull she feels to this half-naked Scot recovering in her bed.

A RECKLESS ROGUE
With his rugged handsomeness and wicked charm, Malcolm Grant wants nothing more out of life than whisky, women, and the occasional war. The only lass he's ever trusted left him with more scars than a battlefield. Yet now at the mercy of this sweet stranger, Malcolm can barely resist the gentle hands that make him feverish with desire-until Emma, the one he will never have, is the only woman he wants . . . ~ Goodreads

Source: ARC provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review

Review: Historical Romance can be a bit hit or miss with me. I tend to like the stories that break societal conventions rather than tip toe around the ton. Highlander romances are even more iffy – because – don’t throw things at me – I don’t like Scottish brogue. There I said it. It drives me nuts Chopping off all your words like that. Sounds like they’re whorfing up a hairball to me. lol

I was pleasantly surprised with The Taming of Malcolm Grant and that’s thanks to a feisty heroine who breaks the innocent virgin mold. She is an innocent virgin but she’s also smart, resourceful and not afraid to speak her mind. She also happens to be blind. While it is somewhat limiting – it doesn’t stop Emma from becoming a skilled healer or grabbing onto the joys of life.

Malcolm has the standard rogue reputation, but as with Emma, he breaks the stereotype. He’s a good man. Someone who wants more than a life of drink and women. He’s just not sure he’ll ever be able to find it.

Emma and Malcolm have excellent chemistry together. She’s honest and fearless and he respects her for it. He doesn’t coddle or protect her as others do because of her blindness. It was fun watching them fall in love.The Taming of Malcolm Grant is full of romance, action, betrayal and heartache.

I have to say that the last third felt a little overstuffed with multiple pov’s from villains and from characters that felt like more of a setup for their books (I’m assuming). It took me away from the main couple more than I would have liked and had a rushed feel – but it was still an action packed conclusion.

Even with that minor quibble, I loved it and I’m looking forward to reading more by this author. Malcolm’s brother is up next and that promises to be a pretty intense story after the events of this book. I would also like to go back and read The Wicked Ways of Alexander Kidd (The MacGregors: Highland Heirs #2). From the way Malcolm talks about his sister Caitrina and her life aboard a pirate ship, it sounds like a lot of fun.

Friday Fast Five: What You Might Not Know About Me Tag

Sarah from One Curvy Blogger (one of my favorite new blog discoveries btw) tagged me in her What You Did Not Know About Me post.

I’m going to combine it with my Friday Fast Five. I’m not  going to tag any specific bloggers (I don’t want anyone to feel pressured) but B is 4 has the *rules* that I obviously did not follow lol and feel free to jump on in!

***

Five Things You May Not Know About Me:

#1

I have iced coffee every single morning. Spring/winter/summer/fall. Whether it’s cold or hot outside.

And I make my own special blend. I combine 2/3 Starbucks Mocha with 1/3 Starbucks premade lightly sweetened Iced Coffee with a touch of half and half.

I only have one cup per day. Any more and WIRED but if I don’t have it by 9am, I turn into a raging monster. Just ask my husband.

#2

Bloggers, on a whole, are some of the most organized people I know. We have never met a google spreadsheet or planner we didn’t need.

And then there’s me.

The more organized and structured I try to make reading and blogging the more I freak out and shut down.

A simple sticky note on my computer works for me and a monthly planner to jot down posts as I go is all I do.

I keep my non netgalley/physical copy monthly reading on track with a shelf of ARC’s divided by release month. I write reviews as I go - if and when the inspiration/ mood hits.

That’s it. Any more and I freak out.

#3

I think most of you know that I love music and go to a lot of concerts but you would probably be surprised by how little I listen to music overall. I usually only listen for an hour or so per day (often less) while driving and only at home when I watch Palladia  ( Dish's HD Music channel) once or twice a week. I have Spotify but rarely use it.

I also tend to skip around a lot and don’t listen to many songs/groups more than one or two times.

Do I lose my music cred now?? lol

#4

If you’ve met me in real life, you probably already know this, but I’m SUPER shy. Most people seem surprised by this since I’m pretty open and talk a lot online. I hate being around a lot of people and unless I know you I’m like this awkward weirdo trying to force myself to say something coherent that doesn’t make me come off like a weirdo or a bitch. lol 

That’s why blogging has been so good for me. It MAKES me push out of my comfort zone.

#5

Before I started blogging I only read 1-2 books per year!!!

In fact, my very first blog was about politics. You couldn’t get me talk politics online for a million dollars now! But back then I was super vocal and opinionated.

My New Years resolution one year (I think 2008?) was to read one book a month and that led to my second attempt at blogging – For What It’s Worth – started in December of 2009. It was supposed to be a mix of books, music and movies/tv, my pets, and just about my life in general. More of an online journal. Somehow book blogging took off and it became an all consuming beast for me – overtaking everything else. I now read between 120-200 books per year.

After a few years of burnout – I realized I needed to get back to my roots if I was going to keep the blog running. Now I have more of a blend of things that interest me, rather than chasing trends or feeling pressured to do this any one way.

So that's it! 5 things about me! Let me know if you join in so I can learn something about YOU :-)

Happy TGIF everyone!

Review: Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy

Self-proclaimed fat girl Willowdean Dickson (dubbed “Dumplin’” by her former beauty queen mom) has always been at home in her own skin. Her thoughts on having the ultimate bikini body? Put a bikini on your body. With her all-American beauty best friend, Ellen, by her side, things have always worked . . . until Will takes a job at Harpy’s, the local fast-food joint. There she meets Private School Bo, a hot former jock. Will isn’t surprised to find herself attracted to Bo. But she is surprised when he seems to like her back.

Instead of finding new heights of self-assurance in her relationship with Bo, Will starts to doubt herself. So she sets out to take back her confidence by doing the most horrifying thing she can imagine: entering the Miss Clover City beauty pageant—along with several other unlikely candidates—to show the world that she deserves to be up there as much as any twiggy girl does. Along the way, she’ll shock the hell out of Clover City—and maybe herself most of all.

With starry Texas nights, red candy suckers, Dolly Parton songs, and a wildly unforgettable heroine— Dumplin’ is guaranteed to steal your heart. ~ Goodreads


Source: ARC provided by the publisher via BEA15

Review: I’ve been avoiding this book for a few months now. My twitter feed is filled with the “Dumplin pose”.

I had expected this larger than life, zany, confidant character – and I don’t mean her size - but her personality. What I got was a much more nuanced and authentic portrayal of a teenage girl in Willowdean Dickson, aka Dumplin’, to her mom.

Will starts out as a pretty confidant 16 year old, ok with her body and her life until she starts hitting some bumps in her relationship with BFF, Ellen, and after the cute boy at work, Bo, starts showing an interest in her. She's also been struggling with death of her aunt, who understood her in a way that her beauty pageant mom doesn't.

Will is a really complicated character. She's bold yet insecure. She’s is kind and generous but can also be self absorbed and myopic. That's hard to pull off but Murphy does it expertly. This was the kind of book where I didn’t always agree with Will's actions, yet I saw so much of myself in her that I found her to be completely relatable.

Let’s get to the romance. I personally didn’t think it was that big a part of the story. More of a catalyst for Willowdean to dig deeper and confront the insecurities she didn’t even know she had. Her friendships and relationship with her mom got equal footing. Dumplin' wasn't ALL about getting the boy.

There are two boys but it didn’t have a triangle feel (to me – others have thought differently). And I’m beyond love triangle phobic. But I think at 16 you try things out with different people. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. Neither boy is fully developed enough to worry about it but they’re both sweet and right ( & wrong) for her in their own ways.

For those who have read the book - I want to talk about something that happened with Bo early on and a little bit about Mitch   –  I’d love to hear what your thoughts were on it. SPOILERS AHEAD!
Highlight to read – SPOILER WARNING –> When Bo doesn’t acknowledge Willowdean as more than a co-worker or tell her about going to his school it was interpreted as him being embarrassed of her weight. I personally never got that vibe. I felt like he just wasn’t ready for a relationship with everything going on in his life with his scholarship, brother and screwing up with his ex. It wasn’t personal to Willowdean. And she did the exact same thing to him. She wasn’t ready to discuss they’re friendship/make out sessions either. She kept him a secret as well.
I thought Mitch was nice and she may have led him on a bit but they’re 16 and she was trying to move on from Bo. They only went on a few dates. More testing the waters than a relationship. It just didn’t feel like one of those real angsty love triangles to me. Awkward for sure but nothing that upset me.
I did find it weird that she judged Mitch differently. Like would it have been ok for Mitch to touch her back fat? Or was it just as simple as not having the same kind of attraction to Mitch – knowing it was never going to get to that level? Or was it because she felt inadequate thinking Bo was good looking? That’s the one I would pick and it made me sad. For her, Bo and Mitch. It didn’t really give anyone enough credit. But I guess that was the point.

You can DM on Twitter (@teamsehltie) with a comment or mark it as spoiler in the comment section

END SPOILER
Dumplin’ was about navigating different types of relationships and Willowdean learning to be comfortable with herself. Knowing and trusting that she was worth having good things in her life and being able to accept them.

I can’t say that Dumplin’ was that OMG best book ever kind of read for me but it was almost better than that. It cut close to home and my own personal experiences as a teenager. Those books tend to stay with me longer.

Julie wrote this great Dumplin’ release day post about why she wrote Willowdean’s story. How as a kid she felt she took up too much space. For me it was about not taking up enough space. When, as a teenager, I was awkward and shy. That I felt pushed to the background because I didn’t think I was good enough/bright enough for the spotlight. Because I was so wrapped up in my own self protective bubble to be bold or outgoing. It made me cringe because I saw myself at times in Willowdean’s actions. It’s the kind of book I wish I had at that age so I didn’t feel all alone.

The best YA is not “issue” specific. It’s something that taps into that universal feeling of “other” and I felt like Dumplin’ did that for me.

Music! Nothing but Thieves - Trip Switch

NOTHING BUT THIEVES - TRIP SWITCH

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New Adult Mini’s: Sacked by Jen Frederick & Anything but Broken by Joelle Knox

What he wants he gets...
Knox Masters is a quarterback's worst nightmare. Warrior. Champion. And...virgin. Knox knows what he wants--and he gets it. All American Football player? Check. NFL pros scouting him? Check. Now, he's set his sight on two things. The national title. And Ellie Campbell. Sure, she's the sister of his fellow teammate, but that's not going to stop him. Especially not when he’s convinced Ellie is the one.

...but he's never met her before.

But Ellie isn't as sure. She's trying to start a new life and she's not interested in a relationship...with anyone. Beside it's not just her cardinal rule of never dating her brother's teammates that keeps her away, but Ellie has a dark secret that would jeopardize everything Knox is pursuing.

Knox has no intention of losing. Ellie has no intention of giving in. ~ Goodreads


My thoughts: I’ve read a few books by this author and for whatever reason ( & I can’t even pinpoint why), I just don’t connect with her writing or characters. By all accounts I should have loved this book. The hero is as nice and loyal as can be and it’s relatively low angst for the NA world but nope…didn’t really care about anyone.

Knox falls head over heels instantly for Ellie. She’s the one. He’s also a virgin. Some people might take issue with the insta-love but I didn’t. Having an instant connection with someone isn't the same as an insta-relationship and Knox has to work overtime to woo Ellie. It was the virgin thing that got on my nerves after a while. It’s by choice – so he can focus on football – but jeeze Louise do we have to hear about it on almost every page?? It seems like it’s all anyone can think or talk about it. That and how many women poke their tits at him (his words – not mine).

The book was well written – well edited and for anyone looking for lower angst NA, I’m still going to recommend it to fans of the genre. It just wasn’t for me.

***  

After five years, tragedy brings Hannah Casey back to Hurricane Creek to bury what’s left of her family. She’s flunking out of college, haunted by scandal, and the only person who cares is Sean Whitlow, an irresistible bad boy with a soft spot for her. The problem? He’s her dead sister’s ex.

Sean doesn’t bleed red, he bleeds motor oil. During the week, he struggles to turn his auto repair shop into a profitable business. But when Saturday night rolls around, he’s the reigning stock-car king of the local race track. He doesn’t know how to lose–or how to walk away and leave Hannah alone with her grief.

Between her grades and her wealthy family’s dark secrets, Hannah’s barely holding her life together. And the last thing Sean needs is to get tangled up with another Casey girl. As the attraction between them spins out of control, they’ll either find a love with no limits–or go up in flames. ~ Goodreads


My thoughts: I was a little worried about the premise at first. Bad boy Sean Whitlow falls for his ex’s baby sister. The potential angst & squick factor was high but I really enjoyed Anything but Broken.

I thought the whole book was going to be Hannah trying to resist the “bad boy” and Sean trying to resist an “innocent” but nope – they liked each other, felt an attraction and went for it – openly and honestly. They also had a nice friendship in addition to the sexual chemistry.

For the life of me, I can’t figure out how Sean is the bad boy he's advertised as in the summary. He’s soooo nice, patient and gentle with Hannah. I guess because he races cars? Is a mechanic? That seems based more on stereotypes rather than any actions on Sean’s part. He’s an awesome guy.

There is a big secret of course, which I could have lived without. Not because it was poorly written but because I had it figured out so early on that I got impatient for them to catch on. It all comes to a head too late IMO. The resolution ends up being rushed but otherwise this was an emotional, well written romance.

Friday Fast 5!

#1

Jungle Book Official Trailer

This isn’t my childhood Jungle Book! What do you guys think?

#2

Pass it forward!

I love hearing about the GOOD things going on in the world!

Boy who received thousands of books shares the wealth

#3

Paris Hearts 2 Snippet

Most of you know of my Laura Florand obsession at this point. She shared a 7 line snippet from her, as yet untitled (from the Paris Hearts series), WIP this week. It’s a really great teaser that doesn’t need any prior knowledge of the series. 

"Her burglar grinned like a cat that had rolled in way too much catnip." Click to continue reading...

#4

Fall is in the air!

Well sort of. It’s FL so 80 instead of 90 is considered fall-ish in these parts lol Fall leaf colors are even rarer so I was excited to find this little beauty on my walk.

Also, despite my restricted diet (for acid reflux) it seems I’m able to drink SB Pumpkin Spice Latte. Woo-hoo!

#5

Book Nerd Problems – Trying to Find a New Book BFF

Happy TGIF!

Link anything fun you would like to share in the comments!

Review: Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

My disease is as rare as it is famous. Basically, I’m allergic to the world. I don’t leave my house, have not left my house in seventeen years. The only people I ever see are my mom and my nurse, Carla.

But then one day, a moving truck arrives next door. I look out my window, and I see him. He’s tall, lean and wearing all black—black T-shirt, black jeans, black sneakers, and a black knit cap that covers his hair completely. He catches me looking and stares at me. I stare right back. His name is Olly.

Maybe we can’t predict the future, but we can predict some things. For example, I am certainly going to fall in love with Olly. It’s almost certainly going to be a disaster. ~ Goodreads


Source: ARC provided at BEA2015 – Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Review: I’ve had Everything, Everything sitting on my shelf since June. It was one of those books that early reviewers were calling the best book of the year! A MUST READ! Honestly, I try to steer clear of those books until the hype dies down because my expectations reach a level that just can’t be fulfilled.

So I’ve basically avoided most reviews and set the book aside but several of my most trusted reviewer friends really liked it so I took the plunge and I have to say Everything, Everything was a delightful surprise.

“Love is worth everything. Everything.”

From Everything, Everything

The beautiful thing about Everything, Everything is it’s about different kinds of love. First love, familial love, irrational love, love of life and living. It’s a messy story – both beautiful and bittersweet with a few twists and turns. It’s a story that’s sad, whimsical, romantic and quirky. 

Madeline and Olly are the kind of teens that are hyper-self aware with an above average vocabulary which might be annoying to some but I found them to be enchanting and relatable. This is mostly thanks to Nicola Yoon’s inclusion of graphs, emails and drawings ( wonderfully illustrated by her husband, David Yoon).

For example, Madeline describes and illustrates her self diagnosis of Hysterical Abdominal Rhopalocera.

“Hysterical Abdominal Rhopalocera. The condition of having one or more monarch butterflies take up residence in the stomach. 

Who is affected by HAR?

The disease affects at least one teenaged American girl every 30 seconds”

Instead of being silly or cloying, I found Madeline’s drawings, lists, conversations with Olly, and one sentence spoiler book reviews to be raw and insightful. She’s so breathtakingly honest with herself and pragmatic that I found myself remembering all of my own teenage firsts.

Don’t be fooled – this isn’t just a book about falling in love for the first time. Both Madeline and Olly have very difficult lives with no easy answers but they dare to live and love fully despite the odds.

Everything, Everything has a deceptively sweet, easy, humorous feel to it but still packs an emotional punch. There is a solid, hopeful conclusion but things aren't necessarily wrapped up in a neat tidy bow.

My one criticism of the book is that I don't think it handled mental health very well. There's a bit of a twist to Madeline's story that is really awful, on a lot of levels, but was kind of brushed off in favor of the whimsy of the story and overall message of love - live!

But I had read some spoilers going in and kind of had an idea of what was coming. Plus, as I said earlier, I always try to temper my expectations of hyped titles. I took the book and messages for what they were and enjoyed it but I can see how this aspect would be off putting to some.

I hate to do book/author comparisons but I think this book would be a good fit for fans of David Levithan, John Green, Jandy Nelson.

Music: Until The Ribbon Breaks - A Taste Of Silver

Until the Ribbon Breaks - A Taste of Silver

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Hot Romance Mini’s: What Lola Wants by Calista Fox & Melting Point by Kate Meader

Lola Vonn isn't sure exactly when it happened, but sometime between ages seven and twentysomething, her best friend, Alex, got hot.Really hot. He's hotter than the blazing Arizona sun-and definitely hotter than the nerdy-cute mathlete she grew up with. And, when she needs to crash at his apartment while looking for a place of her own, Alex becomes a temptation she can't resist. But while unbuttoning Alex's buttoned-up self is scorchingly fun, wild child Lola fears risking the best friend she's ever had on a fling.

Alex Reed has wanted Lola since they were teenagers and now that she's parading around his condo in sexy stilettos and short nighties, he can't stop the more-than-just-friends fantasies he has every time he looks at his new curvy blonde roommate. Luckily he's no longer the painfully dorky teenager he once was-and it's high time he showed Lola that he's the man for her. ~ Goodreads

Source: e-arc provided by Grand Central Publishing in exchange for an honest review

Review: What Lola Wants is a fun friends to more novella – with the bonus nerd turned hot hero trope! Things move pretty quickly, which kind of threw me at first, until I realized it was a novella. It all made sense though, considering Lola’s exuberant, straight forward, personality and Alex’s long held crush for her.

They are total opposites but compliment each other perfectly, both in and out of the bedroom. They were a bit too talky for my tastes in the bedroom and I kept wondering if Lola would have noticed Alex if he hadn’t gotten so hot looking, but this was an enjoyable, romantic, sexy read.

***

Firefighter Gage Simpson has it all: the job of his dreams, the family of his heart, and no shortage of hot guys lining up to share his bed. “Fun and easy” is his motto—and it’s kept him sunny through a painful upbringing and steered him away from trouble. But when trouble comes knocking in the form of a sexy, scarred, tattooed chef with a harrowing past and zero communication skills, Gage can’t help but be drawn to the flame.

Brady Smith isn’t fun. And easy isn’t in his vocabulary. When cocky Gage swaggers into his restaurant kitchen, the former Marine-turned-five-star-chef is blindsided by the firefighter’s beauty. Then confused that this golden guy with the sparkling blue eyes and the body of a god might be interested in him. As desire flares and temperatures rise, Gage and Brady will have to figure out if the heat between them is just a temporary flash—or the beginning of something real. ~ Goodreads

Source: Purchased

Review: Lord have mercy – this novella was four alarm fire scorching hot! (ok – I’m done with firefighter puns)

Sexy, loyal, and extremely patient, firefighter, Gage Simpson, falls for the gruff chef Brady Smith who has a haunting past that makes him keep pushing Gage away – but when they connect. *sigh* It’s gooood. Sure it’s hot but this story was also super romantic and touching in a way I just wasn’t expecting for a novella. I really liked this one! (Thanks to Talk Supe for the rec!)

Friday Fast 5...

What to watch!

***

#1

You’re the Worst

Season 2 – FXX: Wednesday 10:30pm

I loved S1 of this series about two commitment phobic people who attempt a relationship after a hook-up. The supporting cast is great too! The characters are not really likeable in any way but that’s part of it’s charm.

#2

Z Nation

Season 2 – Syfy: Friday 10pm

This show started as Syfy cheesy fun but it’s gotten quite good at adding deeper meaning with a good dose of action and humor to the zombie apocalypse.

#3

Mr. Robot

Season 1 – USA: Stream episodes here

I talked about this show a little bit when it first started. Now that S1 just concluded and I definitely recommend it if you like a fan of wtf-ery and unreliable narrators.

#4

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

CBS: M-F 11:30pm

I feel like I’ve lost my lifeline to sanity with both Jon Stewart AND Colbert leaving their shows. I’m not sure how I’ll feel about this one – I’m not a fan of celebrity interview/variety shows - but I’m going to give it a try.

#5

Wild

HBO

This was a very slow paced movie but it was excellent. Sad but inspirational. It's nice to find a movie about a woman that doesn't revolve a man or finding a man. Loved it. 

Review: Once Upon Jasmine ( La Vie en Roses #2) by Laura Florand

From Reviewers’ Choice Book of the Year nominee and bestselling author Laura Florand:

Ruthless. That was what they said about Damien Rosier. Handsome. Wealthy. Powerful. Merciless. No one messed with his family, because to do so they would have to get through him. No one thought he had a heart. Not even the woman he gave his to.

Cynical. That was what they said about Jasmin Bianchi. A top perfumer of her generation, Jess had achieved commercial success by growing a protective shell over a tender heart. The one time she cracked it open to let Damien in, he crushed it—after a night of unbelievable passion.

Lovers. That one magical night couldn’t survive the harsh light of dawn. When Jess woke up to discover the man in bed beside her had stolen her company, she fled.

Enemies. Now she’s come to the south of France with a threat to his family heritage. If he wants to reclaim both it and the woman who walked away from him, he’s going to have to fight as dirty as only Damien can.

But Jess knows how to fight dirty, too. And these days, she has nothing left to lose.
Certainly not her heart.

Come explore the south of France, a world of heat and fragrance and tales as old as time, through the stories of the five powerful Rosier cousins and the women who win their hearts. A Wish Upon Jasmine, book two in Florand’s addictive new series, La Vie en Roses. “Explosive, sensual, and utterly sweet” (Eloisa James). ~ Goodreads

Source: e-arc provided by the author in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Laura Florand can do no wrong in my opinion. She is my go-to author when I need a story to just get lost in. Even the dogs are on notice not to bother me when I pick up one of her books. lol

I wasn’t sure I would enjoy the new La Vie en Roses series as much as her, previous, Amour et Chocolat series (one of my absolute favorites). I LOVED those burly chefs and they way they put all of their heart into each dessert, offering it up on a platter to the women they loved.

I should never have doubted. So far this series is just as enchanting. The romances are just as beautiful, but for me, it’s the Rosier family that has captured my heart. Especially family matriarch, Tante Collete. I adore how Florand has woven such a rich history for this family as Tante Collete plays matchmaker for the Rosier cousins.

Collete is a facilitator of romance, but she’s also a hardened Resistance war hero, who laid her life on the line to save many children during the war. As an older woman, she’s still trying to right the wrongs and injustices caused during those years, even thought her solutions sometimes hurt her family (at first). I just love this added layer and the relationship each of the men & love interests have with her.  And how this heals Tante Collete’s heart too. She’s a really wonderful character.

But of course this is a romance! Damien and Jess come together for one beautiful night until it all come crashing down the next morning.

Jess and Damien were a really difficult couple in all the best ways. Their passion & fears felt like open wounds at times but I loved how they just hurled insults, compliments and apologies at each other. They laid it all out there – open and raw. They were stubborn, fierce and fiery but never tried to change each other.

And as with all of Florand's books - there is sensory overload with the setting – Provence – during Jasmine picking season and Jess’s attempt at finding the perfect scents to encompass all that is Damien Rosier - super sext stuff!

Basically my pre-stamped approval for Laura Florand. If she writes it – read it. 

Music - FOALS - Mountain At My Gates

FOALS

Mountain At My Gates

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September TBR pile...

Here's what I *hope* to get read and reviewed for the month. I'm doing really well with my BEA books this year and I'm being very picky about accepting review books - only 2 at a time - no more until I read and review - then I'm allowed to request again. HUGE burden lifted! I don't feel swamped or pressured anymore.

Amazon Vine:
Placebo Junkies is an October release but needs to be reviewed within 30 days so I need to read it this month.

BEA Books:
Dumplin', Tonight the Streets Are Ours, Everything Everything, Mr. Puffball, I Crawl Through It and Zeroes


For Review:What Lola Wants – Hachette
The Taming of Malcom Grant (The MacGregors: Highland Heirs #4) by Paula Quinn - Hachette

I’m looking forward to Tonight the Streets Our Are Own the most – I loved Sales debut, This Song Will Change Your Life. I’ll probably read Everything, Everything first since it’s out now & has great reviews. Why do I even have Mr. Puffball??? O_O lol and Zeroes is pretty big – I get intimidated by big books so I’m betting that’s the one, if any, that will fall through the cracks this month.

*Psst -  I also have a great (international) giveaway going on for the month – The September Pick Your Book Giveaway

What’s on your TBR this month?

Review: Fairest (The Lunar Chronicles #3.5) by Marissa Meyer

In this stunning bridge book between Cress and Winter in the bestselling Lunar Chronicles, Queen Levana’s story is finally told.

Mirror, mirror on the wall,
Who is the fairest of them all?

Fans of the Lunar Chronicles know Queen Levana as a ruler who uses her “glamour” to gain power. But long before she crossed paths with Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress, Levana lived a very different story – a story that has never been told . . . until now.

Marissa Meyer spins yet another unforgettable tale about love and war, deceit and death. This extraordinary book includes full-color art and an excerpt from Winter, the next book in the Lunar Chronicles series. ~ Goodreads


Source: Finished copy provided by the publisher via BEA15

Review: I enjoy Meyer’s Lunar Chronicle series, but I’m not a huge fan of it, as so many others are. It’s wildly hit or miss for me so I wasn’t super excited to read this. I believe it came out not too long after the movie Maleficent, and while I loved that movie, I didn’t want to see Queen Levana humanized to the point of pity or sympathy, as Maleficent was. Sometimes I like my villains to stay - villains. Reviews started to trickle in that it wasn’t that kind of story so I decided to give it a try.

This is considered a novella (I think – it’s shorter – 220 pages - but feels like a full length story) and a companion novel to the Lunar Chronicle series and while I suppose you don’t need to read it, you really should. It explains SO much. About Levana, Cinder and it’s a crazy good introduction to Winter’s story (the next and final book of the series).

So did Fairest soften Levana? God no! If anything I like her even less. That woman is diabolical. Sure you see how different things shaped her, but it’s clear that she was never going to be a nice person, no matter what.

I felt empathy for how alone she must have felt in the palace, for things that happened to her at the hands of her (beautiful) sister, for being raised by neglectful parents, but she hits a level of cruelty that can’t be explained away.

She does a lot of horrible things – both physically and psychologically - but when she crossed the line of taking away a certain characters free will, I felt ill. I wonder how much of this would have even made it to print if there was a man doing some of the things she does. I mean, I was just horrified by her. She is straight up delusional.

As a character study, it was both fascinating and horrifying. Levana garnered no sympathy from me but it was an excellent addition to the series and leaves you breathless with anticipation for Winter – which I wasn’t even looking forward to before.

September Pick Your Book Giveaway!

I haven’t done one of these giveaways since February. I’m going to try to get back to doing them every month. We shall see lol

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You can win any ONE book up to $15.00 value as long as it is released during the month of September.

Here are a few ideas to get you started but you can pick whatever book you want (as long as it releases in September)

For inspiration check out these lists:  Popular September Releases | September Releases | September Mystery Book Releases | New and Upcoming - PW

The winner will be announced on October 1st on this post - on the rafflecopter form - and notified by email. Winner has 48 hours to respond or I will pick another winner.

International entries OK as long as The Book Depository ships to your country.

To enter – fill out the Rafflecopter form and answer the question – What book book are you most looking forward to in September?

Extra Entries:
All *optional* and NOT required. Do as few or as many as you would like. (follow links are in the sidebar)

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