Audio: Race the sands by Sarah Beth Durst

Narrated by: Emily Ellet

Length: 15 hrs and 45 mins

Unabridged Audiobook

Release date: 04-21-20

Language: English

Publisher: HarperAudio

YA Fantasy

For review

This one was a tough one, the first half was very boring and I felt like giving up a bunch of times.

It starts with a girl running away, meets a trainer, starts riding a monster, and will race that monster. Is super good at riding that monster. And well it never really picks up. Oh and her parents are asshats too.

Then not a lot happens. They race, but the races are like a sentence long.

The kingdom is in turmoil cos for the new emperor to be crowned, they need to find the soul of the old one.

I mean the world was interesting, the narrator was good. But the first, no the 70% of the story was lacking. It did get interesting at the end, but then again it just dragged. I am torn

Life, death, and rebirth - in Becar, who you are in this life will determine your next life. Yet there is hope - you can change your destiny with the choices you make. But for the darkest individuals, there is no redemption: you come back as a kehok, a monster, and are doomed to be a kehok for the rest of time.

Unless you can win the Races.

After a celebrated career as an elite kehok rider, Tamra became a professional trainer. Then a tragic accident shattered her confidence, damaged her reputation, and left her nearly broke. Now, she needs the prize money to prevent the local temple from taking her daughter away from her, and that means she must once again find a winning kehok...and a rider willing to trust her.

Raia is desperate to get away from her domineering family and cruel fiancé. As a kehok rider, she could earn enough to buy her freedom. But she needs a first-rate trainer.

Impressed by the inexperienced young woman’s determination, Tamra hires Raia and pairs her with a strange new kehok with the potential to win - if he can be tamed.

But in this sport, if you forget you’re riding on the back of a monster, you die. Tamra and Raia will work harder than they ever thought possible to win the deadly Becaran Races - and in the process, discover what makes this particular kehok so special.

Audio: First comes Scandal by Julia Quinn

Narrated by: Rosalyn Landor

Series: The Rokesbys, Book 4

Length: 9 hrs and 6 mins

Unabridged Audiobook

Release date: 04-21-20

Language: English

Publisher: HarperAudio

Historical romance

For review

Poor Georgiana, she got abducted, and that makes her ruined. Ugh the times right! Her choices are marry the guy, no way, he can rot! Or be the talk of the town, or...

Nicholas is studying medicin., and I am sure he will become a great doctor cos he sure has the touch.

I mean, honestly, nothing happened. They are neighbor, they talk, they marry since scandal and all, then they take a looong drive up to Scotland. There they get a house and the book ends. Yeah, no drama at all, not that I want silly drama, but it was rather emotionless at times. Nothing happened. Except for some silly cat business.

They do fit together, and they have been friends forever. And obvi they then fall in love. But yes no real hardship or anything scarier than a howling cat.

So I am a bit torn, I do love Quinn, but the two latest books by her have been a bit so and so.

Narration.

Ok so I must have neg feelings about the book cos now I do not remember one thing

Georgiana Bridgerton isn't against the idea of marriage. She'd just thought she'd have some say in the matter. But with her reputation hanging by a thread after she's abducted for her dowry, Georgie is given two options: live out her life as a spinster or marry the rogue who has ruined her life.

As the fourth son of an earl, Nicholas Rokesby is prepared to chart his own course. He has a life in Edinburgh, where he's close to completing his medical studies, and he has no time—or interest—to find a wife. But when he discovers that Georgie Bridgerton—his literal girl-next-door—is facing ruin, he knows what he must do.

It might not have been the most romantic of proposals, but Nicholas never thought she'd say no. Georgie doesn't want to be anyone's sacrifice, and besides, they could never think of each other as anything more than childhood friends... or could they?

But as they embark upon their unorthodox courtship, they discover a new twist to the age-old rhyme. First comes scandal, then comes marriage. But after that comes love..

TMST

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post on Rainy Day Ramblings where Rainy discuss a wide range of topics from books to blogging. Weigh in and join the conversation by adding your thoughts in the comments. If you want to do your own post, grab the question and answer it on your blog.

April 28th: What are some series you started or fell behind on that you would like to pick back up?

Tricky, since if I have fallen behind I have probable forgotten all about reading it

Like that series about that girl who rode a horse...green rider series?

I read Behind the throne by KG Wagers in 2016 and really liked it, but that was 4 years ago! I doubt I will read more now :/

And there was this fantasy series that was really good! Like in 2013 something, but I could never get a hold of book 2 and the years went by. Now I remember nothing about it.

Oh and the spell UF series by McLeod? What happened there?

My answer is the end, when I do fall behind I 99% never pick them up again.

Joint Discussion: Wild Country

Hello all! Carole  and I will be discussing "Wild Country" by Anne Bishop. I am in red and Carole  in blue.

Author: Anne Bishop

Narrator: Alexandra Harris

Title: Wild Country (The World of the Others #2) (The Others #7)

Genre: UF, Fantasy, Paranormal

Published:  March 5th 2019

Format: audiobook

Pages: 492

There are ghost towns in the world—places where the humans were annihilated in retaliation for the slaughter of the shape-shifting Others.

One of those places is Bennett, a town at the northern end of the Elder Hills—a town surrounded by the wild country. Now efforts are being made to resettle Bennett as a community where humans and Others live and work together. A young female police officer has been hired as the deputy to a Wolfgard sheriff. A deadly type of Other wants to run a human-style saloon. And a couple with four foster children—one of whom is a blood prophet—hope to find acceptance.

But as they reopen the stores and the professional offices and start to make lives for themselves, the town of Bennett attracts the attention of other humans looking for profit. And the arrival of the Blackstone Clan, outlaws and gamblers all, will uncover secrets…or bury them.

The end of an era, we have listened to them all. I am sad.

Awwwwww so sad. I hope we get more one day, but who knows….the author probably wants to write other stuff. Such a good series!

I get that she wanted to get back to her other world, but, I LOVE this world. I love The Others. I HATE humans. I want more of that. I mean the peace right now is so fragile.

(oop - sorry I vanished for a min - I had to pull my strawberry cinnamon rolls out of the oven and frost them really quick) Yesss i get that she wants to do other stuff, but I feel there is still more story here. Lots of characters. I want to see more of a conclusion with everyone especially with these guys. It took me forever to fall in love with them and I am not ready to say goodbye yet! 

Second time around for me, so I did already love them. They are all so great! Virgil, who is so omg I want to hug him but he would eat me. Tolya who is so sanguinati. Jesse (I think she took a while for me to warm up to the first time around.) Barb who is so bubbly! Miss Plaguebringer, aye. Ok so everyone! Except for Abby, I hate Abby, oh and the bad guys ;)

I do feel bad for Abby. I do not like her, but I felt for her. BUT she needed to be honest and not so sneaky. It’s HER fault the baddies came. It took me a while to warm up to Virgil and his deputy...I think that is why the first couple of hours took me an eon to finish, but after a certain scene I was hooked. 

My heart just broke for me cos I knew what he had been through and I wished he could have eaten all the bad guys at once! And like I told, first time I read I wondered why people are so freaking stupid. Now during a pandemic, well people are stupid. They would totally still mess with the Others even after the others have wiped out towns. People are stupid as fuck.

Yess they should’ve just eaten them after Abby told them about them. Terrible people. And yesss, this series showed us how stupid people are and we are living through this pandemic and we see how idiotic people are. That is why there HAS to be more story!! There are still humans who think they are better and hate the Others. 

Thin the herds! Humans in this world do not deserve to live here, some do, but then there are the stupid one who think they can rule over everything and take what they want. SO yes I was very angry at the deputy at times. Who cares about the law, these are bad people, they need to be eaten.

I can get her point of view sometimes. She is thinking with human laws, not Other laws. Which was bound to be a transition for her for sure to realize she isn’t in the big city anymore. 

 I do get it, but these people. No second chances. She lives in a town where everyone got killed. Even the nice ones :/

Yepppp. No second chances. It is the Wild, Wild West here. 

So what did you think of the fact that this book takes place during book 5?

That was fun! I mean we know the conclusion, but I was still worried! LOL. It was fun to see how everything intertwined and impacted each other. 

I was not a fan to be honest, book 6 takes place after this so I mean I wanted to know about the future, and not things we have already gone through.

Really? Maybe I am just hopeful we’ll get another book that will tie these two together? LOL but I thought it was fun to see what was going on in another city. I do wish we could’ve got an epilogue or something if this is destined to the last one forever. 

Tie these two together? Which 2? Lake Silence?

All of them!! LOLL One big battle. All the cities and all the characters in one big book. LOL Am I thinking too big here? Do I want too much? Probably. xD

Lol, well the big battle was book 4 so I doubt it. The Elders are out there and will crush anything before it starts. I just want to see what happened after, like in 10 years or something

I want that too. But I want all the characters to meet. Have another big battle but they all have to team up or something. Then we get a nice big epilogue where everyone gets their HEA. 

Awww that would be nice :) But I do want new stories too, and maybe new continents!?

Awww that would be fun too. I just want more. I’ll take what I can! This world is soooo fun.

Same! Yes, everyone should try this series, in audio! Alexandra Harris is the best, she is amaaaaazing.

Yesss she is an awesome narrator. The audio is way better. Granted I only read book 1….so I can’t compare contrast. But I feel like the narrator really brings these characters to life. 

I would never imagine them this well in my head. Listen! :D

And what will we now do with our lives? More crappy books lol. This is really the best we have managed. 

Hahaha Same. I think with a huge cast of characters a narrator is really helpful, especially if they have a good range of voices to use. 

Sighs, yes, this was the best run we have had! We usually only get good books sprinkled in among the meh books. We’ll have to dig deep...or maybe we overthink? Maybe we just need to random pick. LOL Put a bunch of titles in a big hat and let the Fates decide? 

I think we overthink it. I often look at ratings, and that is not how I roll when I pick my own books! SO why do I do it here?

Same! I normally read reviews and ratings only when I’m trying to find something for us. So I say we let Fate decide. We pick some random ones and not look at ratings! Just the title and the summary!

Good call! Ratings are evil :)

They are! They are soooo evil and tricky. So next month we will let the Hat decide! LONG LIVE THE HAT!

The end.

Short Movie Review: Long Shot

Journalist Fred Flarsky reunites with his childhood crush, Charlotte Field, now one of the most influential women in the world. As she prepares to make a run for the Presidency, Charlotte hires Fred as her speechwriter and sparks fly.

Director: Jonathan Levine

Writers: Dan Sterling (screenplay by), Liz Hannah (screenplay by) | 

Stars: Charlize Theron, Seth Rogen, June Diane Raphael

2h 5min | Comedy, Romance

I liked it. It was fun. Rogen is good, Theron is good.

Though the Sweden bit, really, that is one mighty mountain there.

Recommend or not.
Sure, it was fun, go ahead and watch.

The queen of blood by Sarah Beth Durst

Mass Market Paperback, 388 pages
Published April 25th 2017 by Harper Voyager (first published September 20th 2016)
Series: The Queens of Renthia #1
Fantasy 
own

This felt (to me) light and also a really scary world. There are spirits everywhere, queens hold them in check, cos else the spirits go on killing sprees. Even when the queens hold then in check, this does make this one of the scarier worlds I have encountered. The spirits wants to kill kill and kill all humans.

I have read a book in this world before, but that was a stand alone set in this world. Even scarier spirits there.

Here we have Daleina who wants to become an heir to protect her people. I do think she would be right for it, but at the same time, I feel she needs more because these spirits will be the death of her. I know what lurk beneath.

The book is about her training, about learning about spirits and what it means to be queen. She does have the right ideas.

But this is a trilogy and it is about to get ugly. Still it did end without a cliffhanger, so that was good. And I do want more because this world needs strength.

Everything has a spirit: the willow tree with leaves that kiss the pond, the stream that feeds the river, the wind that exhales fresh snow . . .

But the spirits that reside within this land want to rid it of all humans. One woman stands between these malevolent spirits and the end of humankind: the queen. She alone has the magical power to prevent the spirits from destroying every man, woman, and child. But queens are still just human, and no matter how strong or good, the threat of danger always looms.

With the position so precarious, young women are chosen to train as heirs. Daleina, a seemingly quiet academy student, is under no illusions as to her claim to the throne, but simply wants to right the wrongs that have befallen the land. Ven, a disgraced champion, has spent his exile secretly fighting against the growing number of spirit attacks. Joining forces, these daring partners embark on a treacherous quest to find the source of the spirits’ restlessness—a journey that will test their courage and trust, and force them to stand against both enemies and friends to save their land . . .  before it’s bathed in blood.

Audio: A cowboy under the mistletoe by Jessica Clare

Narrated by: Abby Craden

Series: Wyoming Cowboy Series, Book 3

Length: 7 hrs and 23 mins

Unabridged Audiobook

Release date: 04-21-20

Language: English

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Contemporary romance

In exchange for an honest review

This story was sweet all way through. They just fitted each other so well.

Justin suffers from ptsd, he lost his support dog and he is hanging on by a thread. So he gets a new job as a cowboy and he can't even ride a horse.

He meets Sage, who is sweet, bubbly, has 3 jobs in 1, and he is so right, people do not really see her, but they expect her to be there. She helps him out and they become friends.

I liked how they become friends, how they become more and it feels so right. He sees her like no one else has. And she does not see the issues he has, but embraces it all.

A really sweet book, a tiny bit of drama, and a happy ending.

I liked the narrator. She did well with voices and the feel of the book

Former Navy master-at-arms Jason Clements is down on his luck and calling in one last favor. His cousin has secured him a job opportunity as a cowboy working at Price Ranch in Wyoming. Too bad Jason has never even saddled a horse. If he can keep this job without his PTSD getting in the way, it'll be a Christmas miracle.

Local busybody Sage Cooper loves Painted Barrel something fierce, but it's time for her to move on. Since her father passed away, the family ranch feels too big for just her, and there's no chance of finding a husband in this small town. To the rest of the world, she's just another local fixture, known for her closet full of ugly Christmas sweaters and being perpetually single.

It isn't until Jason shows up in desperate need of a cowboy crash course that Sage discovers a tall, dark, and handsome reason to stick around. And with the holidays coming up, Sage is in need of a date for a special event - maybe they'll turn out to be each other's best Christmas present.

TMST

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post on Rainy Day Ramblings where Rainy discuss a wide range of topics from books to blogging. Weigh in and join the conversation by adding your thoughts in the comments. If you want to do your own post, grab the question and answer it on your blog.

April 21st: What time periods are you drawn to in books?

For my romance I do love my early 19th century. That is the best time for some good ton romance.

But if I would have to choose a time, omg that is so hard. I tend to like 11th to 13 century. It is an interesting time. Because after that comes the plague and we do not need that. Then comes the Renaissance, and for me it gets good again in time for a new century. 19th.

And of course really early eras are always good too. So yes I like my early stuff.

Carole's Monday: Plaid and Plagiarism

Author: Molly MacRae

Title: Plaid and Plagiarism

(Highland Bookshop Mystery #1)

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Fiction

Format: paper/hardcover

Pages: 279

Published:  December 6th 2016 

Where I Got It: My shelf (Used book store)

Set in the weeks before the annual Inversgail Literature Festival in Scotland, Plaid and Plagiarism begins on a morning shortly after the four women take possession of their bookshop in the Highlands. Unfortunately, the move to Inversgail hasn’t gone as smoothly as they’d planned.

First, Janet Marsh is told she’ll have to wait before moving into her new home. Then she finds out the house has been vandalized. Again. The chief suspect? Una Graham, an advice columnist for the local paper—who’s trying to make a name for herself as an investigative reporter. When Janet and her business partners go looking for clues at the house, they find a body—it’s Una, in the garden shed, with a sickle in her neck. Janet never did like that garden shed.

Who wanted Una dead? After discovering a cache of nasty letters, Janet and her friends are beginning to wonder who didn’t, including Janet’s ex-husband. Surrounded by a cast of characters with whom readers will fall in love, the new owners of Yon Bonnie Books set out to solve Una’s murder so they can get back to business.

This was a random find at the little book store in town from a couple of years ago. It's set in Scotland, there is a book store, and there was is a murder to be solved! What is there not to like? 

The story follows Janet and her friends who open their own store in a small town in Scotland. However, the move has not been going as smoothly as they'd planned. Janet finds her new home was vandalized and they find a dead body in the garden shed. Who wanted this woman dead and why? 

This was a fun book overall. A comfy mystery in Scotland. However, it did take me a hot minute to really get into the story. I had a hard time connecting with the characters. They were fun, don't get me wrong, but I just didn't really connect with anyone. 

The story took off right away and I was intrigued by the mystery and the townspeople. The main characters...not so much. They were funny though! I did get a kick out of their antics. 

OooOOOoooo that was a good ending. I had guessed right...but I thought it was a long shot and I wasn't really sure about the motivation though. Very good, very good. It was a good mystery!  

Overall, this was a quick, fun read. I had some issues connecting with our four main characters, but they were still fun to follow. I honestly think the townspeople and the mystery were the main things for me that kept me going. I'll give this 3 stars overall. 

Early Review: Fortune and Felicity by Monica Fairview

Kindle Edition, 266 pages

Expected publication: April 28th 2020 by White Soup Press

Pride and prejudice variation

For review

If you have not noticed (which I doubt), is that I really enjoy pride and prejudice variations. I do not know why but I just love seeing Darcy and Lizzy fall in love, in a million different ways.

In this one instead of writing a letter Darcy went away, married, had a daughter, wasn't that happy, and tried to forget her.

Lizzy's dad died, she went to live with Jane, and then she decided to become a governess. Which is not the best position. It is not being a servant, it i not being one of the upper crust. Instead men can try to take advantage and you will be ruined for future service. Then she gets a job at Pemberley.

He will obvi realise he still likes her. She will finally start to fall for him. There will be drama, and there will be a happily ever after.

I enjoyed this take and kept rooting for these stubborn, proud people. (Bit sad Colonel F did not show up!).

A great book to read now as you know they will be happy

Seven years after Darcy’s disastrous proposal, Darcy is in need, not of a wife, but of a governess for his young daughter. Imagine his surprise when he discovers Elizabeth Bennet on the list of possible candidates provided by the employment agency. The question is, should he take her on as a governess, or would he be playing with fire?

Elizabeth Bennet is forced by her reduced circumstances to take on a position. However, when Mr. Darcy invites her for an interview, she is embarrassed and humiliated. How could she possibly live under the same roof as the man she had rejected so strongly seven years ago?

Whatever decision she makes, there will be a high price to pay… one way or the other.

Bloody Rose by Nicholas Eames

Paperback, 544 pages
Published August 30th 2018 by Orbit (first published August 28th 2018)
Series: The Band #2
Fantasy
Own

Rock and roll meets fantasy. Bloody Rose, whose dad spent book 1 trying to save her, is back in her own book, with a new band.

Right, there are monsters, bands go around slaying them, but these days they mostly fight gladiator battles. And that is where we find Rose and her band. The "Shifter", the witch and the "alien". I am just gonna call them that.

I do wish I could have seen more of Rose and Freecloud together. It was more him looking. Kind of sad the whole thing. But then this Tam's book, she takes over as the bard and they go on an adventure.

I feel like I am rambling. I am bingewatching this show and can not concentrate ;)

There was one thing though, omg I can not forgive him for that. My heart! Evil Eames.

There are monsters to kill, cities to save, and much more. Intense. And I so want to know who the next book i about. 

Live fast, die young.

Tam Hashford is tired of working at her local pub, slinging drinks for world-famous mercenaries and listening to the bards sing of adventure and glory in the world beyond her sleepy hometown.

When the biggest mercenary band of all rolls into town, led by the infamous Bloody Rose, Tam jumps at the chance to sign on as their bard. It's adventure she wants - and adventure she gets as the crew embark on a quest that will end in one of two ways: glory or death.

It's time to take a walk on the wyld side.

Audio: Badger to the Bone by Shelley Laurenston

Narrated by: Charlotte Kane
Series: Honey Badger Chronicles Series, Book 3
Length: 12 hrs and 55 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release date: 03-31-20
Language: English
Publisher: Tantor Audio
PNR
For review

This series is insane, and that i exactly why I like it. Would I want to meet thee people? NO! They are insane!

Max has been the true psychopath throughout the series and I wasn't even sure I liked her. But here I did because this was her book. Here we saw that she had friends, a hobby, a life. 

But dang, she is still crazy, she still jumps into any fight she can. Their life is crazy. People come after them. Their dad is an idiot.

If you think this is a paranormal romance, think again, it is more pnr on LSD with people trying to kill each other. It is amusing, crazy and like no other book. I like it for the non stop craziness!

And yes there is a guy, obvi, Max adopt a cute cat called Ze, hehehe, well sort of. She meets a guy, sees he is a shifter and he does not know it and he is thrown into their bizzarro world. Romance will come.

The narrator is great too as she can handle this craziness. I do like Kane and she doe the series justice.

I like it! But yes these women be crazy.

She's the woman he's been hired to kidnap. But ZeZe Vargas has other ideas . . . like getting them both out of this nightmare alive. Just one problem. She's crazy. Certifiably. Because while he's plotting their escape, the petite Asian beauty is plotting something much more deadly . . .

Max "Kill It Again" MacKilligan has no idea what one of her own is doing with all these criminal humans until she realizes that Ze has no idea who or what he is. Or exactly how much power he truly has. But Max is more than happy to bring this handsome jaguar shifter into her world and show him everything he's been missing out on. A move that might be the dumbest thing she's ever done once she realizes how far her enemies will go to wipe her out. Too bad for them Ze is willing to do whatever it takes to keep her alive . . . and honey badgers are just so damn hard to kill!

TMST

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post on Rainy Day Ramblings where Rainy discuss a wide range of topics from books to blogging. Weigh in and join the conversation by adding your thoughts in the comments. If you want to do your own post, grab the question and answer it on your blog.

April 14th: When do you know it’s time to DNF?

When the book SUCKS!

Honestly, it all depends. Sometimes I read page 1 and I am out! Sometimes I struggle a bit, and then I am out! Sometimes I am stupid and read it all and then I am angry. SO yes I do not always know when it is time, sometimes I want to be nice. Which of course is silly since I end up disliking the book more than I would have.

When it gets tough, I get going. There is no reason to keep on reading, if the first half sucks, is the rest really good then if it is good?

DNFing can be awesome. I'd rather read a good book, then a meh book

Carole's Monday: Once again by Kristi Rose

Author: Kristi Rose

Narrator: Michelle Blenker

Title: Once Again (A Coming Home Short Story #2)

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Short Story

Format: Audiobook 

Pages: 54

Published: March 22nd 2015

Where I Got It: My shelf (Audible)

Evie Barker works hard, takes care of her ailing mother, and finds pleasure in her simple life. The memory of a complicated childhood is all that remains of the old days—And good riddance.

Grady Duke blew out of town before the ink on his high school diploma was dry. A six year stint in the Marine Corps gave him a good dose of the real world. Returning home, sixteen years later, PhD in hand, the last person he expects to find next door is Evie.

Neither can escape the memory of one reckless summer together nor the wild attraction they feel. But taking risks is not in Evie’s disposition and Grady is just as much a gamble now as he was then. Evie knows Grady is the one man who could break her in an unimaginable way or offer her the happiness she's been missing. But first, Grady must atone for the past and prove he's worth a second chance.

Aww I liked the first one and so I wanted to check the 2nd one. Plus - I needed something short and sweet. 

The story follows Evie and Grady. Evie works hard to take care of her mom and take care of those at work. Grady blew out of town the moment he could. He joined the Marines and never wanted to look back, but his old flame, Evie, was always on his mind. Time has passed and Grady is back. Can the two get over the past hearts and rekindle their love? 

This gave me what I was looking for. Short and sweet. There was some sadness like Evie's past. Poor girl, but the romance was sweet and quick. I do think Evie should've made Grady beg more ;) But a hot marine? Well..........I forgive you Evie for caving. LOL

I do think this would've benefited by a couple more pages especially in the epilogue! I want more and to see them happy! However, I did find the ending very, very sweet. Nearly gave me a cavity ;) 

The narrator was meh for me. She sounded too robotic and I didn't really get the feeling of the story. Bummer. 

Overall, I liked this one. Not as much as book 1, but I liked it. I think I would've enjoyed it a touch more if I read it instead. The narrator was too robotic for me. I'll give this 3 stars. 

Challenge(s):

- #15 for Audiobook Challenge