Audio: Birds of California - Katie Cotugno

Narrated by: Julia Whelan

Length: 7 hrs and 49 mins

Release date: 04-26-22

Publisher: HarperAudio

Fiction

To review

Fiona was a famous child star actor, and then she went off the rails. Years of crazy stunts until she disappeared from the public eye. But now they want a reboot of her old show and for her to star.

Sam is famous for his good looks, always a woman near and then he looses his show and needs money. Yes that reboot of his old ones does sound good. But how to make Fiona come onboard?

Fiona was just not running wild, there was something else too. We do learn what, but I would also have liked to learn the aftermath of it all. Fiona and Sam reconnect, and yes there is some romance too when they both realise there is something more.

I liked it. They both had their issues one way or other. It was more than a romance, it was truly about them too.

Good narration. I easily fell into the story. I have listened to one book by her before and she is a good at what she does.

Former child actor Fiona St. James dropped out of the spotlight after a spectacularly public crash and burn. The tabloids called her crazy and self-destructive and said she'd lost her mind. Now in her late twenties, Fiona believes her humiliating past is firmly behind her. She's finally regained a modicum of privacy, and she won't let anything--or anyone--mess it up.

Unlike Fiona, Sam Fox, who played her older brother on the popular television show Birds of California, loves the perks that come with being a successful Hollywood actor: fame, women, parties, money. When his current show gets cancelled and his agent starts to avoid his calls, the desperate actor enthusiastically signs on for a Birds of California revival. But to make it happen, he needs Fiona St. James. Against her better judgment, Fiona agrees to have lunch with Sam. What happens next takes them both by surprise. Sam is enthralled by Fiona's take-no-prisoners attitude, and Fiona discovers a lovable goofball behind Sam's close-up-ready face. Long drives to the beach, late nights at dive bars . . . theirs is the kind of kitschy romance Hollywood sells. But just like in the rom-coms Fiona despises, there's a twist that threatens her new love. Sam doesn't know the full story behind her breakdown. What happens when she reveals the truth?

The quicksilver court

Series: Rooks and Ruin (#2)

Format: 480 pages

Published: October 12, 2021 by Orbit

Fantasy

Own

This has taken me a month to get through, I just could not be bothered.

I did not care for anyone.

Demons? Who cares, I mean as little as I seem to care this time around maybe the demons should just eat everyone.

Sigh, no, I will not be reading book 3.

Ryxander, Warden of Gloamingard, has failed. Unsealed by her blood, the Door hidden within the black tower has opened. Now, for the first time since the age of the Graces, demons walk the world. As tensions grow between nations, all eyes-and daggers are set on Morgrain, fallen under the Demon of Discord's control. In an attempt to save her home from destruction, Ryx and the Rookery set out to find a powerful artifact. But powerful enemies are on the hunt and they're closing in fast.

Audio: The wedding crasher

Narrated by: Rebecca Mozo, Alastair Haynesbridge

Length: 11 hrs and 16 mins

Release date: 04-05-22

Publisher: HarperAudio

Contemporary romance

To review

Solange hears something, and then she crashes a wedding. She does not want to, but she can't just stand at the side.

Dean was getting married, and then he was not. Oh Dean, he had it all planned. A partnership with someone who valued the same things as he did. Love was not a part of it.

No wedding. But still they meet again, one of my favorite premises. A fake relationship. He needs one for work and she does owe him.

He does not want love, she wants someone who will be all in. They are all wrong with each other, and totally right at the same time.

They both need to learn to take a leap of faith and let go. There is some drama, romance, and one guy who needs a kick in the nuts. Oh that guy was the worst.

I enjoyed it. There was always something going on and I was rooting for them to see sense.

Two narrators, both I think new to me. They worked well with their chapters, his and hers. It flowed well into each other

Just weeks away from ditching DC for greener pastures, Solange Pereira is roped into helping her wedding planner cousin on a random couple’s big day. It’s an easy gig... until Solange stumbles upon a situation that convinces her the pair isn’t meant to be. What’s a true-blue romantic to do? Crash the wedding, of course. And ensure the unsuspecting groom doesn’t make the biggest mistake of his life.

Dean Chapman had his future all mapped out. He was about to check off “start a family” and on track to “make partner” when his modern day marriage of convenience went up in smoke. Then he learns he might not land an assignment that could be his ticket to a promotion unless he has a significant other and, in a moment of panic, Dean claims to be in love with the woman who crashed his wedding. Oops.

Now Dean has a whole new item on his to-do list: beg Solange to be his pretend girlfriend. Solange feels a tiny bit bad about ruining Dean’s wedding, so she agrees to play along. Yet as they fake-date their way around town, what started as a performance for Dean’s colleagues turns into a connection that neither he nor Solange can deny. Their entire romance is a sham... there’s no way these polar opposites could fall in love for real, right?

TMST

 

 

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post where bloggers discuss a wide range of topics from books and blogging to life in general. 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. Feel free to leave your links in the comments if you are participating.

4/26/2022 Do you still own any books/comics/toys/memorabilia from when you were a kid?

Books, well sure, but at my parents.  My kid reads them there. 

Comics, I am sure there are some, dunno really. My mum kept everything.

Toys, like I said, my mum keeps everything. My kid plays with my old barbies at my parents

Memorabilia, I have tried to throw some things away, cos srsly, one can't keep it all. But ha, it is also still at my parents.

5/3/2022 How do you feel when everyone loves a book except for you? 

5/10/2022 What are the books/authors you pick up when you need a comfy read?

5/17/2022 How long have you been blogging? And has your blog changed over time?

5/24/2022 Do you review every book you read? Why or why not? 

5/31/2022 Do you request ARCs? Why or why not?

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post where bloggers discuss a wide range of topics from books and blogging to life in general. 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. Feel free to leave your links in the comments if you are participating.

If you are interested in participating in TMST or receiving periodic emails that list the upcoming TMST topics and questions,  please fill out this GOOGLE FORM.  Participation is optional and never required.

Carole's Monday: Unclaimed

Author: Courtney Milan

Narrator: Polly Lee

Title: Unclaimed

(Turner #2)

Genre: Historical Romance

Format: Audiobook

Published: September 20th 2011

Where I got It: Audible 

Summary: 

Her only hope for survival...

Handsome, wealthy and respected, Sir Mark Turner is the most sought-after bachelor in all of London and he's known far and wide for his irreproachable character. But behind his virtuous reputation lies a passionate nature he keeps carefully in check...until he meets the beautiful Jessica Farleigh, the woman he's waited for all his life.

Is to ruin the man she loves...

But Jessica is a courtesan, not the genteel lady Sir Mark believes. Desperate to be free of a life she despises, she seizes her chance when Mark's enemies make her an offer she can't refuse--seduce Mark and tarnish his good name, and a princely sum will be hers. Yet as she comes to know the man she's sworn to destroy, Jessica will be forced to choose between the future she needs and the love she knows is impossible.

Review:

I adore the author, liked book 1, AND this fits a reading challenge....so of course, I had to download it. 

I would recommend reading book 1 first. There are a lot of backstory for the brothers there. 

Here we follow Jessica and Mark. Sir Mark Turner is the most sought-after bachelor in London. He is known far and wide for his irreproachable character and for the book about how men should stay virtuous. He comes across Jessica and he can't stop thinking about her. He has been waiting for her all his life. However, Jessica is a courtesan, not the genteel lady Sir Marks believes she is. She is desperate to be free of that life and live in peace, however, she has to seduce Mark and tarnish his good name before she gets the money that will give her what she wants. Love, of course, makes her job that much harder. 

Mark is a good egg and deserves the best. Jessica also deserves all the love and happiness. Poor thing was tossed on the streets and has been just surviving for so long. And the big reveal about what her last "protector" did to her???? Ooo I was seeing red! She is a darling and didn't deserve the life she was forced into. I was mad at her a couple of times, but I understood where she was coming from. 

That ending was good. I'm glad Jessica got to do what she got to do (no spoilers from me). I think it was perfect and it was therapeutic and the only real way she can move forward into her new life with Mark and society. 

The only issue I had was that one of the resolutions with Jessica's family...seemed too easy. The dad really needed to be punished or something. SMH. 

I had no idea how everything was going to be fixed. This relationship seemed impossible, but Mark and his family are clever so I knew it would be fixed. 

The narrator was great. Perfect voices. I didn't recognize the voice, but I hope she narrates book 3!

In the end, this was a lot of fun. I really adored this couple. They deserved the best life has to offer them. They had some rough childhoods. I think I liked this better than book 1. The romance was pretty impossible, but the family was able to make it work. I do think how they resolved one issue was resolved TOO easily. Other than that....I adored this story. Great characters, great narrator, and a romance I kept rooting for. I'll give this 4 stars. 

Challenge(s):
- #20 for Audiobook challenge

- #14 for Romance Reading Challenge - Yellow dress

Audio: Henry Fitzwilliam's war

Narrated by: Amanda Berry

Series: The Bennet Wardrobe, Book 2

Length: 1 hr and 58 mins

Release date: 06-25-18

Publisher: Don Jacobson

Pride and prejudice variation

To review

Since this was a novella I knew I could get it done fast so I threw myself in. The Bennet family has a magic wardrobe that can transport you into the future. And that is what Henry Fitzwilliam does. He is the grandson of Lydia and he uses it to go to 1915. Of course this is not something you can decide. The wardrobe chooses where to send you and he wanted valour so this is what he gets.

We get to see him in the war, and then when he recuperates. There is meets someone that will later haunt him after he goes back to his old life.

Ack, yes it was only a novella! I need his whole story now and that is book 3, I will get to that soon enough.

Short and good. A prequel to book 3 and it will leave you wanting to get that book.

She is doing a good job narrating these books. They really transport you there. I look forward to hearing more by her

Time is once again bent in 1883 as Viscount Henry Fitzwilliam, Viscount of Matlock, uses the remarkable Bennet Wardrobe to seek his manhood through combat as suggested by his great friend, Theodore Roosevelt. But, as Henry’s Great Grandmother, Lydia Bennet Wickham Fitzwilliam, noted, “The Wardrobe has a strange sense of humor.” The lessons the young aristocrat learns are not the ones he expected. Henry travels over 30 years into the future to land in the middle of the most awful conflict in human history—World War I. His brief time at the Front teaches him that there is no longer any room on the battlefield for heroic combat. Rather he discovers the horrors of “modern” warfare—the machine gun, high explosive artillery and poison gas—and the incredible waste of young men’s lives.

But, it is his two weeks spent recuperating at the Beach House in Deauville, after being temporarily blinded by chlorine gas, that irrevocably changes his life forever. There he encounters an incredible woman, one who will define his near 10-year search for the love of his life after he returns to his own time--and how his personality was shaped by their emerging relationship...one that was impossible on a number of levels.

Audio: Urban witch

Narrated by: Krys Janae

Length: 4 hrs and 23 mins

Release date: 03-29-22

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Urban fantasy

To review

Fae was, well how to put this...rather nasty, a real piece of work . Foulmouthed, quick to conclusions, aggressive, a raging alcoholic, drug uses. Only thinking of herself. F everyone else. Even after having died for a second she is her nasty self. But, things change.

Is the lack of drugs and drinks making her see freaky beings? Why are they calling her a witch?! Yes, somehow she turned into a witch, and when she is at her last resort, she accepts help and guidance and begin to calm down and accept her new powers. I even like her at the end.

Also, that one thing in the end, I am really curios. I hope there will be more so I can understand who granted her these powers.

I liked it. It was short, fast paced and kept throwing punches at her.

Good narration. It would not be easy voicing Fae, she is a woman of many faces. And you could really hear the change in Fae as the story progressed

Who knew a person could almost die from drinking? I found out the hard way when I woke up in a hospital and a nurse informed me I was legally dead for a few minutes. Shocking, but not as much as the fact I returned different. I can see things, but it’s what I can do that has people interested in me.

There’s Sonja, a strange woman with powers who appoints herself my teacher. Anakin, the mysterious and super hot dude, who owns a pastry shop of all things catering to weird folk. Leslie, my furry-tailed coworker and only friend.

And then there’s the bad guys determined to get their grubby hands on me.

I’m not special. Just a woman trying to clean up her life and actually plan for a future. Will I have time to atone for my many sins before my luck runs out?

Audio: The barbarian king's assassin

Narrated by: Kasha Kensington

Series: Magic and Kings, Book 1

Length: 8 hrs and 5 mins

Release date: 03-08-22

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Fantasy romance

To review

The title might be a mouthful, but this was sure a fun one.

Ilyana is an assassin, though she seems to have grown rather bored with her job. So she jumps at the chance to kill a barbarian king.

Just, he is not a barbarian they say he is, oh and he and his people are huge. And his cause does seem good.

Konstantin is trying to keep his people safe. He is a good guy. And then he stumbles upon a tiny assassin. He is smitten.

They were so amusing together. Perfect chemistry. It made this a fun fantasy romance. Some humour, some magic, romance and lots of danger.

Oh and I see there is another book coming this fall about another couple. I def want to read that one.

I think this was my first time listening to this narrator and I liked how she did things. Perfect "giant" barbarians, and I could just see Konstantin dying insane at one time by the way she voiced him. Very good

There aren’t many choices for a child arrested and charged with murder. When a mysterious stranger asks an imprisoned Ilyana to be his apprentice, she accepts. Fast forward a few decades and she’s an expert in her field, an assassin for hire with special skills, and an uncanny affinity for weapons. Her newest bounty requires her to eliminate the Barbarian King, only for the first time in her career, she hesitates. Turns out she and the monarch from the west might have a common enemy in the Grand Vizier, a highly placed official for a rival country. He’s the one behind the bounty on Konstantin’s head, and the person responsible for the death of Ilyana’s parents.

Rather than kill the King, she finds herself working for him. Together, they form a plan for revenge. What they don’t expect is the ensuing tempest of secrets. A betrayal and a capture might spell the end for the Barbarian and the Assassin unless they’re willing to fight not only for survival—but love.

TMST: Blogging platform

 

 

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post where bloggers discuss a wide range of topics from books and blogging to life in general. 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. Feel free to leave your links in the comments if you are participating.

How did you choose you blogging platform?

Omg, no idea! I started in late 2008! I remember being bored and just, dunno looking at stuff? I came across bookblogs and was like wow...I could do that! Maybe one of them had blogger and I chose it that way. I have looked at wordpress throughout the years, but I just find it difficult. Blogger is just so easy and fast. Wordpress it better when u pay for it.

So I guess it was luck that brought me to blogger, and its easy nature that made me stay

4/26/2022 Do you still own any books/comics/toys/memorabilia from when you were a kid?

5/3/2022 How do you feel when everyone loves a book except for you? 

5/10/2022 What are the books/authors you pick up when you need a comfy read?

5/17/2022 How long have you been blogging? And has your blog changed over time?

5/24/2022 Do you review every book you read? Why or why not? 

5/31/2022 Do you request ARCs? Why or why not?

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post where bloggers discuss a wide range of topics from books and blogging to life in general. 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. Feel free to leave your links in the comments if you are participating.

If you are interested in participating in TMST or receiving periodic emails that list the upcoming TMST topics and questions,  please fill out this GOOGLE FORM.  Participation is optional and never required.

Carole's Monday review: Murphys law for demons

 

Author: C.J. Pierce

Title: Murphy's Law for Demons

Genre: Urban Fiction, Fantasy, Paranormal

Format: ebook

Pages: 296

Published: March 10th 2021

Where I Got It: My shelf (NetGalley)

Summary: 

A Fallen angel and an assassin walk into a bar...

For nearly seventy years, Murphy's had the worst luck any Fallen could ever have. The Collector - a title Murphy never wanted - can't seem to do his job: collect a soul. That's all. One. Soul. And after seventy years, Murphy's not so sure he wants to go back to the Below.

Joy is a practitioner of one of the world's oldest professions. No, not prostitution, although she'd gladly use her body as bait for a target. Murderer-for-hire, assassin, hitwoman - Joy's your lady if the money's right. And if it's someone who really needs killing, she'll even give you a discount.

Brought together by a job and dropped (sans parachutes) into the political machinations of the Above and Below, Murphy and Joy have to decide where their loyalties lie. Something big is coming for them, and the Collector has a job to finish.

Want to make a deal? Don't make it with Murphy!

Review:

I've had this on my shelf for a hot min. It sort of fell on the back-burner. Glad I picked this back up to finish it finally. 

Here we follow Murphy who has had the worst luck any Fallen could ever have for the last seventy years. The Collector is a title Murphy never wanted but was given and he can't seem to get the job done...he needs to collect a soul. Joy is a practitioner of one of the world's oldest professions....assassin. Brought together in a bar by a job and dropped into the political machinations of the Above and Below, Murphy and Joy have to decide where their loyalties lie.

This was so good. I really couldn't put it down! I adored Murphy and Joy and I was so invested in what was going to happen next!! I wasn't sure what was going to happen! 

Oooo this was a fun take on the whole Heaven/Hell and Angel/Demon thing! It was so creative and a fresh breath in the UF and paranormal genre. It was so entertaining. The dynamic between Murphy and Joy was witty and fun and their banter/convos were a joy. 

I do wish this world and the afterlife was a little more fleshed out. I wanted to understand and get more detail. Maybe we'll get another book and we'll get to see more and learn more. I have a lot of questions still. 

In the end, I had a lot of fun with this one! Loved the characters and I loved how creative this story and the world were. I do wish we learned more about this world (Above, Middle, and Below). This seemed to be the top of the iceberg for sure. I would love a sequel! I needed a good book like this one. I had two mehs. Overall, I shall stamp this with 4 stars. 

The Keeper: Mary Bennet's Extraordinary Journey

Narrated by: Amanda Berry

Series: The Bennet Wardrobe, Book 1

Length: 11 hrs and 27 mins

Release date: 08-15-18

Publisher: Don Jacobson

Pride and prejudice variation

To review

Mary is Mary, preachy, somewhat unlikable, and suddenly she realises that too. Why is she always judging other? So when she is the eldest Bennet girl left in the house she sets out on a journey of self discovery. And Mary is so much more than just Mary.

But I am getting ahead of myself. The Bennet family owns a magical wardrobe that can transport you into the future. The wardrobe also has a lot of rules.

Even if the whole time travel thing is there beyond the horizon, this really is about Mary finding herself, re-connecting with her family, finding love, and becoming a beacon of hope.

There is also hints of other events. Kitty's book, Lydia's book, and more.

This was an interesting concept. The wardrobe is obviously secret, like could you imagine what Collins would do?! And lots of family members will use it so more is coming

I really liked Mary in this one, she was sure shown in a new light and it still fitted her essence.

A great narrator, she worked well with different voices, and she sure put the slime in Collins. This was a fun audiobook. It works so well in audio. Pride and prejudice brings all the feels.

Mary Bennet has spent her entire life fighting to be herself. If only she knew just what that was. For years she buried her nose in the musty musing of Fordyce’s Sermons to Young Women trying to be exceptional. She suffered under her mother’s withering criticism of her looks. She was tormented by both her older as well as her younger sisters. Her father ignored everything and did nothing to guide her or encourage her.

Now, both Jane and Lizzy have married, and it is time for Miss Bennet to emerge from her cocoon. Soon, a young woman of deep faith and inquisitive mind appears. Yet, even as Mary Bennet rises from her troubled teenage years, she is challenged by her sudden and total love for a man who mysteriously appears on the night of a great calamity. And his secret grows out of a remarkable device—The Bennet Wardrobe!

Follow the story of Mary Bennet as she matures from the prosy, moralizing caricature found in Jane Austen’s classic Pride and Prejudice into a confident young woman looking to make her mark in the rapidly changing world of the Industrial Revolution. And, see how the amazing Bennet Wardrobe makes life for all Bennets very interesting.

This is Volume 1 of a planned four volume series. The Exile (Vol 2) will watch Kitty Bennet navigate the world from 1886 to 1944. The Pilgrim (vol 3) will explore the story of Lydia Bennet. The Avenger (Vol. 4) will show how Thomas Bennet assumes his rightful role as head of the Bennet family.

Audio: Being Mary Bennet

Narrated by: Sarah Beth Pfeifer

Length: 11 hrs and 3 mins

Release date: 03-15-22

Publisher: HarperTeen

YA fiction romance

to review

Mary is not the most likable Bennet, and Marnie really is a Mary in the beginning. She is not very likable. Until she realises that she is Mary Bennet! And who wants to be Mary!? So she decides to try ger best and become someone else.

She has sisters that equals the Bennet sisters and she is jealous of them, she is also the one overlooked. And now she is competing for an award that her older sister once won. It is not taking out the best in her. Her father is always busy, her sisters have each other, her mother only wants high society.

Luckily for Marnie her roommate Adhira does not give up on her, and at times she sure do not deserve a friend like that. She also has a crush on a friend of the family (a total asshat, it takes her a LONG time to see that.) But she will also meet someone nice, (even if it takes a long time for things to happen). But then this book is about Marnie finding herself and grabbing life by both hands.

I enjoyed it. It was so much more, it even got dark and sad. And lessons will be learned and she will have this epic stand off at one time.

Good narration. She could take the high and low times in Marnie's life. It was my first time listening to an audiobook by Sarah beth Pfeifer, and I would listen to her again.

A less acknowledged truth is that Mary Bennet might be a better fit. For Marnie Barnes, realizing she’s a Mary Bennet is devastating. But she’s determined to reinvent herself, so she enlists the help of her bubby roommate and opens up to the world. 

And between new friends, a very cute boy, and a rescue pup named Sir Pat, Marnie finds herself on a path to becoming a new person entirely. But she’s no Lizzy, or even Mary - instead, she’s someone even better: just plain Marnie.

Out of silence

Original Title: Desde el silencio: Cuarenta años después

Format: 172 pages, Kindle Edition

Published: June 11, 2019 by Amazon Crossing

Memoir

Own

I ended up reading this for bookclub. I needed a book set in South America. Though I wish I had found Miracle in the Andes in English instead.

It was a novella. So it was short. And still only half was about the crash. I mean sure maybe I do not want to know how exactly they ate the dead, but still, the whole Andes part is the scary and interesting part. Now I never felt the danger cos it jumped in time and just meh.

And the second half was about him talking about his family, about the girl he found. His being philosophical. Him thinking of numerology, you know, fillers.

It did make me want to read that famous book though

It’s the unfathomable modern legend that has become a testament to the resilience of the human spirit: the 1972 Andes plane crash and the Uruguayan rugby teammates who suffered seventy-two days among the dead and dying. It was a harrowing test of endurance on a snowbound cordillera that ended in a miraculous rescue. Now comes the unflinching and emotional true story by one of the men who found his way home.

Four decades after the tragedy, a climber discovered survivor Eduardo Strauch’s wallet near the memorialized crash site and returned it to him. It was a gesture that compelled Strauch to finally “break the silence of the mountains.”

In this revelatory and rewarding memoir, Strauch withholds nothing as he reveals the truth behind the life-changing events that challenged him physically and tested him spiritually, but would never destroy him. In revisiting the horror story we thought we knew, Strauch shares the lessons gleaned from far outside the realm of rational learning: how surviving on the mountain, in the face of its fierce, unforgiving power and desolate beauty, forever altered his perception of love, friendship, death, fear, loss, and hope.

TMST

 

 

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post where bloggers discuss a wide range of topics from books and blogging to life in general. 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. Feel free to leave your links in the comments if you are participating.

4/12/2022 What book has been sitting on your TBR pile the longest?

Some do define tbr in different ways, I will only think of it as those books I own. Oh and I do not count kindle freebies, those are old as hell.

But like years ago Karen at For what it's worth went through her books and I decided to do the same. I had over 200 unread ones, I dnfed a LOT. I gave away a lot. I read a lot. It was years of focusing on my old books.

Looking at my shelves it seems The black jewels trilogy by Anne Bishop is my oldest. I tried it like a page years ago, gave up and meant to try again. One day! And it seems I have some books from 2016. Work in progress.

4/19/2022 How did you choose your blogging platform?

4/26/2022 Do you still own any books/comics/toys/memorabilia from when you were a kid?

5/3/2022 How do you feel when everyone loves a book except for you? 

5/10/2022 What are the books/authors you pick up when you need a comfy read?

5/17/2022 How long have you been blogging? And has your blog changed over time?

5/24/2022 Do you review every book you read? Why or why not? 

5/31/2022 Do you request ARCs? Why or why not?

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post where bloggers discuss a wide range of topics from books and blogging to life in general. 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. Feel free to leave your links in the comments if you are participating.

If you are interested in participating in TMST or receiving periodic emails that list the upcoming TMST topics and questions,  please fill out this GOOGLE FORM.  Participation is optional and never required.

Carole's Monday: As old as time

Author: Liz Braswell

Title: As Old as Time (Twisted Tales #3)

Genre: YA, fantasy, Romance, Retellings

Format: Hardcover

Pages: 484

Published: September 6th, 2016

Where I Got It: My shelf (Xmas gift from a friend)

Summary: 

What if Belle's mother cursed the Beast?

When Belle touches the Beast's enchanted rose, memories flood through Belle's mind — memories of a mother she thought she would never see again. And, stranger still, she sees that her mother is none other than the beautiful enchantress who cursed the castle and all its inhabitants.

Shocked and confused, Belle and the Beast will have to unravel a dark mystery about their families that is 21 years in the making.

Review:

This has been sitting on my bookshelf for a while. A late friend of mine had given this to me as a Xmas gift a while back. Finally decided to dust this off and read it. This is technically book #3, but all the books can be read standalone and in any order you want. 

In this retelling, Belle and her father barely remember Belle's mother. After saving her father from the Beast, Rose touches the Beast's enchanted rose and memories flood through Belle's mind. Memories of her mother...and the fact that her mother was the Enchanctress who cursed the Beast and his kingdom. Shocked and confused, Belle and the Beast will have to unravel a dark mystery about their families and how to break the curse. 

I simply adored the twists and changes they did to the original story. We got some explanations on why an 11-year-old was cursed. And why he was an adult with an adult painting of himself. Very Dorian Grey! Love it!

I also really adore the scenes showing Belle's mother's story at the same time. I'm honestly on her side....maybe not such a crazy curse on the little Prince BUT it all worked out I guess lol. 

Ooh! It is SO hard not to give away spoilers for sure. This would be a good book to have a discussion about. Certainly a good book club book ;)

Now, I will say the beginning seemed to drag on and had me worried. It seemed like a copy-paste from the movie and I was bored. However, as soon as we were able to see more and more (especially from Madame Enchantress' POV) the more I became intrigued and the more I could not stop reading. So yes...a slow burn indeed.

I do wish we had more of an epilogue. I want more! I feel like there is WAY more story to share. 

In the end, I enjoyed this quite a bit. It was a slow burn and I wish I had more, but I enjoyed what I had. Yes, this was a fun retelling and I loved the backstory and all the twists and turns. I for recommend it if you love the original. 4 stars from me. 

Challenge(s):

- TBR Reading Challenge (#3)

The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli

336 pages, Hardcover

Series: Simonverse (#2)

Published: April 11, 2017 by Balzer + Bray

YA

Library

Did I watch the movie of book 1? I can't remember, but it does not matter.

Molly has had many crushes, but she has never been with anyone, so she thinks of that a lot. Even more when he sister gets a girlfriend, and all her friends has someone.

A cute ya romance. Not very angsty, just a story about a girl who in the end will fall in love.

I like fast books.

Seventeen-year-old Molly Peskin-Suso knows all about unrequited love—she’s lived through it twenty-six times. She crushes hard and crushes often, but always in secret. Because no matter how many times her twin sister, Cassie, tells her to woman up, Molly can’t stomach the idea of rejection. So she’s careful. Fat girls always have to be careful.

Then a cute new girl enters Cassie’s orbit, and for the first time ever, Molly’s cynical twin is a lovesick mess. Meanwhile, Molly’s totally not dying of loneliness—except for the part where she is. Luckily, Cassie’s new girlfriend comes with a cute hipster-boy sidekick. Will is funny and flirtatious and just might be perfect crush material. Maybe more than crush material. And if Molly can win him over, she’ll get her first kiss and she’ll get her twin back.

There’s only one problem: Molly’s coworker Reid. He’s an awkward Tolkien superfan with a season pass to the Ren Faire, and there’s absolutely no way Molly could fall for him. Right?

Audio: Faults of understanding

Narrated by: Stevie Zimmerman

Length: 12 hrs and 55 mins

Release date: 03-22-22

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Romantic historical fiction /Pride and prejudice variation

To review

Can one read too many JA variations? The answer is no. They are always fun!

Darcy likes Lizzy fromt the start and wishes to save her.

Lizzy of course believes the whispers of Wickham, and thinks of those things she heard Darcy said. But hey, gotta save the family! So they marry

Oh poor Darcy! He learns she does not care at all and he despairs.

But this is a romantic story after all. She will learn that he is not all that he seems, and he will see that he deserves love too. They are the sweetest and I liked this angle. They had to work for it.

PP variations for the win! They never disappoint.

Good narration. I really felt I was there. Good voices and depth

When Fitzwilliam Darcy makes an impetuous offer of marriage to Miss Elizabeth Bennet, he is convinced they have as good a chance as any for a harmonious life together. That is, until an overheard conversation changes everything, and Darcy realizes he is now joined in perpetuity to a woman who loathes the very sight of him.

Elizabeth Bennet's expectations for matrimonial accord were never very high, having accepted Mr. Darcy's proposal in a fit of pique, not love. Still, she is determined to make the best of her situation, despite having tied herself to such an arrogant, disagreeable man.

But life at Pemberley is not at all what she imagined, and Elizabeth soon finds herself with more questions than answers about the enigmatic gentleman she agreed to wed.

Trapped in a marriage founded on misunderstandings, Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth Darcy struggle with deepening attraction while confronting self-doubt and old betrayals. But is love enough to heal the wounds of the past? What will it take for two people bound by duty to find their way home to one another?

Audio: A Duke worth falling for

Narrated by: Penelope Ann Rose

Series: Naughty Brits

Length: 4 hrs and 5 mins

Release date: 03-31-22

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Contemporary romance

to review

 I like a good novella in audio. Short and fast! Perfect. They really should do more novellas in audio format.

Lilah's reputation and career is gone, and now she is taking photos of sheep. Then comes one hot angry shepard. They clash (he thinks one thing, she thinks something else.) They meet again. They fancy each other, and yes this is a novella. Wham bam thank you mam.

There is some drama, since he does not tell her he is a Duke, cos of his past. And then her catches up

And then they live happily ever after, awww.

Cute, fun and short. Perfect in audio. Good narration, made it work

Her career in tatters, celebrity photographer Lilah Rose needs somewhere to regroup and start fresh, outside of the spotlight. There’s nowhere better to hide than the English countryside, complete with fluffy sheep, rolling hills…and Max, the stern, sexy farmer who tends to them.

But the lazy days and lush nights with Max aren't as far from the spotlight as Lilah thinks. He isn’t simply a farmer—he’s also a duke: young, handsome and powerful…and too aware of how a title can dazzle, making the man inside invisible. What’s the harm in playing the farmer for a while? After all, Lilah isn’t staying…

Soon, Max is imagining just that, though--wondering what it would be like to have her on his land, in his life, in his bed forever. For that, he’s going to need to tell her the truth…and hope he can convince her that he’s a duke worth falling for.

Romance

 

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4/5/2022  Which books are you looking forward to reading this Spring? (April-June)

Oh I am the worst with these. Short answer, NO IDEA! No idea when any books are coming out, at all. I think a new Peter McLean is coming? 

4/12/2022 What book has been sitting on your TBR pile the longest?

4/19/2022 How did you choose your blogging platform?

4/26/2022 Do you still own any books/comics/toys/memorabilia from when you were a kid?

5/3/2022 How do you feel when everyone loves a book except for you? 

5/10/2022 What are the books/authors you pick up when you need a comfy read?

5/17/2022 How long have you been blogging? And has your blog changed over time?

5/24/2022 Do you review every book you read? Why or why not? 

5/31/2022 Do you request ARCs? Why or why not?

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post where bloggers discuss a wide range of topics from books and blogging to life in general. 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. Feel free to leave your links in the comments if you are participating.

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