Carole's Monday: Stone song by Tricia O'Malley

Author: Tricia O'Malley 
Narrator: Amy Landon
Title: Stone Song
(The Isle of Destiny #1)
Genre: Fantasy, PNR
Format: Audiobook 
Pages: 296  
Published: June 2nd 2016
Where I Got It: My shelf (Audible)

Summary: Clare MacBride has her life in exactly the order she wants it. In a year, she’ll have finished her geology dissertation, though she’s no closer to figuring out the answer to one question that plagues her.

Why does she feel stones pulse with energy?

A centuries-old curse, a mysterious faction of protectors, and a mythological godstone all sound like old world fairytale nonsense to Clare. It only takes one rainy evening with a silver-eyed fae and a handsome stranger promising protection to rock her world forever.

With her life plans shattered at her feet, the lines of science and fiction blur as Clare is forced to throw everything she knows about the world out the window and look deep within her heart for answers.

Review:
Sooooooo I finally decided to try another book of this author since I am having withdraws from the series I just finished (which I heard a rumor she is adding a book to that series. eee!)

The story follows Clare who thought she had life all set up and ready to go. Her plans shatter like glass at her feet when she realizes she is chosen by forces beyond her control. She must put her life and heart on the line on this journey. 

My favorite part of this book is the fact that it takes place in the same world as the other series! You do not have to read the other series to understand, but it really made it feel like I was at home. It was so nice to see a couple of people from the previous books make a quick appearance. ^_^

Oh Clare. Oh Clare. I have mixed feelings about you. 

Blake...he was okay. Very grumpy but he has been in love with Clare for 10 years and couldn't even say hi to her without messing up her fate. So sad. 

I LOVED Clare's friend. She was adorable. I think I would've liked her to be the Chosen One ;) hehe. 

This was far too short. I feel like we need more time as they try and solve the mystery and find the stone. I wanted more time with these 4 adventurers. Maybe we'll see them more in  the next book? We shall see. 

The narrator is awesome as per normal. Love her voices!!

Overall, I liked it, but I felt like there should've been more. I'll have to read book 2 someday. I'll give this 3 stars. 

Challenge(s):

- #29 for Audiobook Challenge

Best of June

Happy July!! 

Here are our favorites for last month. Hopefully, everyone is safe and doing okay!

Best Book of the Month:

My pick...........Alpha Night by Nalini Singh

"Best book of the month goes to Alpha Night by Nalini Singh :D Though there were a few other close contenders"

Carole's pick......Entreat Me by Grace Draven

"I had a few reallllly good ones this month, but in the end, I had to pick this one. It was so good! I highly recommend it!"

Best TV show of the Month:

Carole's pick............the Bold Type (Season 4)

"Season 4 just started and I am already loving it. The last episode made me sooooob!"

Blodeuedd's pick...............Atypical & Instant Hotel

"The tv series I watched and enjoyed this month was Atypical. Really good. And at the end of the month I got hooked on Instant Hotel. Ha, I recommend it!"

Best Movie of the Month:

My pick...........

"Nope. Watched maybe 2."

Carole's pick........My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2



"So funny. If you liked the first, you'll get a kick out of the 2nd one!"



Best Cover of the Month:

No cover said WOW this month, but I liked this nice simple colorful one

I am in love with this cover. A great contender for best of the year ;) 

Audio: Seduce me at sunrise by Lisa Kleypas

Narrated by: Rosalyn Landor

Series: Hathaways, Book 2

Length: 9 hrs and 6 mins

Unabridged Audiobook

Release date: 06-23-20

Language: English

Publisher: HarperAudio

Historical romance

In exchange for an honest review

In book 1 you could see where this book was leading too. Win and Kev grew up together, fell in love, but nothing happened. So it was a long time coming.

But there is a big hurdle to get over first, Kev is Roma, and hey I get it, you do not want to let Win suffer. The Ton are asshats. They look down on people in trade, they will def look down on someone who marries a Roma, and as we will see in this book that happens, as Win's sister married one in book 1.

So it is one of the, she wants him, he resists because he thinks he knows best. And then there is the plot how she went away to get better from being ill, and comes back, with, ohh another man. Drama. Who was another total asshat by the way

Oh and a sidestory of how Kev does not want to help Cam find his family, or Kev's. Since they both are Roma, and not in contact with their families.

But what the book did not have coming for it was the fact that well these were actually in love from the beginning. I guess I like a little drama, mistaken identities, haters to lovers and all that. Because then you wonder, and here you knew he would give in.

Still it was a sweet story with some added outside drama. And there are more siblings to come. I lok forward to those.

Narration

I liked the narrator. She has just the right voice for historical romance. She did not though always have distinct voices, but it was still easy to follow along and I enjoyed her narration

He has tried hard to forget her.

Kev Merripen has longed for the beautiful, well-bred Winnifred Hathaway ever since her family rescued him from the brink of death when he was just a boy. But this handsome Gypsy is a man of mysterious origins—and he fears that the darkness of his past could crush delicate, luminous Win. So Kev refuses to submit to temptation…and before long Win is torn from him by a devastating twist of fate.

Can she remember the man he once was?

Then, Win returns to England…only to find that Kev has hardened into a man who will deny love at all costs. Meantime, an attractive, seductive suitor has set his sights on Win. It’s now or never for Kev to make his move. But first, he must confront a dangerous secret about his destiny—or risk losing the only woman he has lived for…

Audio: Daring and Duke by Sarah MacLean

Narrated by: Justine Eyre

Series: The Bareknuckle Bastards, Book 3

Length: 10 hrs and 59 mins

Unabridged Audiobook

Release date: 06-30-20

Language: English

Publisher: HarperAudio

Historical romance

In exchange for an honest review

Narration

Justine Eyre is great narrating as always. She makes me forget that her male voices are actually her. She always sweeps me away with her range. I like how she does them.

Story

Did I think I would like Ewan after what he has done in the past 2 books? Not really, BUT, see, my memory is lacking. And it was a year since I listened to book 2, which means I had totally forgotten what an ahole he had been.

Ewan and his 2 half brothers was pitted against each other by their crazy ducal father. Grace was the Duchess' bastard who was made to pretend to be a boy until the Duke could get one of his bastards to take over. Ewan won, the rest fled for their lives, and built themselves as kings and queen of the bad part of London. Oh and Ewan hates his brothers cos he think they failed to protect Grace, and that is why he has been a total evil bastard for the last two books.

But she is alive. And she hates him. And he really loves her and would do anything for her. Damn, see there is where he got me, he loves her, all he ever did was for her.

And she is a true queen of the underworld. With her fancy brothel catering for women, her gang of spies and her security force of kickass women. She needs no man. But then she still loves him underneath that hate.

SO they spar. So he tries to win her back. It was another sort of book. Revenge, lost love and sadness.

I enjoyed it.

Grace Condry has spent a lifetime running from her past. Betrayed as a child by her only love and raised on the streets, she now hides in plain sight as queen of London's darkest corners. Grace has a sharp mind and a powerful right hook and has never met an enemy she could not best...until the man she once loved returns.

Single-minded and ruthless, Ewan, Duke of Marwick, has spent a decade searching for the woman he never stopped loving. A long-ago gamble may have lost her forever, but Ewan will go to any lengths to win Grace back...and make her his duchess.

Reconciliation is the last thing Grace desires. Unable to forgive the past, she vows to take her revenge. But revenge requires keeping Ewan close, and soon her enemy seems to be something else altogether--something she can't resist, even as he threatens the world she's built, the life she's claimed...and the heart she swore he'd never steal again.