Monday, December 31, 2018

2019 Cruisin' Thru The Cozies Reading Challenge Goal Post


Host: Socrates Book Reviews
Goal: Level two (Investigator) Option B 10 themed books, 10 of my choice


Books Read:
Themed
  1. Culinary
  2. Animal related
  3. Craft
  4. Paranormal
  5. International
  6. Career-based
  7. Holiday--Deck The Hallways by Kate Carlisle (Fixer-Upper Mystery #4)
  8. Travel
  9. Historical
  10. Freebie
My Choice
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.


2019 Blogger Shame

Yeah, blogger shame, I still have it—hangs head. My goal is to get through the books left on my NetGalley account. At the moment, I don’t have an exact number, but I’m aiming somewhere between 15-20 books.
Challenge: Blogger Shame
Host: Anna @ Herding Cats & Burning Soup
Goal: Clean up my NetGalley account (15-20 books)
 
Books Read

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4.
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6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.

2019 Blog All About It

Challenge: Blog All About It! Take the prompt and blog it out!






2019 Prompts
 Jan- First
 Feb- Pink
 Mar- Luck
 April- Sweet
 May- Bloom
 June- Risk
 July- Heat
 Aug- Sky
 Sept- Crunch
 Oct- Shiver
 Nov- Thankful
 Dec- Twinkle

2019 Bad Boys of Romance Reading Challenge Goal Post

I bombed at keeping track of this one last year, fingers crossed this one will be better!

Host: Delighted Reader
Goal: Level Two 10-15 books – Engaged to the Bad Boy
 
Books Read
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2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.

Literary Pickers Scavenger Hunt 2019 Goal Post

Literary Pickers Scavenger Hunt 2019
Goal: Level Three -Professional Picker- 50 items/50 places
 
This is such a fun challenge and I can’t wait to search out the items!
Challenge Tracker




Items Found



2. Phone or device charger: Unzipped by Lauren Blakely
5. Doorbell/ knocker: Love in the Afternoon by Karen Hawkins (Dove Pond .5)
6. Oven: Cowboy Christmas Jubilee by Dylann Crush (Holiday, Texas #3)
7. Headboard (bed): Driving Mr. Dead by Molly Harper (Half-Moon Hollow #.5)
8. French doors/sliding glass door: The House Mate by Kendall Ryan (Roommates #3)
10. Chandelier/ Candelabra: Romancing the Laird by Gerri Russell (All the King’s Men #3)
11. Wine glass: How to Flirt with a Naked Werewolf by Molly Harper (Naked Werewolf 31)
12. Horse-drawn cart: A Rogue by Night by Kelly Bowman (Devils of Dover #3)
14. Beer: Peachy Flippin’ Keen by Molly Harper (Southern Eclectic #)
15. Bakery goods: The Real Thing by Melissa Foster (Sugar Lake #1)
17. Picnic food: Hardwood by Lauren Blakely
21. Rifle: Nice Girls Don’t Have Fangs by Molly Harper (Jane Jameson #1)
22. Sports pads/protective gear (any sport): Most Valuable Playboy by Lauren Blakely
23. Belt buckle: Magnolia Mystic by Lisa Kessler (#1)
24.Toilet/commode/outhouse -Baby Daddy by Kendall Ryan
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
33.
34.











Around the House
1. Coffee Table
2. Throw Rug/Blanket
3. Pet toys
4. Phone or device charger
5. Turn-style record player/stereo
6. Photo Album
7. Fireplace
8. China Hutch/cabinet
9. Toilet/commode/outhouse
10. Built in pool
11. Doorbell/ knocker
12. Oven
13. Headboard (bed)
14. French doors/sliding glass door
15. Flower pot/planter
16. Chandelier/ Candelabra
17. Tea tray/cart
18. Home security/alarm
19. Wine glass
20. Remote control/clicker

Around the World
21. Canada
22. South American Country
23. South Seas Island
24. African Country
25. Russia

It Goes Zoom Zoom
26. Power boat
27. Space cargo or transport ship
28. Ski lift/ascending mountain cable car
29. Motorcycle
30. Limousine
31. Steam Train
32. Horse-drawn cart
33. Segway/scooter
34. Navy ship
35. Rope swing/zipline
36. Brand new automobile
 
Elements to Factor
37. Enemies to Lovers
38. Threesome or Love Triangle
39. Sweet Romance (no more than kisses)
40. Dual or Multiple Narrators
41. First Person Point of View
42. Murder
43. End of the world/Disaster
44. Road Trip/ Personal Journey
45. Same Sex
46. A hated trope (DNF’d book ok)
47. Favorite trope
48. Over a Year on Your TBR
49. Borrowed/Loaned to you
50. Audio
51. Graphics or Illustrations
52. First time Author/Narrator
53. BDSM/Kink
54. Reunion/Second Chances
55. Arranged or Forced Marriage
56. Fake Mates
57. Fated Mates/Instalove
58. Known each other for years
59. Couple 40 years old or older
60. Alternate or fantasy world

All Terrain
61. On another planet
62. Desert
63. Big City
64. Small Town
65. Jungle

Bon Appetit
66. French cuisine
67. Indian cuisine
68. Black coffee
69. Beer
70. Bakery goods
71. Apples or oranges
72. Soup
73. Picnic food
74. Frozen Dinner/MREs/Food from a space ship galley
75. Four course (or more) meal

Tools of the Trade
76. Lock picks
77. White board/smart board
78. Monitor/Screen
79. Screwdriver
80. Handcuffs
81. Saddle
82. Emergency vehicle siren or lights
83. Diving suit/space suit
84. Rifle


Wear It
85. Raincoat/Slicker
86. Tiara/Crown
87. Socks
88. Piercing
89. Bullet-proof vest/tactical gear
90. Sports pads/protective gear (any sport)
91. Ball Gown
92. Tux/frock coat
93. Belt buckle
94. Bracelet

Cover Clues
95. Primarily yellow
96. Weather term mentioned in the title
97. One-word title
98. No people
99. Kiss or almost kiss
100. Favorite Author gave the cover quote

Wednesday, December 5, 2018

Their Lost Daughters by Joy Ellis

Deep in the muddy fields of Lincolnshire Fens, a teenage girl is found wandering, delirious, claiming to have been drugged at a party. Mere feet away, the drowned body of another girl turns up on an isolated beach. All this on a small stretch of land where, nearly 10 years ago, the shocking disappearance of a young girl remains an open case. Are the crimes linked? Who are these girls? Is a twisted predator living among the families on this secluded English coastal enclave? For detectives Rowan Jackman and Marie Evans, the pressure is on to unravel these unsettling crimes and bring the perpetrator to justice.


Series: Jackman & Evans (Published Order), Book 2, Jackman & Evans (Recommended Listening Order), Book 1: Publisher: Audible | Genre: Mystery/Thriller |  Narrator: Richard Armitage | Length:9 hours 46 mins | Source: Publisher | Rating: 4 Cups

I wasn’t sure what to expected when I started this one as Joy Ellis is a new-to-me author and, honestly, I’ve not really heard that much about her. Although I’m a massive fan of British suspense/crime drama (Blue Murder, Happy Valley, Unforgotten, DCI Banks, In The Dark) so I wanted to give this series a try and then when I found out that Richard Armitage was narrating, that sealed the deal. I’m so glad that I took a chance with this one because it’s just the type of mystery/suspense book that I enjoy.

 

Here’s what’s going on. When the body of a young girl is found on the beach, DI Jackman and DS Evans never expected that it would hit so close to home and are determined to discover just what happened. Their investigation takes a shocking turn when Toni, a teenage girl, is found drugged and wandering around in a muddy field. What makes things even more troubling is that she’s saying she saw her friend, Emily, being dragged from the party. Not only is the whereabouts of Emily a mystery, her identity is as well. These discoveries lead to Jackman and Evans wondering if they’re connected to an illegal underage drinking club that they’ve been trying to bring down. And just how is the disappearance of a little girl, a decade ago, connected to these new missing girls?

 

I’m not going to give too much away because this is one of those where the mystery could be if too much was revealed.

 

This one is rather intense and it took me down a rather twisted path as more information surfaces and sheds light on the who and why. It also left me on the edge of my seat and had me wracking my brain as I tried to piece together how the characters were connected to these hideous crimes. I was impressed that this one left me guessing until nearly the end and I have to say bravo to Ellis at how she worked this web of disturbed individuals together in a way that made me feel both horrified and sympathetic.

 

As for the main characters, I found that I liked both Rowan Jackman and Marie Evans. Not only did they work brilliantly together, I enjoyed their histories and I’m eager to learn more about them. They also have this slight flirtation about them and I’m eager to see how it plays out. I also found that I enjoyed the secondary characters as well. They were well-rounded and added such a nice touch to the story.

 

I really enjoyed the investigation in this one and watching the policing that was involved. It’s always interesting to see what’s involved in other countries policing.

 

Richard Armitage narrates this book beautifully. His voice is just suited for mysteries and his accents are spot on.

 

This is the second book in the series although this was the first one in the recommended listening order according to Audible so this is why I started with book two. As I’ve not read book one yet, I’m not sure if I’ve missed anything but if I have I’ll let you know when I come back and update this after reading book one.

 



Overall, this one was intense but engrossing. It had some gruesome bits but they weren’t overly explained so I wasn’t turned off of the book. I’m really interested in what comes next.




Jackman & Evans Series (recommended listening order)

Their Lost Daughters
The Murderer's Son
The Fourth Friend
The Guilty Ones
The Stolen Boys

Monday, December 3, 2018

Rocky Mountain Cowboy Christmas by Katie Ruggle

When firefighter and single dad Steve Springfield moved his four kids to a Colorado Christmas tree ranch, he intended for it to be a safe haven. But he never expected danger to follow them to his childhood home...
 
Or that he would come face-to-face with the one girl he could never forget.
 
Folk artist Camille Brandt lives a quiet life. As the town's resident eccentric, she's used to being lonely--until Steve freaking Springfield changes everything. Brave and kind, he's always had a piece of her heart, and it doesn't take long before she's in danger of falling for him and his rambunctious kids. But as mysterious fires break out across the sleepy Colorado town, Steve and Camille will have to fight if they want their happy family to survive until Christmas...

Series: Rocky Mountain Cowboys #1 | Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca | Genre: Romantic Suspense | Source: Publisher | Rating: 4 Cups


Challenges Read For: Literary Pickers: Fire Hose 
 
I’ve been wanting to try Katie Ruggle for a bit but I didn’t want to dive in during the middle of a series—and I’ve not had time to start from the beginning— so when Rocky Mountain Cowboy Christmas (book one in the new Rocky Mountain Cowboy series) showed up I was eager to dive in.
 
Here’s what’s going on. To keep his kids from harm, Steve has returned to his childhood home, which happens to be on a Christmas tree ranch. He never imagined that when he ‘rescued’ Camille, the girl he could never get out of his head, that he would truly have to rescue her from someone out to cause her harm. Now that she’s living with him and his family and feelings are developing, harm is still lingering around the corner and Steve will do everything in his power to keep them safe.
 
I could not put this book down. Steve and Camille were amazing together and kept me smiling until the end.
 
I really liked Camille. She’s quiet but fierce in her own away and definitely unique. She forages for scrap metal and makes these amazing metal sculptures. She’s also a bit awkward in public situations so that’s made her a bit of a recluse but when she encounters Steve and his kids she finds herself opening to them. Steve was such a great guy; he’s a protector and a bit assertive without being a typical alpha male. He takes great care of his children and is determined to do all he can to protect them and Camille.
 
The romance was cute. It wasn’t an in your face type of romance, it was more subtle as they figure out how to be in a relationship. They’re both awkward so they found themselves stumbling around the issue rather than just addressing it head on and I found that to be endearing.
 
I found Steve’s kids to be fun and entertaining. Each of them were so unique and knew what they wanted and were determined to get it. They were so accepting and welcoming of Camille.
 
Okay, so I liked the suspense/mystery aspect what I didn’t like was person behind it. Even though I had a feeling of who was behind everything, I wasn’t thrilled with the reasoning. I just didn’t feel like had enough substance.
 
Overall, I enjoyed this one. Not only was it such a charming Christmas story, it was such a great introduction to a new-to-me author and I look forward to reading more.  




What’s your favorite Christmas/Winter romance?

Monday, November 19, 2018

Cowboy Honor by Carolyn Brown

Patience was never one of her virtues. After her SUV runs off the road in the middle of a Texas blizzard and her cell stops working, Claire Mason is about to snap. Getting back home to Oklahoma with her four-year-old niece is top priority. And lucky for her, help comes in the form of a true Texas cowboy...

Levi Jackson has always been a sucker for strays. So he can't help getting involved when he comes across Claire and her little niece shivering in the cold. By offering them a place to stay until her car is fixed, he can make sure the two are taken care of - and get to know the sassy Claire better.

What starts as something awkward and temporary starts feeling cozier by the minute. And soon Levi is hoping he can convince Claire she has a permanent place in his heart.
Series: Longhorn Canyon Series #2| Publisher: Forever |  Genre: Contemporary Romance | Source: Publisher | Rating: 5 Cups


Challenges Read For: Literary Pickers  - Mixing Bowl
 
A snowstorm, a cowboy, and a woman with a gun make for an amazing Christmas read you’ll want to cozy up with.
 
When Levi walks into the cabin to take shelter from a snowstorm, he never imagined he’d encounter a woman pointing a gun at him or a little girl hiding under a blanket. Once he realizes that she’s run her car off the road and is now stranded, his urge to rescue kicks in. Although Claire’s not the type of woman to let herself be rescued. She’s used to being independent and she has her young niece, Zaylie, to care for but the longer she stays on the ranch and sees how Levi treats Zaylie and how close he is to those he was raised with she’s starting to realize being rescued isn’t so bad. She soon starts to realize there’s no point in denying her attraction and connection to Levi.
 
When I pick up a Carolyn Brown romance, I know that I’m in for a treat. She knows how to evoke that warm, small town charm that makes me feel like I’m visiting old friends. I just cannot get enough.
 
Levi is my favorite Carolyn Brown hero thus far. His mother left him with his adoptive parents at a young age so while he’s part of an amazing family, there’s still a part of him that questions if he fits in or not. He’s sort of missing that blood connection. While he has these questions, he hasn’t let that make him bitter. In fact, it’s sort of made him the opposite, he’s become someone who’s willing to fight for the strays be it people of animals. He has such a big heart and is so caring.
 
Claire’s upbringing has made her independent. From an early age, she was the one everyone relied on and it’s been drilled into to the point she doesn’t know how to ask for help or really how to accept it once it’s given. It’s a big adjustment for her to have to rely on Levi and his extended family but she’s also smart enough to know that she can’t keep on doing all of it on her own. I liked that she was willing to let Levi into her life.
 
The romance was so realistic. The attraction and chemistry was off the charts but I’m glad that they took their time figuring out what they wanted before acting on it. They got to know each other and themselves before hopping into bed and it made it believable.
 
I have to say that Zaylie was the cutest kid ever and I loved that she kept her age appropriate. Often times when authors throw a kid into the plot they tend to act ten times their age so it was nice to see a four-year-old actually act like a four-year-old. She really livened up the book.
 
Another thing I liked about this book was that Claire’s a quilter and I love how she’s expresses herself through her quilts and I felt like Carolyn did such an amazing job at showing the passion that goes into crafting a quilt. It also made me eager to get back into the quilts that I’ve been working on.
 
Hands down, this is my favorite romance of 2018. It has everything that I love about romance novels: heart, heat, trust, family, humor, and cheer. I could not put this down and ended up reading it in one sitting. This is a let-your-tea-go-cold type of read.




Bonus Story: O Little Town of Bramble by Katie Lane

All Ethan Miller wants for Christmas is to celebrate in Bramble, Texas, with family and friends. But when his childhood neighbor comes home for the holiday, Ethan realizes that the girl-next-door could be the girl of his dreams.


Longhorn Canyon Series
#1 Cowboy Bold
#2 Cowboy Honor
#3 Cowboy Brave (coming 2019)

Friday, November 16, 2018

The Royal Runaway by Lindsay Emory

Princess Theodora Isabella Victoria of Drieden of the Royal House Laurent is so over this princess thing.

After her fiancé jilted her on their wedding day, she’s finally back home after spending four months in exile—aka it’s back to press conferences, public appearances, and putting on a show for the Driedish nation as the perfect princess they expect her to be. But Thea’s sick of duty. After all, that’s what got her into this mess in the first place.

So when she sneaks out of the palace and meets a sexy Scot named Nick in a local bar, she relishes the chance to be a normal woman for a change. But just as she thinks she’s found her Prince Charming for the night, he reveals his intentions are less than honorable: he’s the brother of her former fiancé, a British spy, and he’s not above blackmail. As Thea reluctantly joins forces with Nick to find out what happened the day her fiancé disappeared, together they discover a secret that could destroy a centuries-old monarchy and change life as they know it.
 

Publisher: Gallery | Genre: Suspense/Romance/Humor | Source:Publisher | Rating: 4 Cups


Challenges Read For: Literary Pickers  - Curtains/Drapes
 
I had a lot of fun with this one. Imagine The Princess Diaries meeting MI-5 (Spooks) and that’s what you get with The Royal Runaway.
 
After a runaway groom and four months in exile, Princess Thea is back in Drieden but still feeling trapped by her royal life. Determined to escape for just an hour or so, she slips out to a local bar where she encounters Nick, a sexy Scot with a hint of danger who she seems to have a connection with. Pretty soon she learns that Nick’s not who he says he is and he’s now blackmailing her into helping him find his brother who just so happens to be Thea’s runaway groom. Now Thea wants answers although not only will they lead her and Nick into danger, they also threaten to destroy her family and the monarchy.
 
 
Thea was an interesting character. She’s royalty, second in-line to the throne (or first if they bypass her father as they want to do), so she’s feeling the pressure especially since her wedding went up in flames. And now that she’s learned that there was more to the disappearance of her groom, she’s not going to stop until she figures out what’s been going on around her. To further complicate matters, this new man in her life, Nick, is not only her former fiancé’s brother he’s also a British spy digging into her family’s possibly shady past.
 
The romance while it was good could have been better if Nick’s perspective had been included. Given that he had so many secrets and could have just been using Thea to uncover the info he needed, I felt like I needed to see where he was coming from just to be able to believe him a bit more. I needed to know what was going on in his head. I really wish authors would start including both perspectives because only including one makes the plot off kilter.  
 
I was caught up in the suspense from the beginning and I enjoyed watching this one unravel. It’s not one of those edge-of-your-seat plots but it was enough to keep me turning the page.
 
While the Kingdom of Drieden is a fictional country, Emory does an amazing job of filling in the countries backstory, it’s history, the feel of the land and created a believable world.
 
Overall, I enjoyed this one. It was a little suspense, a little romance, a little fluff, and a whole lot of fun. I really liked how this one came to life.

Thursday, November 15, 2018

Wild on My Mind by Laurel Kerr

When Katie Underwood discovers a litter of newborn cougar cubs, the last person she expects to come to the rescue is her former crush―and high school nemesis―Bowie Wilson. The worst part? He doesn't seem to remember the trouble he caused her.

As a single father and owner of a cash-strapped zoo, Bowie struggles to balance budgets while raising his pre-teen daughter and a host of rascally animals. He considers himself lucky when Katie agrees to lend her talents to a publicity campaign in support of the zoo's animal rehabilitation programs―until he learns just what she's planning...

This time, Katie is determined to resist Bowie's charm. But a lovelorn camel, a matchmaking honey badger, and a nursemaid capybara have different plans. Can they and the rest of the zoo's menagerie help Bowie break through the barriers surrounding Katie's heart?
Series: Where the Wild Hearts Are | Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca | Genre: Contemporary Romance | Source: Publisher | Rating: 4.5 Cups


Challenges Read For:  Literary Pickers  Handcuffs
 
I was not expecting this one to have as much substance as it had and I was pleasantly surprised. I guess because of the cute and cuddly animals on the cover I was expecting this to be a bit fluffy but it had weight to it and delved into a serious matter. So yeah…it was definitely surprising.  

 

Here’s what’s going on. When Katie stumbles upon three abandoned cougar cubs, she didn’t expect her high school tormentor to be the one to rescue them and, oddly enough, he doesn’t seem to remember her. When Katie finds herself working with him to raise money for the zoo, she’s determined to keep him at an arm’s length while getting a little payback of her own. Although the longer they work together and the more she seems him care for his daughter the more her heart starts to melt but will it be enough to put the past behind her.

 

When I discovered that Bowie was Katie’s high school bully, I worried that I wouldn’t be able to warm up to him and I worried that I wouldn’t be able to believe that he’s a changed man. Thankfully, that worry was for naught because I really ended up liking Bowie and, as his story progressed, I understood where was coming from and I believed he changed. He ended up being a solid guy.

 

I also worried that Katie would hold a grudge. While that could make for interesting reading, I find that it often holds the plot captive and makes the character seem cold. Katie was completely different than I was expecting her to be. I mean, she was leery and wounded from her treatment but she didn’t let that take over her life and turn her into a shrew. She was willing to forgive Bowie and let him into her life.

 

Their relationship had some obstacles to overcome and I liked the way it played it out—it showed that they both had grown and matured.

 

While this book had some heavy stuff in it, it was also adorable. The animals stole my heart from the start, especially Fluffy, the match matching honey badger who lends his own POV to the story.

 

The one thing I could have done without was Bowie’s ex showing back up. It felt a little odd like something that was thrown in just to add a bit of external conflict.

 

Overall, this is one not to miss. I think this is the first book I’ve seen that’s had a zoo keeper as the hero, so it was unique. I also liked that Bowie was a Byronic hero—he wasn’t perfect but he was realistic. Plus, he adores his daughter. This one’s unique, heartwarming, a tad bit heavy at times, humorous, and just an all-around good romance.

Wednesday, November 14, 2018

Love and Other Wild Things by Molly Harper



Welcome to Mystic Bayou, a tiny town hidden in the swamp where shape-shifters, vampires, witches, and dragons live alongside humans. The town formed around the mysterious energy rift in the bayou, which helps keep the town’s magic in balance. But lately the rift has been widening and destabilizing - threatening to send the town’s magical population into chaos.


Energy witch Danica Teel has been sent by the League to figure out what’s going on, with the help of bear-shifter Mayor Zed. While working on the case, Zed falls head over paws for Dani, but she’s reluctant to engage in anything beyond a roll in his cave. Dani’s family is counting on her to get the job done, and she has no time for distractions. But when an ominous presence begins stalking Dani through the bayou, they’ll need to band together to make it out alive.
 
Series: Mystic Bayou #2 | Publisher: Audible | Narrator: Jonathan Davis, Amanda Ronconi  | Length: | Release Date: | Genre: Paranormal Romance | Source: Publisher | Rating: 4.5 Cups


Challenges Read For:  Literary Pickers  - Hammer
 
I’m such a sucker for Molly Harper’s paranormal romances. I can’t get enough of them. They pull me in and keep me entertained. And they have me gigglesnorting in public places, which has earned me a few rather peculiar looks from random strangers.
 
Sparks fly when Dani, an energy witch, and Zed, a bear shifter, meet.
 
When the League sends Dani to Mystic Bayou to mend the energy rift, she never thought she’d fall for the town’s mayor who also happens to be a bear shifter. Although Dani plainly informs Zed she’s not interested in more than sex, they both know she’s lying and Zed’s determined to make her his, especially now that someone or something is out to harm them.
 
I liked Dani and it seemed to me she had a bit of all of Harper’s characters wound into her. She’s very independent and determined to make right the wrongs her father did to her grandfather. Zed, I loved him in book one and I love him more now. He was such a zany man and it was interesting seeing what he was going to say next.
 
Dani and Zed were brilliant together. I loved their banter; they knew just the right buttons to push without going too far. Neither was willingly to back down and neither was afraid to stand up to other, which made for some entertaining situations.
 
The romance was nice. Of course it was all lusty-lusty from the start but I didn’t mind that seeing as their relationship grew as the book progressed.
 
As always, Amanda Ronconi is a genius when narrating a Molly Harper book—she truly brings the characters to life. While I felt like Jonathan Davis did a good job narrating the first book in this series, I felt like he was better suited for this one.
 
Overall, another great addition to this fun and unique series.







Mystic Bayou Series
#3 Selkies are a Girl’s Best Friend