Down the Rabbit Hole Book Box (May & June 2021)

It’s time to get thrilled and chilled! Down the Rabbit Hole Boxes have arrived and these boxes were full of some pretty spookily amazing gifts and treats. If you want to see what was in the May and June Down the Rabbit Hole Boxes then keep reading!

Hello Lovelies,

 

I have a thrilling new book box to share with you and it’s the Down The Rabbit Hole Book Box. This book box is a bit unique because it’s a box that’s been curated around a dark read (more about dark reads in a bit). As someone who has always loved dark, gothic novels, I was intrigued by this book box.  

Here’s a little more about the box before we dig in.

 

What is Down the Rabbit Hole Book Box? Down the Rabbit Hole Book Box is a monthly book box that sends you one dark, mesmerizing, and gripping read (either paperback or hardback) along with 4-6 individually wrapped gifts that’s been curated around the book.

 Website

Price: $34.99 (plus shipping) at the moment this is only offered in the US

Use the coupon code SIMPLYANGELA10 for 10% off your first box or a year's subscription. This code is not an affiliate code.

How is it shipped and packaged? The box is shipped via USPS and the last two months it has arrived  in a plastic poly mailer. The box itself contains shredded paper packaging that protects the items inside. Each item inside the box (other than the book and pamphlet) is individually wrapped and numbered.

What is a dark read? Per their website, they define dark books as a book without a happy ending. The books we will choose for you will have scary and dark plots, not so nice protagonists that will leave you questioning the world as it is.  There will be no books with happy endings coming from us!

Genres included (but not limited to): Southern Gothic | Dark Fantasy | Psychological Thriller | Horror | Mystery | Dark Fiction | Crime

Because of the content of the dark reads, the website does recommend that this book box is for those 18 years of age and above.

Can I find out the title of the book? Unlike other companies, Down the Rabbit Hole Book Box makes it easy to discover the title. Each month hints will be revealed on their website and Instagram. You can also email the company directly to discover the title. 

Each month you receive a pamphlet that tells you the theme of the month, a little about the author, and how to open your gifts. Because this is an Immersive Experience Book Box, it’s best to open the gifts as you read (you’ll find a little sticky tab on the page telling you which gift to open).

What is an Immersive Experience Book Box? It’s a box that’s been curated to pull the reader further into the sensory experience of the story with sounds, scents, tastes, and objects of interest from within the story. While items like candles, drinkware, and jewelry could be included, it also includes story specific items such as letters, photos and such. 

Hey Lovelies, there were shipping issues with both of my Down the Rabbit Hole boxes, which is why the May & June boxes are just now posting. The May box was stuck in Kentucky with DHL for nearly a month before it finally arrived. The company that handles the assembly and shipping of the boxes forgot to ship out my June box. I contacted DTRH, who are amazing to deal with, and they got in touch with company the ships the boxes and my box was sent out the next business day on July 12.

 

If you are a subscriber, just note that the boxes generally ship out around the 21^st of each month and take about 7-10 business days to arrive. If you don’t receive a shipping notice or if your box hasn’t arrived reach out to DTRH and they will gladly look into it for you. 

Here’s what’s in May’s Down the Rabbit Hole Book Box.

 

May’s Book: Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough (trade paperback, $16.99, 2017)—I’ve been hearing so much about this book (and the NETFLIX series) and I was very happy to receive it in May’s box.

May’s Theme: No theme this month 

Gift 1—Daisy Friendship Bracelet Set

Gift 2—Death’s Door Coffee

Gift 3—Bruno Visconti Notebook

Gift 4—Watch

Gift 5—Satin Sleep Mask, Hair band

 

There’s also a themed bookmark included 

My thoughts on the May box: May’s box was definitely a bit different content-wise but it was still a fun box to open and I’m so excited to dig into the book that was chosen.

 

The notebook and satin sleep set (eye mask, hair band) are items that I will use and I love that the sleep set came in a nice little drawstring bag, which will sit nicely in my nightstand. The bracelet set is cute but I will probably pass it on to a friend’s daughter. The watch is a nice quality but I’m not a watch wearer (I have too much electricity in my body and I kill watch batteries) so I’ll pass this along to someone. I’m not a coffee drinker so, again, I’ll pass this along.

Number of Items received: 5 Gifts (all bookish gifts) plus the book

Overall, This box was an odd mix of items but it was interesting. I’m excited to use the sleep set and the notebook is the perfect size to keep on my nightstand.

Here’s what’s in June’s Down the Rabbit Hole Book Box.

 

June’s Book: Confessions by Kanae Minato (Paperback, $16.99)—originally published in 2008 and translated in 2014, this is both a new-to-me author and book and it looks rather intriguing. At 234 pages, I imagine this will be a quick read.

June’s Theme: I have no idea. They either didn’t have a pamphlet this month or forgot to add mine in, which I’m guessing is the case seeing as I had some issues with my box.

1-Black Change Purse

2-Milk Carton Water Bottle

3-Teatulia Oolong Tea (3 packs) & Vienna Fingers (3 packs)

4-Mini Alarm Clock

We also received a matching bookmark, this time it has a lovely tassel.  

My thoughts on the June box: This was a fun little box to open and a bit different from the previous boxes.

The change purse, with a matching rose accent and keyring, is the perfect thing to toss a credit card and a bit of cash in, which I’ve been doing a lot lately for quick store runs. The milk carton water bottle is adorable, I’m not sure if I’ll use it a lot but it will make an adorable piece of décor in my kitchen. The tea and cookies were a nice addition. While I don’t like receiving a lot of snack items (cookies, etc.) I do like them every so often and I never say no to tea. This was the smallest alarm clock but it’s a nice quality and had a loud alarm.

While this was a smaller quantity then some of the more recent boxes, I really enjoyed unboxing this one. There were a lot unique items that I wouldn’t pick up for myself and I do think the change purse will come in useful. I’ve been using a small cardholder (that I worry about losing) when I do quick store trips so this is a bit bigger and I feel like I’ll be more comfortable with this size. 

Number of Items received: 4 Gifts (all bookish gifts) plus the book

Overall, these were both really unique boxes with fun items. While some of the items weren’t for me, I did enjoy the majority of the items and the way they correlated with the books.  I will say that I do missing receiving the story-related items as I like to use them in my book/reading journal. 

One of my favorite things about the Down the Rabbit Hole box is the presentation. Everything is uniquely packaged and carefully arranged. The items are nice quality and I often find most of them to be useful. The boxes themselves are gorgeous and make for great storage boxes or gift boxes. 

Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough

Louise is a single mom, a secretary, stuck in a modern-day rut. On a rare night out, she meets a man in a bar and sparks fly. Though he leaves after they kiss, she’s thrilled she finally connected with someone.

 

When Louise arrives at work on Monday, she meets her new boss, David. The man from the bar. The very married man from the bar…who says the kiss was a terrible mistake but who still can’t keep his eyes off Louise.

 

And then Louise bumps into Adele, who’s new to town and in need of a friend, but she also just happens to be married to David. David and Adele look like the picture-perfect husband and wife, but then why is David so controlling, and why is Adele so scared of him?

 

As Louise is drawn into David and Adele’s orbit, she uncovers more puzzling questions than answers. The only thing that is crystal clear is that something in this marriage is very, very wrong, but Louise can’t guess how wrong―and how far a person might go to protect their marriage’s secrets.

 

Confessions by Kanae Minato

After calling off her engagement in wake of a tragic revelation, Yuko Moriguchi had nothing to live for except her only child, four-year-old Manami. Now, following an accident on the grounds of the middle school where she teaches, Yuko has given up and tendered her resignation.

 

But first she has one last lecture to deliver. She tells a story that upends everything her students ever thought they knew about two of their peers, and sets in motion a maniacal plot for revenge.

 

Narrated in alternating voices, with twists you'll never see coming, Confessions explores the limits of punishment, despair, and tragic love, culminating in a harrowing confrontation between teacher and student that will place the occupants of an entire school in danger. You'll never look at a classroom the same way again.

A Duke in Time by Jenna MacGregor

What happens when a recently widowed woman discovers she wasn’t her husband’s only wife? She falls for his brother, of course. There’s a lot going in Janna MacGregor’s latest historical romance. Keeping reading to discover more about A Duke in Time…

Katherine Vareck is in for the shock of her life when she learns upon her husband Meri's accidental death that he had married two other women. Her entire business, along with a once-in-a-lifetime chance to be a royal supplier, is everything she's been working for and now could be destroyed if word leaks about the three wives.

Meri's far more upstanding brother, Christian, Duke of Randford has no earthly clue how to be of assistance. He spent the better part of his adult years avoiding Meri and the rest of his good-for-nothing family, so to be dragged back into the fold is…problematic. Even more so is the intrepid and beautiful Katherine, whom he cannot be falling for because she's Meri's widow. Or can he?

With a textile business to run and a strong friendship forming with Meri's two other wives, Katherine doesn't have time for much else. But there's something about the warm, but compellingly taciturn Christian that draws her to him. When an opportunity to partner in a business venture brings them even closer, they'll have to face their pasts if they want to share each other's hearts and futures.

Series: The Widow Rules #1 | Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks | Genre: Historical Romance | Source:  Publisher | Rating: 2.5 Cups 

I’ve always found Jenna MacGregor’s romances to be unique but this one definitely takes the cake.

When Katherine shows up for the reading of her late husband’s will, she’s surprised to discover her husband has two other wives, one of whom that’s pregnant. Shocked and betrayed, Katherine needs to figure out a way to keep her husband’s bigamy a secret to keep her textile business and save her chance at becoming a royal supplier. Christian has been cleaning up his younger brother’s messes for as long as he can remember and while he was determined to wash his hands of his brother’s mistakes, he can’t allow three women to be ruined. There’s also something about Katherine that’s calling to him and Katherine’s feeling the same tug. The only thing left to do is sort out past secrets.

I can’t remember reading a historical romance where the husband had three wives, so I was intrigued to see how this was going to play out and how things would be handled.

Katherine and Christian were good together. He’s dealing with some things after returning from war, she has some secrets from her past that could destroy her future. They are also sorting out the mess Meri (his brother, her husband) left behind, and it was a right proper mess. Then there’s their joint business venture they went in to, so they have a lot going on and it allows them to slowly grow closer. I also liked their charitable work and how it was portrayed in the book.

It’s obvious from their first meeting they have an attraction and chemistry but, at times, Christian ran hot and cold and Katherine just ran. This was not an instalove story or a slow burn but somewhere in the middle. What I found a little odd was the sex aspect. Katherine is portrayed as having very little knowledge in this area yet when the sexy fun times rolled around she was very forward and very knowledgeable, which came across as out of place given the way she acted through most of the book.

This book was different—very different—from what I was expecting. I found the interaction between the three wives to be a little off. I guess I was expecting some cattiness amongst the women but they got on swimmingly and were instantly best friends. Then there’s the random bequests Meri left his brother that shows up at odd times throwing the timing of the book off and offering no context.

The thing that annoyed me the most with this one was Katherine’s secret. The entire book is built around the secret that she deems life shattering, yet when the big reveal came about it was so minor it wouldn’t even have been a blip on the radar. I was expecting something major and was letdown.

Overall, this wasn’t a bad book but it wasn’t one that wowed me. I liked the relationship between Christian and Katherine. I like the work Christian did for veterans as well as Katherine’s work ethic. The rest of the book just didn’t work for me. There were a lot of odd interruptions that caused pacing issues.

This is the first in the series, and it does set up the next book (I think each wife is getting their own book), but, sadly, I don’t really have the desire to continue this series. 

Have you read this book? If so let me know your thoughts. 

 

Boxy Charm FantaSEA (July’s Boxy Charm Base Box Review)

My Boxy Charm Basic Box for July arrived and…it seems to be throwing it back to the OG Boxy, which was one of my favorites. So, did Boxy Charm get it right? Let’s see!

There is a lot going on with this month’s Boxy Basic. If you’re new to Boxy, I’ve left all the information in the box down below.  Just to give you a quick bit of info, Boxy Base is a $24 (plus tax, shipping is free in the continental US) monthly beauty box that features 5 full size beauty items and has a guaranteed value of at least $175.

It’s been about a year since I’ve reviewed Boxy Charm on the blog—that’s mostly due to the boxes arriving late, normally they arrive in the middle of the next month. Occasionally, Boxy Charm is late with shipping due to Covid restrictions but the majority of the time, my boxes (it doesn’t matter where they’re from) get stuck in Kentucky with DHL. If a box is shipping through DHL, I know that it will be two or more weeks late, apparently it vacations in Kentucky before finding its way to Ohio.   

 

Getting back to the Boxy Charm Base Box, this is what I received in my July FantaSEA box.

Alamar Cosmetics Brighten & Bronze Complexion Trio (Shade: Fair/Light, MSRP: $25)—I’m always happy to get a palette that has complexion products in it, especially one that can be used as setting powdered and bronzers. It just makes grabbing products easier when you’re in a hurry. This one contains a brightener, a bronzer, and a deeper contour shade.

I tried the brightener under my eyes and I just didn’t like the way it looked with the bits of mica in it; I much prefer the Ofra banana powder if I want something to brighten my under eye area. If I go in with a fluffy brush, I can use this as a setting powder to brighten up my foundation that’s just a shade too dark. The middle shade is great to set my foundation with when my foundation is too light and it also gives me a lovely sun kissed look. It does work as a light bronzer but I prefer mine to be a tad bit darker. The contour shade is the perfect bronzer for me.

I have exceedingly dry skin and I’m happy to report this trio didn’t dry out my skin or highlight the dry patches. They blend perfectly and sit nicely on my skin. I wore this for 8 plus hours while I was running errands on a 90degree day and I’m happy to report it stayed lovely all day.

The Lyfestyle Co. Detox Hair Serum (MSRP: $79)—this has a very earthy scent, which I don’t mind as it does seem to dissipate quickly, and it seems to be a dry oil when I applied a drop to my hand. I haven’t tried this yet as I’ve been testing out a new shampoo and conditioner but I will try to give an update either in next month’s beauty wrap up or on Instagram.

MudMasky Vitamin-Infused Eye Serum (MSRP: $63)—this, my friends, is a massive eye serum. It’s an entire fluid ounce (normally they’re half an ounce or under) and seems to be packed with nourishing ingredients. I have a few more eye serums to get through before I open this one. Again, when I use this I will try to remember to make an update either on the blog or on Instagram.

Grande Cosmetics Grandeglow Plumping Liquid Highlighter (Shade: French Pearl MSRP: $25)—I’m not a fan of liquid highlighters but I did try this one out. I don’t like this as an over the foundation highlighter; no matter how I apply or blend it, it removes my foundation. If I apply it as a highlighter under my foundation, it gives a subtle, lit from within glow. My favorite way to use this is by mixing it in with my moisturizer if I want a glowy skin look without makeup or adding it to my primer for a glowy makeup look. Both ways wear beautifully all day.

Billion Dollar Brows Brows on Point Micro Pencil (Shade: Taupe, MSRP: $16)—If I’m using a brow pencil, it’s usually a BDB pencil so I’ve very happy to have received this one in my box. I was a bit worried when this said taupe, as the shade’s usually a bit too cool toned but this one’s the perfect color and not at all ashy looking.

 

MSRP Value of July’s Boxy Basic: $208

Rating: 4.5

(1 point for the complexion trio, hair serum, eye serum, and brow pencil. Half point to the liquid highlighter.)

Did the box fit the theme: FantaSEA? I don’t really see where this box had much of a theme. If someone would have showed me the items and asked if I could guess the theme I would have had to say random shop down the beauty aisle.

My overall thoughts: I’m not going to lie, I was a little shocked by the size of the box. It was super small—I think it seems smaller than the original size when they first started but it’s been so long it could actually be the original size—and it’s black on the inside rather than the red they switched to, which makes me think it could be the original box. Normally the Basic boxes are twice the size of this one so I wasn’t really sure what was going to be inside. There were a lot of smaller items in this box (liquid highlighter, brow pencil, hair serum), normally the items have been a bit bulkier.

The products themselves are items that I was happy to receive and I know that I’ll use them. It’s been a minute since the Basic Box has impressed me, not that I was getting bad products but rather products I wouldn’t use.

The complexion trio, eye serum, and brow pencil are items that I know I’ll use. I’m a bit hesitant with the hair serum as this is a scalp treatment and I normally don’t like the feel of products applied directly to my scalp but I gave this a point as it’s something different. Normally, most of the haircare in Boxy Charm is from the same two brands so it was nice seeing something new.

My only half point in the box is the liquid highlighter—I will never be a fan of liquid or cream highlighters—but I did like this when I used it give me a glowy look when mixed with my moisturizers and primers. The only problem with that is I’ll have to make myself remember to reach for it. I’m going to put this in my drawer with my skin illuminators and hope I remember to use it. 

Overall, this was the highest rated Boxy Basic I’ve received for quite a while. I like that we’re seeing brands that’s not normally in Boxy (like MudMasky) but they feature in their sales. I also like that I’ll use everything in this box (just have to post a reminder about the liquid highlighter). It was on the smaller side but it was full of amazing products (and a nice mixture of hair, skin, and beauty) and I feel as though the monetary value as well as the use value was there. 

BoxyCharm Base Box is a $24 (plus tax) monthly beauty box containing 5 full-size beauty items. The boxes often include makeup, hair care, skincare, hair tool, beauty tools, and more often from prestige brands. With the Base Box Subscription, you’ll be able to select 1 product of your choice each month.  The Base Box has a guaranteed value of $175 or above.  

There is an in-depth beauty quiz to fill out, including your shade of foundation and concealer, to help ensure your box suits your taste and your skin type. After your box arrives, you’ll be able to review your products, which helps Boxy Charm curate future boxes to your preference. You’ll also earn charms for each item you review which can be used to purchase products from the Charm Room.

As a Boxy Charm subscriber, you’ll have access to their Pop-up and Add-on sales, which allows you to buy products for up to 70% off the MSRP. It’s the perfect way to buy bougie makeup products and not feel guilty.

Boxy Charm does offer a Premium Box as well as a quarterly upgrade to the Base Box. To subscribe to either, you have to have an active Base Box subscription and will be put on a waitlist, which is often only a month if that.

Find out more about Boxy Charm HERE

The above links are affiliate links and if you subscribe via the links I receive a small Boxy Charm credit I can use to redeem items. 

 

When a Duke Loves a Governess by Olivia Drake

Oh my goodness, I forgot how much I love Olivia Drake’s writing style. Within minutes of opening When a Duke Loves a Governess, I was transfixed watching the Duke of Carlin and his daughter’s spirited governess fall for each other. Keeping reading to see why this is one of my favorite books of 2021…

 

Tessa James has worked and planned tirelessly to open her own millinery shop. All she needs now is a loan from the lord who sired and abandoned her. The only problem is, she doesn’t even know his name. What’s a woman to do to find him but enter the aristocratic world by becoming a governess?

Guy Whitby, the new Duke of Carlin, has returned to London after years abroad to discover that his young daughter Sophy has become a wild-child known for scaring away every governess who's crossed his doorstep. When Tessa James applies for the job, he hires her in desperation despite his misgivings that she’s too bold and beautiful–and that she might be fibbing about her qualifications.

Their blooming attraction leads them on a completely unexpected path to love that neither wants to deny. But when an old enemy threatens Guy's family, their forbidden romance goes up in flames. Can they still learn to love and trust each other as forces try to tear them apart?

Series: Unlikely Duchesses #3 | Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks |  Genre: Historical Romance | Source: Publisher  | Rating: 4.5 Cups 

As a Jane Eyre fan, I absolutely love a good governess/employer relationship and this one delivered a fun Regency romance with a bit of action, a bit of mystery, and a lot of fun.

Guy is the brand new Duke of Carlin. As fourth in line, he never expected to inherit the dukedom—he’s more comfortable exploring the flora and fauna of exotic locations—but due a series of accidents while abroad, he now finds himself in a position he never really prepared for. To make matters worse, he’s come home from his voyage to discover that his wife has died and his young daughter (he really doesn’t know) hates him. He’s in desperate need of a governess that can tame is wild child.

Tessa hasn’t had the best life. After her mother’s tragic death, she was raised in the workhouse then become the assistant to a milliner, who underappreciates her hard work. When she hears the new Duke of Carlin is looking for a new governess, she sees this as the perfect opportunity to search for the lord she believes to be her father in hopes of securing a loan to open her own millinery shop. Even though Guy has qualms about her qualifications, Tessa is determined to prove she was the right choice.

As Guy and Tessa develop an attraction, her lies and an outside threat looms over them.

It’s been a minute since I’ve picked up an Olivia Drake romance and this book reminded me of how much heart and soul she puts into her writing. Her characters are realistic and realistically flawed, which really endeared them to me.

Tessa’s a very strong-willed, feisty, and intelligent person who is very task/goal focused. She knows what she wants and she’s determined to make it happen. Guy is not your typical duke, and I liked that because it’s not a role he was trained for. If he had been all high and mighty, roar is me, I’m the duke I don’t think I would have liked him. He’s someone who followed his passion and now he’s struggling to fit back into his home life, if that makes sense.

Tessa and Guy have a lot going on emotionally. He’s working through some guilt and trying to figure out how to connect with his daughter as well as how to be a duke. She’s trying to figure out where she came from as well as juggling the white lies she’s told Guy. Even though they have a lot going on, they have this great connection, this pull of attraction that they want to explore. I loved watching how they navigated the tricky class divide.

I also loved watching Tessa mend the relationship between Sophie—who was quite the little scene-stealer—and Guy. It was magical watching the three of them on the page together and I would have liked more of it.

While this is one of my favorite books of 2021, it’s not a perfect 5-cup read. The way Guy handled something towards the end of the book, after something was revealed about Tessa, should have come sooner. I don’t think that Drake meant for it to come across as some readers are going to take it—I’m not going to give anything away—but I would have liked it earlier.

There’s also the late addition of the mystery/danger aspect, which I did enjoy but I think it should have been added a bit earlier into the story. There was a sampling of it spattered about but, again, had it been earlier it could have added more intrigue.

I would have also liked to see more of Guy and Tessa’s romance develop on the page. While this was in no way an instalove story, it felt like some of the development was behind the scenes so to speak.

Guy’s relationship with his daughter—or rather, the lack there of—isn’t going vibe well with some readers. Honestly, some may end up disliking him because of it, but it needs to be judged according to the era and not by the era we live in now. Back then, society or aristocratic fathers (and mothers) had very little to do with the upbringing of their children—it was rare if they shared a household and often visited very little. That wasn’t something that dissuaded me from Guy or the book.

This is the third in the Unlikely Duchesses Series and I had no problem following along having not read the first two books.

Overall, this was a great read with some fun twists and turns. There were a few things I would have changed but I thoroughly loved it. I have a feeling you’re going to have fun with Guy and Tessa—even Sophie’s antics are amusing.

Go forth and get your Regency Romance Read on! 

Unlikely Duchesses Series

The Duke I Once Knew #1

Forever My Duke #2

When a Duke Loves a Governess #3

 

Another Quick Blog Update

 

Hello Lovelies,

 

I hope you’re doing well!

Just a quick little update; somehow I broke my blog. Hopefully, I’ve fixed the problem and posts are now going to start publishing again. Follow.it should also be active. I’m still working on Disqus so I’ll be able to reply to comments.

Fingers crossed, all things are going to start flowing again.

 

Cheers,

Angela

The Sunday Post

 Hello Lovelies and Happy Sunday!

It’s been a minute since I’ve been back in Bloglandia and I’ve missed all of you lovely people! There’s been a lot going on from health things to breakups and everything in between (more about what’s been going on in a later post) and I had to step away for a bit but I’m back and ready to get my blogging groove back on.

There was a lot going on this week. Monday I spent some time with family having a little picnic, which was nice seeing as it’s been a while since we were able to visit. I normally make a Victorian sponge cake but it was way too hot (100+) to turn the oven on so I picked up some frozen pound cakes and improvised. Everyone seemed to love them.

I finally started tackling my house projects I’ve been putting off. I had intended to have a contractor to do some of the remodeling, but due to the Covid restrictions in my area, that’s not going to be possible yet so the projects have turned into DIY projects. I’ve spent a lot of time purging items and ordering the storage/organization items I’m going to need. There’s a lot that I still need to do but it’s been such a relief to get the pre-prepping out of the way, especially since I fell in a hole Friday and either strained or tore my calf muscle. I’m more or less couch bound for the next week or so to see if it heals on its own.

Reading-wise, I’ve tackled several audiobooks. Currently listening to—and loving—Pause by Kylie Scott. I’ve also made my way through several e-ARCs. I have a feeling a lot of reading will be done in the week to come as I rest my leg.

What I’m stitching: Daffodil Doily from Duftin. I’ve been flying on this one; it also helps that the stiches are a decent size. I’ll probably have this finished by Monday.

Blog-Wise, I’ve been scheduling posts—I’m actually getting ahead!—and doing a bit of maintenance as I switched over to a new subscribe by email service.

Here’s what was on the blog:

Monday:  Falling in Love on Willow Creek by Debbie Mason (review)

Tuesday: Outlandish Book Box Review

Wednesday: June Empties

Thursday: How to Run with a Naked Werewolf by Molly Harper(review)

Saturday: Subscribe by Email Update 

The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly or for a monthly wrap up.

 

Subscribe by Email Update

Hello Lovelies,         

 

I’m popping in today to share that starting Monday, there will be a new subscribe by email service delivering all the happening at Simply Angela straight to your in-box.

 

If you were an active Feedburner subscriber, you’ll now be receiving blog emails from Follow.it. New subscribers can use the link below to sign up.

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How to Run with a Naked Werewolf by Molly Harper

Anna Moder has just witnessed a shooting, seen her car pulverized, and rescued a wounded stranger - only to discover he's really a werewolf. And by her recent standards, things are actually looking up. Lycanthropes don't faze Anna. Doctoring a wolf pack outside Grundy, Alaska, is the closest thing to home life she's known in years. But hitching a ride to Anchorage with long-absent pack member Caleb Graham - that's a risk. Part of her itches to whack his nose with a newspaper. The rest is trying unsuccessfully to keep her own paws off every delicious inch of him.

 

The problem is, Caleb employs his lupine tracking abilities as a not-quite-legal bounty hunter, and Anna is suspicious of both him and his profession. On the run from her past, with old problems closing in, she'd like to stay far, far away from anybody with connections to the law. Caleb, however, seems determined to keep her close. Are his intentions noble, or is he working a more predatory angle?

Series: Naked Werewolf #3 | Publisher: Audible | Narrator: Amanda Ronconi | Length: 8 hours 39 minutes | Genre: Paranormal Romance | Source: Purchased | Rating: 4.5 Cups 

It’s been a minute since I’ve visited Molly Harper’s Naked Werewolf series and…I completely forgot that I hadn’t finished it. I spotted this one during Audible’s sale and picked it up.

Here’s what’s going on. Anna’s been content hiding out in Alaska but when she witnesses a shooting that leads to her car being destroyed, she has no choice but to rescue the man that’s been shot. Imagine her surprise when she discovers said man’s a werewolf. While that doesn’t bother Anna, whose been doctoring a wolf pack, it does bother her that she’s developing some kind of feelings for Caleb, who happens to be an off the books bounty hunter.

Although Anna doesn’t want to be connected with any type of lawman, Caleb’s determined to keep her close and that has her wondering what his intentions are.

I completely forgot how fun this series is, which makes me want to re-read the first two books. If you’re looking for snarky werewolf goodness, then this is the book for you.

Caleb and Anna were fun together. She wants to run, he wants to keep her and that made for an interesting journey as they traveled around Alaska while Caleb did his bounty hunter thing. The bounty hunter aspect was also a fun thing to watch as Caleb wanted to get the jobs done quickly and Anna wanted to take a gentler approach. It was fun watching Caleb sort of let Anna navigate certain situations.

The romance wasn’t quite insta-love but it was a bit faster, like most paranormal romances, and I didn’t mind that as I felt the characters were given enough time to develop feelings. There is a bit of deception involved—on both sides—and I feel like there were some things that they both could/should have been upfront about but it wasn’t enough to ruin the story and some of the things I had a feeling about from the start.

This one was a bit heavier than the first two as it deals with domestic violence but it still had that Molly Harper levity.

As always, Amanda Ronconi is the perfect narrator. She truly brings the characters and the sass alive.

Overall, I loved this book. It was exactly what I needed when I listened to it. Sadly, I think this was the last in the series (I can always hope she’ll decide to put out another one) but it was a fantastic way to end. 

Naked Werewolf Series

How to Flirt with a Naked Werewolf #1

The Art of Seducing a Naked Werewolf #2

How to Run with a Naked Werewolf #3