Monday, November 30, 2020

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Want to Read Again

 

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Artsy Reader where each week they post a new top ten list and ask fellow bookish folk to share their lists on that topic.

Top Ten Books I Want to Read Again:
Click on cover for Goodreads link:



Five of these choices I've picked the first book in the for the cover, but I mean the whole series. I know, that's a lot more than ten, lol.  The Will Trent series by Karin Slaughter, The Rockton series by Kelley Armstrong, The Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews, The Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs (I've already re-read 3 times and still want to re-read again!) and The Alpha & Omega series by Patricia Briggs which I've already read through twice.  The rest are favorites I could read all over again. 

So what is on your re-read shelf? Leave me a comment and I'll come visit your post!



Sunday, November 29, 2020

Sunday Post #99

 


The Sunday Post is hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated reviewer book blog, and is a post to recap my bookish and non-bookish things from the last week.

I hope everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving! I ate so much I felt full the next morning, too! Had a nice day with my daughter, her husband and of course our grand kids. 

I'm getting this up late today because I binge watched the new season of Virgin River which just came out Friday. I was hoping they'd be more faithful to the book plots, but no. Still, the scenery is gorgeous, and I like the actors they picked. Jack's Bar and Mel's cabin are perfect!  I binged because I wanted to see things resolved and got another cliffhanger! Ack! Will I have to wait another year? Who knows. 

Read:
Click on cover for Goodreads link:

Sleeping Murder and Emerald Blaze are both audio re-reads. Loved both. I've always thought Sleeping Murder to be a tragic story, but I guess murder usually is, right? You Had Me at Hockey was my first experience with Kelly Jamieson and I really enjoyed it! Long Road to Mercy was good. I have the next two books to go. 

Received/Purchased/Library Lend:
Click on cover for Goodreads link:

Continuing with the Atlee Pine series. Broke down and grabbed an audio copy of The Survivors. I love the sound of This Cowboy of Mine. First time reading R.C. Ryan. I've heard good things about Chloe Neill and seen The Bright and Breaking Sea around, so I requested a library copy. We'll see how it goes.

Watched:

Binged the whole second series yesterday. See above for my thoughts. Anyone else watch it?


I'm taking part in the Black Friday Giveaway Hop:


I'm giving away choice of $10 @US Amazon or US Barnes & Noble or up to $10 @The Book Depository. Click HERE to check it out. There are several blogs participating as well!


How was your week?


Thursday, November 26, 2020

Black Friday Giveaway Hop!

 


I'm thrilled to be taking part in the Black Friday Giveaway Hop hosted by Marlene @Reading Reality and Kimberly @Caffeinated Reviewer book blogs! You can find the list of participating blogs by clicking HERE or by scrolling down to the bottom of the post. 

I'm giving away a $10 Gift Card at either US Amazon or US Barnes & Noble or up to $10 at The Book Depository.  The giveaway is international as long as The Book Depository ships to your country.  Click HERE for a list of included countries. Scroll down to fill out the rafflecopter for a chance to win. Good luck!



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Tuesday, November 24, 2020

Review: Archangel's Sun by Nalini Singh

 


Archangel's Sun (Guild Hunter #13) by Nalini Singh
Publication Date: November 24th 2020 by Berkley
Pages: 368
Source: Publisher
Rating: ½ 

My Thoughts:
Archangel’s Prophecy steps away from Raphael and Elena as the center and instead focuses on Titus, and Lady Sharine, aka The Hummingbird.

Titus, Archangel of the African Territory, is knee deep in dealing with the havoc created by Lijuan and Charisemnon in their attempt at world domination, and to aid in this Raphael sends The Hummingbird to help. At first Titus is put out because he doesn’t see how The Hummingbird will be any great help. Sure, she’s a renowned artist, her works a thing of beauty, but she’s rumored to be a fragile, fractured being.  Titus doesn’t have time to pamper and dance around a woman when his land and people’s survival is at stake.

Ha! I had a feeling Titus was about to get schooled and it was going to be fun!

Lady Sharine was a broken creature for many years, but she’s come a long way. She’s even helped restore order and peace to Lumia, becoming their beloved angelic leader. When Raphael asked her to go to Archangel’s Titus’ aid, she’s eager to help, knowing all the territories desperately need all the help they can get. Yes, she’s spent a lot of her life being occupied by creating beauty, but underneath she’s a capable and powerful woman ready to help her angel-kind recover.

It was inspirational to witness Lady Sharine transform into this strong, powerful angel! Much to Titus shock, she’s no shallow woman, expected to be waited on and coddled. She proves a valuable asset to Titus and his efforts. They compliment each other beautifully. Where he’s often brash and like a bull in china shop with the ones inherited from Charisemnon’s territory, she helps smooth the way between him and his acquired people. A surprisingly, she’s a warrior!

Of course, my favorite part is the romance, and this was a slow burn.  First with Titus and Sharine getting to known each other, having their misconceptions cleared away leading to respect and admiration, and then the spark of attraction.  I loved seeing Titus fall helplessly for this woman, because the attraction is not only based on the superficial, but the knowing of someone deep down. He’s ignited by passion and want every time they’re together! The same for Sharine, but knowing Titus’ past with women she sort of resigns herself to loving and losing, eventual hurt inevitable.

So much to love about this story! The thrilling fights, the mystery of Charisemnon’s deadly creation, Titus and Sharine’s romance, but I also loved seeing the familial support, and their fun exchanges! Titus with his deadly sisters, and Sharine with her son Illium, and her sort of surrogate sons Aodhan and Raphael.

Archangel’s Sun is book thirteen in the series, and I don’t think this would work well as a standalone, because Titus and Sharine are dealing with the aftermath of the previous two books. I will say that you could go back and read the Raphael/Elena books (there are seven) and then this one and get the full effect.  Last year I binged on the Raphael/Elena books, getting through seven of the books in less than three weeks by listening to the audios, which are fantastically performed by Justine Eyre. There are seven Elena/Raphael books, each one having a source of conflict introduced that’s wrapped up by the end, but there’s the continuing story arc of the Archangel’s Prophecy weaved through. The other books in the series are like Archangel’s Sun where it focuses on the story and romance of side characters, like here with Titus and Sharine.

*If you want a more in-depth explanation of the series I explain it a little better in my review of Archangel’s Prophecy HERE. Some of it is a little spoilery, but not more than you’d get reading the book descriptions. 
4.5 Stars


Book description:
A horrifying secret rises in the aftermath of an archangelic war in New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh’s deadly and beautiful Guild Hunter world...

The Archangel of Death and the Archangel of Disease may be gone but their legacy of evil lives on—especially in Africa, where the shambling, rotting creatures called the reborn have gained a glimmer of vicious intelligence.

It is up to Titus, archangel of this vast continent, to stop the reborn from spreading across the world. Titus can’t do it alone, but of the surviving powerful angels and archangels, large numbers are wounded, while the rest are fighting a surge of murderous vampires.

There is no one left…but the Hummingbird. Old, powerful, her mind long a broken kaleidoscope. Now, she must stand at Titus’s side against a tide of death upon a discovery more chilling than any other. For the Archangel of Disease has left them one last terrible gift…

Saturday, November 21, 2020

Sunday Post #98

 


The Sunday Post is hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated reviewer book blog, and is a post to recap my bookish and non-bookish things from the last week.

I'm up in Northern California, very north, almost at the Oregon border. My husband and I are enjoying a long weekend away.  There are elk and we came upon a herd grazing!  So beautiful. 


We had dinner at a restaurant and I was impressed by the precautions taken to stay safe. The rest of our time we've just cooked at our place. We've walked along the beaches where there were a few others strolling as well, but we all stayed away from each other. All in all, it's been a nice weekend away. We'll be traveling home tomorrow (Sunday). 

Read:
Click on cover for Goodreads link:

Visions of Heat is the second book in the Psy-Changeling series by Nalini Singh. I had been meaning to continue reading the series after book one, but kept forgetting to get back to it. Anne @Books of My Heart is hosting a new read-along for the series so this nudged me to finally jump back in and I loved it. I read another Nalini Singh, the latest Guild Hunter installment. Loved The Hummingbird and Titus' story! Fatal Deception was a fun action filled romantic suspense. 

Received/Purchased/Library Lend:
Click on cover for Goodreads link:

All the Colors of the Night is the second in Krentz's paranormal mystery/romantic suspense series. I've been on my library wait list for Annie's Song (audio) for a while and it finally came through. 

Watched:


Uncomfortable at times, but funny!


How was your week?





Friday, November 20, 2020

Review & Giveaway: Fatal Deception by April Hunt


Fatal Deception (Steele Opps #3) by April Hunt
Publication Date: November 10th 2020 by Forever
Pages: 368
Source: Publisher
Rating: 
Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

My Thoughts:
I had a lot of fun with this story! Steamy, fast-paced with a lot of action and a bit of mystery.

Both Isabel and Roman were immersed in their job, and so each didn’t spend much time looking for love. Being thrown together when a band of thieves steal a deadly virus from Isabel’s lab, they feel an instant attraction. Roman was kind of a broody jerk when they first meet, but Isabel is a feisty character giving as good as she got and so there was a bit of sparring. However, they get physical pretty quick, which I think fit well with the intense circumstances they were in. Each have some past baggage to get through to find their HEA. Roman stems from the event that took his leg in an operation gone wrong, and Isabel’s from a past relationship that ended in tragedy.  

Their personal issues must take a backseat as they work to retrieve the dangerous virus which is now in the hands of a deranged group bent on making a deadly statement. All the danger and action kept me glued to the pages to see how it all turned out!

Fatal Deception is the third book in the Steele Ops series, and the first two couples feature as characters in play in this installment.  So it would’ve been nice to have read from the start for that reason, but I didn’t feel like I missed important information by reading Fatal Deception first.

4 Stars


The lovely people at Forever provided a Paperback copy of Fatal Deception and I'm giving it away to one lucky reader. The giveaway is open to US Residents only. Fill out the rafflecopter for a chance to win. Good luck! 


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Monday, November 16, 2020

TMST: What Books Are You Looking Forward to Reading This Winter?


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. 
Jen @That's What I'm Talking About  will send out an email of upcoming topics. 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. This week's prompt:
What books are you looking forward to reading in Winter 2020/21 (December-February)? 

Click on cover for Goodreads link:


I'm loving Jessica Clare's Wyoming Cowboy series so of course I'm looking forward to The Bachelor Cowboy. 

Much Ado About You sounds like my cup of tea: Small English village, quaint bookstore, and romance. What more could you want?  

I've been a huge fan of Kelley Armstrong's Rockton series from the beginning so I'm super excited about A Stranger in Town. 

Deep Into the Dark is a new series by PJ Tracy. After loving Monkeywrench so much I'm ready to dive in!

Click on cover for Goodreads link:

Before She Disappeared is the first standalone thriller from Lisa Gardner in twenty years! I've been reading and loving her books long before Goodreads. 

In a Holidaze released in October, but it felt right to wait until Winter to pick it up. A romance a-la-Ground Hog day? Sounds like a lot of fun. 

Love the Guild Hunter series! Whether it be a Raphael/Elena book or one that focuses on a side character (like Archangel's Sun), each installment is a treat! 

I've already started Long Road to Mercy so technically I'm reading it this Fall, but there are two more books to devour and I plan on reading them in December.  I've enjoyed David Baldacci's Will Robie series so I'm looking forward to getting to know Atlee Pine! 


What books are you looking forward to reading this Winter?