Witty & Hilarious .. "Playing James" by Sarah Mason is everything I could hope for and more!! Holly is a up-and-coming reporter, who just got her big break! James is a cop, who takes his line of work very seriously .... hates reporters ... and is about to get married in 6 weeks time .... and just got assigned Holly to play his shadow up until the day he says "I do." Tempers start flying ... situations get misread ... and when Holly's column becomes a big hit the readers start questioning if there's more between the reporter and the detective then they both are letting on??
5 out of 5 stars!! LOVED IT!! It's up beat! Fast paced! With plenty of twists thrown in just to make you second guess how you think the story will end! =0)
For more information on this book and/or on any of Sarah's other books then please check out her Amazon Page.
** Title is from the song It's Gonna Be Love by Mandy Moore **
** This site is a participant in various affiliate advertising programs through Amazon.com, Rakuten Marketing, Commission Junction, IndieBound, Smashwords, Book Depository, and more that are designed to provide a means for Jess to earn minimal advertising fees by showcasing the areas you can purchase the corresponding products that Jess discusses within her blog posts. Basically Jess earns from qualifying purchases.
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Format: Hardcover | Pages: 276 | Release Date: April 2010 | Publisher: Simon & Schuster
"It's Not Summer Without You" [A Summer Novel, Book 2] by Jenny Han
My Book Summary : Belly has always loved summer. She use to wish her days at school pasted by quicker so she could be with her family and their closest friends at Cousins Beach. But this is the first year that she won't be and she's just doesn't know what to do with herself.
The reason for this is because her mother's best friend, Susannah -- who owned the beach house, dead from cancer two months ago, Belly's ex-boyfriend was that Susannah's son, and ever since the funeral she hasn't been able to put the pieces of her broken heart back together. So, when her best friend, Jeremiah -- who is another son of Susannah's, calls to tell her that Conrad (Belly's ex and Jeremiah's brother) has taken off and is asking for her help in finding him, even though she's afraid of confronting Conrad again, she immediately agrees. However, the thing Belly doesn't realize is that Jeremiah has fallen for her too.
They find that Conrad has run off to the beach house and they go after him since he took off the weekend before his summer finals at college, so he needs to return soon. Once there, Jeremiah and Belly find that Conrad had actual reasons for leaving instead of just running away from his responsibilities like they originally thought. In addition, Belly unknowingly finds herself in a love triangle between two brothers, one who would do almost anything to please her and the other who will only show he cares when it suits him best .... what will she do? And when she decides ... how can she choose in a way that won't hurt them all after?
My Book Review : 5 out of 5 stars!!! I loved this continuation of Belly's story! Especially with getting to read some of Jeremiah's point-of-view! With the way the author left the book I think there will be another one, I hope, and I can't wait to see what that "a couple years later" part was about and who with!! Maybe we'll even get to read a bit from Conrad since he is one very moody character I'm curious as to what he's really thinking about. In truth ... I like both brothers and I can't make up my mind as to which one I want Belly to be with. In some ways I wish she could just have them both ... but I know it's not that kind of story either. LOL. This was a great story about the meaning of friendship, how sometimes that friendship can evolve into something more, what brothers or even best friends will do for one another, losing a person who meant quite a bit to you, and the power of teenage romance -- what's true about it and what we just want to see in rose colored glasses.
"When you swim," he started to say. I thought he wasn't going to continue, but then he said, "You wouldn't notice if the house was on fire. You're so into what you're doing, it's like you're someplace else."
He said it with grudging respect. Like he'd been watching me for a long time, like he'd been watching me for years. Which I guess he had. ~ within Chapter 21
For more information on this book, series, and/or any other books by Jenny, then please check out her website.
** This site is a participant in various affiliate advertising programs through Amazon.com, Rakuten Marketing, Commission Junction, IndieBound, Smashwords, Book Depository, and more that are designed to provide a means for Jess to earn minimal advertising fees by showcasing the areas you can purchase the corresponding products that Jess discusses within her blog posts. Basically Jess earns from qualifying purchases.
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It is ThanksgivingDay (the USA version of it at least) today! The tradition on my blog is to post a list of ALL the books I've read thus far this year that I've given my highest ratings to (5 out of 5 stars) today, which means I'm VERY Thankful for finding/reading them!
HOWEVER -- and it is a BIG HOWEVER -- this year has been hard for everyone. Myself included when it comes to promoting the books I have been reviewing. As if you look at my 2017 & 2018 Thankful Book Lists you'll see within my top write-up (like this one) that I say something along the lines of "because of life I have reviews but have yet to fully post them yet." This year is a LITTLE different because though ... that is still true ... my reviews ARE backlogged ... I had a catastrophe in March 2020 where I LOST ALL OF MY PREVIOUS REVIEWS. Yeah. If you want to hear ALL about it click here. BUT for 2020 specifically I was trying gather some "reading stats" for you, so out of those 19 books I know that 5 that I have no reviews for need to be on this list because I had rated them 5 out of 5 stars!
Yes this list is odd BUT other than the top three books within this list the others DO have reviews for them -- FULL REVIEWS COMING SOON -- so CHECK IT OUT! I DO RECOMMEND ALL OF THESE NOVELS!!
➡️ Also for the THIRD year running I have a We Are Thankful For Books collab video (at the bottom of this post) for you. In the video you'll see 5 Youtubers (including myself) talk about the books they are thankful for reading this year. Enjoy! 📚🥧
Jess (owner of this blog), along with 10 other wonderful Youtubers, put together this giveaway in hopes of getting you all interested in our Youtube channels as well as to give you a chance to WIN THREE Amazon Gift Card Prizes!! Here are the giveaway details:
Enter through Rafflecopter https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/82337dbe7/ and be eligible to win by commenting the secret word flashing on each video. Hop through each video (11 videos in total) to comment all of the secret words!
✨ Grand Prize: $75 Amazon Gift Card
✨ Second Prize: $25 Amazon Gift Card
✨ Third Prize: $10 Amazon Gift Card
✨ Terms & Conditions ✨
🔸 Must be 18 years or older to be eligible to win
🔸 Opening to U.S. residents
🔸 To fully enter giveaway you must sign up through rafflecopter and comment the secret words found in each video
🔸 Giveaway will begin on Monday, March 22, 2021 3:00 pm est time & will end on Friday, March 26, 2021 8:00 pm est time.
🔸 Winners will be randomly chosen through the Rafflecopter application.
🔸 Three winners will be chosen 1 for the grand prize, 1 for the second place prize, and 1 for the third place prize.
🔸 Winners will be announced on Monday, March 29, 2021 in the YouTube Community Tab. All winners will receive their e-gift card through the email provided through Rafflecopter.
🔸 YouTube is not an affiliate or sponsor of this giveaway.
Family is coming out of the woodwork for Sookie in "From Dead To Worse" by Charlaine Harris, which is part of her Sookie Stackhouse series. Old to young distant relatives are becoming not so distant anymore for Sookie, who is enjoying it her now growing family .... although secret as they may be. Quinn goes missing ... or takes off ... depending on who's opinion you take, with no word. Jason and Crystal stir up their own trouble ... but of course drag Sookie in to deal with it. Alcide's pack is in the middle of a were war. Another vamp King wants to take over Louisiana. And Sookie doesn't stick to what she says in the previous book, "All Together Dead", which was if she stays away from the supernatural then she'd be fine. But things are looking up for her ......
5 out of 5 stars!!! I loved how all the relationships went. Eric. *happy sigh* And I love that she's finding out new relatives now .... but I hope one of them isn't trying to use her. =0/ If you haven't read it yet then you better! =0)
For more information on the Sookie Stackhouse series or other of Charlaine Harris' books then please check out her website.
** Title is from the song We Are Family by Sister Sledge **
** This site is a participant in various affiliate advertising programs through Amazon.com, Rakuten Marketing, Commission Junction, IndieBound, Smashwords, Book Depository, and more that are designed to provide a means for Jess to earn minimal advertising fees by showcasing the areas you can purchase the corresponding products that Jess discusses within her blog posts. Basically Jess earns from qualifying purchases.
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Who knew I would like Amish stories? I certainly didn't, or didn't realize that I would enjoy them as much as I did. But I guess when you look at it if it is a really good romance story and the plot really catches your interest then anything is possible. =0) And that's what I found with "Hidden" (part of the Sisters of the Heart series) by Shelley Shepard Gray.
This is the first story in the Sisters of the Heart series. I'm not sure if I'll read the others anytime soon, but after reading the first chapter the book held my interest and I couldn't put it down. It's an easy read (under 300 pages) about Anna, a woman who really has no direction in life and finds herself in an abusive relationship. After trying to talk to her family and police about her situation, and everyone not believing her, she turns to the last people she can think of her friend Katie's family who are apart of the Amish community in Pennsylvania. They take her in, and she earns her keep while hiding from her abuser and everyone she knows as she thinks her loved ones who inform him of her location. While doing so she grows as a person, gains a special relationship/friendship, and feels happier then she has in a long time. But what will she be able to go back to the life she just left??
It was a very good story ... if you don't mind it being full of detail yet short ... I give it 5 out of 5 stars. I'm not sure if I'll read the other stories in the series but you never know, since I did love the main characters in this book.
To find out more about this book, series, or other of her books ... then check out Shelley Shepard Gray's website.
** This site is a participant in various affiliate advertising programs through Amazon.com, Rakuten Marketing, Commission Junction, IndieBound, Smashwords, Book Depository, and more that are designed to provide a means for Jess to earn minimal advertising fees by showcasing the areas you can purchase the corresponding products that Jess discusses within her blog posts. Basically Jess earns from qualifying purchases.
More specifically Jess partners those websites' programs and you should be aware that they may collect personal information when you interact with their sites. The collection and use of this information is subject to their own privacy policies.
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My Book Summary : Jake's parents abused him throughout his childhood. They created him so he could have what they were missing, which was the ability to shapeshift into a leopard. They really never loved him at all. Once he was born, he made sure that they never really knew that their experiment worked, so as soon as he was old enough he left not allowing his parents to be able to use him.
Years later Jake has made a name for himself, is a multimillionaire (or possibly in the billions now), and he has been fighting corporate and strategy battles against his family ever since he left always staying one step ahead of them, as they have yet to give up whatever control on him they can find but lately it's not much or barely anything at all. However, they had sent a women to seduce him, even though he knew that she came from them, he slept with her and now she's pregnant with his child. His parents plan was that now this girl was pregnant it would force Jake to marry the girl, but he was having none of that. In addition, he might not love the child but he would never let his parents have his child either. So, he plans on taking the girl until the baby is born, especially since the girl is already not taking care of herself for the baby's sake. But that is easier said then done, when your in a car chase after the girl and her drunk boyfriend swerving down the highway. The girl and the boyfriend get into a head-on collision with another car and Jake steps into action ... finding that the boyfriend is dead, paramedics trying to save the girl and her baby ... Jake pulls out a woman from the other car, and is immediately drawn to her.
At the hospital he finds that his son has survived, the girl has died, and he already starts making plans to find out more about the woman he saved from the car, wanting to bring her into his life. But Jake doesn't trust anyone, doesn't plan or want to love anyone, so he plans on making her fall in love with his son and once he finds she has no family plans on taking her home with him.
Emma, the woman from the other car, is totally lost. She was planning on telling her husband that she was pregnant that day when the car crash happened, but now he's dead and she's all alone. Thankfully the doctors informed her that the baby is fine, but what will she do? So, when Jake steps in, she lets him take over since she really doesn't have anyone. After a couple of weeks in the hospital, she agrees to move into Jake's house to be his housekeeper and take care of Jake's son.
Two more years pass and Emma has made Jake's house a home, his son and her daughter call them both Mommy & Daddy, even though Emma & Jake are just friends. But the attraction between them has grown. Now has come the time for them to find out if their friendship can move into a relationship both want but are scared to commit too.
Then there are Jake's parents still after him and everything he has (including his son & Emma's daughter) and they will stop at nothing to get their way. Will Jake be able to keep a hold of his burrowing feelings for Emma and his children away for long? Will they be able to have a relationship, when Jake is the type to control everything? Will Jake be able to protect Emma and his kids from those people who would love to use them against him?
My Book Review : 5 out of 5 stars!!! Very well written!! I was addicted from the beginning and I couldn't put it down! I loved how Jake's childhood was written in a way that you got to see flashes of him growing up, from birth to him being thirty, so you could understand why he doesn't trust anyone or why he believes himself to be so cruel. And Emma is a mystery all on her own, you believe she is one thing and then suddenly her whole back story comes out from no where! LOVED it I did! =0)
"If she's a slut, what does that make you?" Emma demanded, almost spitting mad. "She isn't the only woman you have falling all over herself to have sex with you."
Her eyes were beautiful, almost glowing, like two dazzling emerald jewels. He wouldn't have been surprised if sparks flew at him at any moment. "The difference is, Linda would sell her soul to the highest bidder and uses sex to try to get what she wants."
"And you don't?"
"Not yet. But believe me, honey, that's going to happen soon. Now tell me what the hell went on and how the children got involved."
"Go to hell." Her temper rose to meet his. ~ within Chapter 9
For more information on this book, series, and/or any other books by Christine, then please check out her website.
** This site is a participant in various affiliate advertising programs through Amazon.com, Rakuten Marketing, Commission Junction, IndieBound, Smashwords, Book Depository, and more that are designed to provide a means for Jess to earn minimal advertising fees by showcasing the areas you can purchase the corresponding products that Jess discusses within her blog posts. Basically Jess earns from qualifying purchases.
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And the adventure heats up with ... "One Foot In The Grave" (part of the Night Huntress series) by Jeaniene Frost. It starts four years later .. after Cat left Bones as her only way she thought to protect him and her mother. So now she's a special agent for the FBI .... but over the yrs she hasn't found anyone in her love life to match up to Bones yet. Then after she goes on an assignment she can't complete she finds that she has a hitman (or two) after her now. And in a twist of fate she runs into Bones at her best friend's wedding .... Now he wants to help save her and to make her realize he's never letting her go again ...
5 out of 5 stars! So much better then the first book! Especially much more fast paced with lots of additional twists thrown in! YAY! *hehee*
If you want to find out more on this series or Jeaniene Frost's other books then check out her website.
** This site is a participant in various affiliate advertising programs through Amazon.com, Rakuten Marketing, Commission Junction, IndieBound, Smashwords, Book Depository, and more that are designed to provide a means for Jess to earn minimal advertising fees by showcasing the areas you can purchase the corresponding products that Jess discusses within her blog posts. Basically Jess earns from qualifying purchases.
More specifically Jess partners those websites' programs and you should be aware that they may collect personal information when you interact with their sites. The collection and use of this information is subject to their own privacy policies.
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Format: Kindle Edition | File Size: 238 KB | Release Date: June 2010 | Publisher: Lyrical Press, Inc.
"The Alpha" [The Vanguards Series, Book 2] by Annie Nicholas
My Book Summary : Two years ago Spice took off on her own and headed into Las Vegas, leaving her sister behind in Chicago. Now she's back with only the clothes on her back, and finding that the people she thought she knew have changed, but mostly in good ways.
Eric is excited to have Spice back, especially now that his has grown out of his nerdy-boy-next-door phase and sees the heat in her eyes when she looks at him. He has loved and wanted her for so long. But things have changed for Eric, since Spice left he has been turned into a werewolf and is now he is his pack's Alpha. Also, his pack really wants him to have a mate and the ladies are challenging each other for that honor whether he likes it or not. So, unless he finds a way that he can have Spice for a mate, even though she's human, then his pack my force him to have a mate who he doesn't want.
Will they find a way to be together forever? Or will they have to agree with just having an affair on the side?
My Book Review : 5 out of 5 stars!!! I didn't read the first book in this series but you really don't need to. Spice and Eric make such a cute couple!! I feel in love with this book just because of them, and I recommend this book for anyone who wants to read a quick love story! ♥
Book Teaser(s) :
He never told her his secret. Guilt threaded itself around his heart. First thing tomorrow, he'd confess. She did say nothing would drive her away from him. God, he hoped she really meant those words.
He pulled her closer and buried his nose in her hair.
The scent soothed him and his beast. She smelled like his. No other way to describe it. So much for keeping his beast under wraps, it liked Spice as much as he did. For once, they agreed on something. ~ within Chapter 5
For more information on this book, series, and/or any other books by Annie, then please check out her website.
** This site is a participant in various affiliate advertising programs through Amazon.com, Rakuten Marketing, Commission Junction, IndieBound, Smashwords, Book Depository, and more that are designed to provide a means for Jess to earn minimal advertising fees by showcasing the areas you can purchase the corresponding products that Jess discusses within her blog posts. Basically Jess earns from qualifying purchases.
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This site is a participant in various affiliate advertising programs through Amazon.com, Rakuten Marketing, Commission Junction, IndieBound, Smashwords, Book Depository, and more that are designed to provide a means for Jess to earn minimal advertising fees by showcasing the areas you can purchase the corresponding products that Jess discusses within her blog posts. Basically Jess earns from qualifying purchases.
More specifically Jess partners those websites' programs and you should be aware that they may collect personal information when you interact with their sites. The collection and use of this information is subject to their own privacy policies.
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Witty & Hilarious .. "Playing James" by Sarah Mason is everything I could hope for and more!! Holly is a up-and-coming reporter, who just got her big break! James is a cop, who takes his line of work very seriously .... hates reporters ... and is about to get married in 6 weeks time .... and just got assigned Holly to play his shadow up until the day he says "I do." Tempers start flying ... situations get misread ... and when Holly's column becomes a big hit the readers start questioning if there's more between the reporter and the detective then they both are letting on??
