Rambling Writer and Reader

Author: Martine Carlsson Title: Rising From Dust Series: Light From Aphelion #1 Publisher: Self published Published: 2016 Genre: Fantasy Links:  Bokus  /  Adlibris  /  Goodreads I was given a complimentary copy of Rising From Dust by the author in exchange for an honest review. To start of, this book is self-published. It's pretty and easy to read and the story moves you forward in rapid succession. It gets you interested from the very start, wondering where this is heading, since the characters can't remember anything from their pasts and we get glimpses of the world. It's also quite the classic high fantasy, with the world building, the story, the characters. But for the fact of Selen and Louis's blossoming relationship. Lissandro isn't as closely described and we don't get to know him quite as well as the other two mains. I'm hoping he gets a bit more screen time, so to speak, in the coming books. Anyway, I liked the relationship, though, it wa...

Author: Beverly Jenkins Title: Tempest Series: Old West #3 Publisher: Avon Published: 2018 Genre: Historical romance Links:  Bokus  /  Adlibris  /  Goodreads My first Beverly Jenkins was , can you believe it, a recommendation from another  bookstagrammer. Whaaaa, how can this be?! Well, I'm reading a lot - and I mean a lot - of white romance. I don't know why, maybe it just comes naturally? Anyway, I'm sick of myself only choosing books with white protags. I read A Gentleman Never Keeps Score by the glorious Cat Sebastian, which has a black protagonist and I thought to myself "When's the last time I read a book with a main character who wasn't white?". The answer? Way too long! So, it's a good think I've got @now_booking  showing me the error of my ways, spouting out black romance books left and right *clapping hands woop*. Her Beverly Jenkins-binge inspired me to listen to one of the two audiobooks I had saved on my audiobook service. An...

Author: Juliette Cross Title: Wolf Gone Wild Series: Stay a Spell Publisher: Juliette Cross Published: 2020 Genre: Paranormal romance Links:  Bokus  /  Adlibris  /  Goodreads I really shouldn't keep saying I don't like shifter/werewolf books. It's just getting awkward when I'm proven wrong... This is another recommendation from the never-ending well that is Bookstagram and this time, it's the fabulous Romancebookjunkie , telling us to read this light paranormal romance. She, as well as I, is tired of the dark paranormals that have taken over the romance world. They have their place, but sometimes you just want to read something light and fluffy and hot. This is it! For starters, both Mateo and Evie are lovable characters. Mateo is a sweet, artistic loner who has a dominate and possessive side without ever losing his sweetness. Alpha is also lovable, but in an entirely different way *smirking emoji*. Evie is smart, funny, geeky and compassionate and ...

Author: Joanna Shupe Title: The Rogue of Fifth Avenue Series: Uptown Girls Publisher: Avon Published: 2019 Genre: Historical romance Links:  Bokus  /  Adlibris  /  Goodreads I am a loyal bookstagrammer and spend way too much time on the Instagram platform, browsing for book recommendations, reading captions and reviews, getting to know my fellow bookstagrammers. One of these grammers is  @feminist_romance (she's also a blogger, check it out , if you wish). Anyway, she's a feminist romance lover - just like me! - and so I usually trust her judgement on books.  And look at that cover. Of course I had to read it!  Sure, I haven't always loved everything fiercely, but I have never hated them. This one was no exception. Or well, I loved it. This won't be a long review, because it's mostly swoon. Mamie and Frank. Frank and Mamie. What did I think, you ask? I think this was good. I think this was feminist, fun, passionate and lovely. I thin...

Author: Jenny Colgan Title: The Bookshop on the Shore Publisher: Sphere Published: 2019 Genre: Contemporary fiction/feelgood Links:  Bokus  /  Adlibris  /  Goodreads It's been awhile since I last read a Colgan book. I think I read 3 or 4 in a row and then had to take a break (as I usually do when I've over-expended an author). I didn't even realise she'd released anything new until I stumbled upon this at the library. I did not read the hardback version, though, because I then found it as an audiobook and that's more my jam. I settled in for a light read of dreams, obstacles and love. Boy, did I get something more! This book is about Zoe, a single mom living hand-to-mouth in London with her four year old son. She struggles with money, her ex, work, a good home and the fact that Hari, her son, doesn't speak. And now rent is going up. She is, in a word, unhappy. And also exhausted. And terrified of a future with no home. Getting the opportunity to move t...

Author: Annika Martin Title: Most Eligible Billionaire Publisher: (Unsure about the audiobook) Published: 2017 Genre: Contemporary romance Links:  Bokus  /  Amazon  /  Goodreads My first read by Annika Martin was The Billionaire's Wake-up-call Girl (that's really a mouthful). I loved the dynamic between the characters, the Alpha billionaire, the fun, the passion, the heat. It's the same with this one. Let me tell you, Martin is fun and knows how to write dirty talk. She also knows how to write a douchy dick hero and still make us love him. Because gah, how much of a douche Henry was in the beginning, like, I wanted to kick his balls in so bad. But then, oh, then. *le sigh* Redemption. But let's rewind: Vicky is a true star in this book - she's smart, fierce, loyal and always tries to do the right thing. Raising her teenage sister by herself isn't all fun and roses, but she does it splendidly. But she went through a traumatizing event in her own...

Author: Tricia Levenseller Title: Warrior of the Wild Publisher: Feiwel & Friends Published: 2019 Genre: YA Fantasy/Fantasy Links:  Bokus  /  Adlibris  /  Goodreads This is the perfect standalone book . It has a great start that sucks you right in, a fantastic world building that doesn't make you yawn and skip paragraphs, characters with more depth that striking blue eyes and dimples and beasts. Beasts, guys! I haven't even realized that I have a thing for fantasy books that involve beasts. Bad one, good ones, smart ones, stupid ones. I love the all, apparently! And this book has a bunch. I also has a cruel god, secluded villages and old fashioned rules that banishes anyone who doesn't fit the bill. Kind of. Read it, you'll see. Okay, so I've told you what I like about this book.  Let me tell you a bit more. I loved how Rasmira grows during the entire book. Sure, this could have been a duology to make the development take som more time, but she ...

Author: Tessa Bailey Title:  Fix Her Up Series: Hot & Hammered #1 Publisher: Avon Published: 2019 Genre: Contemporary romance Links:  Book Depository  /  Bokus  /  Adlibris  /  Goodreads Okay, where to start with this one. Hm... Let's start with what I liked. I loved Georgie and at moments I also liked Travis, especially when he defended her. I did not see the complete point with the "fix up", but I felt like it was made for her sake and not anyone else (no matter how much she wanted Travis to  see  her) so that's a good thing. I  love  her being a clown, of all things. I don't think I've ever read about clowns in romance before..? It awesome, in any case! The love Georgie has for her family is also lovely to read, even though I hated Stephen (Steven? Damn audiobooks), because he was frankly a misogynist dick. (Who the hell comes to fetch his wife just because she wasn't home when he came out of the shower? Really?...

Author: Christina Lauren Title:  The Unhoneymooners Publisher: Gallery books Published: 2019 Genre: Contemporary romance Links:  Book Depository  /  Bokus  /  Goodreads So, the biggest question is, why am I not reading Christina Lauren books all the time? I've read four of them so far and with the exception of My Favorite Half-Night Stand (which I only liked), I loved them so much and had such a great time reading them. So why do I hesitate before I pick up the next one? Maybe I scared of it not being great, who knows. Anyway, we're all here for my awesome reactions to books I've read, so you're going to get one! It's a really wacky idea, isn't it? Writing about two people who hate each other, going on a honeymoon because the entire wedding except them became vomiting wrecks. But it works. I read in a review that Olive and Ethan reminds them om Hazel and Josh. And I see the point, but I don't see the issue. I loved Hazel and Josh, so why wouldn'...

Author: Ilona Andrews Title: Sapphire Flames Series: Hidden Legacy #4 Publisher: Avon Published: 2019 Genre: Fantasy/Paranormal romance Links:  Book Depository  /  Bokus  /  Goodreads After having read and loved the other books of the Hidden Legacy-series, I was so excited to hear about Sapphire Flames. Getting the chance to read an ARC of this book was so great. Thank you Avon and Edelweiss+! (This review was originally written and published 2019-07-03) (What is up with the flames on Catalina's hands, though? She should have wings!) The first three books is about Nevada, the breadwinner of the Baylor family. This book is about one of her sisters, Catalina, who is a now a Prime (super awesome and strong magic person) and the head of the Baylor house. Not the easiest job in the world, keeping your family safe while also trying to run a business. Cue murdered people and the will to help a friend in need. Too bad the smoking hot Alessandro, who she's had c...

Author: Helena Hunting Title: Meet Cute Publisher: Forever Published: 2019 Genre: Contemporary romance Links:  Book Depository  /  Bokus  /  Goodreads Oh, how I've missed reading romance. It's been a lot of fantasy and sci-fi for me lately, so now I felt like a pure romantic book. And I must say I choose good. This was a breeze to read, even if it made my heart squeeze multiple times. Dax loses his parents and gets custody of his 13-year old sister. Kailyn is the lawyer responsible for the sister’s trust and becomes conservator for her, as well, when their aunt sues for custody. It’s just that Kailyn and Dax had a thing for each other in college and did not end on the best of terms. And starting anything now isn’t exactly the ideal situation. What I liked about this book was the characters, I guess. The relationships between them and the way they handled the situations they were put in. Emme is probably the one a rooted most for, because she was a swe...

Author: Maxym M. Martineau Title: Kingdom of Exiles Series: The Beast Charmer #1 Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca Genre: Fantasy/Paranormal romance Links:  Book Depository  /  Bokus  /  Goodreads I got the chance to read an ARC of this book and I finished it a while ago, but completely forgot to review it. Great of me, right? Well, I'm getting to it now, okay? Kingdom of Exiles were all I hoped it would be. A completely new story, with new creatures and characters. I've read of animal mages and watched Pokémon, but the way Charmers work is for me unique. The guild of again risen assassins isn't something I read about every day, either. In this book, there's a lot of descriptions of the environment, but the story also goes deep inside the characters' feelings and thoughts. Leena and Noc are two people with very different backgrounds of abuse and defeat, but still have a heart that longs for closeness and love. None of them trusts that longing, thou...