OMG HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!! Please let 2021 be amazing, and fun, and happy and healthy and full of book & reading mojo!! Oooops… I forgot the new rules of my latest favorite meme. Not sure who came up with it, but it’s hilarious and pretty fitting. π No sudden movements.
Nobody claim 2021 as “your year”.
We’re all going to walk in real slow. Be good. Be quiet. Don’t. Touch. Anything.
Tee hee!! <— *whisper giggles*
TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT WE FOUND FOR THE WEEKENDΒ Β !!
βββ TWO MONTHS FREE KINDLE UNLIMITED DEAL!!! <β For new members only. If you havenβt tried it yet, nowβs your chance.Β WE ARE LOVING IT!Β
βββ AMAZON MUSIC UNLIMITED MEMBERSHIPΒ π²Β 3 months FREEΒ US, Canada and UK!!Β π OMG BEST DEAL YET ON THIS (for new members only) US, Canada and UK!!! I wish I could get in on this one…
βββΒ AUDIBLE SUPER-DEAL for the first 6 months!Β Robin found us this one!!
andβ¦
- AMAZON FIRST READS <— for January are up!!! AND!! We can pick 2. YAY US!! π I chose Hadley and Grace (it’s from an author I’ve read and enjoyed before!!) and “Not One of Us“.
A Court of Thorns and Roses eBook Bundle: A 4 Book Bundle by Sarah J. Maas <— FANTASY ROMANCE ALERT! MUCH LOVED SERIES BOOK BUNDLE ON SALE (US & CANADA)!!! Kathy found it for us!!
Kathy: Sarah Maasβ Court of Thorns and Roses E book bundle (Books 1-4) is on sale for… I had a couple of books in this series but not all so hadnβt started it yet. I grabbed this so that I can finally read this series! Happy New Year.
Lie, Lie Again: A Novel by Stacy Wise <— LIVE!!! PSYCH-THRILLER ALERT!! THEY’RE NEIGHBORS “...For three women with so much to hide, thereβs no such thing as a little white lieβ¦All three women who live at 1054 Mockingbird Lane have secretsβ¦and with a body at the bottom of their apartment buildingβs staircase, those secrets need to stay buried...”
- The Best-Laid Plans by Sarah M. Eden <— LIVE!
- Stone Cold Queen (Sick Boys Book 2) by Lucy Smoke <— LIVE!!
- The Marriage Code: A Novel by Brooke Burroughs <— LIVE!! ALGORITHM TO FIND THE PERFECT MATE… “...Rishi cannot believe that he got passed over for promotion. To make matters worse, not only does his job require him to return home to Bangalore with his nemesis, Emma, but his parents now expect him to choose a bride and get married. So, when Emma makes him an offerβjoin her team, and sheβll write an algorithm to find him the perfect brideβhe reluctantly accepts. Neither of them expect her marriage code to work so well...”
- The Detour: A Holiday Novella by K. Bromberg <— LIVE!! K. BROMBERG ALERT!!
- Busted Steel: An Age Gap Stand Alone Romance (Steel Crew Book 6) by MJ Fields <— LIVE!!!
An Accusation: A Novel by Wendy James <— LIVE!!! SHE ACCUSES HER TEACHER OF KIDNAPPING HER!! “…When eighteen-year-old Ellie Canning is discovered wandering the countryside, dazed and traumatized, she tells a harrowing story of abduction, captivity, and escape. An overnight symbol of survival and empowerment, Ellie enthralls an outraged nation. Then authorities zero in on an unlikely suspect: high school teacher Suzannah Wells, identified by Ellie as the woman who kept her drugged and bound in a basement. The evidence against Suzannah is damningβvilified by the media, Suzannahβs only defense is that not a single word Ellie says is true. Suzannah has no reason to lie. But then again, neither does Ellie…”
- ARTER Brothers: A Medical Billionaire Romance BOXSET by Clara Cruise <— BOOK BUNDLE!!
- Adoring April by Caroline Lee <— LIVE!!
Christmas in Quincy (Eden) by Devney Perry <— LIVE!! DEVNEY PERRY ALERT!! She’s trying to avoid Christmas with her family (and chooses her own “vacation” plans)… “...she should have expected her family to thwart her plans. The minute she finishes unpacking her suitcase at the quaint Eloise Inn, Austin Myles knocks on her room door.Β As the head of her fatherβs security team, Austinβs been ordered to drag Cleo back to California. Only when she refuses to leave, he has no choice but to stay...”
- Burly by Jessa Kane <— LIVE!!
Cristina: Crossfire was one of the first romance series I fell in love with (after 50 Shades of course!).
Amaya: My favorite moody character is Gideon Cross
Nicole: I read all of Sylvia Dayβs Crossfire series… I love these sexy drama-filled books! They definitely increase the romance in your own bedrooms as well! π
If I Never Met You: A Novel by Mhairi McFarlane <— RECENT RELEASE SUPER-BARGAIN!!! OFFICE ROMANCE!!! I LOVE the sounds of this one (so many great reviews)!! “…When her partner of over a decade suddenly ends things, Laurie is left reelingβnot only because they work at the same law firm and she has to see himΒ every day. Her once perfect life is in shambles and the thought of dating again in the age of Tinder is nothing short of horrifying. When news of her exβs pregnant girlfriend hits the office grapevine, taking the humiliation lying down is not an option. Then a chance encounter in a broken-down elevator with the office playboy opens up a new possibility...”
Honor: A Heroes of Big Sky Novella (The Big Sky Series) by Kristen Proby <— LIVE!! KRISTEN PROBY ALERT!! HE’S BEEN SHOT & is now in Rehab “…Theyβve assigned him a medical professional and banished him to the lake house for rehab. Which wouldnβt be so bad, but his new babysitter isnβt at all what he expected. Sheβs sin and temptation wrapped in the perfect package and infuriates him like no other…”
- Noble Prince by Devney Perry <— HERE’S ANOTHER DEVNEY PERRY READ!! Ana recommends this one!!
Ana: …my God she has grown. She has now become an automatic click for me
R. Renee: What is your fave Ana? Iβve only read one by her and want to try something else thatβs maybe not *quite* as alpha.
Ana: Noble prince was quite good not too alpha
By a Thread: A Grumpy Boss Romantic Comedy by Lucy Score <— RECENT RELEASE & HURTLING UP THE AMAZON CHARTS!!
Kathy: Have you read any Lucy Score? Loved By a Thread and Rock Bottom Girl!
Kathy: if you subscribe to Lucy Scoreβs newsletter, she has bonus epilogues that you can download (so excited to read the one for Rock Bottom Girl and By a Thread). Happy New Year!!
Maryse: YAY!!! Thank you!!! I see By A Thread is moving up the Amazon charts right now. I should get it.
Tasha J: By a Thread triggers my Romcom loving heart.
Waiting On The Rain (The Walker Brothers Book 3) by Claudia Connor <— LIVE!! SHE’S BLIND & BACK IN HER HOMETOWN & HE’S HOME FROM THE MILITARY!! “...Being blind doesnβt hold Ava Bennet back in the least. With her work, her shopping, and public transportation within walking distance, sheβs totally at home in the big city. But sheβs not in the city now. Temporarily back in her small home town to help her father has her struggling in a big way.Β Luke Walker is done running from his troubled past. Finally home after years in the military, heβs ready to make amends with his family and set down some roots. But adapting to civilian life is way harder than he ever couldβve expected…”
- Shadow: A Gritty MC Romance Series (Guardians Of Mayhem MC Book 6) by Hope Stone <— LIVE!!
- Drake’s Flame: A Reverse Harem Paranormal Fantasy Romance (The Fae Dragon’s Harem Book 1) by Melody Novak <— LIVE!!
The Chain by Adrian McKinty <— PSYCH-THRILLER SALE ALERT!!! OMG BLURB JOLT! “…It’s something parents do every morning: Rachel Klein drops her daughter at the bus stop and heads into her day. But a cell phone call from an unknown number changes everything: it’s a woman on the line, informing her that she has Kylie bound and gagged in her back seat, and the only way Rachel will see her again is to follow her instructions exactly: pay a ransom, and find another child to abduct. This is no ordinary kidnapping: the caller is a mother herself, whose son has been taken, and if Rachel doesn’t do as she’s told, the boy will die…”
Nay: I forgot to mention yesterday that Iβm listening to The Chain by Adrian McKinty. What a creepy (and disturbing) bookβand Iβm loving it so far! Iβm at 62% now and itβs one of those where I search for times to listen as much as I can. I waited for 6 months to get this sucker from the library. So far, itβs well worth the wait!
Nay: I finished The Chain. Iβd give it a solid 4 stars. Very creepy and disturbing. Great writing and I enjoyed the narration.
Deliver Us: Books 1-3 by Pam Godwin <β PAM GODWIN BOOK BUNDLE SUPER-BARGAIN!!! FALL FOR THE VILLAINβ¦ ββ¦Youβll fear him and crave him, for behind the cruel mouth lurks a jealous, possessive devil who will sacrifice everything to protect the woman he loves. Each standalone is a different couple with its own dark love story, all interconnected in a dangerous underworld of murderers, kidnappers, and cartels. Forget your comfort zones. This world isnβt pretty. But itβs oh-so-delicious and twisty...β
Renee: Pam Godwins Deliver series is great.
Siana: β¦books you should add to your TBR list that my friends & I recently read and adored: Deliver by Pam Godwinβ¦ dark and deliciously sexy. Deliver has some heart stopping twists and turnsβ¦
Jill: Maryse when you are ready for a dark read again, go for deliver by Pam Godwin. Just finished it and it was awesome!
Beautiful and Terrible Things by Riley Hart <— LIVE!!! RILEY HART M/M ROMANCE ALERT!!! “…His dad was the town troublemaker, and I was the son of a cop. We couldn’t have been more different, yet we were best friends, had each other’s backs, and kept each other’s secrets. What you are, I am, we always said.Β Then one night irrevocably changed our lives forever.Β It’s ten years before I see Gage again, and instantly I can tell he’s not the same boy I fell in love with. We’re both haunted and hardened by the memory of that night–of everything we did and saw…”
- Snowed In… With My Best Friend’s Dad by Seth King <— LIVE!! M/M ROMANCE!!
- Voyeur by Candace Wondrak <— LIVE!!
- His: Dominic: The Sabatini Family by Fiona Murph <— LIVE!!
- Tools of Engagement: A Novel (Hot & Hammered Book 3) by Tessa Bailey <— TESSA BAILEY SUPER-BARGAIN ALERT!! Sheβs competing against her brother on a house-flipping show, and a member of his team comes over to HER side!! “…she needs a crew and the only member of her brotherβs construction team willing to jump ship is Wes Daniels, the new guy in town. His Texas drawl and handsome face got under Bethanyβs skin on day one, but the last thing she needs is some cocky young cowboy in her way…”
- Fated Mates – A Romance Novel Podcast with Sarah MacLean & Jen Prokop <— BEV FOUND US THIS AWESOME ROMANCE BOOKS & WRITING PODCAST!!!
bev: Iβve been listening to the Fated Mates podcast and am loving it. It has been around for awhile, but Iβve just started listening.Β It is hosted by the writer Sarah Maclean and Jen Prokop a critic.
Iβve been listening to the eps that talk about books that had impact on the genre. So Dreaming of You when they fangirl over Derek (he is the best) and The Hating Game. Now onto the one about Born in Ice.
But anyway they fangirl which is fun but also they give insider inside into what was or is going on in publishing, but most interesting is when they get into the authorβs skills or how the crafted the book. Like they point out how one moment or conversation can do so much to build the character.
Iβm rambling, but if you like podcasts, romances, and just the art of writing a book it is really good.
Mony: love thisβ¦thanks bev!
Maryse: Oh I LOVE the sound of this!!! Iβm adding it to tomorrowβs Friday Finds. Thatβs Bevβs fine. π
AUDIOBOOK L
VERS!
ββ Not a member of Audible yet? Get aΒ free 30 day audible trial (which includesΒ one title from their premium selection of best sellersΒ and listen all you want to thousands of titles in their growing Audible Plus Catalog.)
ββ AND! Audiobook Matchmaker!! <β Find out which of YOUR Kindle books are available as audiobooks at a BARGAIN-PRICE!Β This is how it works. Click on that link & AmazonΒ will show you all of your Kindle books that are also available as an audiobook at a seriously discounted price. This way, you can switch back and forth, seamlessly between your ebooks and your audiobooks. VERY COOL!
ββΒ AUDIBLE SUPER-DEAL for the first 6 months!Β <β Robin found us this one!!
PREORDERS (going live soon!!! π )


Single Mother: An absolutely unputdownable psychological thriller with a jaw-dropping twist by Samantha Hayes β January 5th 2021
- The Camp (Chateau Book 2) by Penelope Sky β January 5th 2021
- Neighbors: A Novel by Danielle Steel – January 5th 2021
- The Push: A Novel by Ashley Audrain – January 5th 2021
- The Woman Outside My Door by Rachel Ryan – January 5th 2021
- The Wife Upstairs: A Novel by Rachel Hawkins – January 5th 2021
- Laces (Boys of Hawthorne Asylum) by Tempi Lark β January 7th 2021
- The Prince and the Thief (Ambrosia Royals Book 1) by P.S. Scott β January 7th 2021
- 7th Circle (Hades Book 1) by Tate James β January 8th 2021
- Roommate by Sarina Bowen β January 12th 2021
- Ghost on the Shore (Blackbird Series Book 3)Β by Lily Foster β January 12th 2021
- People LIke Her: A Novel by Ellery Lloyd β January 12th 2021
- The Way the Story Goes (Magnolia Sound Book 7) by Samantha Chase β January 12th 2021
- Blood Heir (Kate Daniels World Book 1) by Ilona Andrews β January 12th 2021
Kingdom of Shadow and Light (Fever Book 11)Β by Karen Marie Moning β January 12th 2021
- Repeat Offender (Souls Chapel Revenants MC Book 1) by Lani Lynn Vale β January 12th 2021
- Destructive King (Mafia Royals Book 3) by Rachel Van DykenΒ β January 12th 2021
- Forever Girl: A Novel by Jill Shalvis β January 12th 2021
- Fatal Fraud (Fatal Series Book 16) by Marie Force β January 12th 2021
- Our Italian Summer by Jennifer Probst β January 12th 2021
- Dragon Revealed: A Dragon Kings Novella by Donna Grant β January 12th 2021
βββ Β Looking for more book releases? Check out the upcoming new releases here or check out the latest new releases here.
βββΒ Β Get Maryseβs Book Blog updates delivered by email (youβll get one daily email that will have each post from that day consolidated on it). AND/OR you can also subscribe toΒ my newsletter. πΒ It goes out once or twice a week and features my βBest Ofβ¦β
βββ If you havenβt βlikedβ my Facebook page,Β come on over and join us! Weβre fun & weβve got great taste in books!
Alessandra Torre has posted her favourite books of the year I think they might be worth a look
I love her. I bet her favorites are awesome. I need to find her list. π
Happy New Year!! Maryse I just emailed you my top ten!
I feel like I’ve been working on my year end newsletter for a month. Finally finished and going to go make a monster breakfast. For lunch.
Thank you R!!! I got it and it will be coming up next. π
I sent you a second email. I forgot to delete a line that won’t make sense. π
Yes, that podcast. It is really fun and they often have guest author interviews or that just drop in.
I have got to start on the Joanna Shupe books that I have.
I think listening to it is also helping with my reading mojo. Finished one book and then right into Holidaze, plus started Millionaire Teacher. Just something about hearing them squee over books and authors just is bringing back that feeling of……idk….you know when you just want to hug a book close? Like that. Lol. Book feels.
That’s a great feeling.
AND YAY to Millionaire Teacher!!!!! Great choice!! π
Sarah Maas’ Court of Thorns and Roses E book bundle (Books 1-4) is on sale for $3.99. I had a couple of books in this series but not all so hadn’t started it yet. I grabbed this so that I can finally read this series! Happy New Year.
GREAT DEAL!! Thank you Kathy!!! I’ll get it for myself too. π
Not book related- but most of my comments arenβt. π What is your favorite shampoo?
Back before I went “no sulfates curly-girl hair” shampoo (which I still use religiously right now due to my “hair gloss/semi-permanent hair tint) I used to only use Pantene (and often the sleek humidity control one).
I’m not sure I’ve ever had a favorite shampoo. When I’m finished with the like 4 half filled bottles I already have (π€¦ββοΈ) I kind of want to try either the CurlSmith Wash & Scrub Detox Pro-Biotic, (very $$) and the Keraphix Damage Healing Shampoo and Conditioner.
Iβve had favorites over the years, but nothing lasts forever. I always seem to get that heavy feeling after a while or oily faster or itchy scalp. Iβm actually looking for a new one for my girl as sheβs had problems with super oily hair for over a year now. Nothing lasts quite so long for her. Iβm equating it to hormones. Iβve tried her on Davines, Aussie, Biolage, Aveeno Apple cider vinegar, Jason, Ion Clarifying, Doterra, and more. Iβm overwhelmed looking for a new one. Even what the hairdressers have recommended havenβt lasted long.
That is hard. It is not something I’ve dealt with but could she be shampooing too much? I know with an oily complexion, especially as a teen, over stripping it had the exact opposite reaction than I wanted. I didnt find that out for years or that washing my hair everyday or almost was causing some scalp problems.
Maybe, if not already, try washing twice a week. In between maybe try a dry shampoo, just to see if in a couple weeks or so it helps?
I dont know if your daughter showers everyday, but also I love a shampoo brush for when I do wash and I bet it would help with just a water rinse too.
Iβd never heard of a shampoo bush, but that looks like a great idea! Added to cart. βΊοΈ Dry shampoos are tough, bc weβve not found any we love yet and her hair is super gross if she goes without. For school at least, sheβll have to wash it. Iβm doing a Malibu treatment today bc thereβs a lot of buildup. Probably from the color I put in months ago.
Maryse I’ve come across two books recently that made me think of you though not sure if you’ve read them already. I just added both to my tbr.
One was on sale the other day and I forgot to mention it but it is a mystery/ psychological thriller called The Lion’s Den by Katherine St. John. It got a very positive review at SBTB and the reviewer said not to let the cartoon cover full you and to go in blind.
The other is from that podcast and is Kristen Callihan’s Manager. Apparently the hero has insomnia unless sleeping by the heroine which i think is a trope you like?
I havent read them so not really a rec, but they sounded good enough to buy.
YAY!!! I’ll look into them!!
I do love tropes about platonic “sleepovers” for comfort. I dunno why… of course, probably because of the slow burn. π
I finished my 1st book of the year! It was Good Girl, Bad Blood and I loved it. Iβm looking forward to reading more books in the series. She, Pip (the mc) reminds me a little bit of Veronica Mars. Not bc she works for a private detective, but she has that natural instinct for solving crimes and sheβs in high school. This one was different from the last as sheβs started a podcast, covering the crime she cracked in the last novel and the court case that followed. And then, her friendβs brother disappeared and sheβs pulled in to investigate. It was a little heavier than the last one, I think.
So, now what? The possibilities are endless!
I’m almost finished “The Couple Next Door” Started it Friday and have been devouring it!!! I still have no idea how it’s going to end. The essentially let us into the “whodunit” right in the middle of the book, but sure enough… twists!!!
This sounded familiar, I have it on my tbr too, lost in there. Lol. Youβll have to let me know if itβs a must read when u finish.
Iβm trying to read the sample of Never His Girl but the kids wonβt chill. Not all at once anyway. Last day till weβre back on school schedule. Iβm ready and not ready.
I LOVED IT!!!!
4.5 stars!! I’m left with 2 or 3 questions, but mostly… it came around full circle. π SOOOO GOOOOOOD!!
Yay!! I love a twisty thriller!
I came across this book and almost gave it to my daughter for Christmas (cause she likes listening to True Crimes podcasts on baby stroller walks). But she tells me she’s too busy to read these days. if I can convince to do audiobooks, this will be the first one up.
The series sounds right up my alley (didn’t know it was a series)…love Veronica Mars…on my list!
Thanks Tasha!
Congrats R!! Hubs is so excited the Browns made it to the playoffs and I know theyβre your favorite! You must be ecstatic as well! π
P.S. I donβt know why I said congrats. Really feels like a super accomplishment anytime they win anything to me still. I feel itβs a group effort of people hoping and praying over the years. π
I’ve literally been crying!! This is so huge for a Browns fan so thank you!! Now I’m trying to cook after 43 tequila shots! π
Oh my! Iβm surprised youβre still standin. π€£
well not 43 per se… more like 27.
Over like 4 I probably wouldn’t trust anyone’s counting skills.
Or cooking.π
I’m in bed at 6:30! π€£
OMG 43!!???? π²π€£π
LOL not really! But OMG it felt like it! π
Congrats R!
yea, tequila. Xmas dinner…you know when things are getting tense…kitchen hot & steamy, one of the sous-chefs sick, veggies done except carrots hard, potatoes thankfully perfect, gravy’s not going well (at all), giant turkey needs carving (30 lbs-really, who does that?), electric knife blades missing, people hungry, everything delayed…
Well, I looked at my husband across the kitchen and said “Stop! time for a tequila shot”. We clinked our glasses and downed the T…felt like a shot of goodness…much better. βΊοΈ
That’s why we start Thanksgiving with sangria. If we overcook the turkey, so be it! At least we had fun!
I’m very superstitious about football. I drink an ounce of tequila for every touchdown no matter what. But I sip it, I don’t shoot it, which helps! Yesterday’s was more like 2 ounces per…then there was the Guinness. I got great sleep though! π