Today’s Friday Finds & five-star reader recommendations!

I am obsessed with TJR. I’m 55% into Maybe in Another Life right now and I feel like I swallowed a basketball at the end of the first chapter and it’s not budging. That woman can re-write the phone book for all I care and I’ll not only pay full price for it, I cry all the way through it. The thing that makes me crazy is…I can’t pinpoint what it is that makes it so emotional for me. She’s not descriptive and her heroine speaks in short choppy sentences – like a string of thoughts. 1.99 for After I Do – I’d jump on that one. Then find a sale on Kleenex.

Amy…I will never eat Fruity Pebbles again. I love them all equally. I don’t think I could ever pick.

Loved After I Do and Forever Interrupted, but haven’t read Maybe In Another Life yet. She is an awesome author!

Amy, I’m feeling the same way about the Stanton series! Virtual peer pressure! (Good luck with the move by the way!) But, my friend is begging me to read Hardball with her…..and I usually boss her around so….! Lol!

Maryse, I meant that in a good way. I LOVE her writing style. I’m writing and she’s my go to for inspiration! I think it’s that they talk the way we think. She’s definitely my favorite writer right now!

Whew!! Back from the Grand Canyon. Got to read on the plane and traveling in the car. Finished Hardball- I think I liked how it started and then it seemed to lose something in the middle- maybe all the waffling back and forth; then it got better, but could have used a little more to the ending. Now i feel a little lost about what to read next, because I missed Maryse’s blog all week.
On my Amazon wish list I had- Dare Me, Unseen Messages, Forever Pucked and So Much More. Maybe I’ll go with one of those until I catch up with the comments/ blog. 🙂

Oh u guys!! I just started a new series by alanea alder it’s a shifter/vampire/witch/fae series and it sooooo amazing and I haven’t even finished book 1! There’s a scene where he has so go get her tampons and of course he has no clue what they are so he takes his whole command unit with him I’m crying with laughter it’s so good u have u look it up maryse!!

I do too Amy. I can’t think of another author off the top of my head who does it as well as her. I love that she gets to the point. I hear all the time “don’t write choppy,” “get out of your heroine’s head,” “nobody cares what she’s thinking all the time.” BS. Lengthy sentences with all action and no thought are not for everyone.

Oh, and yep Cheryl…I finished SMM. Really good but I had a few issues that kept me from absolutely loving it. 😕 Not my favorite of hers (but what could possibly too Bright Side? ;)) but it was a good four stars.

Okay, back to moving…I swear, my hubby is a saint for putting up with me yesterday and today. And I received a nice lesson in humility when I tore into him for no reason other than I’m cranky and he was there, going off on him because now I’m not going to the RT convention in Vegas because there was a chance we were going to have our closing date pushed back to that week so I cancelled my reservations, and I yelled at him and grabbed a box out of his hands and stormed down the stairs…

…then slipped and bounced down three stairs on my a$$. It was well deserved. *snort*

Well, I need a hug because this: “When it hurts so bad you don’t think you can stand it…squeeze my hand.” And then. “Divide the pain in two…and give half of it to me.” (Maybe in Another Life)

It’s after 4 here. I’m popping open the Bordeaux.

Oh renee don’t worry it’s 22.21 here that’s way past happy hour use my time zone Amy does lol

Oh dear Amy the hubbys always get it! So u don’t have a date for the move yet? Just think about how beautiful Hawaii is though it’s worth it (it’s still Hawaii ur moving to right?) also something u will all fine great u know how I’m as Scottish as they come well my lovely daughter speaks with an American accent oh yeah no more Disney Jr. For u! U all have a better chance of understanding her than me!

Anyway this book I’m reading my commander is still so friggin good u have to have to take a look at this it’s making me all clappy hands excited

The To-Read list is quickly piling up! I am so happy After I Do went on sale. I one clicked before my eyes deceived me. I am barely into Stanton Series, it’s nice and long and I know angsty is around the bend. Come Tuesday, I will be foresaking all books (and housework, and cooking) and crawling in a corner to devour Rhage and The Beast. BDB is still my favorite series. Ever. And I will have lots and lots of books to follow after. Hello . . . Gideon is waiting!

Oh. Amy can’t you make a new reservation?

Um can someone confirm its Hawaii Amy is moving to and I haven’t just started a rumour that’s she moving there and is actually just moving like 2 houses down her street or something :/

Laura, not Hawaii. More local move I think she said in a previous comment.

Anyone read Easy Virtue? Have had it one my tbr list forever and now the sequel is coming out on the 3rd so thinking of reading it now.

Either way, it’s nice to daydream of the beach…a little fun and sun, margaritas, sugar sands, sea gulls, total relaxation, and a good book. Daydreaming of Christian with those cut off shorts…..

I’m reading the Stanton series and 4% in and, uh, I already know? Is it supposed to be that quick?

So I’m now 80% in the Stanton series. Tessa, yeah it’s supposed to be that quick. It sets the premises for everything ahead and it’s one crazy damn ride! Stick with it. It only gets better!

Amy, I’ve moved quite a few times and it’s horrible! It’s seriously one of Dante’s levels of hell!! Some of my husband and I’s most memorable and Oscar winning arguments came through times of moving. Lol

Yep. I feel ya. Thus is a terrible Friday night*. I can’t even get through my book because I’m crying so hard my glasses keep fogging up so I have to continue to take breaks and get more wine. TJR might be my favorite author but she’s my least favorite person right now.

* and by terrible Friday night I mean awesome Friday night because I’m lying in bed reading. With wine.

Duct taped in a box.

Breathing a sigh of relif.

Cristina, I’m passing you your own bottle and a bendy straw. This book is torture. And when I’m done, I’m supposed to buddy read 1k Boy Kisses, THEN Stanton. I may not make it. But I’d I do, I’m moving on to Dr. Suess for a while.

Sorry. It is God’s Eye by Susan Fanetti. That glass of chardonnay affected by typing 🙂

Thanks Jean! I started Easy Virtue. I think I read a little of it when it first was released but stopped when I realized it had a CH and book 2, because it seems familiar.

Renee, TJR rips your heart apart and slowly puts it back together. After I do is my favorite; but then again I haven’t built up the nerve to read Forever, Interrupted, yet.

Cristina, I moved the Stanton series up on my tbr list. *Kleenex & wine on grocery list*

Where the hell did I get Hawaii from?! Crap sorry Amy!!!

Christina, I’m loving it, but my surprise at 4% was that I figured out how things will resolve later. Still, it’s really good.

Laura I looked up the books you mentioned and got My Commander to try. I’m always looking for new series so thanks! 🙂

Bev, 6 books is better than none, right? I had a slow month too but I’m always happy to get any reading time with how my schedule has been. This is my first Sat off since last year ick!

Bev, I hope they were great. When I read super slow or super fast it’s because I’m either sipping the awesomeness or glued to the pages. :-/

I read a lot of books in March but my favorite is still one I read early in the month. Beyond the Sea by Keira Andrews. It’s an mm gfy romance that delivers a beautiful message.

Ha there’s always kitties and puppies that need help but the other vet is covering today since I took one of her days. My favorite book in March is a tie between Marked and Flesh and The Wall of Winnipeg. I still liked Written in Red a little more but I agree that it was the best installment after that.

March was insanely good. Wow and me was super good. So was Fire Touched. However, my most unexpected five star was Hustle by Ashley Claudy. I totally fell for the H in it.

Bev, 50% is awesome! lol

You guys are killing me. No matter how much I read I still feel like I’m missing out on greats. I haven’t finished MiF yet. WoW is still in my tbr and I’m dying to get to Fire Touched and Hustle. 🙁

Bev – I’m right there with you – only read 8 books in March. The good thing is there were a bunch of great ones! My faves: 1K Boy Kisses, Beyond the Sea, Fire Touched, WoW & me, Queen of Shadows.

Is it Tuesday yet? No matter what I am reading I am going to put it down and shut myself into a room and devour Rhage. It was my very favorite BDB book (true romance than one) and he has been featured more in recent books, so I am hopeful. I am hoping he and Mary get a baby and it’s all a wonder HEA – and nothing bad better happen, that’s all Im sayin’. Keeping my fingers crossed.

I am still reading Stanton – since it’s all three books bundled. Have tons of criticism for a bunch of elements of the writing and such, but, overall I like the “taboo” stuff and when they get together it’s scorching hot. He’s such a bad boy. But definitely problems with the story-telling (like dropping a scene and then POOF it’s 4 weeks later).

Red Hill was one your favorites of the month? Gah. That’s another I have on my tbr that I’ve been dying to get to. Maybe I need to make a list of March reader favorites so I can remember all the books I want at the front of my tbr.

I’m jealous of MichelleS. She read all the books I wanted to read but didn’t get to.

But I know I’m being whinny because I read 16 books in March and five of them were five star reads for me. The grass is always greener? lol

Best books read in March: WoW and Me, Out of Breath, Radiance…some older books that I finally read and really enjoyed! Burn and Beyond the Sea get honorable mentions though…got great genres in this month, m/m, paranormal, sci fi, CR….I love reading. Enough gushing…

Grey – OMG – how could I forget The Confessions??? Need to read that ASAP. I adore Soren.

Jennifer – I loved Radiance. That was a 5 star for me, because I would re-read it and I still remember almost everything. Just such great story telling there, and I always love a beauty and the beast kind of story. Still laugh about “the potato” scene. LOL.

I read 20 books in March, but 12 were the novella length Calendar Girl series. Books that I read in March and that were not necessarily 5* but I really enjoyed and would recommend are: Hustle, Lexington and 42nd, Love, Chloe, Calendar Girl Series, Hardball, Ginger’s Heart, Cleat Chaser, and Hustle.

5* reads were: Never Stop Falling, Tackled (the one by S. Paige, not Lucy Snow-which I read but was just ok), WoW.

Now back to Easy Virtue. 🙂

MichelleS I really liked Radiance, it was a 4.5* for me and I also like a beauty and beast storyline but it also felt a little too easy to me….the reason…R. Lee Smith and her beauty and the beast stories. I love her writing and stories…all some variation of beauty and the beast and so complex, multilayered and hard…so the unfair comparison to Radiance.

So Mercy. I think I’m as interested in the Mercy/Bran relationship as I ever was in her & Adam or Samuel. I really want more scenes between them.
I love when books have these great on going non-romance relationships.

Bev – agree, too, on well developed characters & relationships that are non romantic. That’s why I liked Knights of Black Swan series & Tairen Soul – so many great characters. And what about Lord John in Outlander series?? One if the best ever characters!!

Their relationship.

First one finished for April.
*Happy Dance* even if the book was just so-so.

Guys just finished Desperately Seeking Epic. Can’t open my mouth to speak. Grateful I’m alone in the house right now!!!! I’m a snotty mess!! Most beautiful story. Just epic storytelling.

*hands Linda a box of Kleenex while admiring her bravery for reading DSE*

Micheeke, it was actually to MichelleS but my phone decided to autocorrect. In Stanton series. I feel all weird and now have read a certain scene three times to make sure I haven’t over thought the story. It just screams Scooby sized hint to me.

Ok, I have to confess, at this point, the book is annoying me. The characters are annoying me. *sighs* All this love so I think it’s just me.

Tessa, it is so frustrating when one device remembers all your names but a different or new one doesn’t. Or I erase every thing.

Sounds like a bad french accent.

I think a mad scientist invented autocorrect to put us all on the same wavelength he was on.

New potential plot? lol

Trekkies??? I love Star Trek, BTW, waaaay more than Sat Wars. My pet peeve autocorrect is the word “us” which my phone ALWAYS corrects to U.S. Ugh….

I’m opposite. Star Wars over Star Trek always. I don’t like Star Trek at all, yet I loved Star Wars to bits.

Bev, not really sure if there was a turning point just that the last three books seemed too cookie cutter for me. Mercy and Adam have been pretty stagnant. The fae plot is also not my favorite or very exciting. I guess I’ve always loved Charles and Anna more. I actually reread Cry Wolf after Fire Touched since I was so unenthusiastic about it and needed a reminder of an amazing Briggs book.

Lol. Not trekkies. Ha! A type of alien in the Star Trek world.
I love the first 3 Star Wars. ❤❤
I really want to watch the new one even though I know the spoiler. Breaks my heart.

Almost done with Stanton, it is a long read

I realized that Stanton was not keeping my interests so I set it aside for now. I might pick it up later. Instead, I’m finally reading Almost Paradise by Olivia Cummings. I’m already laughing like crazy. The two are so sweet together.

Star Trek? Now you’re speaking my language. My family still teases me, decades later, about me loving a show with a guy who had pointy ears. I never missed an episode or a movie.

I finished Stanton today… yes there were tears. I’m not sure what final thoughts to give about the series. It’s not an easy love story and yes there’s a taboo factor, but it’s not the center focus of the story. It’s about the journey of two people finding their way to each other through hardships, insecurities, pride, stubbornness, and outside deterrents. While I don’t mind an easy love story, I find I’m more connected to the ones that are brutal, emotional, and raw. I want to cry and scream at my kindle, and shake my head in complete bewilderment. I want the hard fight for true love. To me, it makes it more powerful and real for me.

With Stanton, Joshua and Natasha were all of the above. They were beautifully imperfect. Their own insecurities and struggles really resonated with me. Love is tough, and true undying love can gut you. When you love someone with so much feeling and emotion, it opens up vulnerabilities and weaknesses. It can create some of the ugliest insecurities and we all know happens when those little voices take over. This couple had to fight like hell, sometimes with themselves and sometimes with each other, to get their HEA.

This story really resonated with me and will be with me for quite sometime. I won’t be re-reading it anytime soon, only because I can’t put myself through that again. I laughed, I screamed, I swooned, I blushed, I stomped, I sobbed, I rolled my eyes (many times), I lectured my Kindle, I walked away from it a time or two, I pulled my hair, I did it all.

It’s been a long time since a series has tapped into ALL of those emotions in a single story. It’s also been a while since I’ve been exhausted from a story like I am with this one. Sure, dark reads can be tough, but those usually only tap into a certain set of emotions. This story hit all of the above for me. For me, it all came together beautifully with this one. I know not every one is going to love it like me. Sometimes it’s the type of story, or type of writing, or sometimes the timing in our lives that determines our connection to a book or series. All I know is that this series had made my all time favorites. And my book hang over has commenced.

Wow Cristina that’s a helluva review there girl… I may have to check those books out too!

I’m going back to my deserted island right now though…

Christina, that’s an amazing review and so spot on. I am in the middle of the journey and it’s a roller coaster.

Started My Princess by Abigail Graham…the blurb and its a KU, hooked me! Initially worried it might be a light quick read….so far it has deep plots rising! YAY me! Settling in to see where this goes…..*breaks open a bottle of wine*

Nothing like a hottie alpha crown prince……just saying.

One of the best times of the day. Thinking about what to read.

Obviously my ability to type has gone out the damn window. *lowers head and shakes it* Geesh!

Troo??? Should have said Troi –

MichelleS, my hubs and I went through a spell where we watched every episode when we were dating….to boldly go where no one has gone before!

Jean, I thought Easy Virtue, started a little slowly, and I wasn’t sure I was going to like it especially because I was comparing it to the author’s other book Arsen, which I loved. It did get better and I didn’t want to put it down, wondering how this was going to end and I definitely wanted to b!tch slap Blaire multiple times. Ronan *sigh* I knew it was going to have some sort of CH ending from the comments from those of you who had read it before, but I was surprised at the turn it took at the end.

So far, I like Sweetest Venom better. Probably because it is getting more into the “emotions” and life of the 3 main characters. We’ll see what I think by the end. Hope to finish today. It does have one of those prologue I hate; not the worst one I’ve read, but still.

I finished Almost Paradise last night. Those who’ve read the Sinners book should read it. Eric and Rebekah are so fun nd adorable.

Then went to read Strangers in Death. (That old TBR I squirrels from had it on there.) Unfortunately, I’ve read it already! Like two or three years ago, maybe more. Ah, well.

Book 1, an adult PNR, free until April 6th. 🙂
The Dauphnir Rings: Mercy by S R Thompson

Finished My Princess this morning! And….I really liked it. Love that it was a unique storyline …or it was to me anyway. Hot alpha Prince, sassy opinainated do-gooder, a little fairytale- ish….yeah, I liked it a lot.

Hey ladies (and maybe gents)! I went to the movies twice this weekend and got an eyeful of Henry Cavill and Theo James. *sighhhhhhh* yum, yum, yummmmmm.

Haven’t decided what my next book adventure will be. I almost hate to start anything after the Stanton roller coaster ride. I’m always so scared of choosing books after such high impactful reads because I’m afraid I’ll see them through clouded glasses. Timing is everything for me in book world. Anyone know what I mean?

Wait, Wait, Wait! Amy, you haven’t read the Sinner series? *blinks* How is that possible?

I know, Tessa…I know. *drops head in shame*

*bows to Bev* 😉

A little late but here you go…

Memory House by Bette Lee Crosby – FREE
The Darkest Part by Trisha Wolfe – FREE
Cowboy Command by Olivia Jaymes – FREE
Someone to Believe In by Kathryn Shay – FREE
Canowic by Ben Bishop – FREE
The Drayton Legacy by Rona Randall – FREE
Pushing Over 40 by SM Mala – FREE
Patchright by DG McIntosh – FREE
Nothing Personal by Eileen Dreyer – .99
Meet the Delta Team by Cristin Harber – .99
Tempting by Alex Lucian – .99
Midnight Riot by Ben Aaronovitch – .99
Line Dancing Bundle – .99
How to Date a Dragon by Ashlyn Chase – .99
Turning Tables by Heather Macdowell – .99
Lost and Found by Karey White – .99
Cogling by Jordan Elizabeth – .99
Sasha: A Trial of Blood and Steel by Joel Shepherd – .99
Sweet by RE Saxton – .99
Cursed: Complete Edition by Claire Farrell – .99
Shadow Dancer by Addison Kline – .99
Book of Ages by Jill Lepore – 1.99 <– normally 13.99!
Life As I Know It by Melanie Rose – 1.99 <– normally 11.99!
Rose Daughter by Robin McKinley – 2.99

I now only have 5 hours to sleep. And o don’t want to.

Bev, you must have hit on a goldmine book. Yeah you.

Cheryl, it had to be really good if you woke up still thinking about it. But I totally get it when the ending leaves a little to be desired. 🙁

Happy Monday everyone..*grumble grumble..hate Mondays* May be also because I’m tired after a long weekend of fun!

Cheryl, I’m jealous you finished SV! I am literally stuck on Hardball. Didn’t get to read much this weekend, but it’s just not grabbing me. I’m not all anxious to get back to it and I’m only at 26% so hoping it gets better. I should have never listened to my “amateur book reading friend” who insisted I read it with her. I need to consult with the professionals around here! Lol! (Should have read Tackled like I really wanted!)

Jean, overall I liked Hardball, but didn’t love it. I thought it started off great, both lost me towards the middle. It did get better. Can’t wait to hear what you and other’s think of SV.

Cristina, I’m reading the Stanton Series now!!! I feel the same way you do!! OMG!!! Loving it!! Addicted obsessed can’t stop reading it!! My family is annoyed with me!!! 76% in, I don’t want it to end!! 5 star read for me!!! I will be finished tonight!!! Waaaa!!!!

Fish???? Uh… That should be DISH – no fish in this meal!

Thanks you guys. ☺
I do not eat fish but maybe with chicken. Love oven roasted vegetables.
MichelleS love soy sauce & rice. Never think to use the pre-cooked chicken.

I keep eyeing it too. I’ll probably get it in the next day or so. I just keep seeing it pop up, and I love fantasy, so… I think MichelleS has read it. I’m not sure without checking Goodreads.