All posts by skyebjenner

Fix Her Up by Tessa Bailey

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Fix Her Up (Hot & Hammered, #1) by Tessa Bailey

Title: Fix Her Up
Author: Tessa Bailey
Series: Hot & Hammered #1
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Chic lit, Contemporary, Contemporary romance
Dates read: 18th February 2021
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Avon
Year: 2019
5th sentence, 74th page: Zumba.

Synopsis

Georgette Castle’s family runs the best home renovation business in town, but she picked balloons instead of blueprints and no one has taken her seriously since. Frankly, she’s over it. Georgie loves planning children’s birthday parties and making people laugh, just not at her own expense. She’s determined to fix herself up into a Woman of the World… whatever that means.

Phase One: A new framework for her business (A website from this decade?)
Phase Two: A gut reno on her wardrobe (FYI, leggings are pants)
Phase Three: Updates to her exterior (Do people still wax?)
Phase Four: Put herself on the market (And stop crushing on Travis Ford!)

Living her best life means facing the truth: Georgie hasn’t been on a date since, well, ever. Nobody’s asking out the town clown for a night of hot sex, that’s for sure. Maybe if people think she’s having a steamy love affair, they’ll acknowledge she’s not just the “little sister” who paints faces for a living. And who better to help demolish that image than the resident sports star and tabloid favorite.

Travis Ford was a major league baseball’s hottest rookie when an injury ended his career. Now he’s flipping houses to keep busy and trying to forget his glory days. But he can’t even cross the street without someone recapping his greatest hits. Or making a joke about his… bat. And then there’s Georgie, his best friend’s sister, who is not a kid anymore. When she proposes a wild scheme – that they pretend to date, to shock her family and help him land a new job – he agrees. What’s the harm? It’s not like it’s real. But the girl Travis used to tease is now a funny, full-of-life woman, and there’s nothing fake about how much he wants her.

Thoughts

I’ve been eyeing this story off for a while and been putting off reading it. Which was honestly a bit of a mistake. Because this story was absolutely glorious and fun and wonderful. I read it cover to cover in one sitting. Which would have been fine if I didn’t start a new job the next day and had read until all hours of the morning.

I can’t imagine how painful it would be to be in love with the same man since you are young. And for that man to consistently ignore and dismiss you. After all, there is nothing that I can imagine being worse than being disregarded constantly. Particularly by the man that you love. Yet, somehow, even though that kind of makes Travis a bit of an ignorant dick, he’s still completely loveable.

This is a fantastic beginning to a new series. And a wonderful introduction to a whole new author. I will definitely be trying to get more Tessa Bailey books on my shelves as soon as feasible. There is something that is so brilliant and engaging and fun about her writing. This was also a beautiful romantic plotline that not only drew me in, but had me seriously emotionally invested in all of the characters… probably why I couldn’t put the silly book down!

Fix Her Up is a beautiful, fun and light-hearted romance that left me smiling and grinning all the way through. Georgie is a brilliant lead, and I love that her entire goal in life is to make others happy and make them laugh. It’s not a career that I would want personally… but I love that she has such a beautiful, generous spirit. It made the whole tale just flow all that sweeter. But, she still has a great backbone of steel – after all, the story starts with her throwing off food at Travis and just gets better from there.

This is a great story about growing up together and finding a way to grow into yourself. My favourite thing about Georgie and Travis is that they are able to help each other grow and support each other. They stick up for each other when they really need it and find a way to constantly support one another. It’s something we all need, but don’t necessarily get, in a relationship. And it made my heart melt.

<- More Tessa BaileyLove Her or Lose Her ->

Image source: Goodreads

Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward

Book Review, , ,
Overview
Image result for book cover salvage the bones jesmyn ward

Title: Salvage the Bones
Author: Jesmyn Ward
Series: Bois Sauvage #1
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary, Historical fiction
Dates read: 17th February 2021
Pace: Fast
Format: Novel
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Year: 2011
5th sentence, 74th page: Eight hundred dollars.

Buy The Book Now at The Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide

Synopsis

They heard it on the radio: A hurricane is coming, threatening the town of Bois Sauvage, Mississipi. Eshc’s hard-drinking father can feel it in his bones. Esch and her brothers are trying to help prepare, but there are other worries, too. Skeetah is watching his prized pit bull, helpless as her new litter dies one by one. Randall, when not preoccupied with basketball, is busy looking after the youngest, Junior. And Esch, fifteen and motherless among men, has just realized that she’s pregnant. The children of this family have always been short on nurture, but they are fiercely loyal to one another. It is together that they will face the building storm – and the day that will dawn after.

Thoughts

I bought this book ages ago to complete a reading challenge. Then I never quite got around to it. And boy am I regretting that decision. Because this was amazing. And impossible to put down. Completely unforgettable. And seriously uncomfortable.

There are so many uncomfortable moments throughout this story. There is alcoholism, and teenage pregnancy, and just all sorts of horribleness. But, I actually found the dog fighting and the story of China and Skeet to be the more heartbreaking. It just, somehow tore into my heart strings and made me grimace, multiple times. Maybe because I have my own pitbull, and I just can’t imagine putting a dog that I love through that…

Esch is a great narrator. She is honest and has this fantastic voice of the socio-economic and cultural world in which this tale takes place. You can tell that Ward has an understanding and grasp on this, and it isn’t a tale of cultural appropriation or fantasy. Which, of course makes all of the uncomfortable moments even more uncomfortable. And just… a little spine tingling.

I don’t remember much about Hurricane Katrina. Other than the fact that it was devastating. The residue of this hurricane in this story left me feeling like I need to learn a lot more about it. That I need to understand what happened in a more unbiased and, well, adult manner. Actually, this whole story reminded me of all of the things I know nothing about and need to understand more.

<- More Jesmyn WardSing, Unburied, Sing ->

Image source: Bloomsbury

Anthropogenesis, Or: How to Make a Family by Laura van den Berg

Book Review, ,
Overview
Image result for xo orpheus book cover

Title: Anthropogenesis, Or: How to Make a Family
Author: Laura van den Berg
In: Xo Orpheus (Kate Bernheimer)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Mythology
Dates read: 17th February 2021
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Penguin Books
Year: 2013
5th sentence, 74th page: They were struggling to find the right way to live.

Buy The Book Now at The Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide

Synopsis

The creation of a family and the world involves two individuals. But what happens when they are total opposites?

Thoughts

This was a quick and easy read. One that I enjoyed but wasn’t completely swept away by. It was just pleasurable. And kind of fun.

I love how this was pretty much a re-telling of a myth, but with a little bit more of a contemporary / modern language approach. It wasn’t one of those stories that completely swept me away, but it was one that I enjoyed.

This was a great beginning to the XO Orpheus collection. One that I enjoyed, and makes me want to sink deeper into the collection.

<- XO OrpheusArgos ->

Image source: Goodreads

Beard in Mind by Penny Reid

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Image result for book cover beard in mind

Title: Beard in Mind
Author: Penny Reid
Series: Winston Brothers #4
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Chic lit, Contemporary, Contemporary romance
Dates read: 14th – 15th February 2021
Pace: Fast
Format: Novel
Publisher: SmartyPants Romance
Year: 2017
5th sentence, 74th page: We’d barely spoken in weeks.

Synopsis

Beards, brothers, and birds! Oh my! 88 All is fair in love and auto maintenance.

Beau Winston is the nicest, most accommodating guy in the world. Usually. Handsome as the devil and twice as charismatic, Beau lives a charmed life as everyone’s favorite Winston Brother. But since his twin decided to leave town, and his other brother hired a stunning human-porcupine hybrid as a replacement mechanic for their auto shop, Beau Winston’s charmed life has gone to hell in a hand-basket.

Shelly Sullivan is not nice and is never accommodating. Ever. She mumbles to herself, but won’t respond when asked a question. She glares at everyone, especially babies. She wont’ shake hands with or touch another person, but has no problems cuddling with a dog. And her damn parrot speaks only in curse words.

Beau wants her gone. He wants her out of his auto shop, out of Tennessee, and out of his life.

The only problem is, learning why this porcupine wears her coat of spikes opens a Pandora’s box of complexity – exquisite, tempting, heartbreaking complexity – and Beau Winston soon discovers being II nice II and II accommodating II might mean losing what matters most.

Thoughts

Ever since meeting Beau in Truth or Beard – after all, he’s Duane’s other half. And considering he is about to lose Duane, I really wanted to see how the poor boy would cope. And you know what? He actually did a lot better than I had anticipated. And I enjoyed this story so much more than I thought I would. Particularly when the lady-love is Shelly, who we got to meet in Neanderthal Seeks Human.

One of my favourite things about Penny Reid’s books is that she takes characters that really aren’t considered mainstream. Characters that have different issues that you don’t normally see in romances and stories. In the case of Beard in Mind, it’s OCD. I know that many people joke about being “a bit OCD”, but there are very few people, if any who actually understand what this is really and truly like. I might not have this disorder myself, but I know what it’s like to have a psychological issue and battle constantly to overcome it.

I love that the saga of the Winston Brothers furthers throughout this story. Beau finds out yet more secrets that tie them to the Iron Wraiths, Duane continues to try and protect his brother. And just, in general, the whole family continues to try and pull together, tighter and tighter than before. It’s the kind of family that you kind of wish you had. Alright, not the insane father, but the siblings, the close knitedness and acceptance of them all? I have that with one sister, imagine if I had even more siblings!!!

I loved, loved, loved this story. I love how Beau finds out about Shelly’s issues and tries to work with her. It reminds us all that support is what is important, that ability to look at someone and just accept them for who and what they are. It’s a difficult thing to do. One that a lot of people struggle with, and I always love seeing this in a story. The fact that Beau chooses to support Shelly and accept that her OCD will always be there – not everyone is so lucky, and I love the feeling of hope that this story provides.

<- Beard ScienceBeard in Hiding ->

Image source: Goodreads

Rebel Hard by Nalini Singh

Book Review, , ,
Overview
Image result for book cover rebel hard nalini singh

Title: Rebel Hard
Author: Nalini Singh
Series: Hard Play #2
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary, Contemporary romance, Sport
Dates read: 11th – 14th February 2021
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Nalini Singh
Year: 2018
5th sentence, 74th page: No point trying to make a decision about the rest of our lives based on two short meetings.

Synopsis

New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh continues her Hard Play series with a sweet, sexy romance featuring big, fat, OTT weddings, a meddling grandma, and a too-serious hero who needs to be unbuttoned.

Nayna Sharma agreed to an arranged marriage in the hope it would heal the fractures in her beloved family… only to realize too late that a traditional marriage is her personal nightmare. Panicked, she throws caution to the winds, puts on the tiniest dress she can find, and ends up in the arms of a tall, rough-edged hunk of a man who has abs of steel – and who she manages to mortally insult between one kiss and the next.

Abandoned as a child, then adopted into a loving family, Raj Sen believes in tradition, in continuity. Some might call him stiff and old-fashioned, but he knows what he wants – and it’s a life defined by rules… yet he can’t stop thinking about he infuriating and sexy woman who kissed him in the moonlight then disappeared. When his parents spring an introduction on him, the last woman he expects is her. Beautiful. Maddening. A rule breaker in the making.

He’s all wrong for her. She’s all wrong for him. And love is about to make rebels of them both.

Thoughts

I’ve been hanging to read Nayna and Raj’s story since they first made their appearance in Cherish Hard. They are such a fun and intriguing couple. Partner their wonderful meet-cute with the restrictions and cultural clashes that they both feel. It was most definitely a beautiful, wonderful and intriguing story. Alright, I knew that they’d end up together… but the journey to get there was seriously intense.

My favourite thing about this contemporary romance is that it deals with a culture I know nothing about. Singh’s ability to look at how these two cultures work side by side was brilliant and impossible to put down. I loved how she was able to make you think of New Zealand and how people from other cultures fit into this wonderful world. There was something wonderful about having a different culture fit into a genre that I am currently completely obsessed with.

I can’t imagine being in a situation where all I want is to please my family. To find a way to make them happy, even if it is at my own expense. And the fact that Nayna sacrifices so much for her family is just beautiful. And seriously tragic. Particularly when you realise that the older sister who has kind of put her in this situation suffers pretty much no consequences for her actions. Raj is the perfect person to partner with such a tragic story – he acknowledges and sees what she is going through and decides to try and protect her, no matter what others are then going to think of him.

This is a beautiful romance. Yet, aside from the cultural issues and the different challenges Nayna and Raj face, it is the flirting that I love the most. Those awkward, funny moments, the moments where Raj is sending topless photos. The moments when work mates are giving each other a good ribbing. The multiple parts of the story that have you grinning in appreciation and leave you with a gigantic smile on your face.

I absolutely adored this story, like I do all Nalini Singh books. And now I need to dig through my TBR and start Love Hard.

<- Cherish HardLove Hard ->

Image source: Goodreads

The Other Miss Bridgerton by Julia Quinn

Book Review, , ,
Overview
Image result for book cover the other miss bridgerton

Title: The Other Miss Bridgerton
Author: Julia Quinn
Series: Rokesbys #3
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Historical romance, Regency romance
Dates read: 27th January – 11th February 2021
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Avon
Year: 2018
5th sentence, 74th page: Brown or Green would have been acceptable – Andrew had known both of them long enough to know that they’d not imperil her safety – but he doubted either one of them wanted anything to do with her.

Synopsis

She was in the wrong place…

Fiercely independent and adventurous, Poppy Bridgerton will only wed a suitor whose keen intellect and interests match her own. Sadly, none of the fools from her London season qualify. While visiting a friend on the Dorset coast, Poppy is pleasantly surprised to discover a smugglers’ hideaway tucked inside a cave. But her delight turns to dismay when two pirates kidnap her and take her aboard a ship, leaving her bound and gagged on the captain’s bed…

He found her at the wrong time…

Known to society as a rascal and reckless privateer, Captain Andrew James Rokesby actually transports essential goods and documents for the British government. Setting sail on a time-sensitive voyage to Portugal, he’s stunned to find a woman waiting for him in his cabin. Surely, his imagination is getting the better of him. But no, she is very real—and his duty to the Crown means he’s stuck with her.

Can two wrongs make the most perfect right?

When Andrew learns that she is a Bridgerton, he knows he will likely have to wed her to avert a scandal—though Poppy has no idea that he is the son of an earl and neighbor to her aristocratic cousins in Kent. On the high seas, their war of words soon gives way to an intoxicating passion. But when Andrew’s secret is revealed, will his declaration of love be enough to capture her heart…?

Thoughts

It took me a little bit to get into this story. Not because of anything intense, but Quinn’s stories are that simple and pleasant that they don’t always throw me in the deep end of the story. They’re just so pleasant and fun. Plus, you know that the couple is going to come together in the end. In this case, Poppy is so much like her cousin Billie that you felt like you knew her from the very beginning.

Although this was a fairly consistent and typical Quinn story, it does take a completely different spin – there’s pirates. I mean, they’re kind of sanctified pirates. But they’re still pirates. And the whole story takes place on a ship. With a kidnapping and other sorts of drama. It may have taken me a little to get past that first chapter or so, but once I realised that the pirates were taking front and centre… I was a very, very happy girl.

From the title I knew that there would be another Bridgerton girl making an appearance in this story. The awkwardness of the whole situation just left me smiling and giggling again and again throughout this story. After all, regardless of which series you read… the Bridgertons are a force to be reckoned with. I love that Andrew is almost fearful of the response that the Bridgertons will have when they find out that he kidnapped one of them. After all, if I had a family of that size and loyalty after me… I’d feel pretty damn intimidated and concerned too.

There is no better cure for a bad day than a good Julia Quinn book. I love that even though this story / series isn’t about the Bridgertons (my favourite regency romance family ever), it still features them. You can see where the next generation gets their spunk from. And the Rokesbys? Well, they’re amazing too. I can’t wait to read the last book in this series and fall head over heels for this family yet again.

<- The Girl with the Make-Believe HusbandFirst Comes Scandal ->

Image source: HarperCollins Australia

Eenie, Meenie, Ipsateenie by Pat Cadigan

Book Review, , ,
Overview
Hauntings: Datlow, Ellen: 9781616960889: Amazon.com: Books

Title: Eenie, Meenie, Ipsateenie
Author: Pat Cadigan
In: Hauntings (Ellen Datlow)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Ghosts, Horror
Dates read: 11th February 2021
Pace: Fast
Format: Short story
Publisher: Tachyon
Year: 2013
5th sentence, 74th page: This was the fourth apartment they’d had since coming to the Midwest, but they’d all been the same.

Synopsis

Milo didn’t want to be IT. And now he’s haunted by the fact that he’ll forever be “IT”.

Thoughts

This was a bit of a meandering story. And one that you tend to fill the gaps in on… it just makes you feel all that much more uncomfortable when you don’t quite know if you have the complete picture. Which I’m convinced is what Cadigan was going for.

There is something extra haunting about a childhood killing. A childhood ghost. I think that it’s something about that loss of potential. Plus the fact that IT is capitalized throughout this whole story made me think of the Stephen King story IT which involves a creepy clown literally feasting about children’s potential… all in all not something that is overly comfortable. And most certainly helps to file this short story safely in my horror shelf.

I finished this short story and honestly felt goosebumps. It was most definitely not a comfortable tale to read. And I kind of want to read it again and again. It may not have been comfortable… but it was intriguing. And there were so many subtleties throughout that I’m sure I totally missed. But I’m pretty sure Milo turned into a killer of children…

<- HauntingsHunger: A Confession ->

Image source: Amazon

Luscious by Lori Foster

Book Review, ,
Overview
Bad Boys of Summer by Lori Foster

Title: Luscious
Author: Lori Foster
In: Bad Boys of Summer (Lori Foster, Erin McCarthy & Amy Garvey)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary, Contemporary romance
Dates read: 8th – 10th February 2021
Pace: Fast
Format: Novella
Publisher: Brava
Year: 2006
5th sentence, 74th page: A man stood in front of her sister’s door, checking a notepad and the address of the apartment.

Synopsis

Bethany Churchill just quit her lousy job, dumped her lousy boyfriend and moved into a new apartment. She’s not looking for love, but her hot new landlord is determined to change her mind. SWAT officer Lucius Ryder – known to the women in the building as “Luscious”, much to his chagrin – is one sexy lawman, and before long Bethany is tempted to find out if he’s really as delicious as his nickname…

Thoughts

The play on words in this story is kind of fun – Lucius, Luscious. I mean, it’s the kind of silly, slightly nonsensical, but seriously fun thing that I would do myself. Particularly if the man was as dreamy as the lead man in this story. I mean… who wouldn’t want a SWAT cop beating down their door to make delicious, wonderful love to them?

I can’t imagine being a twin. I was always really nervous just introducing people to my incredibly beautiful younger sister, but being an identical twin and having the same hang ups? That’s just… horrifying. I love that Foster was able to deal with this really intense feeling of inadequacy that I think we all feel in a way that was open, honest and completely approachable. I may not be a twin, but there are definitely women in my life that I was worried about introducing my partner to – just in case he liked them better…

Admittedly, the idea of a pet psychic seems a little… odd. But, Marci is also a lovely character, so the oddness decreases. The fact that she’s not even the lead lady in this just makes me hope that there is another story in which Marci finds her happily ever after. Lucius and Bethany are such an amazing couple, and I love that Marci is still included in their relationship. After all, when you have a sister, the guy you bring home doesn’t just have to form a relationship with you… they have to form it with the people you love too.

<- Bad Boys of SummerIt’s About Time ->

Image source: Goodreads

Things to Know About Being Dead by Genevieve Valentine

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Image result for teeth ellen datlow terri windling book cover

Title: Things to Know about Being Dead
Author: Genevieve Valentine
In: Teeth: Vampire Tales (Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal fantasy, Urban fantasy, Vampires
Dates read: 7th February 2021
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Harper
Year: 2011
5th sentence, 74th page: I tried to speak, but my throat was too dry; I lay quietly as she smoothed her fingers over my shoulders, my neck, the backs of my arms.

Synopsis

It’s not so fun being dead. But there are certain things that you should know…

Thoughts

There is something about Genevieve Valentine’s short stories that always make me smile. And this was no exception. Starting with a death, and then including anecdotes, lists and all sorts of other fun nonsense. I just smiled all the way throughout this short story. The fact that it is the opening story in a collection of vampire stories… well, that made it all that much better!

In all of the vampire books and stories that I’ve read, there hasn’t been much of a humorous aside in what it means to get used to being dead. A few have touched upon the adjustments that the characters have to make. And they’ve even sometimes touched upon the negatives, but mostly, it’s a “look at all the things I’ve gained” approach. This didn’t really do it. It didn’t place becoming dead as a negative endeavour either, just one with a steep learning curve.

There seem to be a lot of teenage vampire stories in the literature. It’s a bit of a trope that sometimes irritates me. But, the way that Valentine deals with this in her story was… not irritating. It was funny and light. And almost felt like it was pulling fun at the trope that can be a little bit overdone…

<- TeethAll Smiles ->

Image source: HarperCollins

Megan’s Mark by Lora Leigh

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Image result for book cover megan's mark lora leigh

Title: Megan’s Mark
Author: Lora Leigh
Series: Breeds #6
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Erotica, Paranormal romance, Romantic suspense
Dates read: 28th January – 7th February 2021
Pace: Fast
Format: Novel
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Year: 2006
5th sentence, 74th page: That was what she feared.

Synopsis

In the first book of her erotic new series, Lora Leigh invites you to an intriguing world where genetically altered Breeds and the humans who created them commingle – and sometimes cross the boundaries of desire…

Cursed with the extraordinary power to feel other peoples’ emotions, Megan Fields has tucked herself away in a remote corner of New Mexico, working as a small-town sheriff’s deputy. She finds solace in the silence and heat of the desert. But when breeds begin dying on her watch, Megan realizes that the secrets from her past can’t stay buried forever. Someone is out for blood – her blood.

An arrogant Feline Breed, Braden Arness broods with feral intensity. His mission to solve the mysterious murders brings him to Megan, a woman who accosts his senses like no other. Only with him can she let down her guard – and surrender to the insatiable hunger that wracks her body. But as they team up to hunt the elusive killers, Braden and Megan find themselves becoming the prey…

Thoughts

I’m not sure if it was because this book has a different cover, size and shape to the first five books in this series, or if it was actually written first as the blurb implies. But there was something drastically different about Megan’s Mark that wasn’t obvious in the other books. In a good way though, I can guarantee that. I seriously, thoroughly and delightfully enjoyed this story. and I know that I have the next book in the series buried somewhere in my ridiculous TBR pile, now I just have to dig it out…

Of all of the women so far in the Breeds novels, Megan is most definitely the most kick ass of all the women. She even punches her mate at one point because he crosses a line that she drew! I love that she’s got enough fire and gumption to do that. Alright, none of the women in this series have exactly been push overs… but Megan is just so, so much tougher. Tough enough that she’s able to join the patrols and be an Enforcer in her own right.

Megan is the first Empath in this series. It is starting to open the door for people with other talents and powers within the Breeds world. It draws in the intrigue far stronger than I would have expected. Actually, I kind of would have liked a little more about the Empathic abilities in this story. although, the lust and the connection between the characters most definitely made up for the fact that this power wasn’t heavily discussed.

Megan’s Mark is yet another wonderful tale by the intriguing Lora Leigh. It swept me away from the very beginning and left me in a world that I won’t be forgetting anytime soon. It was brilliant and fun. And I can’t wait to read yet more of these tales!

<- The Breed Next DoorHarmony’s Way ->

Image source: Penguin Books Australia