Duration: 1st June – 20th June 2021 Number of books: 6 Hosted by: My Vampire Book Obsession
Collect a Funko Vamp each month by completing at least 2 tasks from a set of 6. A new set of tasks with a new Funko Vamp will be posted each month.
The dolls you collect will be in your Vampire Heart thread. Don’t have a thread? You can still do the challenge if you want 🙂
Rules Complete at least two tasks to get the vampire heart All genres welcome Rereads welcome No minimum page count One book per task
Read a book with a title starting with a letter found in SPIKE. – Sea Swept by Nora Roberts Read a book tagged paranormal. – Be Mine Tonight by Kathryn Smith Read a book with a blonde character. – Dating-ish by Penny Reid Read a book with a friends to lovers romance OR a forbidden romance. Read a book with a character you would describe as a rebel OR outcast. – The Iron Hunt by Marjorie M. Liu Read a book with an apocalypse OR a war OR a battle in the story line.
Duration: 1st June – 20th June 2021 Number of books: 9 Hosted by: My Vampire Book Obsession
Welcome to Night Spawn BINGO. Each month a new BINGO game will be posted with new tasks to complete. Get three in a row (Horizontal, Vertical, or Diagonal) to receive your Vampire Heart.
Rules: Complete three tasks to get the vampire heart All genres welcome Rereads welcome No minimum page count One book per task
Read 3 books that have one of the following (Must be in a Horizontal, Vertical, or Diagonal pattern).
Top Row:
MC is a Feline Shifter~ MC is a Canine Shifter~ MC is “Other” Shifter (Fox, Bear, Dragon, etc)
Middle Row:
Wings on the cover~ Claws on the Cover ~ Fangs on the Cover
April was a fun month. I started to really hit my stride with literally everything that I was doing; BJJ, work, reading… I didn’t necessarily get as much down time as I wanted for reading… but it was still enough to leave me feeling happy and content.
Title: Harmony’s Way Author: Lora Leigh Series: Breeds #7 Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!) My Bookshelves:Erotica, Paranormal romance, Romantic suspense Dates read: 27th – 28th April 2021 Pace: Fast Format: Novel Publisher: Berkley Sensation Year: 2006 5th sentence, 74th page: “Leave.”
Sink your fangs into Lora Leigh’s series about genetically alered humans with feline DNA. When the Breeds desire the passions of the flesh, they can’t help but get frisky…
Harmony Lancaster is of the Lion Breed, created to be a huntress with a thirst to kill. But the way she seeks justice outside of the law makes her a liability to her own kind. Yet she also possesses information that they need on the existence of the first Leo – who holds the precious secrets of desire.
To save her life, Harmony is paired with Sheriff Lance Jacobs, who tries to tame the killer within her, while protecting the gentle woman he longs to possess. But a dangerous cult leader, bent on destroying the Breeds, could change the way Lance looks at Harmony forever…
Each and every time I pick up a Breeds book, I’m completely hooked. Not only is the intense lust and sexuality of it just… spine tingling. But there is also that great character building, functioning of relationships. And, ultimately, the greater conspiracies and plot lines. The one where you are constantly hoping that this minority will find their happily ever after. But not really believing that it’s going to happen…
Megan’s cousin in Megan’s Mark was definitely a guy that I wanted to get to know a little better. Which left me very, ridiculously happy when he came to the forefront in this book. The fact that he can talk to the winds and has Native American ancestry… I just found that all that much more intriguing. I wasn’t really expecting who he ended up partnered with. But I loved her just as much.
Harmony’s journey most definitely made me tear up a little bit and clutch at my heart. It was seriously heartbreaking. But yet, brilliantly done. Maybe not as heartbreaking as Sherra’s story, and I’m sure not as bad as Dawn’s is going to be… but it was still brutal and horrifying. Yet, the way that Lance helps her and brings the beautiful Death into the light… oh, be still my beating heart.
This is that point in the series when things are getting way more complex and intense. That the characters are getting further and further in over their heads and you can’t help but pick up the next book. Which is exactly what I did… I want to know more about what’s going to happen to the Breeds as a whole. Although, unlike other similar series (Psy-Changelingfor example), there is a little less connectivity between the characters. And I’m honestly starting to lose track a little of who’s who and how they all connect… looks like this will be a future reread series…
Title: Devils and Details Author: Devon Monk Series: Ordinary Magic #2 Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!) My Bookshelves: Magic, Mythology, Urban fantasy Dates read: 26th April 20 Pace: Medium Format: Novel Publisher: Odd House Press Year: 2016 5th sentence, 74th page: Thank you so much, Thor.
Caught between the devil and the deep blue sea…
Police Chief Delaney Reed is good at keeping secrets for the beach town of Ordinary Oregon – just ask the vacationing gods or supernatural creatures who live there.
But with the first annual Cake and Skate fundraiser coming up, the only secret Delaney really wants to know is how to stop the unseasonable rain storms. When all the god powers are stolen, a vampire is murdered, and her childhood crush turns out to be keeping deadly secrets of his own, rainy days are the least of her worries.
Hunting a murderer, outsmarting a know-it-all-god, and uncovering an ancient vampire’s terrifying past isn’t how she planned to spend her summer. But then again, neither is falling back in love with the one man she should never trust.
I forgot how much I enjoyed the world building in this series. I love the idea of gods on vacation and having a sheriff to try and control the insanity that will surely follow. I mean, after all, gods are known for being unpredictable, and well, frankly, nuts… so it makes sense that they need a sheriff to keep them all under control. The fact that it’s Delaney and her sisters just makes it all that much more likeable.
This story careens from insane moment to insane moment. It left me smiling and giggling all throughout. And, for most of the tale, I wasn’t really sure of where this story was going to take me… I mean, god powers being stolen, vampires being murdered, past loves trying to reconnect… there is a whole lot in this that is fun and sassy. And completely unpredictable. Which I think all stories of gods should be if I’m being honest.
I did kind of predict what Ryder’s secret and reason for breaking up with Delaney were. Even then, the actual explanation was a little more than I had hoped for (yay). I loved their dynamic throughout this. Alongside the protectiveness of Delaney’s two sisters – I mean, what are sisters if not beautifully and ridiculously protective?
This story ends with a war on the horizon, and a missing vampire. I can’t wait to see where they went / what happened and where the story is going to take us from here… bring on the next novel in this series!
Title: Grave Dance Author: Kalayna Price Series: Alex Craft #2 Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect) My Bookshelves: Fae, Ghosts, Grim reapers, Paranormal romance Dates read: 16th – 26th April 2021 Pace: Fast Format: Novel Publisher: Roc Year: 2011 5th sentence, 74th page: Small, large, winged, floral, too-many limbed, too-few – they were a dizzying display rarely seen on the streets.
Whoever said dead men tell no tales obviously never met Alex Craft…
After a month spent recovering from a vicious fight with a sorcerer, grave witch Alex Craft is ready to get back to solving murders by raising the dead. With her love life in turmoil, thanks to the disappearance of Fae Investigation Bureau agent Falin Andrews and a shocking “L”-word confession from death himself, Alex is eager for the distractions of work. But her new case turns out to be a deadly challenge.
The police hire Alex to consult on a particularly strange investigation in the nature preserve south of Nekros City. The strange part: There are no corpses – only fragments of them. A serial killer is potentially on the loose, and Alex has no way to raise a shade without a body, so she’ll have to rely on the magic of others to find leads. But as she begins investigating, a creature born of the darkest magic comes after her. Someone very powerful wants to make sure the only thing she finds is a dead end – her own.
It doesn’t matter how many times I read these novels… I love them each and every time. This read through was absolutely no different. It was fun and quirky and just an impossible to put down journal. I love Price’s writing and find myself irrevocably drawn in each and every time. It helps that I notice different parts of the storyline with each reading…
Alex seems to just keep getting herself further and further into trouble everytime I pick up one of her stories. I can’t wait to see what more trouble she gets into (I’ve only ever read up to Grave Memory before). She seems to be one of those characters that blunders into problem after problem, unable to quite stop herself. Which, of course, makes it a fun and entertaining adventure to be on with her. And seriously, very exciting. One of my favourite fast-paced books on my shelves.
I’d like to say that the love triangle in this story is getting far more complex. But, really, it’s not a triangle… it’s some kind of weird, squiggly line. But ultimately, Alex keeps finding herself stuck between two amazing guys. Honestly, I want her to end up with Death. But I’m actually not entirely sure that she will. Some series, it is easy to see who the final love interest will be. But in this one… I have no damn clue. And I love that fact. Aside from the fae politics, her ancestry and all sorts, it’s the love squiggly that makes me want to keep diving headfirst into this series.
Not only is this an amazing, kind of fast-paced story, it’s also one that is perfectly setting up many future battles and complications for the characters. It’s bringing all of the complexities of the fae courts into the complexities of attraction, debts, friendship, cops… there is so much groundwork being laid and it makes this story all that much more intriguing.
Title: First Comes Scandal Author: Julia Quinn Series: Rokesbys #4 Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again) My Bookshelves:Historical romance, Regency romance Dates read: 25th – 26th April 2021 Pace: Medium Format: Novel Publisher: Avon Year: 2020 5th sentence, 74th page: “Certainly unethical.”
She was given two choices… Georgiana Bridgerton isn’t against the idea of marriage. She just thought she’d have some say in the matter. But with her reputation hanging by a thread after she’s abducted for her dowry, Georgie is given two options: live out her days as a spinster or marry the rogue who has ruined her life.
Enter Option #3 As the fourth son of an eral, Nicholas Rokesby is prepared to hart his own course. He has established himself in Edinburgh, where he’s close to completing his medical studies, and he has no time – or interest – to find a wife. But when he discovers that Georgie Bridgerton – his literal girl-next-door – is facing ruin, he knows what he must do.
A Marriage of Convenience It might not have been the most romantic of proposals, but Nicholas never thought she’d say II no. II Georgie doesn’t want to be anyone’s sacrifice, and besides, they could never think of each other as anything more than childhood friends… or could they?
But as they embark upon their unorthodox courtship, they discover a new twist to the age-old rhyme. First come scandal, then comes marriage. But after that comes love…
As the final story in the Rokesbys series, I was kind of expecting a little more drama in this story… I was completely floored by the fact that there was pretty much no drama whatsoever in this story. As in. None. At all. Actually, it was one of the most pleasant, happy and drama free stories I’ve read in a long time. And even though it wasn’t fast-paced and there wasn’t much drama… I still couldn’t put this down and forget about it. It was just that amazing!
Nicholas and Georgie work so beautifully together. I love that of the four Rokesby stories, three ended up with Bridgertons. This is also the only one that mentions Violet Bridgerton, along with the three eldest boys from the Bridgerton series – Anthony, Benedict and Colin. It finally made this actually feel like the prequel series that it supposedly is and tied everything in perfectly. I love that there is this constant sense of interconnectedness throughout the series that makes you urgently reaching for the next book.
This was a seriously quick friends to lovers moment. I was expecting a little more resistance to the idea, but I kind of like how quickly Nicholas and Georgie fell for one another. It made me smile frequently and happily throughout. Definitely the kind of quick falling in love that I prefer – one that is built on years of friendship and camaraderie. It also meant that those frequent moments in which Georgie is being independent and pig-headed are totally expected by Nicholas, and kind of endearingly loved.
As with many of Quinn’s books, I loved the epilogue at the end. I love how Georgie’s interest was nurtured by Nicholas and helped them grow into the perfect pair. I kind of want to see them in more Quinn books in the future… they’re just so simply glorious together.
Title: The Little Breton Bistro Author: Nina George Rating Out of 5: 2 (Managed to read it… just) My Bookshelves: Contemporary Dates read: 25th April 2021 Pace: Slow Format: Novel Publisher: Abacus Year: 2010 5th sentence, 74th page: In short, despite his testosterone imbalance, our chef is back to top form.
From the New York Times and internationally bestselling author of The Little Paris Bookshop, an extraordinary novel about self-discovery and new beginnings.
Marianne is stuck in a loveless, unhappy marriage. After forty-one years, she has reached her limit, and one evening in Paris she decides to take action. Following a dramatic moment on the banks of the Seine, Marianne leaves her life behind and sets out for the coast of Brittany, also known as the end of the world.
Here she meets a cast of colorful and unforgettable locals who surprise her with their warm welcome, and the natural ease they all seem to have, taking pleasure in life s small moments. And, as the parts of herself she had long forgotten return to her in this new world, Marianne learns it s never too late to begin the search for what life should have been all along.
With all the buoyant charm that made The Little Paris Bookshop a beloved bestseller, The Little French Bistro is a tale of second chances and a delightful embrace of the joys of life in France.
I seriously struggled trying to read this book. I wanted to love it. I wanted to really enjoy it – the premise was fantastic and I’ve seen so many great reviews of it. But, alas, it didn’t happen.
In fact, I ended up putting this aside after 150 pages (my usual cut off if I can’t get into a book). I couldn’t even skim read this and feel slightly intrigued by what happens next. I very rarely DNF a book because my curiosity tends to make me at least skim through it… but I still didn’t do that.
I may not have loved this book, but ultimately, there was nothing actually wrong with it. The writing was good, the idea had merit. I just couldn’t get excited about the storyline. Or feel connected to the characters… maybe I’ll try again in the future.
Title: The Switch Author: Beth O’Leary Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect) My Bookshelves:Contemporary, Contemporary romance, Family Dates read: 14th – 25th April 2021 Pace: Medium Format: Novel Publisher: Quercus Year: 2020 5th sentence, 74th page: Had she given up?
LEENA IS TOO YOUNG TO FEEL STUCK EILEEN IS TOO OLD TO START OVER IT’S TIME FOR THE SWITCH…
After blowing a big presentation at work, Leena takes a two-month sabbatical and escapes to her grandmother Eileen’s house for some overdue rest. Eileen is newly single and about to turn eighty. She’d like a second chance at love, but her tiny Yorkshire village doesn’t offer many eligible gentlemen… A life swap seems the perfect solution.
But with a rabble of unruly OAPs to contend with, as well as the distractingly handsome local schoolteacher, Leena learns that switching lives isn’t straightforward. In London, Eileen is a huge hit with her new neighbours and with the online dating scene. But is her perfect match nearer to home than she first thought?
There are just so many dang levels of adorable throughout this book. It is incredibly sweet and fun. Very, very cute and such a delight to read. It was the perfect book to read while I was taking a bit of a weekend break from reality. Something about this granddaughter-daughter duo, the sleepy little English village and the feeling of love in the air made me seriously happy and content. It was most definitely an amazing book, and I’m glad that it was suggested for the Reading Women Challenge.
This novel might be a romance, but it is also a great story about strong women and family. The three generations in this family are tied together, even when they feel like they’re falling apart. It creates a wonderful atmosphere and story. One that made me want to ring up my own mother and just give her a verbal hug through the phone. It’s a fantastic story which reminds you that even in the darkest moments, good family (whether it’s the one you are born into or choose) are there for you.
I found that for me, the focus of the story was on the two Eileens. In particular, their journey to figure out who they are in their altered realities. It’s such a beautifully powerful journey. One that reminded me (again, at a good point), that sometimes the path we think we should be on isn’t necessarily the right one. And that it’s okay to take a major detour and find a new destination. All (hopefully) with the support of a kick ass grandmother…
Hank is such a great character… I’m a sucker for any story which features a dog, so a rambunctious and excitable Lab… that’s going to be my happy place. The fact that his owner is by all accounts dreamy and hard to forget… yum…
Then there is Eileen and Anthony. I love their arguments and the ways that they constantly rib one another. Again, it is just an adorable and fun relationship to top off all of the other adorable and fun relationships in this novel… unforgettable and wonderful.
Title: Oklahoma Christmas Blues Author: Maggie Shayne Series: Bliss in Big Falls #0.5 Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!) My Bookshelves: Christmas, Contemporary, Contemporary romance Dates read: 18th – 24th April 2021 Pace: Medium Format: eBook, Novella Publisher: Thunderfoot Publishing Inc. Year: 2015 5th sentence, 74th page: How the heck do you know that?
Darryl is on a quest for peace. His chance at fatherhood was taken from him long ago, and an IED in Iraq ensured he’d never get another. In Big Falls, the McIntyre brothers hire him to keep an eye on their beautiful cousin Sophie in case her criminal ex shows up. He doesn’t expect to fall head over heels.
Sophie McIntyre’s life was blown apart by a drug dealing ex who cost her her job and nearly her medical license. She comes to Big Falls because she has nowhere else to go. And the minute she gets there, things start to get better.
Is it because of that letter to Santa her Aunt Vidalia convinced her to write?
Within days she meets a beautiful man with a deeply wounded soul. And oddly, she finds herself giving him the same advice the town Santa gave to her—try believing again, and if it’s too much to believe, then just try hoping.
Love, magic, and miracles ensue.
Because this is Big Falls, Oklahoma. Miracles are an everyday occurrence around here. Especially at Christmastime.
This is an incredibly cutesy and easy read. It’s simple, fun and just all round enjoyable. Just the kind of thing to read on the kobo late at night. The fact that it has the backdrop of Christmas and a gorgeous little town… well, that made everything all that much better for my happiness.
I really enjoyed how Sophia found her own place in a new world that she’s created. It’s hard to start over and carve out your own reality, and Sophia’s ability to do so is a thing to behold. There are also all of the wonderful little miracles that help her along the way…
This story is all about romance and Christmas miracles. It was a bit of a weird time of year to be reading this… but I really liked the way that miracles and that feeling of hope were inspired throughout this story. It was all very good fun and incredibly… innocent.
I struggle with reading ebooks. But this is one that I enjoyed. And I’ll definitely be adding more of the series to my wish list… I can’t wait to see what else happens in Big Falls!
![First Comes Scandal [Large Print] :HarperCollins Australia](https://i.harperapps.com/hcanz/covers/9780062979438/x293.jpg)
Earth and Skye 