Hello, hello and welcome back to another episode of WWW Wednesday, a weekly meme hosted by Sam @ Taking On A World of Words, which means I’ll be answering these questions:
What did you read last?
What are you currently reading?
What will you read next?
Since last Wednesday I’ve managed to finish five books and that’s mostly thanks to my binge reading the rest of the Texting series by Teagan Hunter over the weekend. I may just have discovered a new favourite romance author!
To Kill A Mocking Girl (Bookbinding Mystery #1) by Harper Kincaid ★★★★★ This was my first ever cosy mystery and it had me strongly questioning WHY I hadn’t picked up these types of books before. It had so many things that I love in a book–supportive close-knit communities, a loveable family dynamics, entertaining MCs, a budding swoon-worthy romance, doggos, and an intriguing mystery! I adored this book and I’m gutted it’s not even out yet (and won’t be until May 2020) because I’m already looking forward to the rest of this series. This was Kincaid’s debut mystery too, although she does write romances so I’m tempted to check them out.My full review will be out closer to the pub date!
Nils: The Tree of Life by Jerome Hamon ★★★☆☆ While the illustrations blew me away (seriously gorgeous art work!) the storyline of Nils was weak and I often found myself confused with what was happening, especially towards the climax. The story felt disjointed at times, jumping too quickly from one fast-paced scene to another, without proper explanations and that was a bit of a let down. Can’t recommend the illustrations more though! If this illustrator put out a book of just their drawings I’d so be down to read it.Check out my full review.
Texting Series by Teagan Hunter ★★★★☆(average) I was looking for a lighthearted romcom and this series ticked all the boxes! It’s been a while since I’ve laughed so much reading a romance and I loved every minute of it. The titles are pun-tastic and the cheese is strong in pretty much all of the books but the geeky humor, swoon worthy heros and super sassy heroines make for some deliciously fun (not to mention steamy) times! Check out my full series review.
It’s that time of the week again, friends! We’re back with another Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s prompt is: a love freebie!
Is it merely a coincidence that I am in a romance mood when it’s Valentine’s Day this week? Absolutely. I’ve never been big on the ‘holiday’ and not because I’m single–I just feel like it’s an unnecessary way to spend more money (lol ok grinch) but of course I’m happy to receive chocolates from friends and colleagues (I’m not kidding anyone about having a secret or not-so-secret admirer lmao)! 😉 This past weekend I binged a new favourite romcom series and now my heart is ready for more laughs and loving feels. Since this is a love freebie, I’m going to share ten contemporary romances that I’m going to try and read this week (kidding! …maybe).*
*Sorry I’m boring and not sharing cool favourites or recs lists! 🤣
Last week I posted my review for the first book in Teagan Hunter’s Texting series: Let’s Get Textual. This weekend I binged on the rest of the series and decided to share mini-reviews for the remaining three books. I was really in the mood for some romantic comedies this weekend and this series definitely fulfilled the funny and romance needs and I would highly recommend it if you don’t mind books that are also a little bit on the steamier side 😉
When I put up a ROOMMATE WANTED poster, he was the last person on earth I thought would respond. He was also the last person on earth I’d agree to let live with me…on purpose. But, here we are—roommates. I’m certain we can coexist without it being awkward, and I’m determined to make it work. There will be no sexual tension building with each accidental touch, no flutters when he wears that stupid backward baseball cap, and definitely no flirting when we text back and forth.
Caleb Mills can’t be the guy for me. He’s my best friend’s ex-boyfriend. And that would be wrong…right?
The second book in Teagan Hunter’s Texting series was no less cute and funny as her first! I fell in love with both Zoe and Caleb’s characters when they were introduced in book one and I’m so glad that we finally got their stories — although I was initially surprised to learn that they end up together! They were a very sweet and wholesome couple though and I enjoyed their journey from roommates, friends and eventual lovers. I continued to love Zoe’s fresh and spunky attitude. She was so easy going and it wasn’t difficult to like her character. Caleb was a total sweetheart and my heart absolutely broke for him in this story. He has a much darker past than I expected, I jumped right on that bandwagon thinking he was the typical boy-next-door jock type (just wholesome), but his past and family history was sad to read about. They were so wholesome and this was much more of a slow burn than I anticipated. Their chemistry was undeniable and the steam in this would be a 3 out of 5 on the steamy scale!The one thing I missed in this book was seeing more of Delia and Zach but obviously it’s not their story anymore so they wouldn’t play as much of a role… I missed their hilarious banter though!
“Hi Monty. Wanna see my python?” That’s how I ended up in the bathroom of some dive bar with a stranger. Me, Monty Andrews, the quintessential virgin girl next door. I was so out of my element, but there was no denying our explosive attraction, even via text. Commence Operation Bang Each Other Out of Our Systems, because that was all it was—unfinished business. I had no intention of falling back into the sheets with the tattooed, muscly, dirty-in-the-best-kind-of-way single dad over and over again…but I did. Everything was going great—until we discovered I was his son’s teacher.
Did I simultaneously cringe so hard and laugh my ass off reading that pick up line? Yes. Yes, I did. I can’t deny the cheese factor is high in this one but I think I’ve discovered my second fave book in the series! This was super fun, super steamy and I was cracking up multiple times. To say that I have a thing for guys with tattoos all over would be an understatement — I’m obsessed (with tattoos in general but tattoos on guys? *swoon*)! So it’s safe to say that I really loved Robbie’s character. Robbie is basically my type? He’s a bear with the softest and kindest heart and reading his interactions with Monty not only cracked me up but had me swooning and giggling like a little school girl. Not only that but seeing how he took care of Xavie really had me ‘awwing’. The single dad trope isn’t normally my thing but damn if it didn’t work for Robbie! His constant sexual innuendos and cracks did come off a little bit too much at times but what a laugh! Monty was of course the total opposite to Robbie. She’s conservative/reserved but being with Robbie makes her want to step out of that shell and while you wouldn’t think they’d work, they really work together! I love how her confidence grew throughout the story but I liked that she also didn’t change who she was after meeting him. She was adorable! Yes, the innocent virgin getting with the player ‘bad boy’ is a trope that’s been overdone but I still really enjoyed it here. Their chemistry was intense and so swoon worthy! I’d give this read a 4.5/5 on the steamy scale. It was legit fire! I absolutely loved this one.
I love you, he said. Forever, he said. Turns out, he lied.
When he leaves me high and dry after a cross-country move, I push him out of my life as much as I can, which is hard to do when the guy who broke your heart also happens to be the most famous dude in town.
After a disastrous year, he’s aiming to rehab his reputation, and I just so happen to be aiming for a promotion at the paper. So, we strike a deal, and it’s a win-win all around. Besides, what’s the harm in a few dates to charity galas anyway? He’s arrogant, a total jerk. There’s no way I’ll fall for him…again. I used to love him. Now I hate him…I think.
Out of the whole series this one probably had the most ‘complex storyline’. If you’ve read the first book of the series you’ll remember our man Shep and the deplorable thing he did at the end. I wanted to smack the shit out of him and I’m glad that someone in the book actually did (and good too)! So you can bet I was surprised to learn that the last book was about him. Was I excited to see if he’d get a HEA? Meh… But I liked the glimpses we got of our female MC in the previous book, so I read on…
The story switches between past and present day. Denny and Shep have a long history that pretty much no one knows about. A history that started with a strong friendship foundation that slowly moved into romance as they continued to exchange texts and got to know each other back in high school. It was an easy progression that didn’t feel at all forced. I did enjoy getting to know more about the two characters and we see how drastically Shep changed over the years, but sadly not for the better. And this is where I face problems with the situation because all of it was a bed of Shep’s own making. I mean, I get it. Being in love can be scary AF and it’s even more shocking when you’re young and you least expect it to happen. At the same time I didn’t feel like his reasons for doing what he did came through strongly enough for me to feel sympathy for him in this situation… There was so much angst that could’ve been avoided if he wasn’t such a knobhead… I loved Denny’s super sassy and feisty character and I wish that she was better treated. There’s no denying that people can change, grow and learn from (terrible) mistakes though! That said, the chemistry between Shep and Denny was also pretty intense and undeniable. All that tension built up over the last five years definitely made itself known and on the steamy scale this was a solid 5/5 lol
Overall, I am glad that I read all the books in this series. Although the last book was my least favourite, we got closure for certain things and of course you can’t feel bad with HEAs! I’m sad that this series has ended because I really enjoyed it and I’m glad that I picked it up thanks to the puntastic title(s)! I’m looking forward to reading more by Teagan Hunter and I think I will read more very soon 😉
Have you read the Texting series or is it on your TBR? Did you have as much fun reading it as I did?
It’s the first Goodreads Monday of 2020, friends! This weekly meme was started by @Lauren’s Page Turners and it invites you to pick a book from your TBR and explain why you want to read it. Easy enough, right? Feel free to join in if you want to! I’ll be using a random number generator to pick my books from my insanely long GR Want-to-read list.
This week’s book is The Bookshop of Yesterdays by Amy Meyerson. Is it a surprise that I was surprised to find this book on my Goodreads TBR considering it is now 1,064 books long? I didn’t even know this book existed until it came up as my random pick for today’s post 😂 But apparently I shelved it in October 2018. It has a 3.65 average with 14.8k+ ratings and 2.4k+ reviews.
We’re back with another Sundays in Bed With… meme! This meme dares to ask you what book has been in your bed this morning and is hosted by Midnight Book Girl. Come share what book you’ve been you’ve spent time curled up reading in bed with, or which book you wish you had time to read today!
I’ve spent the majority of today reading the Texting Seriesby Teagan Hunter and as of now I’m on the fourth book Text Me Baby One More Time. I’ve got mixed feelings because of the male MC. He was introduced in book one and what he did was beyond gross so I don’t know how I feel reading his HEA? I’m curious about the female MC though so let’s see if I make it through this one… This series has been so much fun to read though and it’s given me all the light-hearted geek humour and laughs that I needed this weekend!
I love you, he said. Forever, he said. Turns out, he lied.
When he leaves me high and dry after a cross-country move, I push him out of my life as much as I can, which is hard to do when the guy who broke your heart also happens to be the most famous dude in town.
After a disastrous year, he’s aiming to rehab his reputation, and I just so happen to be aiming for a promotion at the paper. So, we strike a deal, and it’s a win-win all around. Besides, what’s the harm in a few dates to charity galas anyway?
He’s arrogant, a total jerk. There’s no way I’ll fall for him…again. I used to love him. Now I hate him…I think.
Hello, friends! Today is a special day because it’s my first ever blog tour with The Fantastic Flying Book Club! You best believe that I was shook when I saw that I was chosen to join the blog tour and I’m so glad that I didn’t let my nerves stop me from signing up! So here we have it: today is my stop on The Queen’s Assassin Blog Tour! Be sure to click on the blog tour banner above to check out the other bloggers on the tour and the content they’ve created! 😊
The Queen’s Assassin (Queen’s Secret #1) by Melissa de la Cruz Publisher: G. P. Putnam’s Sons Release date: 04 February 2020 Genre: Young Adult Fantasy, Romance
Perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas and Red Queen, this is the first novel in a sweeping YA fantasy-romance duet about a deadly assassin, his mysterious apprentice, and the country they are sworn to protect from #1 NYT bestselling author Melissa de la Cruz. Caledon Holt is the Kingdom of Renovia’s deadliest weapon. No one alive can best him in brawn or brains, which is why he’s the Guild’s most dangerous member and the Queen’s one and only assassin. He’s also bound to the Queen by an impossible vow–to find the missing Deian Scrolls, the fount of all magical history and knowledge, stolen years ago by a nefarious sect called the Aphrasians.
Shadow has been training all her life to follow in the footsteps of her mother and aunts–to become skilled enough to join the ranks of the Guild. Though magic has been forbidden since the Aphrasian uprising, Shadow has been learning to control her powers in secret, hoping that one day she’ll become an assassin as feared and revered as Caledon Holt.
When a surprise attack brings Shadow and Cal together, they’re forced to team up as assassin and apprentice to hunt down a new sinister threat to Renovia. But as Cal and Shadow grow closer, they’ll uncover a shocking web of lies and secrets that may destroy everything they hold dear. With war on the horizon and true love at risk, they’ll stop at nothing to protect each other and their kingdom in this stunning first novel in the Queen’s Secret series.
Melissa de la Cruz is the New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of many critically acclaimed and award-winning novels for teens including The Au Pairs series, the Blue Bloods series, the Ashleys series, the Angels on Sunset Boulevard series and the semi-autobiographical novel Fresh off the Boat. Her books for adults include the novel Cat’s Meow, the anthology Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys and the tongue-in-chic handbooks How to Become Famous in Two Weeks or Less and The Fashionista Files: Adventures in Four-inch heels and Faux-Pas. She has worked as a fashion and beauty editor and has written for many publications including The New York Times, Marie Claire, Harper’s Bazaar, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Allure, The San Francisco Chronicle, McSweeney’s, Teen Vogue, CosmoGirl! and Seventeen. She has also appeared as an expert on fashion, trends and fame for CNN, E! and FoxNews. Melissa grew up in Manila and moved to San Francisco with her family, where she graduated high school salutatorian from The Convent of the Sacred Heart. She majored in art history and English at Columbia University (and minored in nightclubs and shopping!). She now divides her time between New York and Los Angeles, where she lives in the Hollywood Hills with her husband and daughter.
I’ll admit that reading The Queen’s Assassin has been a pretty weird experience for me? 😅 On the one hand, I couldn’t put the book down even when I wasn’t sure I wanted to keep reading it, but I still had to keep reading it because my mind wouldn’t let me step away from it! My brain would boomerang back to the book as soon as I put it down and I wouldn’t be able to stop thinking about it until I picked it up again. It was a very fast-paced fantasy romance and it was a quick easy read!
I was intrigued from the first page and while there were parts that confused me and that I wish would’ve been improved upon (especially in terms of writing style and character development), I found I was invested in the plot and in knowing what happens to our MCs. The world building and magic system was interesting and Montrice especially reminded me of District 1 in the Hunger Games with its over the top luxury and extravagant lifestyle. I did however find that the level of detail was inconsistent (i.e. with certain details lacking where it would’ve benefitted to have more information and vice versa). I liked the representation and casual inclusion of LGBTQ+ characters though! The aunts were great characters and I found their presence in the story very comforting. I wanted to know more about them and I hope we do learn more in the next book!
The story is told in alternating POVs between our MCs, Caledon and Shadow. There were points with Shadow’s character where I found myself confused because I was 100% sure I knew who she was but then something would be written in a way that had me thinking whether I did or not, so that kept me on my toes! 😂 That would’ve been a helluva plot twist but I’m glad that I turned out to be right. I liked that Shadow was headstrong and that she was willing to defy her mother’s summons to join her at court when all she really wanted was to be a bad ass Guild member and do magic. That said, her character would bounce between being somewhat level-headed, to being irrational, quick to anger and insolent and I found that slightly irritating. I liked Cal’s character because I’m a sucker for the quiet and brooding ‘bad boy’ who has a soft heart, cares deeply, and wants love but don’t think they deserve love. Yes, they’re oft-repeated and overdone tropes but a girl can still enjoy it, right?! I wish that the character development was more consistent for both of them though, as it would’ve made the story better, especially when it comes to the romance. I was expecting the romance to play a big role in the story(and it is romance heavy) but I also didn’t expect it to happen that quickly. It wasn’t instalove and I did enjoy the bickering banter between the two, but I wished it was a bit more fleshed out and less ‘full on devotion’ in the span of a few chapters.
All in all, I’m glad that I was given the chance to read this book. Although the ending was a bit rushed and there were things I wasn’t keen on, I’m still curious to know how this fantasy romance duology is going to end!I’m particularly excited to see what’s in store for Cal and another character that we meet briefly early on in the story! I really liked this character so I hope that they play a bigger role in bringing the world to life in the second book. You can find more of my favourite quotes below:
Thanks again to The Fantastic Flying Book Club for organising this awesome book tour and for giving me the opportunity to read this book 🙂
Have you read The Queen’s Assassin or is it on your TBR? Don’t forget to click the links up near the top to check out the book as it’s out now!
We’re back with another Top 5 Saturday! I might’ve missed last week’s topic but I will come back to it at some point 🙂 Just in case you don’t know Top 5 Saturday is a weekly meme created by Mandy @ Devouring Books and it’s where we list the top five books (they can be books on your TBR, favourite books, books you loved/hated) based on the week’s topic. You can see the upcoming schedule at the end of my post 🙂
This week’s topic is: mental illness. I have so many books with mental illness rep on my TBR and it’s so hard to just pick five. I think these are the ones that I’d like to read as soon as possible though, plus they’re all already on my physical/Kindle shelves! I also just realised all of my picks are YA?
I’ve only read one book by John Green although of course I’ve heard plenty of rave reviews about his books, this one included. I’ve heard that the mental health rep is very well done!
Welcome back to another Friday Favourites, dear friends! Last year this weekly meme was hosted by the wonderful Kibby @ Something of the Book! However, this year Kibby has passed the torch on to Lorraine @ Geeky Galaxy. This week’s topic is: non-human characters.
Can you believe that for a couple of minutes I actually sat staring at this prompt thinking that I have no idea what to write about? Pfft. These drowsy meds are really getting to my head because WHO AM I KIDDING? Of course I have favourite non-human characters and in fact I have plenty of them! But for the sake of brevity, I’ll be sticking to a top five for this post? I’m not sure it’s all that fair to say ‘top five’ but these are also in no particular order!
Mr. Kindly
This list would be an incomplete fail of a list without Mr. Kindly in it. How can I not love this not-cat and his sharp, witty and sarcastic comments? Let’s not forget his dry humour that had me in giggling fits all throughout the Nevernight Chronicles. Plus, who actually wouldn’t love to have a not-cat shadow companion that eats all your fears? I mean, sign me up, please!
Yayaya, HAPPY FRIYAY, book lovers and friends 😍We’re back with another First Lines Friday! This is a weekly featurefor book lovers hosted by Wandering Words. What if instead of judging a book by its cover, its author or its prestige, we judged it by its opening lines?Here areTHE RULES:
Pick a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR) and open to the first page
Copy the first few lines, but don’t give anything else about the book away just yet – you need to hook the reader first
Finally… reveal the book!
First lines:
“Benny Imura couldn’t hold a job, so he took to killing.”
Do you recognize the book these first lines come from?
Yes, I know I’m late to update. Life has been happening and in typical panda fashion, I also started to slack off a little with recording my reads on my challenge spreadsheet! Oops? Thankfully there’s the Goodreads Reading Challenge which has helped me to recall what books I’ve read over the last month and what challenges they’d fit under! So let’s take a look at how I’ve been doing for the *many* challenges that I decided to participate in this year…
I’ve been using many of the same books I’ve read to fulfil the prompts in different challenges and I think that’s OK although sometimes it feels like “I’m cheating” although I know that’s just the nay-sayers I’ve encountered whose voices are ringing in my ears 😂
I managed to read four ARCs in January and while that’s not a whole lot (at least compared to others) it’s more than I thought I’d read last month, so I’m happy there’s some progress, no matter how small!
dinipandareads 