#Blogmas2019 Days 28, 29 and 30: Best Book to Make a Movie, Best Swoony Book, The Best of the Best #BestBooksOf2019

Welcome to Blogmas 2019! 

Blogmas is the creation of Sophie @ Beware of the Reader. This is her third year (I think) doing Blogmas and my second year participating. Sophie has provided some great prompts for this month and I'm excited to participate as often as possible. I'll probably be combining days fairly often, like today. If you'd like to participate, be sure to use the hashtags #Blogmas2019 and #BestBooksof2019.

DAY 28: BEST BOOK TO MAKE A MOVIE

   

JOSH & HAZEL'S GUIDE TO NOT DATING

  WATCHING YOU | WILD COUNTRY

Josh & Hazel would make the perfect rom-com movie. I'd go see it! I can imagine Lisa Jewell's Watching You as a kind of quiet, atmospheric thriller. And I've always thought The Others series would translate well to the screen. With the CGI and special effects available now, Wild Country would be epic on the big screen!

DAY 29: BEST SWOONY BOOK

    

SAY YOU STILL LOVE ME | SALVAGED | I WANT YOU BACK

I loved the dual timeline in Say You Still Love Me. Getting to experience Piper and Kyle's first love as teenagers and then reconnecting as adults gave me all the feels. Jay Crownover writes heroes that will do anything for their heroine and Salvaged was no exception. The way Hudson treated Poppy was seriously swoony. And I Want You Back featured one of my favorite tropes (second-chance romance) and seeing Jaxson fight to get his family back was all kinds of swoony goodness.

DAY 30: THE BEST OF THE BEST

    

   

DAISY JONES & THE SIX | THE GIRL HE USED TO KNOW

MRS. EVERYTHING | THE RECKLESS OATH WE MADE | LONG SHOT

I give out 5-star rating very rarely. Those five stars aren't just for every book I really enjoyed. Five stars are very those very, very special books. The ones that become instant favorites. The ones that move me in a way unlike anything else. A book that is head and shoulders above the rest. So I was super surprised to find that I had five 5-star reads in 2019! I'm not sure that's ever happened! But all five of these books were remarkable stories and true stand-outs from the year. 

HAVE YOU READ ANY OF THESE BOOKS?

WHAT WAS YOUR BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR?

#Blogmas2019 Days 23-27: Best Plot Twist, Best Male Main Character, Best Female Main Character, Best Friend Recommendation, Best Ugly Cry #BestBooksOf2019

Welcome to Blogmas 2019! 

Blogmas is the creation of Sophie @ Beware of the Reader. This is her third year (I think) doing Blogmas and my second year participating. Sophie has provided some great prompts for this month and I'm excited to participate as often as possible. I'll probably be combining days fairly often, like today. If you'd like to participate, be sure to use the hashtags #Blogmas2019 and #BestBooksof2019.

DAY 23: BEST PLOT TWIST

    

VERITY | THE WICKED KING | THE BURNING SHADOW

There were so many twists in Verity that by the time I turned the last page I sat back and wondered what I'd just read. And I still know quite know what I believe really happened. The final twist at the end of The Wicked King floored me. It's easy to forget that while Jude is busy with all her machinations... others are plotting, too. And there several fun/exciting twists and revelations in The Burning Shadow that kept me turning the pages as fast as I could go.

DAY 24: BEST MALE MAIN CHARACTER

    

  

ARCHER HALE | ALEX CLAREMONT-DIAZ

DEAN WALKER | LUC | GENTRY

Each of these characters possessed qualities that made them memorable. Whether it was a pure heart, acerbic wit, willingness to grow and change, or arrogance and humor that hid a softer side, they were all completely unforgettable.

DAY 25: BEST BEST FEMALE MAIN CHARACTER

    

  

DAISY JONES | ANNIKA ROSE | JO

HAZEL BRADFORD | NINA BROWNING

Daisy's impulsiveness, Annika's bravery, Jo's endurance, Hazel's humor, Nina's integrity. These women made me laugh, made me cry, made me cheer, and made me want the very best for them.

DAY 26: BEST FRIEND RECOMMENDATION

LONG SHOT - KENNEDY RYAN

Kennedy Ryan had been on my radar for a while, but it wasn't until Sam and Amber told me I had to read Long Shot that I finally experienced her writing for myself. And what an experience it was.  I remember DM'ing with them as I made my way through the book and then as I sat in the parking lot at the office one morning, finishing it. Long Shot is among my top reads of the year and I'm so glad Sam and Amber recommended it!

DAY 27: BEST UGLY CRY

   

ARCHER'S VOICE | BIRTHDAY

Both Archer's Voice and Birthday had main characters that settled themselves into my heart and had me feeling every painful moment. I wanted to help them, hug them, protect them... and basically make sure nothing and no one ever hurt them again. That kind of connection guaranteed more than one ugly cry.  

HAVE YOU READ ANY OF THESE BOOKS?

WHO ARE YOUR FAVORITE MALE/FEMALE CHARACTERS OF THE YEAR?

#Blogmas2019 Days 15, 16, 17 and 18: Best Romance Author, Most Original Plot/Story, Best New-To-Me Author, Most Read Author #BestBooksOf2019

Welcome to Blogmas 2019! 

Blogmas is the creation of Sophie @ Beware of the Reader. This is her third year (I think) doing Blogmas and my second year participating. Sophie has provided some great prompts for this month and I'm excited to participate as often as possible. I'll probably be combining days fairly often, like today. If you'd like to participate, be sure to use the hashtags #Blogmas2019 and #BestBooksof2019.

DAY 15: BEST ROMANCE AUTHOR 

    

SARINA BOWEN | ALEXA MARTIN | COLLEEN HOOVER

I could probably fill up all 31 days of posts about my favorite romance authors so there's no way I can choose just one. Be impressed that I managed to narrow it down to just three. :) Sarina Bowen is 100% dependable and I know she is always going to deliver characters that I love with a good dose of humor and heart. Alexa Martin is a newer favorite but the first two books in her Playbook series really wowed me this year. And this list could not exist without Colleen Hoover. She's been my favorite author (romance or otherwise) since I first picked up Maybe Someday in 2014. No one can so completely engage my emotions like Colleen.

DAY 16: MOST ORIGINAL/ATYPICAL PLOT OR STORY

THE RECKLESS OATH WE MADE - BRYN GREENWOOD

When it come to unique and original storytelling, Bryn Greenwood is a master. Both in her stories - and how she tells them. The Reckless Oath We Made was another stellar example of that. The story of a part-time drug runner with a hoarder mother, a knight, and an epic quest to rescue a hostage. Not only are the story and characters completely original, even the telling of it is atypical. Gentry speaks in Old English and his chapters are written that way which just added to the overall uniqueness of this amazing story. 

DAY 17: BEST NEW-TO-ME AUTHOR

    

KENNEDY RYAN

2019 was the year I discovered Kennedy Ryan - and I'm so glad I did. It started with Sam and Amber telling me I had to read Long Shot. And I was floored. I immediately binged the next two books in the Hoops series - Block Shot and Hook Shot - and more recently have read Flow and Grip.

DAY 18: MOST READ AUTHOR IN 2019

    

JAY CROWNOVER

This was a bit of a surprise to me. Until I realized that I'd re-listened to the entire Marked Men series this year and read the Saints of Denver series. In total, I read 9 books by Jay this year. Runners up include: Sarina Bowen (6 books), Kennedy Ryan (5 books), and Christina Lauren/Emma Chase/Anne Bishop (4 books each).

HAVE YOU READ ANY OF THESE BOOKS?

WHAT'S THE MOST ORIGINAL STORY YOU READ IN 2019?

Monthly Wrap Up | August 2019

WHAT HAPPENED IN AUGUST

• The entire month was day after day of sweltering heat. Not a fan. Zero stars - do not recommend.
• Had to get a new computer at the beginning of the month. I'm still fine-tuning things, like loading my favorite anti-virus software and setting up folders, etc. And I still haven't set up Carbonite on the new PC. Need to do that soon (or maybe The Husband will look into that for me... hint, hint, Robert :).
• Had my annual physical and all is well but I'm also at the age where one appointment seems to result in two or three others. LOL
• One of my favorite shows from the late 90's/early 2000's got a reboot. I watched the first episode of BH90210... and decided some things are better left alone. 

WHAT I READ IN AUGUST

*Note: Yes, I know the graphic is crooked but I just can't be bothered to re-do it. 

August was a pretty mediocre reading month - with the exception of one 5-star read. I read six books which is low even for me. (This might even be lower in September since I've been reading the same book for a week and a half.) 

The Last Post by Renee Carlino | 3.5/5 stars

Breathe by Abbi Glines | 3/5 stars

Because of Low by Abbi Glines | 3.25/5 stars

While It Lasts by Abbi Glines | 3.25/5 stars

Just For Now by Abbi Glines | 3.25/5 stars

The Reckless Oath We Made by Bryn Greewood | 5/5 stars

The Last Post and The Reckless Oath We Made link to full reviews on the blog. I didn't have enough to say about the Abbi Glines titles to review them here so they are linked to short (and a little snarky) reviews on GoodReads.

FORMATS

Total Read: 6

4 physical books

2 e-books

2 ARCs

TOP OF THE HEAP

The Reckless Oath We Made

Bryn Greenwood did it again and created two main characters that felt so human and so flawed and so real that I was 100% invested in their story. The Reckless Oath We Made was totally unique and I loved every minute of it.

THE ONE THAT WAS SURPRISINGLY EMOTIONAL

Just For Now

Despite my issues with this one (the male main character ran so hot and cold that I wanted to do him bodily harm), it took a turn I didn't expect and actually managed to eke out some real emotion.

THE ONE THAT LEFT ME WANTING MORE

The Last Post

Renee Carlino has written some that I've loved and some that I've been on the fence about. With The Last Post I just wanted... more. It was good but I wished for more connection with the main characters. It just felt a little lacking overall.

THE ONE THAT INDUCED MUCH EYE-ROLLING

Breathe

Have there ever been two more annoying main characters? If so, I don't want to know. Sadie was saccharine sweet, naive beyond belief and basically a clueless Mary Sue. Jax was possessive, insanely jealous and irrational. They deserve each other and should go far, far away. Fingers crossed they don't show up often in the rest of the series. 

WHAT HAPPENED ON THE BLOG

I had 16 blog posts in August which included 4 reviews: Hope and Other Punch Lines, Birthday, The Last Post, and The Reckless Oath We Made. I also shared my least favorite cover redesigns, characters I want as my BFF, and my favorite romance tropes.

WHAT I'M CURRENTLY READING

The Flatshare - Beth O'Leary

I'm on Day 11 (maybe 12?) of reading this one and I honestly don't know if it's me or the book. It's not even a long one (325 pages) and yet I'm still only on page 235. I enjoy it well enough when I'm reading it, but it's not like I think about it and am itching to pick it up again. I don't know if I'm in a bit of a book hangover after The Reckless Oath We Made, if I've just been busy, or if the book just isn't thrilling me. Either way, I'm going to make a concerted effort to just finish it in the next few days.

WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE READ IN AUGUST?

Review: The Reckless Oath We Made by Bryn Greenwood

THE RECKLESS OATH WE MADE
Bryn Greenwood
Publication date: August 20, 2019
Series: No
Genres: Contemporary, Literary Fiction
Format: eARC
Source: G.P. Putnam's Sons and NetGalley



GOODREADS  *  AMAZON

S Y N O P S I S

Zee is nobody's fairy tale princess. Almost six-foot, with a redhead's temper and a shattered hip, she has a long list of worries: never-ending bills, her beautiful, gullible sister, her five-year-old nephew, her housebound mother, and her drug-dealing boss.

Zee may not be a princess, but Gentry is an actual knight, complete with sword, armor, and code of honor. Two years ago the voices he hears called him to be Zee's champion. He's barely spoken to her since, but he has kept watch, ready to come to her aid.

When an abduction tears Zee's family apart, she turns to the last person she ever imagined--Gentry--and sets in motion a chain of events that will not only change both of their lives, but bind them to one another forever.

M Y   T H O U G H T S

Okay. *deep breath* Let’s do this. The Reckless Oath We Made is one of those books that, when I turn the last page, I sit for a moment and let it all sink it. I marvel at what the author was able to convey. And then I wonder how in the world I am going to write a review that does it justice. (Confession: it’s been 2+ years since I read Greenwood’s All the Ugly and Wonderful Things and I still haven’t managed to articulate my feelings about it. In the simplest terms, it was phenomenal.) But I’m going to try.

Zee (real Name: Zhorzha) is brash and rough-around-the-edges and it seems as if it weren’t for bad luck she’d have no luck at all. A motorcycle accident left her with a shattered hip, chronic pain, and a mountain of medical bills. She also helps support her hoarder mother, her older sister and her five-year-old nephew so her waitress income is supplemented by occasional drug trafficking. She meets Gentry while at physical therapy and his odd demeanor is impossible to ignore. While their interaction is short-lived, he remains a fixture in her life over the next two years, constantly keeping watch over her.

Gentry is a knight. On the autism spectrum, he hears voices (Gawen, Hildegard, and the Witch), speaks in Middle English, spars with swords and is building his own castle. Gentry is single-minded in his duty as Zee’s champion, and the oath he has taken to protect her. When Zee’s sister is taken hostage by prison escapees, Gentry is by his Lady Zhorzha’s side, ready to aid in battle when she decides to recover her sister on her own.

Zee and Gentry were an improbable pairing that still made perfect sense. Zee accepted Gentry in every way and allowed him to express himself in the way that was uniquely him. She did not patronize him or mock him or expect him to change. Her immediate sense of belonging (or at least a wish to belong) with Gentry’s adoptive family was understandable since her own family fell apart (and did not recover) after her father died while serving a prison sentence for armed robbery. Zee wasn’t always a sympathetic character. She was single-minded in her efforts and used whatever means necessary to get what she needed. I found myself railing at her capriciousness while still recognizing the weight on her shoulders. In fact, my only quibble throughout the book had to do with Zee. (Highlight the following text for possible spoiler content: I truly wanted more atonement from Zee at the end of the book. She did recognize that others paid dearly for her decisions/actions – sometimes with life-changing consequences. Yes, she did take steps to apologize (like to Rosalinda and Charlene) but it felt so insignificant in comparison to what was lost. I wanted more from Zee, but maybe that was as much as she was capable of doing.)

In Gentry, Bryn Greenwood has created one of my favorite fictional characters ever. His chapters, written in his Middle English manner of speech, were among my favorites. With a moral compass that guided his every decision, a desire to prove himself worthy, and an innate kindness and compassion that melted my heart, Gentry is truly unforgettable. His surprising sense of humor always made me smile and his unwavering sense of right and wrong, in a world where doing the easy thing is so often chosen over doing the right thing, was inspiring.

The Reckless Oath We Made is a breathtaking mix of literary fiction, social commentary, modern-day fairy tale, and love story. Greenwood’s gift at creating utterly unique, fully-realized characters is astounding. And I lost track of the number of times I came across a sentence or phrase that captured a feeling so perfectly that I would just sit and stare at it. Like with All the Ugly and Wonderful Things, Greenwood employs multiple narratives to weave her tale. Told mainly from Zee and Gentry’s points of view, there are also chapters from Zee’s nephew, Gentry’s mother, and more, which serve to create a story that comes to life and is truly mesmerizing. Greenwood is able to infuse this story with themes of family loyalty (which is stretched to its limits), mental illness, chivalry, and love in all its many forms. I could go on (and on) about all this story has to offer, but suffice it to say: The Reckless Oath We Made is among the best of 2019.

5/5 STARS

Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. This does not impact my opinion of the book or the content of this review. I received no compensation and my review is voluntary.

____________________________________________________________________________________

About the Author

BRYN GREENWOOD is a fourth-generation Kansan and the daughter of a mostly reformed drug dealer. She is the NYT bestselling author of The Reckless Oath We Made, All the Ugly and Wonderful Things, Lie Lay Lain, and Last Will. She lives in Lawrence, Kansas.

Website: www.bryngreenwood.com 

Twitter: bryngreenwood 

WWW Wednesday #59 | August 21, 2019

WWW Wednesdays is a meme hosted by Taking on a World of Words.

Just answer three questions and share what you're reading.

My morning started at the dentist office. 
It has to get better from there, right?

WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY READING?

   

The Reckless Oath We Made - Bryn Greenwood

I haven't had much time reading this week (or I haven't made much time for reading) so I'm only 25% into The Reckless Oath We Made but I am seriously Loving It. It may seem premature, but I'm already predicting a 5-star rating. Greenwood's gift at creating utterly unique, fully-realized characters is breathtaking. And several times I have come across a sentence or phrase that captures a feeling so perfectly... I just sit there and stare at it. Zee and Gentry are giving me life.

WHAT DID YOU RECENTLY FINISH READING?

Just For Now (Sea Breeze #4) - Abbi Glines

I had a love-hate relationship with the fourth book in the Sea Breeze series. Preston was a typical Abbi Glines guy: meaning he slept with anything on two legs and acted like a caveman with the one special snowflake who made his heart go pitter-patter. But he ran so hot and cold with Amanda that I wanted to do him bodily harm. But (there's always a but when I read Abbi Glines), this one was also surprisingly emotional. It took a darker turn near the end that I wasn't expecting and that triggered some events that actually got to me. So, yes Preston was another reformed man-whore (yawn), but Abbi still managed to reel me in with the emotion, So, go Abbi.

WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'LL READ NEXT?

  

     

Sometimes It Lasts (Sea Breeze #5) - Abbi Glines
When You Were Mine - Lisa Swift 

I might jump back into the Sea Breeze series or I might move on to When You Were Mine. We'll see how I feel after I finish The Reckless Oath We Made. 

What are you currently reading?
I wanna know! :)