The Sunday Post #210


The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Caffeinated Book Reviewer.
It's a chance to share news - a post to recap the past week on your blog, 
showcase books and things we have received, and share news about what is
coming up on your blog in the week ahead. You can find the info here:

  • We had some serious thunderstorms this week and got a good drenching which was very much needed. I love thunderstorms so it was heavenly to be sitting in the home office working right beside the window and enjoying the sights and sounds of the rain.
  • We had a visitor a few days ago. The Husband and I were looking out into the back yard one afternoon and out of the woods (our house backs up to a preserve) walks this little guy. He stayed close to the tree line but lingered for several minutes. I'm not at all outdoorsy (bahahaha!), nor am I an "animal person", but even I had to admit it was quite a sight.
  • I attended another virtual book event this week. On Wednesday night the Cary Memorial Library (I believe they're in Massachusetts) hosted a live talk with Kennedy Ryan and Sonali Dav. They covered some really timely topics and it was so interesting to hear their thoughts. And Kennedy answered a question I posed so that was pretty fun! :) If you're interested, the library has posted the video on their YouTube channel.
  • This week's 80's music fix is Avalon by Roxy Music (1982). One of the most gorgeous songs ever. Everything about this one just transports me - the music, the melody, Bryan Ferry's voice. Simply beautiful.



WHAT I COMPLETED IN THE LAST WEEK:
WHAT I'M CURRENTLY READING: 
    
     

Reading:

Listening:

KINDLE BOOKS:









How was your week? Any new books? Any news to share? 
I'd love to hear about it!

Review: Rage and Ruin by Jennifer L. Armentrout

RAGE AND RUIN
Jennifer L. Armentrout
Publication date: June 9, 2020
Series: The Harbinger #2
Genres: Young Adult, Urban Fantasy
Format: eARC
Source: Inkyard Press and Edelweiss
4.5 Stars
 ADD TO GOODREADS
 
Rage and Ruin releases on June 9th. 
Pre-order your copy now!



S Y N O P S I S
Half-angel Trinity and her bonded gargoyle protector, Zayne, have been working with demons to stop the apocalypse while avoiding falling in love. The Harbinger is coming…but who or what is it? All of humankind may fall if Trinity and Zayne can’t win the race against time as dark forces gather.

As tensions rise, they must stay close together and patrol the DC streets at night, seeking signs of the Harbinger, an entity that is killing Wardens and demons with no seeming rhyme or reason. Forbidden to be with each other, Zayne and Trinity fight their feelings and turn to unusual sources for help—the demon Roth and his cohorts. But as deaths pile up and they uncover a sinister plot involving the local high school and endangering someone dear to Zayne, Trin realizes she is being led…herded…played for some unknown end. As anger builds and feelings spiral out of control, it becomes clear that rage may be the ruin of them all. 

M Y   T H O U G H T S


Wow. What a wild ride this was! Jennifer Armentrout totally kicked up the action and the intensity in Rage and Ruin. Half-angel Trinity is teamed up with her Warden (gargoyle) protector Zayne in an effort to find and destroy the Harbinger. The only problem: they don’t know who or what the Harbinger is; only that it is killing demons and Wardens alike. With so much on the line (just the fate of the whole world), Trinity and Zayne pull out all the stops to find the Harbinger before it’s too late while also fighting their growing feelings for each other.


Rage and ruin had not corrupted me. They powered me. 

Rage and Ruin picked up right where Storm and Fury left off. Trinity is dealing with the aftermath of those events – or rather, she’s trying to carry on while not really dealing with what happened. Her father’s vague warnings about the Harbinger weren’t exactly helpful and she and Zayne are basically feeling around blindly in the dark trying to catch an unknown entity. Like a needle in a haystack. Enter Roth, the Crown Prince of Hell himself. I loved that Roth played such a big role in this entry and he was right there in all his uber-hot, snarky, less-than-humble glory.



Complicating matters was the serious attraction between Trinity and Zayne that was growing into something a whole lot deeper. Which was, unfortunately, also something that was a whole lot forbidden. I’ll admit I was never really on the Zayne Train in the original Dark Elements trilogy (100% #TeamRoth, baby), but here in this series, with Trinity, I can totally see Zayne’s appeal. This guy is an absolute rock (gargoyle… rock… see what I did there?) in his support of Trinity. He is protective without ever holding her back, he’s in awe of her strength without ever being threatened by it, and he works around her eyesight issues with care and concern and not pity. There was so much tension and chemistry between these two and the push and pull going on was delicious torture.



There was a fantastic build-up going on throughout the book and Armentrout did an amazing job amping up the stakes and providing plenty of action leading up to the final climax. And what an ending it was! People, when I say I was shocked by the final showdown, I mean I was floored. I reread the same scene over and over, thinking I had to be misunderstanding something. I had to be missing something. This couldn’t be happening. I’ll say it: I cried buckets. And then yet another twist in the final chapter left me reeling once more. My mind was blown. I was not okay. I can’t decide if Jennifer Armentrout is an evil sadist who obviously feeds on the tears of her readers (sorry Jennifer, nothing but love… really) or a plotting genius who knows how to write one epic cliffhanger. Because like I said, I am not okay.

If you love Jennifer Armentrout, if you love paranormal/urban fantasy, if you love kick-ass heroines who are still totally vulnerable, if you love swoony heroes, and lots of action, and plenty of humor, and plot twists that will blow your little mind… do yourself a favor and read this series. Grab Storm and Fury and then dive right into Rage and Ruin. And then you can join me in the tortuous wait for the final book. 

Disclosure: I received a a complimentary copy of this book for review. 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


#1 New York Times and #1 International Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, hanging out with her husband and her Border Jack Apollo, six judgemental alpacas, two rude goats, and five fluffy sheep. In early 2015, Jennifer was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a group of rare genetic disorders that involve a breakdown and death of cells in the retina, eventually resulting in loss of vision, among other complications.  Due to this diagnosis, educating people on the varying degrees of blindness has become of passion of hers, right alongside writing, which she plans to do as long as she can.



Website: https://jenniferlarmentrout.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JenniferLArmentrout
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JLArmentrout
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennifer_l_armentrout/





Blog / Promo Tour: Queen Move by Kennedy Ryan

QUEEN MOVE - BT banner

I never miss a chance to sing the praises of Kennedy Ryan. I've read six of her books so far and I continue to work my way through both her backlist and her new releases. She is one of those rare breed of authors for me - one who is capable of creating characters who are so multi-dimensional that they feel completely real, and testing them in ways that is utterly realistic. She writes in a way that engages all my emotions and has me fully invested every time. So it's no surprise that I am plenty excited for her latest release, Queen Move. Are you ready for Kimba and Ezra's story? Because I sure am.

Queen Move_FNL_sized

“This thoroughly modern soulmate story blew me away!” -- Talia Hibbert, USA Today bestselling author
Queen Move, an all-new passionate and unforgettable friends-to-lovers romance from RITA® Award-winning and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Kennedy Ryan, is available now!

The boy who always felt like mine is now the man I can't have…

Dig a little and you'll find photos of me in the bathtub with Ezra Stern. Get your mind out of the gutter. We were six months old. Pry and one of us might confess we saved our first kiss for each other. The most clumsy, wet, sloppy . . . spectacular thirty seconds of my adolescence. Get into our business and you'll see two families, closer than blood, torn apart in an instant. Twenty years later, my "awkward duckling" best friend from childhood, the boy no one noticed, is a man no one can ignore.
Finer. Fiercer. Smarter. Taken.

Tell me it's wrong. Tell me the boy who always felt like mine is now the man I can’t have. When we find each other again, everything stands in our way--secrets, lies, promises. But we didn't come this far to give up now. And I know just the move to make if I want to make him mine.

**QUEEN MOVE will have the special release week price of $3.99. After that, the price will increase.**

QUEEN MOVE AN 2 BT psd

Download your copy today! 
Apple Books: https://apple.co/2JGiqD7 
Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/queenmove 
Google Play: https://bit.ly/2yrPZ9E
Audio COMING SOON!

Add QUEEN MOVE to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3apG1E1

Enter to win a Queen Box here: http://bit.ly/2HHkmf4

QUEEN MOVE CHAIR AN TEASER

Excerpt:
“You’re fucking brilliant.”
“Huh?” Ezra asks absentmindedly, paying more attention to the flame under his pan than to my compliment. “What’d you say?”
“I said you’re brilliant.” I hold up the iPad I’m using to read his manuscript. “Your book, the YLA story, is incredible, Ez.”
“Oh. Thanks.” He flashes me a smile and then goes back to his French toast. “The key to getting this right is the milk-to-bread ratio.”
I hop off the counter and walk over to stand beside him at the stove. “Would you forget about your French toast for a minute and listen to me?”
“But it’s stuffed French toast.” He takes the pan off the burner and pulls me into his arms. “And I could listen to you all day. What were you saying? Something about me being a handsome, sexy genius?”
“Um…those weren’t my exact words.” I laugh up at him.
“I could have sworn that’s what you said, and I’m never wrong.” He slides his hands over my ass in a pair of his boxer shorts. “Some even say I’m fucking brilliant.”
“They probably just like your big dick,” I whisper and blink up at him as innocently as I can manage.
“I get that a lot.” He drops a kiss on my head and turns back to his French toast. I lean down to rest an elbow on the counter and watch him work.
“A lot?” I ask teasingly. “Have there been a lot?”
He pauses mid-toast-flip and slants me a glance. “Are you asking how many people I’ve had sex with?”
“I mean, it’s none of my business. If you don’t want to—”
“Eight.”
Eight?
Lord above, only eight?!
“Oh.” I straighten and rest my hip against the counter. “What a, um, single-digit number that is.”
“What about you?”
What about me? I’m tabulating years of hook-ups, one-night stands, fuck bois and carrying the one.
“If you don’t want to,” he says, cracking an egg into a bowl, “it’s fine. I don’t care how many people—”
“I don’t know.”
He glances up from whisking eggs, a small frown puckering his dark brows. “You don’t know what?”
“My number. I don’t know how many people I’ve been with.”
He resumes whisking, his frown clearing. “Oh.”
The whisking eggs and whirring refrigerator are the only sounds in the kitchen. I’ve never been embarrassed by my choices. I enjoy sex. I’ve had it with a lot of people. People I really liked…or tolerated…but didn’t want to commit to. I’ve always been safe and never mean about it. I was upfront, and when someone wanted more, I let them know “more” wasn’t an option.
“I just never…” I cross my arms over my stomach, fold one bare foot over the other. “I haven’t been interested in committed relationships. There hasn’t been anyone I wanted that with.”
“Tru.” He stops whisking and gives me the full impact of his undivided attention. His eyes are placid blue. No shadows or undercurrents. “I don’t care.” Ezra pushes the bowl aside and faces me. “But there is something I feel like we should be clear on regarding how you’ve handled sex in the past.”
Here we go.
“You’ve never wanted to commit before,” he says.
“Right. I’ve never wanted any strings attached.”
“I know I said we could be just sex, no emotional attachments.” He shoves his hands in his pockets. “But I feel like I have to be honest with you. Having you back in my life has been…it’s been exactly what I need, and what I felt last night… I’ve never felt that way before.”
I’m not even sure my heart is beating, but it also feels like there’s a tumult in my chest. “What are you saying, Ez?”
His mouth flattens into a hard line and his jaw hardens to stone. “I want strings.”
“Y-you do?”
“I want strings.” He links our fingers, strokes his thumb across my palm. “Ropes, if necessary. I want anything that keeps you with me and me with you and tells everyone else don’t even think about it.”
I’m stunned and incredibly turned on, but that doesn’t take much where Ezra’s concerned.
“You…you do?” I ask faintly…again.
“I wouldn’t do well sharing you.”
About Kennedy Ryan
KennedyRyan
RITA® Award Winner, Wall Street Journal and USA Today Bestseller, Kennedy Ryan writes for women from all walks of life, empowering them and placing them firmly at the center of each story and in charge of their own destinies. Her heroes respect, cherish and lose their minds for the women who capture their hearts.

Kennedy and her writings have been featured in Chicken Soup for the Soul, USA Today, Entertainment Weekly, Glamour and many others. She has always leveraged her journalism background to write for charity and non-profit organizations, but has a special passion for raising Autism awareness.The co-founder of LIFT 4 Autism, an annual charitable book auction, she has appeared on Headline News, The Montel Williams Show, NPR and other media outlets as an advocate for ASD families. She is a wife to her lifetime lover and mother to an extraordinary son.

Connect with Kennedy
Instagram: http://bit.ly/2TaYiAi 
Facebook Reader Group: http://bit.ly/2GY6eyb 
Pinterest: http://bit.ly/2NE0cU0 
Book+Main: http://bit.ly/2GVByO7 

Never Miss A New Release!
Follow Kennedy on BookBub: http://bit.ly/2HcRuee 
New Release Text Alerts: Text Kennedy Ryan 797979 
Subscribe to Mailing List: http://bit.ly/2QjisCW
Connect with Blue Box Press https://theblueboxpress.com/

WWW Wednesday #89 | May 27, 2020


WWW Wednesdays is a meme hosted by Taking on a World of Words.
Just answer three questions and share what you're reading.


It rained all day yesterday - like, from 7 AM right through the evening - and it was fabulous. I love a good stormy/rainy day and this was the first one we'd had in a month or more. Today is supposed to bring even more rain and I am so here for it. *starts singing Here Comes the Rain Again*

I'm attending another virtual book event tonight that I'm excited about. A couple weeks ago it was Jennifer Weiner for the release of Big Summer and tonight it's Kennedy Ryan for the release of Queen Move. I've seen her interviewed before and she was so interesting and I loved hearing what she had to say. So, no calls after 7:00 tonight, okay? I'm busy. :)


WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY READING?

     


Currently reading: I just started That Forever Girl last night so I'm barely even into it, but I'm ready to get Rogan's story. This series focuses on four brother in a small town in Maine. From what I could tell in the first book, Rogan is broody and bad-tempered and has a chip on his shoulder because of something that happened to him in the past. I already have an inkling of what it is so I'm interested to get his story. And this book picked up right where the first one left off (like, the exact same scene) so it's fun to get his reaction to something that happened there. I'm excited to see how his story plays out.
Current progress: page 15/351

Currently listening: I decided I was on a roll with Emma Chase and, after listening to Royally Yours and then Tamed, decided to keep it going with Tied, the last book in the Tangled series. Once again, it's told from Drew's POV which I mostly love but he really can be such an ass sometimes. I mean, he loves and adores Kate, but sometimes the stuff that comes out of his mouth... I just have to laugh. And his constant bickering with Dee - man, he can be brutal. But it's also hilarious and I laugh out loud so many times while listening. Emma Chase is *so* good with humor. 
Current progress: 50%

WHAT DID YOU RECENTLY FINISH READING?
Read: That Second Chance was my first from Meghan Quinn and while it's not like it became an all-time favorite or anything, it was still a solid read and I really enjoyed it. Both main characters were so completely likable and it was easy to just pull for them both and want them to be together. They acted like adults, they talked (*gasp!*), and they were genuine with each other. Griffin's action made total sense based on his past and there wasn't any unnecessary drama. *throws confetti* I loved Griffin's family and all the secondary characters and can definitely see myself bingeing all four books. 

Listened to: Tamed was Matthew and Dee's story and, like all of Emma Chase's books, a lot of fun. It was told completely from Matthew's point of view, which I liked, and Chase does a male POV so well. I did get pretty fed up with Dee by two-thirds in or so because it felt like Matthew was the one putting in all the effort and doing all the chasing, while she would get mad or get upset and shut him out. It felt one-sided and I was glad to see Matthew get tired of it, too, and call her out on it. You tell her, Matthew!


WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'LL READ NEXT?
  


Might as well stay the course and continue on with the Knightly brothers. :) 

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

The Sunday Post #209


The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Caffeinated Book Reviewer.
It's a chance to share news - a post to recap the past week on your blog, 
showcase books and things we have received, and share news about what is
coming up on your blog in the week ahead. You can find the info here:

  • It's been a rather uneventful week... in a good way. I continue to work from home (week 10 is in the books) and The Husband actually worked a half day as a consultant of sorts for a company he dealt with before he retired. He wore a mask and gloves while at their office... and was the only one doing so. People are going to do what feels right for them... but it doesn't mean I understand it. *sigh*
  • It was miserably hot for most of the week, and humid on top of it, so we actually moved the Friday night driveway picnic inside. It's the first time anyone has stepped foot in our house since early March. We still kept our distance (my mom at one end of the table and us at the other) and we never touched but it still felt ever so slightly more normal. Crazy how keeping distant inside the house somehow managed to feel more normal, just because someone was actually inside with us.
  • I won a giveaway from the lovely Renee at Addicted to Romance so I received book mail this week. The best kind of mail! I'm so excited for all of these pretties.
  • While most people in the U.S. are excited for a three day weekend (although it might be spent a bit differently this year), it's about more than a day at the beach and barbecues. It's a time to honor those who lost their lives while serving this country. They so deserve our respect and gratitude.


Wednesday, May 20
WWW Wednesday #88

Thursday, May 21
Books from the Backlog #1


WHAT I COMPLETED IN THE LAST WEEK:
WHAT I'M CURRENTLY READING: 
    
     

Reading:

Listening:

PHYSICAL BOOKS:


(The Next Always, The Last Boyfriend, The Perfect Hope)

AUDIO BOOKS:

   


I pre-ordered both of these and can't wait to start them. Both feature some of my favorite narrators so that's a bonus.






How was your week? Any new books? Any news to share? 
I'd love to hear about it!

Books from the Backlog #1


Books From the Backlog is hosted by Carole's Random Life in Books and is a way to feature 
some of those neglected, unread books sitting on our bookshelves. 

As I mentioned in yesterday's WWW Wednesday post, I've been feeling particularly uninspired when it comes to posting. Visiting other blogs? I'm on it. Commenting? Yep, I'm there for that, too. But here at home base? Yeah, not feeling it so much. So in my search for enlightenment inspiration, I remembered Carole's Books from the Backlog feature and decided to take part. And now for the deep dive into the recesses of my bookshelves...

The Diplomat's Wife (The Kommandant's Girl #2)
Pam Jenoff
Published: May 1, 2008
Average Goodreads rating: 3.93

Synopsis: How have I been lucky enough to come here, to be alive, when so many others are not? I should have died.… But I am here.

1945. Surviving the brutality of a Nazi prison camp, Marta Nederman is lucky to have escaped with her life. Recovering from the horror, she meets Paul, an American soldier who gives her hope of a happier future. But their plans to meet in London are dashed when Paul's plane crashes.

Devastated and pregnant, Marta marries Simon, a caring British diplomat, and glimpses the joy that home and family can bring. But her happiness is threatened when she learns of a Communist spy in British intelligence, and that the one person who can expose the traitor is connected to her past.

Why I Added This Book to My Shelves
I read The Kommandant's Girl by Jenoff back in 2013 and it was such a moving story. Another spotlight on the roles some women played during WW II, the harrowing circumstances they endured, and the bravery they showed. The Diplomat's Wife isn't a sequel but more a companion novel in the series. 

I tend to enjoy historical fiction, particularly the WW II-era setting. But it's not something I pick up on a whim; it's very much a genre I have to be in the mood for. 

How about you? Have you read this book? 
If you read historical fiction, what time period/setting do you prefer?

WWW Wednesday #88 | May 20, 2020


WWW Wednesdays is a meme hosted by Taking on a World of Words.
Just answer three questions and share what you're reading.


Welcome to Week 10 of this madness. My stepdaughter posted a pic of a t-shirt on Facebook that read "So Over This Shit" and I had to laugh. That about sums it up, right? ;) 

I have felt wholly uninspired this week when it comes to blogging. I've been visiting and commenting but when it comes to posting... yeah, just not feeling it. I have about a bajillion reviews I could write and post but... you guessed it, not feeling that, either. In the meantime, I'll just keep on reading. :)

 

WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY READING?

     


Currently reading: That Second Chance is my first from Meghan Quinn and so far I'm really enjoying it. The humor can be a little silly for my taste at times, but overall it's a good story. The main characters are just so likable, especially Griffin, who is a total sweetheart. Assuming this one continues as it is, I'll be happy to continue the series and read about the rest of the Knightly brothers.
Current progress: page 62/321

Currently listening: I'm almost done with Tamed - only 45 minutes or so to go - so I'll finish it this morning while I'm working. It's classic Emma Chase and I love that it's completely from Matthew's POV. I am enjoying it but I've gotta say, I'm pretty over Dee right now. She needs to step it up and make an effort or she doesn't deserve the good guy that Matthew is. There... I have spoken. :)
Current progress: 85%

WHAT DID YOU RECENTLY FINISH READING?
Oh. My. Goodness. Rage and Ruin about did me in. Yes it was long (600 pages) but it was actually a fast read and there was plenty of action and twists to keep the story moving. The final climactic scene had me crying and sniffling and thinking Jen was a sadistic troll. And the last few pages had me totally shook - staring off into space, unbelieving, and thinking Jen was a twisted genius. So I guess it's pretty pitiful that this one doesn't even release until next month and I'm already desperate for the next book. Yeah, this is not a good feeling.

WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'LL READ NEXT?
  
  

Obviously I didn't pick up any of these as my next read last week. I mean, did anyone really think I would? LOL So just for funsies, let's stick with the same three possibilities. That way we can laugh about it again next week. 

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