1 August 2018

Wrapping the Month: July

What's greater way to start new month than taking a look at previous one?

July turned out to be a good month, which based on previous years hasn't happened often. I kept blogging a lot, although there were long breaks, but I was expecting it as I spend first weeks in Finland with family and then travelled back to Scotland, where I had more time for blogging. Not only that, I read a lot! It must have been all that time on airplane and trains. Plus, I did a few readathons (failed 24in48 readathon miserably, but Dewey's Reverse Readathon was better).

I went a little bit mad in July. I got six eARCS, one ebook and all these beauties. I do believe that one can never have too many books, so it's alright!

July's reviews:
Ever After (5 stars)
Circe (3 stars)
Lucky Cowboy (2 stars)
Taboo For You (5 stars)
Bargaining with the Devil (5 stars)
Imperial Stout (3 stars)
Admiring Ash (5 stars)

July turned out to be a really good reading month! Six novels, two short stories and two comics is way better than I usually manage.
  

 

 


For August, I just hope to keep up my recent pace when it comes to reading and blogging! Although, a friend of mine will come to Scotland for a holiday and I'll off to the Highlands for a few days so there might be a wee break from blogging then.

Hugs,
Henna

31 July 2018

Release Day Blitz: Love Letters by Anyta Sunday


Feisty. Nerdy. Sexy. Secretive.
Greenville has them all.
A small town with big hearts, Greenville awakens at the mercy of Millionaire Row, the wealthy neighborhood across the tracks from Poplar Low.
Bad-tempered boys meet cheeky lovers.
Colliding worlds spark a fire of emotion. Heat rages. Hearts mend. Love is lost. And found.
Love Letters are playful, sexy, contemporary M/M stories that can be read as standalones.
Welcome to Greenville. Come for the sexy boys. Stay for the HEA.

Admiring Ash (Love Letters, #1)
by Anyta Sunday
Self-published
Release day: July 31st, 2018
Length: 222 pages
Buy links
A is for Ash Heartford.
Adorable, strong, and independent.
Abandoned by his parents and attached to only one person - his little sister.
Attracted to River, the sultry man who saunters onto his doorstep with startling news.
Always yearning for more River, yet afraid to let him in. 
Should he play it safe, or claim his legacy and risk losing his heart? 
A is for Admiring Ash.
Tropes: slow burn, virgin, one true love, happily ever after, related but not, hurt/comfort, forbidden love.
Themes: Sudden inheritance, broken family, insta-dad
 Admiring Ash Teaser:
Who was this River? What was he doing here, unless . . .
Ash narrowed his eyes. Attractive and charming. Hadn’t his sister mentioned she was crushing on a local college guy? “Oh, fuck me. You’ve knocked up my sister, haven’t you?”
All playfulness evaporated as Ash catalogued River from head to toe. Would Ash be spending the next twenty years raising a kid that resembled this man? Would that kid grow up—like all the Heartfords—addicted to love? Raising fatherless children? Obsessed with falling for men, believing, every time that this one was the one?
He’d hoped he and Danielle would kick the tradition. 
He almost punched the stunningly sculpted man in the mouth.  

Begging Ben (Love Letters, #2)
by Anyta Sunday
Self-published
Release day: July 31st, 2018
Length: 220 pages
Buy links

B is for Ben Spengler.Brilliant. Bashful. Burned.Brimming with desire for his BFF Landon, who is beyond compare.But they aren't the same Ben and Landon anymore. Not after what Landon did. And didn't do.Bitter about his unrequited love.Bound by a night of drunken promises.
Will the chemistry between them change, or will Ben break first? 
B is for Begging Ben.
Tropes: Pretend boyfriend, friends to lovers, virgin, brother-like, jealousyThemes: Science, geek, alcohol induced oblivion
 Begging Ben Teaser:
“What do you want from a real marriage?”
Ben paused, clawing back the “you” desperately trying to escape him. Not Landon. He was over that. “I want to have someone who supports me, and vice versa. I want conversations and shared interests. I want common goals, my husband and I, a team. Us against the world. I want to be so close to him that I can guess what he is thinking. I want a man who sees I have failures and flaws but loves me anyway. Who has a fantastic sense of humor and finds joy laughing at the silly things. And . . . .”
“And?”
Ben couldn’t hold Landon’s deeply curious gaze. “I want to be his first choice. Not a backup when the guy he really wants doesn’t want him back.”
The silence that followed felt thick and taut, and Ben struggled to breathe.
Landon sat back with a determined stare toward the road. He licked his bottom lip and his hand rested on the wheel, thumb tapping. “You deserve all that, Ben. That and more.”

Challenging Chance (Love Letters, #3)
by Anyta Sunday
Self-published
Release day: July 31st, 2018
Length: 182 pages
Buy links

C is for Chance Roosevelt-Sutton.Chiseled jaw. Smug attitude. Wild ways.Chained to his ego - or so everyone thinks. Except his personal assistant, Brook. He knows better.Chance is challenged to make his father happy for once, but he needs Brook's help.Choosing honesty is too risky, so instead they choose secrecy.Choked by their pasts, they dream of a better life... andCharm each other into submission.
Will their pasts ruin what they have, or will they grow together?
C is for Challenging Chance. 
Tropes: Alpha male, millionaire bad boy, athlete, help/comfortThemes: Basketball, coming out


Challenging Chance Teaser:
Clenching the folder tightly against his chest, Brook kicked up a half smile. “I know you are a playboy, and charmingly faulted,” he said. “Didn’t think you’d be sexist too.”
Chance slung the towel around his neck, stretching it taut by pulling the ends. “There you have it,” he said. “I’m all those things.”
He sounded cocky, but the follow-up swallow and downward glance had Brook pausing. The glimpse of vulnerability quickly vanished as Chance strode off the court.
Brook hustled after him, matching his long stride easily since Chance was only a hair taller.
“I can do the job as good as anyone,” he said. “I’ll be at your beck and call, whenever you need me. Most importantly, I’ll keep my mouth shut.”
Chance abruptly stopped and whisked around. “What do you mean you’ll keep your mouth shut?”
“Public intoxication, public indecency, driver’s license revoked two years ago for accumulating too many fines. None of it is my business. I’ll help you navigate whatever paperwork comes with it, of course. But outside you and me? My lips are sealed.”
He would never blurt Chance’s mistakes in a crowded cafĂ©. Though he’d been grateful to overhear the ex-PA, he didn’t condone being unprofessional and blabbing about an employer’s affairs.
Everyone made mistakes. They didn’t need those mistakes defining them.


Author bio
Heart-stopping slow burn.

Anyta Sunday is a big, BIG fan of slow-burn romances. She loves to read and write stories with characters who slowly fall in love.

Some of her favorite tropes to read and write are: Enemies to Lovers, Friends to Lovers, Clueless Guys, Bisexual, Pansexual, Demisexual, Oblivious MCs, Everyone (Else) Can See It, Slow Burn, Love Has No Boundaries.

Anyta writes a variety of stories, Contemporary MM Romances with a good dollop of angst, Contemporary lighthearted MM Romances, and even a splash of fantasy. Her books have been translated into German, Italian, French, and Thai.

Member of Romance Writers of America.

Connect with Anyta: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

To receive a free e-book, sign up for Anyta’s newsletter here!

ARC Review: Admiring Ash by Anyta Sunday

Admiring Ash (Love Letters, #1)
by Anyta Sunday
Self-published
eARC
LGBT, contemporary, romance

A is for Ash Heartford.
Adorable, strong, and independent.
Abandoned by his parents and attached to only one person - his little sister.
Attracted to River, the sultry man who saunters onto his doorstep with startling news.
Always yearning for more River, yet afraid to let him in. 
Should he play it safe, or claim his legacy and risk losing his heart? 
A is for Admiring Ash.



It shouldn't be a surprise at this point that I love Anyta Sunday's books. I was over the moon when I heard there was going to be a long book series based on alphabet - and I'm very happy to say that all my excitement wasn't for nothing. Admiring Ash is brilliant and captivating, and a perfect start for the series. This far, I've read all of the three, and yes, the books can be read as standalone's, but I do recommend reading them in the order (for example, Begging Ben features both Ash and River from Admiring Ash). Anyway, back to the wonder that's Admiring Ash.

The blurb tells it all: Ash is adorable and he's fiercely independent as he spends all his time working in order to support his younger sister and himself. Ash's responsible and loyal, and just overall the most adorable cinnamon roll who needs pampering and protecting. It was impossible not to root for Ash, and hope that his situation gets better. He does get surprising news from River, which will change his life no matter what he decides to do. I admired Ash, but River's also likable. River's privileged in many ways but he acknowledges it and he's all around a solid guy. The whole situation is beautifully crafted, and the chemistry between Ash and River is unbelievable!

There's plenty of banter; I loved Ash and River's first meeting, because of all the banter and hilariousness of the moment. Besides banter, there's everything a story needs; dynamic characters and relationships, hurt and comfort, a little bit forbidden love, family issues and coming to terms with various things. In short, Admiring Ash is a captivating and beautiful story. I couldn't put it down as I kept turning the pages and hoping that it would never end. What a start for a series!

I highly recommend Admiring Ash for it is a truly stunning story.

5 of 5 stars.

Add on Goodreads

(A copy of this ebook was provided in return for an honest review.)

29 July 2018

Book Tour + Giveaway: Imperial Stout by Layla Reyne

Imperial Stout (Trouble Brewing, #1)
by Layla Reyne
Published by Carina Press
Release day: July 23rd, 2018
Length: 272 pages
LGBT, romance, suspense

Layla Reyne spins off from her pulse-pounding Agents Irish and Whiskey books with Imperial Stout, the first installment in the Trouble Brewing series.
It's a good thing assistant US attorney Dominic Price co-owns a brewery. He could use a cold one. Nic's star witness had just been kidnapped, his joint operation with the FBI is in jeopardy, his father's shady past is catching up with him and the hot new spacial agent in San Francisco is the kind of distraction best handled with a stiff drink. 
Kidnap and rescue expert Cameron Byrne has his own ideas about how to handle Nic, but his skills are currently needed elsewhere. The by-the-book FBI agent goes deep undercover as a member of an infamous heist crew in order to save Nic's witness, break up the crew and close the case before anyone else gets hurt. Nic in particular.
Things heat up when Cam falls for Nic, and the witness falls for Cam. As the crew's suspicions grow, Cam must decide how far he's willing to go - and how far into his own dark past he's willing to dive - to get everyone out alive.

Get your copy!
Amazon
Carina Press

I reviewed an ARC of Imperial Stout earlier today, and here you can check out what I had to say about it!


Excerpt:
Nic was silent a long minute, the building tension heavy in the small space. “This is why you’re not supposed to get involved with colleagues.”
Finally, an opening. Cam closed the distance between them, winding his arms around Nic and hugging him from behind. Body warm, despite the cool night, Cam wanted to get even closer to it. They might both get burned, but he was done watching the fire from a distance, holding himself back from the heat.
“Technically, we’re not,” he said.
“You have an answer for everything, don’t you?”
“If it wins the argument with you, yes.”
Nic chuckled, hanging his head, and Cam skirted his nose and lips along the nape of his neck. Nic’s quiet laughter died on a breathy gasp.


About Layla Reyne:

Author Layla Reyne was raised in North Carolina and now calls San Francisco home. She enjoys weaving her bi-coastal experiences into her stories, along with adrenaline-fueled suspense and heart pounding romance. When she’s not writing stories to excite her readers, she downloads too many books, watches too much television, and cooks too much food with her scientist husband, much to the delight of their smushed-face, leftover-loving dogs. Layla is a member of Romance Writers of America and its Kiss of Death and Rainbow Romance Writers chapters. She was a 2016 RWA® Golden Heart® Finalist in Romantic Suspense.

Connect with Layla Reyne: Twitter | Instagram | FB Page | FB Group | Newsletter | Goodreads | Pinterest | Amazon | BookBub


Giveaway!

ARC Review: Imperial Stout by Layla Reyne

Imperial Stout (Trouble Brewing, #1)
by Layla Reyne
Published by Carina Press
eARC
LGBT, contemporary, romance, suspense

Layla Reyne spins off from her pulse-pounding Agents Irish and Whiskey books with Imperial Stout, the first installment in the Trouble Brewing series.
It's a good thing assistant US attorney Dominic Price co-owns a brewery. He could use a cold one. Nic's star witness had just been kidnapped, his joint operation with the FBI is in jeopardy, his father's shady past is catching up with him and the hot new spacial agent in San Francisco is the kind of distraction best handled with a stiff drink. 
Kidnap and rescue expert Cameron Byrne has his own ideas about how to handle Nic, but his skills are currently needed elsewhere. The by-the-book FBI agent goes deep undercover as a member of an infamous heist crew in order to save Nic's witness, break up the crew and close the case before anyone else gets hurt. Nic in particular.
Things heat up when Cam falls for Nic, and the witness falls for Cam. As the crew's suspicions grow, Cam must decide how far he's willing to go - and how far into his own dark past he's willing to dive - to get everyone out alive.

Imperial Stout is great read, if you're after an action packed suspense novel with a dash of romance. There's plenty of action and twists, people going undercover, suspicions of who to trust, and dangerous situations arises from every corner. The dashes of romance isn't bad either, because Nic and Cam have chemistry, and a will-they-won't-they situation going on. However, there were a few things that hindered my reading experience.

The thing is, I think this is better suited for people who have first read Agents Irish and Whiskey series, from which this is a spin-off. I haven't, which is probably why I felt like I was thrown into the deep end without a lifeline. There's already formed relationships - including between the main characters - which are not explained in Imperial Stout, or only briefly mentioned. It took some time to figure out who is related to who and to get a feeling what kind of relationship each character has with one other. For me, it took a lot of energy and that mixed up with a beginning full of action and lots of specific jargon and initials, which was hard to keep up with, mostly because everything I know about FBI or American legal system is from TV shows and movies. It was pretty exhausting. I did catch up (and I think I have figured out the relationships and friendships), but I still feel like this one is for those who have read the previous series, or then it needs a bit more explanation on page to make sure new readers aren't totally confused.

That besides, I enjoyed Imperial Stout. It was a bit more suspense than I expected it be based on teasers I've seen, but that wasn't a bad thing. I liked both Nic and Cam, because both of them are determined, stubborn, and loyal. There's also this conflict Nic is having because of his estranged father and his past, which it kept in the dark, and I kept turning the page because I yearned to know all the secrets. As this is the first in the series, not everything is revealed and I want to pick up the next one to find out more.

Imperial Stout is a solid read, and I think for those who are familiar with the previous series and characters, it's a great one. For those people, I highly recommend it. For me, well, I'll continue with the series and I'm thinking of picking up Agents Irish and Whiskey series, too. I'm giving Imperial Stout three stars instead of four stars just because I was so confused in the beginning and it took some time to get on board with everything.

3 of 5 stars

Add on Goodreads

(A copy of this ebook was provided in return for an honest review.)

Dewey's 24 Hour Summer Readathon Wrap Up

Here's my TBR post for the readathon, just if you want to see how much I didn't read and how I deviated from any TBR I set for myself.

Yeah, this time around the readathon didn't go as I planned. I volunteered on Friday and I was exhausted when I got home, so I didn't do any reading when the readathon started. Instead I slept a proper good nights sleep with around 8 hours. And Saturday, well, I was a hella distracted by many things (mainly Twitter, Youtube, and phone) so I only read 343 pages total during the readathon. It could have been better, but it also could have been worse, so I take it. Especially since I had fun during it as the people who run the readathon and other participants are so enthusiastic and friendly over Twitter.

Anyway. I finished one book, started another and read two comics and here they are:

Closing survey
1. Which hour was most daunting for you?
It must have been around 9th hour of the readathon when I woke up, and it was pretty daunting as I felt like lazing in the bed watching movies all day instead of reading. Luckily coffee exists and I managed to get out of that slump!

2. Tell us ALLL the books you read!
I started with Pride and Modern Prejudice (a modern M/M twist on Austen's Pride and Prejudice), because I was already 36% into it. I loved reading it, although it took me most of the readathon to do so because I kept being distracted. After finishing that, I read seventh and eighth issues of Fence comic for something quick (and because I've been dying to read them!). Rest of the readathon I spend reading Imperial Stout and I got around half way mark before the time was up.

3. Which books would you recommend to other Read-a-thoners?
I continue recommending Rick Riordan's and V.E. Schwab's books because I can flew through them even though I'm a pretty slow reader. Also, just anything that you love and gets you excited so that inspires you to read more.

4. How did you feel about this first-ever Reverse Readathon? Should we do it again?
I loved it! Dewey's is my favourite readathon and it happens only twice a year so I'm always up to more. I'd say definitely do Reverse again!

5. How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? Would you be interested in volunteering to help organize and prep in October?
I'll participate as long as it's possible to do so around my schedule. I might not be able to participate in October, because it's usually time when I'm drowned in university assignments but we'll see how tight my schedule is this year.

28 July 2018

Stacking the Shelves (78)

Stacking The Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews, and is all about sharing the book you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

I just can't resist all the books, whether in a bookstore or review copies on Netgalley.

Purchased
  

  



For Review
  

26 July 2018

Dewey's 24 Hour Summer Readathon TBR

I've participated on the classic Dewey's 24 hour readathon now twice on April. I love the readathon - the short burst of reading, freedom to read without challenges, and the community which is encouraging. I'm so happy that they're decided to run a summer readathon, which is called Reverse Readathon. More info and sign ups are on Dewey's site.

The important part is that the readathon will run from Friday 27th July at 8pm (Eastern Starndard time) to Saturday 28th April at 8pm. The start and end time of the readathon depend on which time zone you live, and you can check yours from the website.
In UK time zone the start is 1am on Saturday and then it ends 1am on Sunday.

Besides this TBR post, I'll do a wrap up on Sunday when the readathon is over.

I usually read something between five hundred to six hundred pages during 24 hour readathons. Thus, I'll keep my TBR pile short and only include those books I need to finish/read before the end of this week or next week. I've a few review books I need to read and then I'm attending an event for Christina Henry and V.E. Schwab next week, so I want to read few of their books I haven't already before that. Anyway, here's what I'm hoping to read:



Regular updates during readathons are not my strong suit, but I'm trying to get better at it. So if you want to follow my reading progress, you're more than welcome to check out my twitter page - and hopefully you'll say hello and join the readathon! :)

Review: Bargaining with the Devil by L.J. Hayward

Bargaining with the Devil (Death and the Devil, #1.4)
by L.J. Hayward
Self-published
LGBT, romance, thriller

Meta-State spy Jack Reardon believes it's all been taken care of. He has his verbal agreement with his boss to "keep Blade happy," and Jack is more than willing to do his best in that regard. He also has his bargain with Ethan, to keep seeing each other. Small victories, interspersed with exploding bombs, smashed cars and miffed co-workers, all while consorting with an international assassin. 
Contract killer Ethan Blade values his security, and Jack's the first time he's found that with another person. Wiring a warehouse or outback shelter for safety, no problem. Keeping safe a prickly ex-soldier-turned-spy who's a magnet for trouble, not so easy. Instead of faceless, nameless jobs, he's poking his fingers into Jack's cases - a car bomb gone awry, a Hen party gone wild - much to Jack's mounting dismay.
They have a deal; neither one of the can seem to stick to it. It's Jack versus Ethan as the two men learn to navigate their ever-evolving not-a-relationship without losing the benefit of the bargain.

Bargaining with the Devil consists of three short stories/novellas, taking place after Coda and Ethan and Jack's deal to keep seeing each other when it's convenient for them. Of course, nothing runs smoothly when it's Ethan, Jack, and their complex world.

Once again, I was captivated and enthralled by Hayward's writing, Jack's mindset and the relationship between him and Ethan. It's complicated, that's what Jack keeps saying that's what it is, and I love it. Jack works for the government and Ethan's international assassin so nothing is simple between them. The tension is real, but so is their desire for each other. More than that, all three short stories brought something new to the table; Ethan's issues with security, boundaries of their complicated relationship, and Jack's problems with intimacy. I love how complex Jack is and how he keeps telling himself lies. Ethan's just adorable! Deadly, but adorable.

Bargaining with the Devil is stunning, and I highly recommend picking it up - or if you haven't, start the series with Where the Death Meets the Devil. 

5 of 5 stars

25 July 2018

Review: Taboo For You by Anyta Sunday

Taboo For You
by Anyta Sunday
Self-published
LGBT, contemporary, romance

Sam’s freaking out. He’s 30 in three weeks. And what has he done in his twenties? It’s pretty simple math: nothing exciting at all. But hey, he has three weeks right? Maybe that’s just enough time to tick his way through a 20s Must Do List . . .

Luke’s freaking screwed. He’s come out to his family, and his friends. Except there’s a certain someone who doesn’t know yet: his neighbor of 7 years. Who also happens to be his best friend. Who Luke needs to tell the truth, but he just . . . can’t . . . seem to . . .
Jeremy’s freaking over-the-moon. It’s the countdown to his 15th birthday, and his goal is simple. No matter what, he’s going to spend heaps of time with saucy Suzy. But first he needs to get his over-protective, no-girlfriend-'cause-you’ll-get-her-pregnant parents off his back. And what better way than pretending he’s gay?

Sam, Luke, and Jeremy. Three guys who have a lot of history together, and a lot of future too— 
—well, if they can sort out their issues, that is.

I actually read Taboo For You twice last year, but I have struggled to write a review. I love the story, characters, and it never fails to captivate me; in fact, just writing this, I want to pick it up again and read it again.

Taboo For You is classic Anyta Sunday book with oh so slow burn and clueless boys. Sam's anxious about his upcoming thirtieth birthday and wants to do some reckless things he never got to do, because he became a father at the age of fifteen. His son, Jeremy, is anxious too, but to spend time with Suzy without his overprotective parents breathing down his neck. And Luke, the likable, reliable Luke who's been there for both of them for seven years, just wants to make sure that Sam gets to experience all the things he yearns for. I have to say, because I've seen comments about it, but there isn't a threesome and the taboo in the title doesn't actually refer to anything that's really a taboo. There's a quote that explains it perfectly that I like:
"But it is... taboo, you know? No one really talks about it - it's sort of an off-limits subject. You can never know what someone's reaction is going to be, and that makes it hard for people to talk about and for guys to come out, you know?"
And yes, it's referring to coming out and being gay.

I love Taboo For You, because it's a captivating story about family and friendship. How it's never too late to experience new things and find love you were too oblivious to see before. I love it, simply because it's a sweet, funny romance that never fails to make me grin and smile. Sam and Luke are adorable!

Absolutely brilliant and cute romance, and I wholeheartedly recommend it!

5 of 5 stars.