With the Winter I tend to read a lot more than normal, thanks in part to all the snow storms. I also bit off more than I could chew with a lot of books I got free for reviews, and books that came in from the library all at once. Such is life, this book nerd really doesn’t mind. So hopefully you find a book or two that you may want to read as well.
My rating system:
Five Stars: Blew me away, made me want to stay up till 3am to finish, would read again and again or I didn’t find anything I would want to change.
Four Stars: Really good book, fast paced or thought provoking
Three Stars: Okay, didn’t thrill me but didn’t disappoint me either.
Two Stars: I almost didn’t finish, it may have irritated or offended me in some way.
Hearth Stone – Sydney decides to buy a house on a whim, with the idea that she can fix it up and train Olympic Equestrian hopefuls after her career is ended after an injury. Shortly after buying the house, her funding is cut short and she tries to hide it. A local named Hunter offers her to work in trade, he is amused by her spunk and her obvious desperation. When it all seems to be falling apart Sydney finds a Mustang in dire need for help, twisted in barbed wire and should be put down. Her grit to hold on, and save the horse not only saves the horse but herself as well. Sydney also takes in a woman and her autistic child and others who need saving. The banter of Sydney and Hunter really moves the story along.
Fever – This is the second book of the Breathless Series. For fans of 50 Shades of Grey fans, you will like this series even better. Jace is the intense silent type who is used to sharing women with his best friend Ash, and when he sees Bethany he knows he wants her. After just one night he feels such jealousy and possession but she leaves before he wakes up. Jace tears up the city to find her, and let her know that he doesn’t want to let her go. While Jace is intense he is also in tune with Bethany’s needs and not as overbearing as some of the other male alphas in other dominant/sub characters and it was refreshing.
Rush – This is the first book in the Breathless series and it starts off with a bang. Gabe has been looking out for Mia since she was young, she is the younger sister of his best friend Jace. Problem is she is all grown up and his feeling have merged from brotherly love, to full blazing lust. Gabe has decided enough is enough and he is making his move, can Mia agree to his strict requirements. Can she submit to his tastes and desires? What Gabe doesn’t know is that Mia has been carrying the same torch for Gabe, that he has carried for her, but keeping the relationship from her brother has the chance to pull them apart.
Burn – This is the final book in the Breathless series. Ash was the last of his three friends to pair off. Just getting a peak of a tattoo underneath the shirt of a woman and he is intrigued. She may have told him No, but Ash is used to getting his way. He begins the pursuit to win her over. His intensity would scare a normal girl, but Josie is used to dominant relationships, but she has been disappointed in the past. Ash is willing to convince her that it’s worth taking a chance on him.
One Wish – While Grace is trying to move on from her old life as a competitive figure skater, she comes into her own while running her own flower shop. A local teacher thrives on being active and adventurous and decides he is the perfect person to shake up Grace’s overworked schedule. A little friends with benefits could be just what they both need. Grace tries really hard to keep her old life buried but sometimes it can’t stay buried. While reading this book I really felt the characters were well developed, I felt for each and were hoping for the happy ending they deserved.
The Girls of Mischief Bay – There is nothing better then the support of your girlfriends. These three friends are going through different struggles with their relationship, and at different phases of life. Nicole feels like a single mother after her husband decides to quit his job in order to become a screenwriter. Shannon is beginning to make her dating life a priority after building her career and being the Vice President at her job. Pam has been married for 30 years and she wants to rejuvenate her marriage. They run the gamut of experience and through it all they lean on each other to get through all of life’s experiences.
Start Me Up – Anne puts together the most Pinterest worthy parties, and blogs about it. Her blog became her life and her main source of income, causing a rift in her marriage causing it to end. During a birthday party, Mike a local mechanic happens upon Anne and is drawn to her. He likes being a mechanic, living above his business and not having any long term attachments, that is until he meets Anne with her perfectly poised outfits and her charm. What I liked about this book is that they date, they don’t rush into bed, and they build their relationship on friendship. I may be a little biased being a blogger.
Model Behavior – Livvie knows her best friend Ben means business when he drops his cell phone in her drink. The list of 7 tasks in 24 hours has begun. If Ben completes the task then Livvie needs to give them a chance. While it was a cute premise both characters were superficial with “model” good looks. Livvie came from humble beginnings making her very strict on never going back, but her requests came off very surface level and hypocritical.
Hush – This book just screamed crazy dumb girl who runs back into a house when the killer is chasing her. Lake Warren is in a custody battle with her ex, so when she wakes up next to the young hot doctor she just had a one night stand with and he is dead, she doesn’t call the police. It does keep a steady pace, and I didn’t figure out the ending which saves it from being a bust.
Officer Elvis – I am not sure what I was expecting from this book, but it leaned a little bit too much toward the cheesy than the mystery who-done-it I was expecting. The lead detective Darla, Rita and even the FBI agent Uthie had great banter but it wasn’t enough to save this book for me.
What books have you read this month?
Will you add any of these books to your list?
Linking up with Steph and Jana for this months reads.
And I’m off to download Fever!! Thanks for all the recommendations! xo, Biana
It was a good one! The guy was more my speed than the other two.
i’m currently reading fourth of july creek and so far, it’s pretty good. i recently finished bird box which was really good – it was well written and kept me turning the pages to find out what happened!
I’ll have to check out those two, I haven’t read either.
Thanks for the reviews. I love happy endings, so I may read One Wish!
Have a happy day!
Love,
SMD’sMomma
It was a happy ending and the characters were well flushed out. Totally worth the read.
I can’t believe I missed this link-up again 🙁 Anyway, I love how you separate the books into star ratings. Hearth Stone sounds like such a good story.
Oh no! Pencil it in girl! Hearth Stone is a really great story and worth a read.
I’ve been waiting for Mischief Girls to get to the library for two months now, I’m at 5 so it should be here soon!
I think I need to check out Start Me Up too.
Isn’t that always the way!! They all come in at once! It was really cute and the inner thoughts of a blogger was kinda funny!
I’ll add the Breathless series to my list even though I wouldn’t put 50 Shades on there. Interesting that the 2nd book was your favorite and the 1st and last only got 4 stars. Sometimes books do that.
These were better than 50 Shades in my opinion. I think because the guy was more my type. He was nurturing, and caring while still being dominant. 😉
Start Me Up sounds like a good book for me to read in between all my emotional ones. I like a lighter book to cleanse the palette.
It was light and fun and I liked that blogging was represented!
I love the title of The Girls of Mischief Bay, I will probably check that out!
It was really good and showed supportive female characters in different stages of life but still there for each other.
I read Hush this past month too, and I felt kind of the same way, but somehow I guessed the ending. I am really good at guessing ending though….it makes my husband crazy. He’ll ask me what I think its going to happen in a movie or show and sometimes I guess right and he think it’s crazy. lol! I thought the book sounded really good but, the girl made me crazy because she was allergic to police or something! lol
Yes! I got it the first time but after the third time and she didn’t go the police I was just annoyed! Like come on!! Haha! You are good, that ending didn’t even occur to me.
Looks like I am going to have to check out the breathless series.
Yes, so good and much better than some of the other series. Much more believable and with kink but not over the top.
wow! you have really tackled a lot of books! so impressive! Need to check out your top picks- especially Hearth Stone sounds intriguing!
Thanks! Being snowed in helps. Hearth Stone was really good with strong characters and good dialogue.
You always impress me so much with your reading lists!! I’ve been powering through Jane Austen’s Emma for a few weeks. I love it (because, Jane Austen), but it’s taking me forever to read!
Thanks! I tend to read lighter books so they don’t take as long. When I read classics they always take me awhile.
definitely checking out hearth stone, just reading your review gave me all the feels!
That is awesome to hear! It really was a moving story and a strong female lead character. Hope you like it!
I will have to look into The Girls of Mischief Bay, since both you and Kate are singing it’s praises 🙂
It was really cute, and girl power!
Wow – you read a lot of books this past month. In the summer I tend to read more (out in the sunshine) but in the winter it takes me forever to finish a book since I read at night and usually only get a few pages before I fall asleep.
I am the opposite. In the Spring and Summer I am out hiking or out and about more, so I read less. In comparison, because I am always reading. Ha!
thanks for sharing your reviews! I definitely need more to read right now!
xo,
nancy
Very welcome. Thanks for checking them out. Hope you find a few you like.
Nice. Start Me Up sounds really good.
It was a cute light read and I loved the blogger angle. You see “our” side but also the guys side. Very cute.
I’m definitely going to have to check out some of these. I really liked The Girls of Mischief Bay!
I think you would like Hearth Stone too. I need to get through so many books right now but no real duds lately which is nice.
ill never ever outread the list I have every time I make one of these lists! Want to read Hearth stone and Fever!
Say what?! These were the ones I actually read this month. Those two were both really good. The guy in Fever is my “book boyfriend” so very hot but sensitive too.
You got through so many books in February! I’m really impressed! 🙂
Hopefully you don’t blush easily! 😉 It is really good though. The female characters were much stronger than Anastasia too so that made the series better for me. Hurry!!! Haha! 🙂
Oooooooh! I need to look into this Breathless series!! But I have to finish the last installment of the Mortal Instruments first..I’m about a quarter of the way and draggin major booty when it comes to reading it.
Hopefully you don’t blush easily! 😉 It is really good though. The female characters were much stronger than Anastasia too so that made the series better for me. Hurry!!! Haha! 🙂
I just bought a shit ton of books from the used sale at the library… after that I’m going to start on my Little House series I got from Pete for my birthday! It’s been years since I read them and I’m so excited! 😀
Love those library sales. I have never read the Little House books. Don’t judge me! 😉
Great list! I am intrigued by the Breathless series!
It is really good, and possibly a little less tame than 50 Shades, it’s more believable while still being steamy.
Thanks for these recs!!!! My reading list is definitely growing!
Very welcome. Hope you find a few you like.
Ugh. You’re so good at finishing books!
Thanks! I just try to make time every day to read, even if it’s only 15-20 minutes. It all adds up.
So you suggest Fever???? I read Burn and then heard awful reviews for the second and third book!! LOVED Burn.
I loved Fever! I thought he was so adorable sweet while still being dominant. Like I could handle him in really life, the others I’d mouth off too! Haha!
So the Rush/Fever/Burn series makes me think of Anne Rice’s Taming Sleeping Beauty series… mostly in that it’s a 3 part series.. and because I saw it (no jk) at Goodwill the other day. Yay for smut books!
Haha! Too funny that Goodwill would have it. Smut wins it all!
Officer Elvis lol sounds awesome
Thanks for the reviews. May have to add some to my list. I’m still trying to get through Girl on the Train. I’m on page 150 so it’s finally picking up.
Haha! I have heard so many good reviews of The Girl On The Train, it’s on my list to read too.