Goodreads: Year in Books

 

It's that time of year my friends. 

It is time to look at the stats Goodreads has put together utilizing the information I've provided them. 

We are talking books read, pages read, average rating, shortest book, longest book, and average book length. Of course Goodreads also shows you the cover for each book you read. They also refresh your memory of the first review you wrote for the year, as well as the last review of the year. Now I don't tend to write my reviews on Goodreads, so I ignore that part. Goodreads doesn't tell you your most read genre, but I decided to add that in. (we all know what mine is anyway)

Are you ready to see my reading stats for 2020? I know I am!

Books read:

310

Pages read:

79,477

First Book of 2020:

Green Tea Latte to Go by Aven Ellis

Last Book of 2020:

Only One Night by Natasha Madison

Shortest Book: 72 Pages

The Tea Dragon Society by Katie O'Neill

Longest Book: 556 Pages

Renegades by Marissa Meyer

Average Book Length:

256

Average Rating: ⭐️

3.8

Most Read Genre:

Romance

I absolutely love how I started the year with one favorite author, and ended the year with another. That just might be the perfect way to do it. After all I know I'll start with a happily ever after, and I'll end with one too. 

Now I feel like I should preface my year in books by saying this isn't typical for anyone, especially me. Reading the amount of books I did was pretty much my escape from the pandemic. Some turned towards bingeing tv shows, others toward trying new recipes, others toward fitness. I turned to books. 

What did your stats look like for 2020? What was your original goal? Most read genre? If you met your goal, that's awesome. If you didn't meet your goal, that's okay too! 

Happy 2021! May this year be filled with books that bring you happiness.

*What Laura's Reading participates in the Amazon Affiliates program.

Purchases made via the links in this post may earn me a small commission.

Weekly Wrap Up

 

I hope you all have had a wonderful holiday season! I cannot believe that Christmas is over, and that we are about to start a new year. I'm ready though. So ready. Yes, 2020 had it's not so good moments, but I sincerely hope that there was some good for you as well. 

Last week I read some decent books. I discovered a new to me author in Katie Graykowski, and have now devoured her Lone Stars series. Yes it is romance, and yes it is sports romance. More specifically football romance. 

First up I read Perfect Summer, which is obviously the first book in the series. Now these are standalone books, so you don't have to read them in order, but I personally think it's best to do so. After all it gives you a back story on other characters, and you may be seeing those characters in future books. Also, I think Perfect Summer could qualify as enemies to lovers. So if that's your trope, this book might be for you!

Perfect Summer introduces us to Summer Ames. She is a high school teacher who just won Teacher of the Year! How awesome is that! Oh except the prize that's given every year isn't the prize that Summer will be receiving. Instead she gets professional football player Clint Grayson as a mentor for her classroom. Say what? Oh and Clint is there to help his image. There was a news story about him that was 100% false, but of course that retraction never came. So there's that.

In Perfect Summer we also get to know Summer's mother, Lillian. They do not have the best relationship and that's putting it lightly. Lillian has a secret or two that she's keeping, and well Summer (and us) find out what they are! So be prepared as the storyline goes back and forth between telling the two stories. 

Next up was Saving Grace. I consider this to be a workplace romance. So if that's your thing, then happy reading!

Grace Kelley is well known for a wardrobe malfunction on a popular TV show. She may have singing talent, but that wardrobe malfunction took away her chance for a broader success. So here she is singing on a street corner trying to earn money to pay for the assisted living place her Uncle is currently at. Then fate steps in. A young girl is in a not so good situation, Grace helps out, and drives her home. That little encounter leads to a nanny job for Grace. This job is a blessing, as she will definitely be able to afford her Uncle's living arrangement now! What Grace wasn't expecting though was to fall for Chord Robbins. Chord is the coach for the Austin Lone Stars, and it is his 3 kids that she is nannying. 

Can Chord work through his issues to trust Grace? Will Grace ever learn to ask for help? Or better yet, accept it? Also, what is the story with Clementine (the dog)? I can't imagine what that poor pup has been through in his life.

Changing Lanes was my third book for the week, and it is a second chance romance. 

Imagine meeting your soul mate as a teenager, only to then lose touch with them for 14 years. You wonder if you'll ever run into them again. After all it happened at summer camp, and you only knew each others initials (DJ & EJ), so how could you keep in touch? Well in Changing Lanes will will see how Devon and Laney end up meeting once again. We also see if they can get to know each other again, and maybe just maybe fall in love. 

Oh and there's a good chance you'll fall in love with the Lone Stars, as well as Sweet Louise. They are just amazing people, and I know I'd love to have them in my corner. (also, if you're an emotional person like I am, consider having tissues on hand for when it comes to the parts about Lara.)

The Debra Dilemma is another second chance romance. If you've read the any of the first three books, you may recognize Debra. You may also think you know the kind of woman that Debra is. And if you read Changing Lanes, you know that there is history between Debra and Warren. In the Debra Dilemma we find out what happened, and see if they can make their way back to each other. 

Side note: If you are a person who has gone through child loss, I want to put a trigger warning on this book for you.

Many years ago Debra and Warren had been a romance that wasn't suppose to be. Debra's family was quite wealthy, and well Warren was the pool boy! Gasp! Something happened though, and Warren accepted a substantial amount of money from Debra's father. Accepting that money meant he had to walk away from Debra.

Flash forward many years, and Debra is a frequent sight on the arms of many Lone Star players. She is trying to become this woman that she isn't, and it's only hurting herself. Meanwhile, Warren owns the team and so he has to see his ex (aka the woman he loved) date his players. It's killing him each and every time. 

Can Debra get over the hurt from the past? Can she forgive Warren? Will Warren find out the secret that Debra has been keeping all these years? Also, what is Debra's dad hiding in that safe in his office? 

The fifth book in the Lone Stars series is Charming Coco! When I saw that Coco had her own story, I was so excited! I had high expectations as Coco Robbins seems like an awesome young lady. (We first met Coco in Saving Grace. Coco is the daughter of Chord Robbins, and is ultimately the reason why Chord and Grace met.) After finishing The Debra Dilemma, I had a feeling who the love interest would be for Coco, and I was correct. 

In Charming Coco, we've flashed forward quite a few years, and Coco is an orthopedic surgeon who has just returned from working with Doctors without Borders. She's nervous about returning home though as she can't get a certain NFL quarterback off her mind. After all, he's why she felt the need to leave for college, and eventually go overseas. How do you face the person that you kissed, said you loved, and had them shut you down? 

Seth Charming is keeping a secret or two of his own. He's known where Coco has been this entire time, and he would do (and has been) anything he could to keep her safe. What Seth wasn't ready for was competition for Coco's heart. Turns out Coco met someone while overseas, and that man could be her perfect match. How can Seth compete with a Royal? Can Coco and Seth reconnect to get their HEA? Or is Coco meant to be with the Prince?

I was so excited for Coco's love story, but ultimately something was missing. Honestly the story felt "off" from the moment Coco arrived to her parents house. I stuck with it, and while I'm happy with the ending, this book was just missing the mark. 

It's time for, what I presume is, the final book in the Lone Stars series. Sage Advice introduces us to Chloe Caldwell. She is a child psychologist, relationship advice blogger/podcaster, and a soon to be published author! Except no one knows she is behind the Sage Advice blog and podcast. Chloe has chosen to keep that private. However with her upcoming book release, that little tidbit will be made known. Oh and there's one slight issue regarding her book release. Chloe told her publicist that she has a fiancee. So naturally he needs to be at her book release! Now the hunt is on for someone to become her fake fiancee.

Chloe makes the call to Sweet Louise, and asks Sweet Louise to set her up on a blind date. Sweet Louise chooses Pierce Rogan. He is the tight end for the Austin Lone Stars, and Sweet Louise thinks he'll be perfect for Chloe. Now Pierce is a bit of a player, and often "dates" women who look like models. When he picks up Chloe for their date, he isn't interested at all. But something happens on their date, and the world now believes that Chloe is his sister.  After all, there is no way he could have been on a date with her!  How will Pierce react when he learns that Chloe is the person behind Sage Advice? He has disliked the romance blogger/podcaster since his ex-fiancee had sent her a message for advice. That advice was the reason he was single! 

So those are the books that I read this week. Yes, I devoured an entire book series. It was worth it. Part of me wants to ask Katie Graykowski if Noah and Lucy are going to get their story! I really feel that they had a connection, but maybe I was just reading into it and prepping myself for another story. Also, what ever happened with Lily and Davis from Perfect Summer? I need an update on them! One more thing, where does one find a mentor like Sweet Louise? 

What did you read this week? Anything you'd recommend? 

Happy Reading my fellow book lovers,

*What Laura's Reading is part of the Amazon Affiliates program. I may earn a small commission from purchases made through the links provided in this post.

Year in Review

As 2020 winds down, I thought it would only be fitting to take a look back at my year in books. Oh what a year it has been. The Kindle Paperwhite that my husband gifted me last Christmas has been well used. I don't think a day goes by that I don't use it. Which is also why it has to be charged every 5 days or so.

For my stats, I have been utilizing Goodreads for the entire year, so that keeps track of my quantity of books, my average rating, and also lets me know how many pages I have read this year. One of the questions below is most read genre. I think it's safe to say there is one genre that has dominated the year, but we'll get to that in a bit.

Let's get started shall we?

The first book that I read in 2020 was Green Tea Latte to Go by Aven Ellis. It is such a cute rom-com, and of course it has an HEA. Picture it a blogger and a veterinarian for exotic animals. Although the pig may steal the show. 😉

My current read is Changing Lanes by Katie Graykowski. It is a second chance romance, and the romance is between a football player and a pediatric oncologist. Let's just say that this book could also fall into the "made me cry" category. Oh the tears.

At the time I am writing this, I have read 300 books. I still have a few more days before the year ends, so I see that number increasing just a little bit. My original Goodreads goal was 100. I will say that reading is pretty much my only hobby, so that helps my number to climb the way it has. 

As of today my page count is 77,655. That makes my average book length about 259 pages. Again, this will increase though, as I still have about a week. I plan on doing an official Goodreads wrap-up at the beginning of the year.

There were so many wonderful books this year that I cannot select just one! My top 5, in no particular order, were:

• Grip by Kennedy Ryan
• Little Lies by H. Hunting
• Securing Kalee by Susan Stoker
• The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros
• Southern Sunrise by Natasha Madison

In no particular order:

• Aven Ellis
  
• Natasha Madison
• Kennedy Ryan
• Helena Hunting
• Piper Rayne
• Susan Stoker

Do we even need to discuss this one? 🤣  It's romance.
Should we talk sub-genre? If so it's probably sports romance (hockey is the winner), with military being a close second.

My least read genre is definitely non-fiction. Without looking at Goodreads, I believe I've read 2 non-fiction books this year. One being The Sun and Her Flowers by Rupi Kaur, and the second being What Unites Us by Dan Rather.

There were so many books that made me cry. To be fair though, I am a pretty emotional person. So what makes me cry, might not make another.

Let's name some names, shall we.

• Southern Sunrise by Natasha Madison
• Grip and Still by Kennedy Ryan
• The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros
• Ridden Hard by Kim Loraine
• and many many more

Again, there were so many! I love a good rom-com, and many of them made me laugh. Some made me literally laugh out loud. Here are 5 that had me laughing.

• Stud in the Stacks by Pippa Grant
• Kiss my Cupcake by Helena Hunting
• Royal Icing by Aven Ellis
• A Favor for a Favor by Helena Hunting
• InstaCrush by Kate Meader

If you know me, you know that I LOVE a good book series. It's actually what I gravitate towards. Don't get me wrong, a single book can be good, but if I can stay with my people for a while, I will. Even if those initial characters are now secondary.

Top 5:

• Corrigan & Co by Crystal Perkins
• Southern by Natasha Madison
• Seal of Protection by Susan Stoker
• Brides of Chance Creek by Cora Seton
• The Baileys by Piper Rayne

My main goal is to read 150 books. I know that I read 300 this year, but let's be honest, that isn't a pace I can necessarily keep up. So I figure if I bump up my goal from 100 to 150, that should be attainable.

I would also like to complete the yearly reading challenge that Paige from Creating & Co hosts. It is 24 prompts, and it might require me to read a little outside my usual. That is completely fine though. I tried the PopSugar Reading Challenge this year, and did okay. The prompts for next year though I cannot make work for me, and I know if I push myself too much it will lead to a reading slump. So I'm skipping PopSugar for 2021.

My last goal is in regards to this space here, as well as my socials. It is my goal to post three times per week here on What Laura's Reading. My Facebook goal is once a day, whether that is sharing a meme or posting a blog post, or a crossover from Instagram. My Instagram goal is 3 photos a week at a minimum. If that all becomes too much though, I will drop Instagram.

Tell me about how your reading went this year! Also, what are your reading goals for 2021?

Happy Reading,

*Amazon links are affiliate links and I may earn a commission on products sold.

Love in the Aisles {a review}

It's release day for Love in the Aisles!

Imagine meeting someone, moving to their town, marrying them, having a child with them, and then dealing with the comments from the community after your spouse dies. Well that is what Charlotte is dealing with. The seniors of the town, are full of opinions. After all, Charlotte married their favorite son, and she "stole" him away from another woman. How very dare she!  Who does she think she is?!? Oh right, a woman who fell in love with a man, and was devastated when he did.

Charlotte is trying to stay strong though. She has to be for her and her son. Although is is also trying to avoid all the people that she can. Going to the grocery store is not something she looks forward to, but it's a necessity. On this trip she meets a the new employee, Ian. Ian has recently moved to the town, and is living here under an assumed name. He is a celebrity who was just left at the alter. He's in all the tabloids, and peopel are wondering where he is! Ian needs to heal, and escape his reality for a bit. Never did he expect to fall for someone in this small twon. Yet he isn't fighting it.  Both of them never expected to find love in a grocery store.

I absolutely loved this story, and cannot wait for the next in the series. Charlotte and Ian are adorable. Yes they have their moments where you just want to smack them both upside the head, but such is the way of most rom-com slash hallmark-esque books. (and I love it) Definitely a series I will continue with, and I look forward to reading more from the authors.

Does Love in the Aisles sound like a book you'd read? 

Happy Reading,

*I received an ARC from Give Me Books Promotions in exchange for a review.
**I also participate in the Amazon Affiliate program. I may make a small commission (at no additional cost to you) via links shared.

The Librarian of Boone's Hollow {a review}

The Librarian of Boone's Hollow releases tomorrow, September 15 2020! If you are a fan of Kim Vogel Sawyer I'm sure you already have this book on order (or reserve at the library).

For fans of The Giver of Stars and The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, this new release by Kim Vogel Sawyer emphasizes the importance of literacy, the power of storytelling, and the redemption found in overcoming generational prejudice. 

I went into this book only knowing what the teaser from the publisher said. You see at the beginning of August, I had received an email from Waterbrook Multnomah inquiring if I would like to join the launch team for The Librarian of Boone's Hollow. It's been a while since I have signed up for a team, and so I said why not. After all the subject of the book sounded interesting, so I joined. Plus I have a love of Christian fiction, so that made my decision pretty easy.

Curious as to my thoughts on the book? Keep reading.

Remembering

Where were you? It is the question that is asked every year on this date. And for good reason. We shouldn't forget the horrific events that occurred 19 years ago. Not just the event of course, but the people who lost their lives, the people who showed up to do whatever they could to help, and how our country ultimately came together in mourning, and in healing.

To answer the question, 19 years ago I was at work. I had graduated from college in May, and this was my first full time job! I was working with my (step) family at the invitation/stationary division. At the time of the first attack I was more than likely in the process of packaging up an order for one of our customers. We always had music going in the warehouse, and I remember someone turning the music off, and sharing the news about what was going on in New York. I remember someone turning the radio on so we could listen, and I also remember being in shock about what was being discussed. Meanwhile, my Stepdad drove home to get a TV so we could all watch what was happening. That day many of us were numb, nervous, and just on edge. 

Around lunch time I remember there was talk of something potentially happening in downtown. My immediate worry was for my Mom who worked in the heart of downtown. Thankfully that talk was nothing more than rumors. Like I said, everyone was on edge. That night, and for many nights to come, I was glued to the news.

In the days and weeks to come, our company created notepads that we sold. If I recall correctly, a portion of the sales went to various charities. I remember those products flying off our shelves, and on to the shelves of our retailers. 

It was a somber time for our country. Together we worked on healing. From the reading of the names, to tv commercials, to songs inspired by the events; all of this bonded us. We weren't a country divided, we were together, and we were becoming stronger.

If you know the creator of this graphic, please let me know.
I found it via Piper Rayne's facebook page.

Today my heart is with the families who lost loved ones on this date. May they feel the love that many are directing their way.

The Rapid Fire Book Tag

Today is a busy day in my home. My kids return to school next week, and well that means a lot of stuff needs to get accomplished today. Between meeting the teachers, picking up chrome books, and having a quick IEP meeting, it's going to be a day. Thankfully my husband is still home (thanks pandemic), so he can keep the preschooler with him while I manage school stuff with our two elementary kids. Then he is also going to handle the pick up of materials for our middle schooler. Four kids + 3 schools = busy.

So I figured that on this busy (slightly chaotic) day a book tag would be perfect. Plus it allows you all to know me a bit better. Thanks to a Pinterest search, I discovered the Rapid Fire book tag. Over on the blog This Splendid Shambles, I learned the GirlReading was the originator of this tag. 

If you're curious about my answers, then keep on reading.

Books I read in August

Wasn't it just August 1st? How are we in September already? This is not making sense. Especially since other months felt like they went on FOREVER. (I'm looking at you March and April) 

Curious what I read in August? I'll let you know now it was all romance, and I read a lot of new-to-me authors. It was splendid. Keep reading to find out about the books I read.

Kiss My Cupcake {a review}

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On August 11th Helena Hunting released her latest novel, Kiss My Cupcake. She has been sharing about this book (in her Facebook group) for a while now, and the snippets I've read definitely caught my attention. After all, I do love a good rom-com! Add in the enemies to lovers trope, and just hand it over. I will give the book (or movie) my full attention.

September Releases I'm Excited For!

September is just around the corner. Seriously just a few more days! That means my kids return* to school. I think I'm prepared for that and I know three of my four kids are ready. Hopefully the transition back to school goes well for everyone.

That being said, a new month also means new books being released! 

What books have my attention? Keep reading!

Royal Icing {a review}

Today is August 26, which means it is release day for Royal Icing by Aven Ellis!

I have been eagerly awaiting this day since November 14, 2019. 

TBR Book Tag

I don't know about you, but I love a good book tag. These tags give a good opportunity to share more about yourself. 

 
Recently I watched Heather from Bookables complete this TBR tag, and well I wanted to participate. So here we go.

Books I read in July

Another month of 2020 is in the books, and I spent the majority of July with my nose in a book.

Curious how many books I read in July? Did I read something other than romance? Keep reading!

The Reading Rush: Wrap-up

This has been an awesome week for reading. Did I complete all the prompts?  Did I stick to my TBR? Keep reading to find out! Also, at the end I will have my page count and rating average.

If you read my TBR post, then you'll know that I am an April baby, and my birthstone is a Diamond. You'll also know that I selected the color white to represent that stone.

This prompt worked out perfectly. You see Winning My Best Friend's Girl just released this past week. So it was only fitting that it had a white cover. Okay fine, I just really wanted to read the book because I love the Bailey family and all things that happen in Lake Starlight. This book follows Kingston and his long time crush Stella. She had recently moved back to Alaska, but she was avoiding Kingston (and really all the Baileys) as she didn't want to dredge up the past. Well that was all fine and dandy, but it didn't work. Can they (Kingston and Stella) work through the issues of their past to reconnect? Do they make things work or do they walk away? Also, who is writing that freaking blog?!?

Rating: 4⭐️

I went into The Family journal not knowing much about the story. That was fine with me. I have to admit that I did have a slightly different expectation, but overall I was happy with the book. 

Lily Anderson has made up her mind. She is relocating back to her hometown of Comfort Texas along with her two kids. Her kids, well they are not happy with this news. At all. They like it perfectly fine in Austin, and do not see why they have to leave their home just because they made a few questionable choices. Mom knows best though, and so they are off. Once they are settled in to Lily's childhood home, Lily discovers a journal stuffed into her mom's desk. At first glance she thought it was just a random book, but upon opening it up, she discovered a treasure. This book was not a book, but rather a journal that was handed down from Mom to daughter when the time was right. I really want to tell you more, but I can't without ruining the story. So you'll just have to accept that it was a cute story, and it might make you want to start a family journal of your own.

Rating: 4⭐️

I debated with myself about keeping this book for this prompt. It feels like cheating in a way. However now that I've read the book, I can say that it does have Cinderella vibes. So I'll continue to count it. 

As for Stealing Cinderella, wow, I was not prepared for how things happened. I mean, I know it's a sinister fairy tale, but dang! Also I want to read more from this collection so I can see what happens to other popular fairy tale characters.

Rating: 4⭐️

When I initially selected my TBR, I had a different book slotted for this prompt. However as the week progressed, I decided to just go with the flow. So when I finished The Royal Treatment (book 1), I decided to just move on to The Royal Wedding (book 2). After all, The Royal Treatment was cute, and it made me laugh, so I was curious as to what the next book would be like. I wasn't disappointed. I laughed a few times, I shook my head at the characters a few times, and had my HEA.

Rating: 3⭐️

Full disclosure: I totally did not read this outside. I sat on the couch, by the window, and devoured it that way. After all had I been outside, my kids would not have left me alone to actually read the book. Either that or I would have been eaten alive by mosquitos. (I am their favorite meal after all)

Bet Me by Lila Monroe was so freaking good. Lizzie and Jake had met at a bar on New Years Eve. Lizzie was getting over a recent breakup, and after a few too many drinks, she decided to get back at her ex. She ended up leaving her purse behind, but Jake ran out after her to give it to her. One thing led to another, and suddenly they are both at her ex's condo. Lizzie has her revenge moment, and they runaway into the night. Okay really they went back to Jake's place. Things happen, or rather don't fully happen, and Lizzie leaves. Years pass, and suddenly they are brought back together to work on an art exhibit together. One night Lizzie thinks she's sending a video message to her sister, but in the morning she finds out otherwise. She is now a proud owner of a viral video. What is that video about? Well you'll have to read the book to find out. 

Rating: 4⭐️

I had so many genre options for this challenge, but I wanted something "simple", and also a quick read. I've enjoyed bits of poetry in the past, so The Sun and Her Flowers seemed like a good choice. 

There were many poems in this book that I related to, and then there were others that while meaningful did not relate to my life. A few that I enjoyed were:

when snow falls i long for grass when grass grows i walk all over it when leaves change color i beg for flowers when flowers bloom i pick them

i hear a thousand kind words about me and it makes no difference yet i hear one insult and all confidence shatters

borders are man-made they only divide us physically don’t let them make us turn on each other - we are not enemies

 

Have you read a lot of poetry? If so, who do you recommend?

Rating: 4⭐️

The Royal Treatment was such a cute story! The story moved along at a good pace, and I found myself laughing out loud a few times. Picture yourself being a blogger, who has chosen the niche of writing about the Royal family. Not only do you write about them, but you're actually their worst critic. You think they should just disappear, and that there should be no royals. Meanwhile Prince Arthur is in a bit of pickle. There is a referendum coming up that could strip the family of their power. So Arthur invites Tessa to move into the palace, and into their day to day lives. This way she can see what the family truly does, and how it is beneficial to the community. Can he change Tessa's mind? Or is the Royal family about to lose their titles?

Rating: 3⭐️

I also had a bonus book this readathon! I know, I was shocked as well. It really shouldn't surprise you as to who the book was by, as I already read the first two books in the Crown Jewels series. So my bonus book was The Royal Delivery.  This is the third book in the Crown Jewels series, in which Tessa and Arthur are starting a family. Of course there are issues. There is miscommunication. There is a scene in the throne room. There is a coming together of the family. I may have gasped a time or two, and I also loved the message that Tessa was trying to get across through her new foundation. It was definitely worth finishing up the series.

Rating: 3⭐️

Here are my stats for the readathon. I did not keep track of hours spent reading, as that isn't something I choose to focus on. 

Most read genre: Romance

Books Read: 8

Pages Read: 2201

Average Rating: 3.625

Badges Earned: 10

How did you do with the Reading Rush? Did you earn the badges for the 7 prompts? What about the extras? No matter what, I hope you had an excellent reading week.