A to Z Reading Challenge 2023 (April Update)

Goodbye April! You went by way too quickly. Since it's basically over, it's time for my A to Z challenge update! 

I crossed off ONE letter. ONE! And it was for the title challenge. UGH! Hey, progress is progress though, and that's what counts. Maybe in May I'll be able to cross off some of the remaining Author letters. Maybe. The title challenge letters are getting a lot more challenging since I only have Q, X, and Z remaining.

Were you able to complete any letters this month? How many do you have left to go? Also are you doing the title challenge, the author challenge, or are you doing both?

See you back here at the end of May for another update!

Happy Reading,
Laura

Title Challenge:

A - All It Take by JH Croix
B - The Baby Blitz by Lex Martin
C - The Coppersmith Farmhouse by Devney Perry
D - Defensive Hearts by Alley Ciz
E - Every Last Piece by JS Wood
F - Filthy Jealous Heir Pt 2 by Caitlyn Dare
G - The Great Austen Adventure by Tomi Tabb
H - How to Lose at Love by Sara Ney
I - Ignite by Melanie Harlow
J - Jagged Thorns by January James
K - Kellan by Anna Blakely
L - The Lawyer by Marni Mann
M - Movie Star by Jessica Simpson
N - Never Give Up by Rue Lennox
O - Out of Play by Aven Ellis
P - Promised to the Night by Meg Anne & K Loraine
Q - 
R - Resilient Reign by Aleatha Romig
S - Salutis Meae by Jocelyne Soto
T - Tempting the Neighbor by Ashley Munoz
U - Unexpected Love Story by Natasha Madison
V - Vow of Revenge by P Rayne
W - Wild Ever After by Rebecca Jenshak
X - 
Y - You Can't Kiss the Nanny, Brady Banks by Piper Rayne
Z - 

Author Challenge

A - Aleatha Romig
B - Emily Bowie
C - JH Croix
D - Caitlyn Dare
E - Aven Ellis
F - Elise Faber
G - Gina Azzi
H - Anna Hackett
I - 
J - January James
K - K Loraine
L - Lauren Asher
M - Ashley Munoz
N - Sara Ney
O - 
P - Devney Perry
Q - Angela Quarles
R - Rue Lennox
S - Jocelyne Soto
T - Tomi Tabb
U - 
V - 
W - JS Wood
X - Xavier Neal
Y - 
Z - 

Please note:

I participate in the Amazon Affiliates program.

Purchases made through links above allow me to earn a small commission.

Thank you!

A to Z Reading Challenge 2023 {March Update}

March is over, and so it's time for another A to Z challenge update! Things slowed down this month for progress on my open letters. I knew this would happen, but I wasn't fully expecting it to this extent. Yet I chose what to read, and didn't pay any attention to my open letters. 

I still made progress though, even if it was minor. Were you able to complete any letters this month? How many do you have left to go? Also are you doing the title challenge, the author challenge, or are you doing both?

See you back here at the end of April for another update!

Happy Reading,
Laura

A to Z Reading Challenge 2023 {February Update}

It's time for my second check in for 2023's A to Z challenges! I've knocked a few more letters off my list, and I am so happy to be making progress. Here's hoping that 2023 is my year to complete these reading challenges. 

Were you able to complete any letters this month? How many do you have left to go? Also are you doing the title challenge, the author challenge, or are you doing both?

See you back here at the end of March for another update!

Happy Reading,
Laura

What I Read in January 2023 {Monthly Wrap Up}

“January is the month for dreaming”

- Jean Hersey

Chapter One of 2023 has come to a close. What a month it was!

When it comes to life, January was a relatively quite month. For which I am thankful. Of course it wasn't without illness. One of my kids shared a cold with me, and I've been dealing with that for about 2 weeks now. Colds always linger with me, so this isn't surprising by any means. I'll be thankful once it is gone though. As I say that though I have a kid home with a fever. So it looks like we're taking illnesses into February as well. Sigh. I'm excited for February though. February brings on my husband's birthday, Valentine's day, and a few days off of school for my kiddos. Of course there are also about 10 books releasing that I'm excited for as well. 

In January I listened to my top songs of 2022 playlist on Spotify, and loved every moment of it. That playlist is filled with Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, One Direction, Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, and so many others. I could listen to it for hours. And I frequently do.

As for what I watched in January, it wasn't much. I did watch the Speaker of the House coverage to see who would be elected. That was an interesting time to say the least. Otherwise I've just been watching youtube videos (reading, homesteading, budgeting, various vlogs), and scrolling through TikTok. There haven't been any TV shows that I've felt the need to watch. Actually there hasn't been for a while now. That being said I will be watching this last season of The Flash. Especially when Oliver Queen makes his appearance.

This last month my reading was amazing. I read 22 books! One was nonfiction, one was a manga, and the other 20 were romance. There were two five star reads for me, and they were not from the romance genre! That's right, my five stars were the nonfiction and the manga. WHO AM I?

With my blog, I slacked off big time. Ever since being sick in December, I've been struggling. But I am starting fresh in February, and I am making plans. Look for reviews to return, maybe a book tag or two, and of course romance recommendations.

My stats for January look like this:

Books Read: 22
Pages Read: 6,054

Average Page Count: 275

5 Star Reads: 2

Physical Books: 3
E-Books: 19

Favorite Book of the month: Spare by Prince Harry

To say I had been eagerly anticipating this book would be an understatement. The day Spare was released, I immediately drove to Barnes and Noble, made the purchase, and then promptly dove into the book once I arrived home. I loved getting to hear what he had to say, and the way it was told was so easy to digest. Absolutely loved this book.

My favorite cover of January goes to The Coppersmith Farmhouse by Devney Perry. From the colors, to the design, it all just draws me in. 

Here are all the books I read in January, and in the order of which I read them. If you're interested in my reviews, they are on Goodreads and Amazon.

The Great Austen Adventure by Tomi Tabb
Tempting the Neighbor by Ashley Munoz
Salutis Meae by Jocelyne Soto
Throne of Diamonds by Emily Bowie
Filthy Jealous Heir pt 2 by Caitlyn Dare
How to Lose at Love by Sara Ney
Spare by Prince Harry
Spy x Family V1 by Tatsuya Endo
All It Takes by JH Croix
Never Give Up by Rue Lennox
Resilient Reign by Aleatha Romig
Steel by Anna Hackett
The Perfect Dilemma by January James
The Coppersmith Farmhouse by Devney Perry
Out of Play by Aven Ellis
Splintered Ice by Cali Melle
Wild Ever After by Rebecca Jenshak
The Lawyer by Marni Mann
Ignite by Melanie Harlow
Not Just A Crush by Helena Hunting
Promised to the Night by Meg Anne and K Loraine
Claimed by the Shifters by Meg Anne and K Loraine

Just a note, The Perfect Dilemma by January James is available as a free download on January's website. Also Not Just A Crush by Helena Hunting was a download that she offered in her Facebook group at the end of December. It was originally part of an anthology, so there is no purchase/download link available. Sorry!

Tell me what you read in January! Any favorites? Any recommendations? Have you read any of the books on my list? If so, tell me your thoughts on the various stories.

Happy Reading,
Laura

  

Please note:
I participate in the Amazon Affiliates program.
Purchases made through links above allow me to earn a small commission.
Thank you!

A to Z Reading Challenge 2023

It's the end of January! The first month of 2023 is in the books, and I am in disbelief at how fast it went by. I can't be the only one. 

At the beginning of the year I made the decision to participate in the A to Z challenge again this year. As we all know I did not complete it in 2022, but I made fabulous progress.

When it came to the title challenge, I missed it by 3 letters (X, Y, Z). The author challenge I only missed by 2 (I, O)! 

So here we go with my first check in for 2023. Once again I will be doing the title and author editions of this challenge. Let's see what I was able to cross off in the first month.

Title Challenge:

A - All It Take by JH Croix
B - 
C - The Coppersmith Farmhouse by Devney Perry
D - 
E - 
F - Filthy Jealous Heir Pt 2 by Caitlyn Dare
G - The Great Austen Adventure by Tomi Tabb
H - How to Lose at Love by Sara Ney
I - Ignite by Melanie Harlow
J - 
K - 
L - The Lawyer by Marni Mann
M - 
N - Never Give Up by Rue Lennox
O - Out of Play by Aven Ellis
P - Promised to the Night by Meg Anne & K Loraine
Q - 
R - Resilient Reign by Aleatha Romig
S - Salutis Meae by Jocelyne Soto
T - Tempting the Neighbor by Ashley Munoz
U - 
V - 
W - Wild Ever After by Rebecca Jenshak
X - 
Y - 
Z - 

Author Challenge

A - Aleatha Romig
B - Emily Bowie
C - JH Croix
D - Caitlyn Dare
E - Aven Ellis
F - 
G - 
H - Anna Hackett
I - 
J - January James
K - K Loraine
L - 
M - Ashley Munoz
N - Sara Ney
O - 
P - Devney Perry
Q - 
R - Rue Lennox
S - Jocelyne Soto
T - Tomi Tabb
U - 
V - 
W - 
X - 
Y - 
Z - 

WOW! That is quite the start for the 2023 A to Z challenge! I can tell you now that not every month will have that much at once. It's easy to do at the beginning.

Just a reminder that with the Author Challenge, I will use first names or last names to complete the letter. When it comes to the title though, I go for the first letter (not including The, A, If). I may make exceptions for a few letters, but time will tell on that.

Are you doing the A to Z challenge this year? How is your list looking? Did you read any of the same books as me?

See you back here at the end of February with my next update!

Happy Reading,
Laura

Please note:

I participate in the Amazon Affiliates program.

Purchases made through links above allow me to earn a small commission.

Thank you!

The Mysterious Mr Marcellus by Tomi Tabb {a review}

"This was to be my last chance at making a match. I was foolish to hope that I might finally come away from London a married woman."

Tomi Tabb just released her FIRST Regency Romance novella! When Tomi emailed me, to see if I'd be interested in reviewing The Mysterious Mr Marcellus, I told her that I'd never read a regency romance before. Yet I didn't let that stop me. After all you never truly know what you like and dislike until you've read a lot of different genres, tropes, etc. Since I'm familiar with Tomi's writing, her character development, and all of that, I figured I'd give it a try. It's a novella, so why not? Well let me tell you, I was intrigued.

My rating for The Mysterious Mr Marcellus:

After reading The Mysterious Mr. Marcellus, I now think I need to check out other Regency romances. Or at least others similar to what Tomi has written.

As this was my first (maybe 2nd as I seem to recall a paranormal type regency) Regency, I went into it with an open mind. Like I said above, I know Tomi's writing, so I just trusted that. Honestly I loved this novella. I was immediately curious about Helen, and wanted to know more about her. Then when Mr Marcellus was introduced, my curiosity piqued even more. I truly loved their meet-cute, and the gossip that happened after.

I loved the balls, and all that glitz and glamour. I was fascinated by the visits that took place, and how there was certain protocol and time limitations. All of that was just so interesting.

Now I was confused as to what a "Season" was. I'd never heard that term before, so I had to go to good ole Google. Here's what I found from one website:

The Season refers to the annual period when it was customary for the country’s elite families to unite for balls, dinner parties et al decked in their finest attire.

That makes total sense, and I now understand. I cannot imagine the cost that went into these elaborate events, and what the cost of a full Season truly entailed. Could you imagine that happening today? That would easily be $100k and up. Or at least that's what I'm picturing.

Tomi, you need to write another! Full length or novella, I'll read it!

Now I need Regency recommendations. Novellas are preferred, or anything that you'd recommend to a beginner. Steam level doesn't matter.

Happy Reading,
Laura

Amazon | Goodreads | BookBub

After four unsuccessful Seasons in London, Helen Davenport is aware that she is out of time. Her father cannot afford another Season. With a meager dowry and few connections, what gentlemen would have her? At the age of three and twenty, she might as well consider herself a spinster.

Yet, Helen’s father, Mr. Davenport refuses to give in so easily. After finding a way to raise the funds, Helen soon finds herself in London for one final Season.

When an accident during a morning walk through Hyde Park literally throws her into the path of a gentleman named Mr. Marcellus, Helen learns that there are some circumstances that lie beyond her control. Namely, the vile gossip of the Ton.

With her reputation called into question, Mr. Marcellus promises Helen he will do his duty as a gentleman and marry her. Except there is one problem…no one in town has ever heard of her rescuer. Just who is the mysterious Mr. Marcellus?

Thank you Tomi for providing me with an advanced copy of The Mysterious Mr Marcellus.

Please note:

I participate in the Amazon Affiliates program.

Purchases made through links above allow me to earn a small commission.

Thank you!

Monthly Wrap Up {November}

Fear not November's challenge bold—

We've books and friends,

And hearths that never can grow cold:

These make amends!

~Alexander L. Fraser (1870–1954), "November," c.1918

Did anyone see where November went? Were we not just voting in the midterm elections? I mean I know I had a child home sick for a week, but somehow an entire month went by.

November was a pretty quiet month in our house. My oldest daughter turned 10, and celebrated with a group of friends. That same day, my youngest came down with some sort of bug. That kept her home for 5 days. I also made sure to go and vote on election day. (That was when my youngest was sick, so I masked up, and kept my distance from the other voters! Plus I waited for my husband to get home so I wasn't taking her with.) Toward the end of the month a cold took down my middles (10 & 8). Plus my 8 year old showed me that his skin does not tolerate scented laundry detergent. So I had to rewash all of his clothing and bedding. The only other thing that happened this month was my Mom and stepdad returning from Florida! It was so nice to see them, and spend time with them as they had been gone for 6 weeks.

Aside from all of that, and reading, I also have been listening to Faith in the Future by Louis Tomlinson on repeat. Constantly. It's pretty much the only thing I listen to. I am obsessed with this album. (Okay fine I'm alternating occasionally with Midnights and Harry's House.)

Bookish Q&A {Bookmas}

It's time for a bookish q&a! Where possible, my goal is to keep my answers to books I've read in 2022. There are a couple that will be from previous years, but since Bookmas is a chance to look back at the year, I feel it's best to give as current of answers as possible. Should you choose to answer these prompts, you can answer however you would prefer. (obviously)

Currently Reading

The Mysterious Mr Marcellus by Tomi Tabb

Last Book Read

A Greene Family Christmas by Piper Rayne

Favorite Book or Series

Um...I can't answer this! Choosing a favorite is too difficult. So I'll provide my current favorite series:
Totally Pucked by Maren Moore
Gold Hockey by Elise Faber
Tennessee Thunderbolts by Gina Azzi

The Edge by Kristin Turnage

An author I always recommend

Aven Ellis
She has so many different options within the romance genre. Looking for a royal romance series? Modern Royals. Looking for a hockey series? Aven has 3! How about baseball? Yep, the DC Soaring Eagles! Then there's her business romances in the British Isles series. They are all wonderful. She also has a soccer/football romance series starting up in 2023!

A book/series I DNF'd

One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston
I had loved Red White and Royal Blue, so I was excited to see how this book would be. It wasn't what I wanted, and I don't think I'll revisit.

A fictional place I'd like to visit

Oaks North Carolina
(aka the setting for The Edge series)

An OTP I love

Parker and Cooper
(Something So Right by Natasha Madison is their story, but they make appearances in many other books in the various hockey romance series.)

Favorite book cover owned

This is a difficult one for me as I don't tend to buy the book for the cover, I buy it for the story. If I must choose, I'm going with:

Everything is Ok by Debbie Tung

I love Debbie's art and storytelling. It is all so relatable for me.

Last disappointing read

Lukas, Sometimes by Tempest Phan
I found it really difficult to get invested in the story, and I didn't care for the characters.

A trope I love to see

Brother's Best Friend, or any iteration of that. It's one of my top 3 for a reason!

A trope I can't stand

This is a hard one for me. But I think I'd have to say cheating. I've read one book with that as a trope, and I wasn't a fan.

A fictional character that reminds me of myself

I have two that came to mind.
Holly Johannson from On Thin Ice by Aven Ellis and Jaye Jenkins from Compassion by Xavier Neal.

A highly anticipated book/series release

Made For series from Natasha Madison
How can I not? It's another hockey romance series that ties in with all the others. I HAVE TO READ THEM!

On my TBR

Too many books to even think about. My December Anticipated Reads post sums up my TBR for the month.

My comfort read

Everyone's a Aliebn When UR a Aliebn Too by Jomny Sun

I haven't re-read this one yet in 2022, but I just love everything about this book.

A favorite side character

Miko from The Bennett Duet by Xavier Neal
I know this duet was from late 2020/early 2021, but I am still crossing all the crossables that Miko will get a book. If I can't have a full length novel, I'll settle for a novella. Just no short story please, I can't handle that teasing.

My favorite book to tv/movie adaptation

Hunger Games
I know, I know, that was a while ago. But I just loved how the action was brought to life, and I was fully invested. (note to self: rebuy this series!)

A villain I love to hate

Savannah from Vegas Aces: The Wide Receiver

If you've read any of the Vegas Aces series, then you know who Savannah is. She's pretty much the worst.

My favorite reading spot

It's a toss up between my comfy chair, and my bed. But I'm going to go with bed. After all that's where the majority of my reading takes place each night.

Latest book purchase or haul

I honestly haven't purchased anything recently. I have downloaded some freebies, but nothing else. I'm trying to hold off for Christmas, as people want gift ideas.

Longest book read

Driven: The Complete Series by K Bromberg

This was in 2021, but I don't know when I'll top 806 pages.

Shortest book read

The Crash by Skye Warren & Amelia Wilde

My bookish goals for 2023

Read 150 books
Restart my Instagram/Bookstagram (and figure out Reels)
Continue to review books

 Please note:

I participate in the Amazon Affiliates program.

Purchases made through links above allow me to earn a small commission.

Thank you!

Monthly Wrap Up {June}

June was the month that brought on chaos. My kitchen was still under construction, plus the kids were home for summer break, and everything was just flipped upside down. It was a month, that's for darn sure.

In the month of June, I read 15 books. I did the math and that equated to roughly 3,894 pages. This month I also had a DNF, and I was disappointed about that as the book seemed really interesting. Yet I've since gone back and skimmed the reviews, and it sounds like I wasn't alone in my thought process regarding the book. So there's that. Because of that DNF, my average page count dropped for the month, and it was 259 pages per book.

Typically I would mention tropes I read, and give a quick run down of numbers. Let's just say that June was a heavy sports romance month, and leave it at that. Also when you see my list of books, you'll notice that one author in particular was a frequent flyer. I loved every minute of that too.

This month I only had one 5 star read. Now don't get me wrong, there were a few books that were close to it, but only one received the full 5 stars. That book was....

Possession

The Mate Games #3

Kim Loraine and Meg Anne

What was my favorite of the month? 

My favorite was Possession by Kim Loraine and Meg Anne. I continued to be enthralled by the storyline, the setting, and the characters. I had to know what happened next with this group, and I could not put the book down.

Here is the full list of books that I read in June 2022. All of my reviews are linked to my Goodreads account, as nothing was posted here on my blog.

One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston
That Second Chance by Meghan Quinn
The Final Score by Maren Moore

If This Gets Out by Sophie Gonzales and Cale Dietrich

Roughing the Kicker by Emily Silver

More Than a Passing Shot by Tomi Tabb

Keep Me Close by JH Croix

Possession by Kim Loraine and Meg Anne

Cap by Elise Faber

Broken Play by Alison Rhymes

Off Grid by JS Wood

Broken Lies by Gina Azzi

Saving My Soul by Gina Azzi

Twisted Truths by Gina Azzi

Brawler's Weakness by Gina Azzi

I did not link a review of Saving My Soul by Gina Azzi, as apparently I did not write one. That is not like me, so I'm a bit perplexed. I do know that I enjoyed the story, and the characters called to me. So sorry about that.

There is my list for June! Have you read any of these titles? If so, what were your thoughts on the books?

Laura

What Laura's Reading participates in the Amazon Affiliate program. As an Amazon Associate I earn a commission through purchases made using my links.

More Than A Passing Shot by Tomi Tabb {cover reveal}

Tomi Tabb has just revealed the cover, and the blurb, for her upcoming novel "More than a Passing Shot". This new release has a tentative release date of June 22, 2022.

Also, I did ask Tomi if this is part of the Unexpected Royals series, or if it is a new venture. More Than A Passing Shot will be marketed as a standalone, as it really falls more into the sports romance category than royal romance. That being said, it does tie in to the Unexpected Royals series, as Olive is a former roommate of Clara and Amanda!

Check out this cover though! Let's head to Greece to get to know Alex and Olive.

Olive Nakamura is ready to put her past and her ex-boyfriend behind her. When one of her closest friends invites her to be a bridesmaid in her London wedding, Olive jumps at the opportunity to tour Europe and reinvent herself.

Unfortunately, Olive’s first stop in the gorgeous city Athens, Greece is met with a worker’s strike and an embarrassing coffee spill in front of the most handsome man she’s ever met, Alex Georgiou. Why does Alex’s name sound so familiar? And what secrets is he hiding?

As Olive attempts to unravel the mystery of Alex, Olive learns that leaving the tennis world behind will be harder than she thought and must decide if opening herself up to love is worth the risk.

If you have previously enjoyed following the stories and adventures of Clara, and Amanda than you will enjoy reading about their one time roommate, Olive.

Pre-order Now

This will be on KU once released

Add to your Goodreads TBR!

The 25 Series I Started in 2021

2021 was clearly the year of series for me!

As I said yesterday, in my series I completed post, I LOVE series. They are my obsession. They are the best thing for me. It's no different than watching a favorite tv show. You get involved into the world, form opinions about the characters, and decide whether you want to continue or not.

In 2021 I started A LOT of new series! And I'm good with that. I have enjoyed every moment of it. I think I've read quite the variety. That being said, one thing all these series share is that all they are contemporaries. Which if you know me, you know that it my preferred area of romance.

What series did I start reading in 2021? Let's find out. (and grab a snack, because it's a long list.)

1. Bergman Brothers by Chloe Liese

2. The Edge by Kristin Turnage

3. Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade

4. Folkestone Sins by Samantha Lovelock

5. Wonderland Novellas by Samantha Lovelock

6. Unexpected Royals by Tomi Tabb

7. Boston Hawks by Gina Azzi

8. Sons of Sin by Nola Marie

9. Paradise Alaska by Barbara Dunlop

10. Hockey Hotties by Piper Rayne

11. Metros Hockey by Crystal Perkins

12. Sin by Aleatha Romig

13. Birch County Fire by April Canavan

14. Reckless Desires by Victoria Ellis

15. Better Love by Brit Benson

16. Heartbreak by Brittany Taylor

17. Mooseheads Hockey by Mary Morano

18. Fool Me by Lizzie Morton

19. Wildcat Hockey by Rebecca Jenshak

20. Rake Forge University by Ashley Munoz

21. Greene Family by Piper Rayne

22. Wilde Horse Ranch by Kim Loraine

23. Ryder Ranch by Anna Brooks

24. Nanny Love Match by Krista Sandor

25. The One I Want by Ellie Masters

WOW! I mean, I knew I started a lot of series in 2021, but I was not expecting THIS!

25 series were started, and I know for a fact that I'll be able to move three into the series completed in 2022 category. Sadly Folkestone Sins, Rake Forge University, and Ryder Ranch will all conclude in 2022. Sigh. I don't want them to end...Yet I know they have to at some point.

What series did you start in 2021? Any you'd recommend? Have you read any of the series on my list?

Happy Reading,
Laura