BLOG TOUR: Engagement and Espionage by Penny Reid

Engagement and Espionage, an all-new quirky and swoon-worthy romantic comedy featuring fan favorites Jenn and Cletus Winston from New York Times bestselling author Penny Reid is available now!

Jennifer Sylvester made her deal with the devil . . . and now they’re engaged!

But all is not well in Green Valley. A chicken choker is on the loose, 61 dead birds most "fowl" need plucking, and no time remains for Jennifer and her devilish fiancé. Desperate to find a spare moment together, Jenn and Cletus’s attempts to reconnect are thwarted by one seemingly coincidental disaster after another. It’s not long before Cletus and Jenn see a pattern emerge and the truth becomes clear.

Sabotage!

Will an undercover mission unmask the culprit? Or are these love-birds totally plucked?

'Engagement and Espionage' is the first book in the Solving for Pie: Cletus and Jenn Mysteries series, is a full-length cozy mystery, and is a spin-off of Penny Reid's Winston Brothers series. This novel is best read after 'Beard Science,' Winston Brothers #3.

Download your copy today!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3auZzqI Apple Books: https://apple.co/33ONMAK Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/engagementespionage Nook: https://bit.ly/3dvV8hf Kobo: https://bit.ly/2wxWreY Google Play: https://bit.ly/3aqIT3h

Add ENGAGEMENT AND ESPIONAGE to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/2UoVpea

Excerpt:

“Don’t stop.” She reached for my belt again, this time completely undoing it, the button of my pants, and my zipper at world-record speed. Her phone buzzed. Then it chimed. Then it buzzed and chimed two more times. Then it rang again. Reba. Cursing, Jenn pulled the phone from her pocket, once again her face illuminated, murderous rage in her eyes. Her finger moved to the power off button. She blinked, hesitating. Her eyes widened, her body stiffened, and she gasped. “Cletus!” Something about her tone, like she was horrified, and maybe a little afraid, cut through the heavy haze of lust inertia, and my hands stilled. Shaking myself, it took me a few moments to realize she was showing me the phone screen, and another few to bring the content of the text messages into focus. 

Momma: Jennifer Anne Sylvester, pick up your phone. If you’re with Cletus, I need his help. Please. Momma: ALL THE CHICKENS AND ROOSTERS ARE DEAD! PICK UP YOUR DAMN PHONE! Momma: I’m calling you in a second, pick up the phone. Mr. Badcock’s chickens are dead. All of them. I got here and he’s running around, deranged, yelling about his dead chickens! I called the police and they’re on their way. Please, please, please pick up the phone! 

At some point, I must’ve taken the phone from Jenn and stepped away, because I glanced up upon reading the messages for the third time, finding the phone in my hand and Jenn fixing her skirt. “This is nuts.” Her big eyes searched mine imploringly. “Who could have done this?” I shook my head, having not yet managed to fully shift head gears—you know, from that head to the one on my neck—and my gaze dropped to the wet patch on the front of her dress just visible in the swath of light. My erection throbbed. So we’re . . . not having sex? “Why? Why would they do it? And WHO?” She snatched her phone back, her tone bewildered, distracted, and distraught. She was distraught because of the dead chickens, like any normal person would be. I was distraught also, but my distress had nothing to do with farm animals. “We have to go.” Jenn grabbed my hand and began walking toward the direction of the hall. Meanwhile, it took me until her hand found the door handle to realize my zipper and belt were still undone. “This is crazy.” She paused as I zipped up, her tone halting and distracted. “Poor Mr. Badcock. And those poor chickens.” A sound of distress escaped her throat. “This is terrible.” It was terrible. And I was going to hell. Because all I could think was, Talk about a cock block.

Meet Penny Reid:

 

Penny Reid is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today Best Selling Author of the Winston Brothers, Knitting in the City, Rugby, and Hypothesis series. She used to spend her days writing federal grant proposals as a biomedical researcher, but now she just writes books. She’s also a full time mom to three diminutive adults, wife, daughter, knitter, crocheter, sewer, general crafter, and thought ninja.

Connect with Penny:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PennyReidWriter/ 

  Amazon: http://amzn.to/2lakzsD 

  Twitter: @ReidRomance 

Mailing List: http://pennyreid.ninja/newsletter/ www.pennyreid.ninja

Blog Tour & Review: The Girl Next Door by Emma Hart

Synopsis:

One accidental pregnancy. One fake husband. What can go wrong?

There’s nothing like starting your Monday morning with a positive pregnancy test.

Trust me, I know. Because I’m looking at one right now.

All I can think is: Oh, hell. My grandmother is going to kill me.

This might just send her to an early grave, so there’s only one option—pretending the father is my new husband.

If only he’d agree to fake it.

Kai Connors was supposed to be nothing more than a one-night stand. A long, dirty, one-night stand fueled by one too many tequila shots, where the only promise was to never speak of it again.
But if my unfairly sexy next-door neighbor gets his way, this fake marriage could turn out to be very, very real…

One-Click your copy today!

Amazon US → https://amzn.to/38MlSGV
Amazon UK → https://amzn.to/37zPqYd
Apple Books → https://emmahart.pub/tgndapple
Nook → https://emmahart.pub/tgndnook
Kobo → https://emmahart.pub/tgndkobo

Review:

The Girl Next Door by Emma Hart
My rating: 4 of 5 stars 

This is a quick, yet funny read. I highly recommend reading The One Night Stand Next Door before reading this. At the time of this review it was still free on Amazon. The novella sets up what happens before the book, but it isn't 100% necessary to read it before reading Kai and Ivy's story.

I loved the banter between Kai and Ivy. They are neighbors who like each other but never got around to telling each other about their feelings. A one night stand that leads to Ivy getting pregnant finally pushes them together and forces them to explore their feelings. Ivy has a really conservative grandmother that terrifies her, but the rest of her family and friends are pretty supportive. I really appreciated that other than the crazy grandma, just about everyone was supportive of the pregnancy. Because of her irrational fear of her grandma, Ivy concocts a fake relationship with Kai which leads to a few more fibs about how serious they are with each other. Fortunately, they actually like each other so it isn't much of a stretch.

Because this is more novella length there isn't a ton of character development. The story focuses mainly on Kai and Ivy figuring out their relationship as a couple and navigating the early stages of her pregnancy. They already know each other casually and their friend group is already established. If you are looking for a light, funny, quick read grab this.

View all my reviews

Mid year book freak out tag 2020

It has been kind of quiet on the blog here lately.  Between work, enjoying the nice weather, family time, and all the ARCs I've been reading I haven't had much time for blogging other than scheduled posts.  I've read some really excellent books, and plan to get those reviews up soon.  

I've been seeing this post pop up on YouTube and I always liked it.  I thought I'd do an impromptu Tag Tuesday.  I love this particular tag because I can feature some of my favorite books I've read so far this year and let you know about some upcoming releases that I'm looking forward to.

1. Best book you’ve read so far in 2020. 
1. A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow.  
1. I was lucky enough to get an ARC of this, and if you look back at my reviews in 2018, I read a ton of retellings with mermaids/sirens.  This looked really interesting and I love a good mermaid storyline, but this completely blew me away.  It is not a retelling, and it is so much more than a fantasy story about a girl who is a siren.  It discusses racism, sexism, and so much more.  
2. 
2. Best sequel you've read so far in 2020. 
1. Rage & Ruin by Jennifer L. Armentrout.  
1. This is the second book in The Harbinger Series, and this world is a spin off of my favorite series ever.  This is shaping up to be my second favorite.  I love the characters, the world, and the author.
2. 
3. New release you haven't read yet, but want to. 
1. Jane Anonymous by Laurie Faria Stolarz.  
1. I got a surprise ARC of this in the mail, but I haven't gotten to it yet.  It came out in January, but I tend to catch up on reading my physical books in the summer when I spend more time outside reading
2. 
4. Most anticipated release for the second half of the year. - I have a few:
1. Escaping Ordinary by Scott Reintgen
2. The Brightest Night by Jennifer L. Armentrout
3. Hollowpox: The Hunt for Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend
4. Return of the Thief by Megan Whalen Turner
5. Biggest disappointment.  
1. The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix.  
1. This was so hyped up and on the surface looks like something I love.  It's got humor, Stephen King level weirdness and horror, and vampires.  I love all those things in a book, except for a book about vampires, this really fell flat for me.  There was too much of the Stepford Wives overtone and not enough vampire.  This one is going to be hit or miss for people and it was a miss for me.
2. 
6. Biggest surprise. I have two:
1. The Scent Keeper by Erica Bauerneuster.  
1. I wasn't sure I'd like this, but it was a Reese Witherspoon pick and those tend to be pretty good.  While this doesn't have magic, it almost has a magical realism feel for parts of the book.
2. 
2. The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline.  
1. This book was so interesting.  Dystopian books are hit or miss with me but I loved the unique premise of this.  I also loved how much the author put herself and the culture of the indigenous people of North American into this book.  I couldn't stop listening to the audiobook. 
2. 
7. Favourite new author. (Debut or new to you) .
1. Sarah Gailey.  
1. I highly recommend their work, and I'm slowly making my way through their backlist.  They have a unique writing style that I really enjoy, and there is always a diverse cast of characters.  
8. Newest fictional crush. 
1. I am not a fan of this question. I don't really the do whole book boyfriend thing.  If you want men that don't suck read any of the Smartypants Romance books.  There is a good mix of characters for all types of readers.  
9. Newest favorite character.
1. Ava from Dear Ava by Ilsa Madden Mills
1. This book deals with some heavy subject matter but Ava deals with all the crap that is thrown at her with poise and a strength that most people don't have.  Knox would be a good answer for the previous question.
2. 
10. Book that made you cry. 
1. I don't think I've read one this year.  I've read some pretty emotional books that have covered some fairly heavy topics, but I went through my read list and none of them brought me to tears.
11. Book that made you happy. 
1. Girl Code: Gaming, Going Viral, and Getting it Done by Andrea Gonzales and Sophie Houser
1. This is a great non-fiction book about high school girls learning to code.  As a high schooler I would have loved to have had the opportunity that Andrea and Sophie had to learn about coding and technology.  I entered into engineering with some support but not at the same level they did.  This book made me happy to know that girls are getting the support they need to enter STEM fields and close the gender gap.
2. 
12. Favorite book to film adaptation you saw this year. 
1. Honestly I don't think I've seen one this year.  I just listened to Bird Box on audio and I want to see the movie but I don't have Netflix.
13. Favourite review you've written this year.
1. Black Tangled Heart by Samantha Young
1. This book was an emotional rollercoaster.  I really loved it!
2. 
14. Most beautiful book you've bought so far this year (or received) 
1. From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout
1. This is Jen's first foray into Fantasy and was a surprise release in March.  It is fairly long so I haven't picked it up yet, but I know I won't be able to put it down once I do.
2. 
2. What books do you need to read by the end of the year?
1. As is the usual trend I have a ton! I have 3 prompts to finish up for the Book Riot Read Harder Challenge, 20 prompts left for the Popsugar Reading Challenge. I'm doing really well on my challenge reading, and I've got a list of ARCs to read and review. I'll list a few of the ARCs that are coming out in the near future:
1. Unearthed by Marc Mulero (July 26, 2020)
2. 
3. Where Dreams Descend by Janella Angeles (August 25, 2020)
4. 
   
   
   



Original post Chami and Ely at A Book So Fathomless. Original Vlogs IsThatChami and Earl Grey Books.

COVER REVEAL: Much Ado About You by Samantha Young

Samantha Young has revealed the cover for Much Ado About You!

Releasing: February 2, 2021

The cozy comforts of an English village bookstore open up a world of new possibilities for Evie Starling in this charming new romantic comedy from New York Times bestselling author Samantha Young.

At thirty-three-years old Evangeline Starling's life in Chicago is missing that special something. And when she's passed over for promotion at work, Evie realizes she needs to make a change. Some time away to regain perspective might be just the thing. In a burst of impulsivity, she plans a holiday in a quaint English village. The holiday package comes with a temporary position at Much Ado About Books, the bookstore located beneath her rental apartment. There's no better dream vacation for the bookish Evie, a life-long Shakespeare lover.

Not only is Evie swept up in running the delightful store as soon as she arrives, she's drawn into the lives, loves and drama of the friendly villagers. Including Roane Robson, the charismatic and sexy farmer who tempts Evie every day with his friendly flirtations. Evie is determined to keep him at bay because a holiday romance can only end in heartbreak, right? But Evie can't deny their connection and longs to trust in her handsome farmer that their whirlwind romance could turn in to the forever kind of love.

Pre-order your copy today!

Amazon: https:/bit.ly/MAAYus

Apple: https://apple/MAAYibook

Nook: https://bit.ly/MAAYnook

Kobo: https://bit.ly/MAAYkobo

Google Play: https://bit.ly/MAAYgoogle

Add to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44234221-much-ado-about-you

Meet Samantha

Samantha is a Scottish bookworm whose dream of having a writing career came true. Thanks to readers her books have hit the New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestseller lists and several of her books have been nominated for Goodreads Choice Awards. She writes adult contemporary and paranormal romance, YA urban fantasy and YA contemporary fiction. Currently published in 28 languages in 30 countries, Samantha is a #1 international bestselling author.

Connect with Samantha

Website

Amazon

Goodreads

Bookbub

Facebook 

Facebook Reader Group

Instagram

Twitter

Pinterest

Review: Engagement and Espionage by Penny Reid

Engagement and Espionage by Penny Reid
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was hilarious.  I was provided an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I would say that this is not a standalone.  You should read Cletus and Jenn's story [book:Beard Science|23337872] before reading this book.  There are events from that book that carry over into this book and you'll kind of be left wondering what is going on if you haven't Beard Science yet.  You don't really need to read the rest of the Winston Brothers Series to read this though, but I highly recommend that you read them all because they are awesome!  If you love Cletus and Jenn in Beard Science then you should definitely read this!  This picks up shortly after that ends and is just more of Cletus and Jenn.

Jenn is working at the bakery and determined to make the changes she said she'd make in her life.  Everytime she gets a second alone with Cletus, her mother calls with some sort of emergency.  All of her suppliers for the bakery are either retiring, or their livestock have been attacked and can't produce any longer.  After Jenn's mother ends up in the hospital, Jenn is determined to figure out what is going on since everything seems to point back to her father and the bakery.  Jenn's father, Kip, is a big old JERK, but she isn't going to let his hurtful way deter her from finding out who hurt her mom and the people who have supplied the bakery.  She and Cletus are determined to undermine her father's plans and set things to rights.

I won't spoil the mystery because as a fan of thrillers I hate when that happens.  This is a super cozy mystery with some of my favorite characters.  If you are a cozy mystery fan and also love the Winston's, you are going to love this.  I'm so excited that we are getting more books in this world from Penny's own hand.  The mystery part was a bit silly, but it's a cozy mystery so that is kind of expected.  Cletus and Jenn were awesome as they continue to explore their relationship in a healthy way.  There are some really hilarious lines in this book and some really sweet ones.  I can't wait for the next one!

View all my reviews

Blog Tour: The Queen: A Wicked Novella by Jennifer L. Armentrout

The Queen, the all-new captivating, highly anticipated novella in the Wicked Series by #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout is available now!

From #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout comes the next installment in her Wicked series.

The King must have his Queen....

Bestowed the forbidden Summer’s Kiss by the King of the Summer fae, Brighton Jussier is no longer just human. What she is, what she will become, no one knows for sure, but that isn’t her biggest concern at the moment. Now Caden, the King, refuses to let her go, even at the cost of his Court. When the doorway to the Otherworld is breached, both Brighton and Caden must do the unthinkable—not just to survive themselves, but also to save mankind from the evil that threatens the world.

Download your copy today!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3bURbk3

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/queenwicked

Amazon Paperback: https://amzn.to/2yp6wLV

Add THE QUEEN to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3e8oz8r

Download The Summer King Bundle including: The Prince, The King and The Queen:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2OfodlF Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/thesummerking Amazon Paperback: https://amzn.to/3iPb8x

Excerpt:

My heart squeezed painfully, and I closed my eyes. So much had happened since I woke up, no longer chained to what I believed would be my tomb. I’d just remembered what Aric had insinuated. That a Summer fae had been aiding him. I needed to tell Caden this. Not only that, I was still trying to process everything that had happened with Aric, what had come before that and after. And just an hour ago, I’d felt a sense of hope for the first time since Aric had taken me. The feeling had nearly stolen my breath. Caden loved me. He’d ended his arranged engagement for me, but the awe-inspiring part was that I could still feel attraction and love after being trapped by Aric. The pain and the humiliation and the god-awful fear hadn’t stolen the capability to desire, want, or love from me. Realizing that was life-altering. I knew that I could move on from what Aric had done, even if doing so took days or months or years. And I knew that Caden would be waiting for me, no matter how long it took. That hope had crashed and burned spectacularly when Tatiana, the would-be Queen of the Summer Court, sat right where Luce was sitting now and explained what would happen if Caden didn’t marry a fae of the Summer Court. A King must choose a Queen to bear the next generation. Without doing so, the entire Summer Court would be weakened, and so would Caden. He would be dethroned, ostracized, and unprotected. Although he would no longer be a King, his blood still could be used by the Winter Court to commit unimaginable horror. Not only that, if what Tatiana claimed was true, the entire Court’s fertility rate would continue to decrease until the entire race died out. Caden must have known all of that when he ended the engagement with Tatiana. And while that was overwhelming in a way I had little experience with, it was also terrifying. Because without the Summer fae fighting back against the Winter fae, mankind would fall. The Order I worked for wouldn’t be able to hold them back. It wasn’t just the future of the Summer Court that relied on the King choosing his Queen. The entire world did as well. I’d always dreamed about the kind of love where someone was willing to risk everything. I never thought I’d be on the receiving end of it, but I wanted it—wanted it so damn badly. But was that kind of love worth everything? The downfall of the Summer Court? Mankind? I shuddered as the back of my nose burned. A part of me wanted to scream that yes it was, but could I really live with myself—live happily ever after for however long Caden and I had—while the world fell apart around us? Until the Winter Court came for him, and he wasn’t able to fight them off? Could Caden really live with that? He might think so now, but months and years from now? I didn’t think so. I knew I couldn’t.

About Jennifer L. Armentrout

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

Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Tor, HarperCollins Avon and William Morrow, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her Wicked Series has been optioned by PassionFlix. Jennifer has won numerous awards, including the 2013 Reviewers Choice Award for Wait for You, the 2015 Editor’s Pick for Fall With Me, and the 2014/2015 Moerser-Jugendbuch- Jury award for Obsidian. Her young adult romantic suspense novel DON’T LOOK BACK was a 2014 nominated Best in Young Adult Fiction by YALSA. Her adult romantic suspense novel TILL DEATH was a Amazon Editor’s Pick and iBook Book of the Month. Her young adult contemporary THE PROBLEM WITH FOREVER is a 2017 RITA Award Winner in Young Adult Fiction. She also writes Adult and New Adult contemporary and paranormal romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

She is the owner of ApollyCon and The Origin Event, the successful annual events that features over a hundred bestselling authors in Young Adult, New Adult, and Adult Fiction, panels, parties, and more.

Connect with Jennifer L. Armentrout

Facebook: http://bit.ly/2xSL7u5

Instagram: @jennifer_l_armentrout http://bit.ly/33GWn8R

Twitter: @JLArmentroutnews http://bit.ly/2QvDYpT

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3dnOSIi

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2U5Jemy

BookBub: http://bit.ly/2U2Fe63

Stay up to date with Jennifer by joining her mailing list: https://bit.ly/2qBce5m

Website: https://jenniferlarmentrout.com

For More information about 1001 Dark Nights Visit Facebook: https://bit.ly/37fl0uT Instagram: https://bit.ly/2Y7uBQp Website: https://bit.ly/2AIIr3A Stay up to date on all 1001 Dark Nights releases, join their mailing list today! https://bit.ly/2zgxaHu

Release Blitz: The Queen: A Wicked Novella by Jennifer L. Armentrout

The King must have his Queen....

The Queen, the all-new thrilling, action packed novella in the Wicked Series by #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout is available now!

From #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout comes the next installment in her Wicked series.

The King must have his Queen....

Bestowed the forbidden Summer’s Kiss by the King of the Summer fae, Brighton Jussier is no longer just human. What she is, what she will become, no one knows for sure, but that isn’t her biggest concern at the moment. Now Caden, the King, refuses to let her go, even at the cost of his Court. When the doorway to the Otherworld is breached, both Brighton and Caden must do the unthinkable—not just to survive themselves, but also to save mankind from the evil that threatens the world.

Download your copy today!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3bURbk3

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/queenwicked

Amazon Paperback: https://amzn.to/2yp6wLV

Add THE QUEEN to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3e8oz8r

Binge the entire series today!

Download The Summer King Bundle including: The Prince, The King and The Queen:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2OfodlF Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/thesummerking Amazon Paperback: https://amzn.to/3iPb8xv

About Jennifer L. Armentrout

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

Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Tor, HarperCollins Avon and William Morrow, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her Wicked Series has been optioned by PassionFlix. Jennifer has won numerous awards, including the 2013 Reviewers Choice Award for Wait for You, the 2015 Editor’s Pick for Fall With Me, and the 2014/2015 Moerser-Jugendbuch- Jury award for Obsidian. Her young adult romantic suspense novel DON’T LOOK BACK was a 2014 nominated Best in Young Adult Fiction by YALSA. Her adult romantic suspense novel TILL DEATH was a Amazon Editor’s Pick and iBook Book of the Month. Her young adult contemporary THE PROBLEM WITH FOREVER is a 2017 RITA Award Winner in Young Adult Fiction. She also writes Adult and New Adult contemporary and paranormal romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

She is the owner of ApollyCon and The Origin Event, the successful annual events that features over a hundred bestselling authors in Young Adult, New Adult, and Adult Fiction, panels, parties, and more.

Connect with Jennifer L. Armentrout

Facebook: http://bit.ly/2xSL7u5

Instagram: @jennifer_l_armentrout http://bit.ly/33GWn8R

Twitter: @JLArmentroutnews http://bit.ly/2QvDYpT

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3dnOSIi

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2U5Jemy

BookBub: http://bit.ly/2U2Fe63

Stay up to date with Jennifer by joining her mailing list: https://bit.ly/2qBce5m

Website: https://jenniferlarmentrout.com

For More information about 1001 Dark Nights Visit Facebook: https://bit.ly/37fl0uT Instagram: https://bit.ly/2Y7uBQp Website: https://bit.ly/2AIIr3A Stay up to date on all 1001 Dark Nights releases, join their mailing list today! https://bit.ly/2zgxaHu

RELEASE BLITZ: Engagement and Espionage by Penny Reid

Engagement and Espionage, an all-new fun and witty cozy mystery featuring The Winston Brother fan favorites Jenn and Cletus Winston from New York Times bestselling author Penny Reid is available now!

Jennifer Sylvester made her deal with the devil . . . and now they’re engaged!

But all is not well in Green Valley. A chicken choker is on the loose, 61 dead birds most "fowl" need plucking, and no time remains for Jennifer and her devilish fiancé. Desperate to find a spare moment together, Jenn and Cletus’s attempts to reconnect are thwarted by one seemingly coincidental disaster after another. It’s not long before Cletus and Jenn see a pattern emerge and the truth becomes clear.

Sabotage!

Will an undercover mission unmask the culprit? Or are these love-birds totally plucked?

'Engagement and Espionage' is the first book in the Solving for Pie: Cletus and Jenn Mysteries series, is a full-length cozy mystery, and is a spin-off of Penny Reid's Winston Brothers series. This novel is best read after 'Beard Science,' Winston Brothers #3.

Download your copy today!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3auZzqI Apple Books: https://apple.co/33ONMAK Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/engagementespionage Nook: https://bit.ly/3dvV8hf Kobo: https://bit.ly/2wxWreY Google Play: https://bit.ly/3aqIT3h

Add ENGAGEMENT AND ESPIONAGE to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/2UoVpea

Meet Penny Reid

Penny Reid is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today Best Selling Author of the Winston Brothers, Knitting in the City, Rugby, and Hypothesis series. She used to spend her days writing federal grant proposals as a biomedical researcher, but now she just writes books. She’s also a full time mom to three diminutive adults, wife, daughter, knitter, crocheter, sewer, general crafter, and thought ninja.

Connect with Penny

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PennyReidWriter/ Amazon: http://amzn.to/2lakzsD Twitter: @ReidRomance Mailing List: http://pennyreid.ninja/newsletter/ www.pennyreid.ninja

Reading Rush 2020 TBR

It is that time of year again for The Reading Rush.  You can check out The Reading Rush's website or channel for all of the details.  This year's challenge run's from July 20-26th.  There are always 7 challenge prompts, and you can do the challenge however you like.  All types of media count, so ebooks, audiobooks, comics, graphic novels, or whatever you consider reading fits.  You can read 7 things or you can double up on things so you fill all 7 prompts.  You can also deviate from your TBR and no

Check out their website for forums, merchandise, badges, and all the information you need for the challenge.  It is a fun challenge and a mid-year push to read some things already on my TBR.  While this is mainly a vlog based challenge I like to participate in the TBR and wrap up portions as well as the instagram challenges.  There is no pressure to participate, and the forums are a fun way to participate with other book lovers.

This year's group read is Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid.  I've already read it, and highly recommend the audiobook.  If you want to know what I thought you can see my review here.

Like last year I am planning read 7 things in 7 days.  I purchased Amazon's Forward Collection, which consists of 6 individual sci-fi books by authors I already really enjoy.  Several of them fit prompts this year and since they are all under 100 pages they are perfect for a read-a-thon.  I could probably read the whole collection if I wanted.  I've been rediscovering my love of sci-fi over the last few months and this is the perfect time to read these.

The challenges and what I plan to read:  

1. Read a book with a cover that matches the colour of your birth stone.
1. Randomize by Andy Weir
2. My birthstone is amethyst, and the cover of this one looks purple on my kindle.
2. Read a book that starts with the word “The”.
1. The Red Threads of Fortune by JY Yang
2. I read the first book last year and really loved it.  It has a diverse cast of characters and a really interesting fantasy storyline.  I'll likely be going with the audiobook of this one because it is only a few hours and I can listen to it while I'm at work and doing other stuff.
3. Read a book that inspired by a movie you’ve already seen.
1. Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang which inspired Arrival
2. I've been meaning to read the short story after watching the movie.  I plan on reading the entire collection of short stories.
4. Read the first book you touch.
1. I'm not sure how I'm going to do this yet.  I have another prompt on my Popsugar list that is basically the same challenge.  I've got a ton of books on my physical bookshelves that I can use, but they are all pretty long.  Since most of my other books are short this gives me a little more room for a longer book.  I'll probably post the something on instagram closer to the challenge on what I picked.
5. Read a book completely outside of your house. 
1. Emergency Skin by NK Jemison
2. This is around 30 pages so it shouldn't be a problem for me to read it outside of my house.  I have a really nice front porch and backyard  that will work nicely if I can't get away from home because of coronavirus.
6. Read a book in a genre that you’ve always wanted to read more of. 
1. I have a read harder challenge to read a play so this kills 2 prompts with one "book".  Plays are something I never read and this one has won a ton of awards.
2. How I Learned to Drive by Paula Vogel
7. Read a book that takes place on a different continent than where you live.
1. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley.  
2. I've had the audiobook of this for quite a while now, and this is a great time to read this classic.

Review: The Safe Place by Anna Downes

The Safe Place by Anna Downes
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was a perfect summer thriller.  It was engaging, the pace was good, and while I did find it predictable I still thoroughly enjoyed it!   This will be published on July 14, 2020.

This alternates between three perspectives Emily a down on her luck actress who can't seem to hold a job, Scott a powerful businessman who seems to have everything all figured out, and Nina's diary entries which give us insight into events of the past.  I found Emily to be annoying at times because she seemed unrealistically gullible, naive, confused by the simplest of task, and the ability to make every bad choice presented to her.  This was all blamed on a bad childhood she can't remember, despite being saved from said childhood and raised with solid, loving adoptive parents from a very young age.  Scott and Nina were very much in love at one point, but they live apart much of the time.  Nina raises their sick daughter and is working restoring their French home with grand plans to turn it into a vacation home of sorts while Scott funds her escapades from England.  Nina is lonely and needs help with the restoration and upkeep of the property, so when Emily is conveniently fired as a temp from Scott's company, her acting career goes belly up, Scott swoops in with an offer she can't refuse.  Desperate to make some cash, Emily finds herself taking a position as a housekeeper, groundskeeper, jack of all trades, and possibly aupair to help Nina with whatever she needs.  Emily finds herself immediately drawn to Nina and her daughter Aurelia and in love with the French home.  Everytime she finds something amiss she dismisses it as something she doesn't understand or part of Aurelia's illness.

The more the story unfolds the more Emily starts to see that something strange is happening at the house.  Determined to unravel the mystery, she sets out to find out the truth behind all of the weird things that have happened since she arrived in France.  What she discovers is more than she expected, and hits closer to her own story than she planned.

Thank you to Minotaur Books for sending me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

View all my reviews

Review: The Queen by Jennifer L. Armentrout

The Queen by Jennifer L. Armentrout
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC in exchange for an honest review.  This will be released on Tuesday July 14, 2020.  There will also be a bindup available with all 3 novellas in the series.  

While each of the books in the 1001 Dark Nights offerings is a standalone, I would recommend reading the previous novellas in the series so you understand what is going on.  I don't think you need to read the main Wicked series to read the novellas, Jen does a good job giving you enough information in [book:The Prince|37531545] to get you set up for this storyline.  I do believe this is the final installment of books in the world and series, however the ending does leave things open ended.  I wouldn't be upset if we got more from this world.  

This picks up where [book:The King|41142454] leaves off.  Brighton has just returned from her ordeal with Aric and has to deal with the trauma she experienced there.  She also has to deal with learning that Caden is the King and how their relationship with impact the Summer Court.  Both Brighton and Caden want to do the right thing, but in doing so they both leave out important details when they are talking to one another.  As you can imagine this miscommunication or lack thereof leads to some tense situations.  Brighton is dealing with physical, emotional, and mental stressors.  She's just learned a whole bunch of surprising information and is trying to figure out what the best thing is to do for herself, her relationship with Caden, and the fate of the world.  In the meantime the members of the Order and the Summer Court are out looking for Aric's right hand man Neal and still trying to prevent the evil Fey queen from crossing over and causing more destruction.  Once Brighton and Caden get their relationship status on the same page, they have to deal with more unrest at Hotel Good Fae.  I don't want to spoil too much of the story because it is a novella and quite a bit happens in a short amount of pages.  This is not as action driven as the rest of the series, and is more character driven as things wrap up.

I really enjoyed this novella trilogy as a whole.  I really loved getting to know Brighton and watching her develop as a character and the same goes with Caden.  Brighton plays a small role in the main Wicked series, but in the novellas she is the main character and very much shines, no pun intended.  We also get to know Caden as he takes his role as the King of the Summer Court aka the good Fey in these novellas, where he was kind of the bad guy in the main series.  He's got some pretty aww inducing quotes in this little book.  Then we have everyone's favorite side character Tink.  Tink is pretty much the best character in the series and I'm glad he's back in this installment.

View all my reviews

Review: Cinderella Is Dead by Kalynn Bayronn

Cinderella Is Dead by Kalynn Bayron
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.  This was published on July 7, 2020.

If you like twisted tales and retellings, you need to give this a go.  I really enjoyed this take on Cinderella.  It isn't anything like the fairy tale we are all used to.  It does however read like many other YA fantasy novels out there.  This has a diverse cast of characters and takes on some serious issues.  

Sophia doesn't want to live by the kingdoms rules for women.  She doesn't want to  attend the ball and be chosen by a man to marry and serve.  In fact she wants to run away with her best friend and live happily ever after with her.  Unfortunately, the kingdom doesn't support same sex relationships, women have a curfew, and they are the property of their fathers or husbands until they die.  Sophia doesn't want to pretend to be happy in this type of life, and when the ball that Cinderella herself found her Prince is at hand she finds herself faced with an opportunity to escape for good.  Sophia encounters Constance, a distant relative of one of the "evil stepsisters" and learns that the tale of Cinderella may not be entirely true and the laws that the King has imposed may not be what Cinderella wanted for her subjects.  Determined to stop the King for good they seek out the Fairy Godmother to find out what the true story of the famed Cinderella really was and if there is a way to save the kingdom from the tyrant King.

This does lack the world building you expect from a fantasy or fairy tale.  While the setting is not that important to the story,   It also lacks the character development I expected from a book that takes on such important topics.  Our main character, Sophia, is set in her ways from the very beginning and that never changes.  I appreciate that she never loses focus on taking down the patriarchy and never stops fighting against the wrongs that are done to the women of the town.  She is immature and impulsive throughout, but I would have liked to see her develop a little bit of maturity throughout her adventures.  While the plot was a bit predictable, especially if you've read a ton of YA fantasy like I have, I still enjoyed this.  Cinderella is one of my favorite fairy tales and I really liked how the author spun this.  I also really liked how she took on the social issues.

View all my reviews

Cover Reveal: Always Crew by Tijan

Always Crew, the all-new, highly anticipated conclusion of the Crew series by New York Times bestselling author Tijan, is releasing August 25th, and we have the incredible cover!

For the longest time, I was Bren Monroe. I lived in Roussou, California. I had no parents, no brother, but I had a crew.

Then things started to change. I never planned for any of it. I didn’t think I’d fall in love. I didn’t think I’d have a relationship with my brother again. I didn’t think that he’d come back.

Now I’m in Cain. My crew is in college. They’re growing, going through their own things. And here I am, figuring out my life.

There’s always hurdles and obstacles to overcome. That was never my hardship. That was my regular. But living? Being content? Being happy? Those were my challenges now.

Everything was going well… Until it wasn’t. Again.

A/N: Always Crew is the conclusion of the Crew Series, and a 106k novel.

Pre-order your copy today!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3if3T1q Apple Books: https://apple.co/2BN6H5h Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/alwayscrew Nook: https://bit.ly/2ZAggNd Kobo: https://bit.ly/2YKEC7K Amazon Paperback: https://amzn.to/2BOv7Lx

Add ALWAYS CREW to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/2BkteWY

To celebrate, Tijan is giving away a $50 Gift Card! Click here to enter → https://bit.ly/38xXI4d

Cover Designers: Hang Le and TJ Designs

About Tijan

Tijan is a New York Times Bestselling author that writes suspenseful and unpredictable novels. Her characters are strong, intense, and gut-wrenchingly real with a little bit of sass on the side. Tijan began writing later in life and once she started, she was hooked. She’s written multi-bestsellers including the Carter Reed Series, the Fallen Crest Series, and the Broken and Screwed Series among others. She is currently writing a new YA series along with so many more from north Minnesota where she lives with a man she couldn’t be without and an English Cocker she adores.

Connect with Tijan

Amazon: https://amzn.to/30oxe0f Facebook:http://bit.ly/2vreAub Twitter: http://bit.ly/2Vx4DpD Instagram: http://bit.ly/2PyLhwy Reader Group: http://bit.ly/38bz8nQ Audiomen Group: https://bit.ly/3bFFKgB Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2EcGBqB

Review: Home Before Dark by Riley Sager

Home Before Dark by Riley Sager
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I think this is my favorite book of Sager’s so far!  I really loved this!

I was provided an ARC via Edelweiss+ in exchange for an honest review.  This book was published yesterday, June 30, 2020 and I highly recommend it.

Every house has a story, and boy does Baneberry Hall have a story to tell.  Maggie Holt has just inherited the famed mansion after her father's death.  She spent only a few weeks there as a child, but  she has no real memories of her time there as a five year old girl.  Her memories are supplied by the book her father wrote, House of Horrors, a nonfiction account of her family's time spent in the house.  All grown up, a designer and house flipper, Maggie is determined to clean up Baneberry Hall and sell it, and in the process find out what really happened so she can prove that "the book" is all lies and get rid of it from her life once and for all.

As I said initially, I think this is my favorite of [author:Riley Sager|15263414]'s four books to date.  I've enjoyed the other three, but there was just something about this one that really kept my attention.  This book is told in what I would call mixed media format.  It alternates between Maggie's perspective, and excerpts from "the book".  The chapters from Maggie's perspective are present day, while the chapters from the book give you a past tense version of what happen when the Holt's stayed in Baneberry Hall the first time.  The longer Maggie stays in the house and investigates her past, the more she comes to realize that some of the things that her father wrote about actually did happen.  This leads her and the reader to wonder, is Baneberry Hall really haunted?  I really liked how Sager misleads the reader several times before revealing what is really going on.  I thought I had it figured out a few times, but then he revealed something that completely busted my theory.  I think I was just as confused as Maggie was at times, and I really love that in a thriller.

I thought the pacing was good.  Maggie's POV has a slightly slower pace than the sections from Ewan's (her dad's) book, which is a little faster paced.  While this has a good many side characters, the house itself is the character that shines the most.  While Maggie and Ewan tell the story and have the majority of the experiences in the house, the house itself provides not only the backdrop but the atmosphere for everything that happens.  Without Baneberry Hall and all it's creepy vibes, there would be no story.  If you like suspenseful thrillers with a paranormal element give this a go.  I loved every moment I spent with this book and I can't wait for more from this author.

View all my reviews