Currently Reading – What we’ve been reading this week – 11-17-24

SHE CAN'T EVER BOND DUE TO A CURSE...

"...I'm a shifter who can never bond with a pack. Not if I want to live. The day I watched my mom's pack destroy her, was the day I knew I had to run from the shifter cities. Mom and I share the same designation, which means we'll share the same fate. For ten years I hide from the cities and the alphas who control them. Until my luck runs out.

Dragged to Golden Claw against my will, they charge me as a rogue. I'm facing death until one of the strongest alphas in the city scents me as his match. Scents me... and claims me. Even worse? He's part of the most powerful pack of alphas the cities have ever seen..."

Nancy: Just finished A Curse of Fate by Jaymin Eve… loved it! Now starting Quicksilver by Callie Hart.

BOOK #2 IN THIS TRILOGY!!

"From the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of the genre-breaking international TikTok sensation Butcher & Blackbird comes the second book in the Ruinous Love Trilogy—a hate-to-love dark romantic comedy packed with danger, chaos, and heat."

"...Contract killer Lachlan Kane wants a quiet life working in his leather studio and forgetting all about his traumatic past. But when he botches a job for his boss’s biggest client, Lachlan knows he’ll never claw his way out of the underworld.

At least, not until songbird Lark Montague offers him a deal: use his skills to hunt down a killer and she’ll find a way to secure his freedom. The catch? He has to marry her first.

And they can’t stand each other...."

Michelle: Leather & Lark. Loving it

THE LATEST BY ABBI GLINES!!! SHE'S THE REASON BEHIND HIS WORST NIGHTMARE...

"...She was the cause of what had left me with this raging agony, and yet, the balm that eased my soul. Still, I can never forgive the destruction she caused me and those I love.

I had become a mockery of my revenge because holding her at night while she slept was the only thing keeping me sane. She’ll pay the price through my cruelty, never knowing that while she dreams, I find my solace.

My story begins with my worst nightmare. And she’s the reason behind all of it..."

Bobbie Jo: I read it early this morning. I love it ❤️❤️❤️

ONE OF MY 4.5-STAR FAVORITES!! Here's my review.

Braden Carmichael is used to getting what he wants, and he's determined to get Jocelyn into his bed. He knows she has a past, one that has made her skittish about getting into a relationship, so he proposes an arrangement that will satisfy their intense attraction without any strings attached.

But after an intrigued Jocelyn accepts, Braden decides he won't be satisfied with just mind-blowing passion. The stubborn Scotsman is intent on truly knowing her...down to the very soul.

Patricia: Re reading On Dublin Street for the 12th time!! Still Love it.

Tessa: I finished On Dublin Street yesterday and I’m still in a book fog. I did the whole hug the book to your chest, grin huge, and dance thing right after reading it. What took me so long to get to it?

Jean: Tessa, loved On Dublin Street and entire series for that matter so I get it!

SHE'S BEEN RELEASED FROM PRISON... "...Everyone in her daughter’s life is determined to shut Kenna out, no matter how hard she works to prove herself. The only person who hasn’t closed the door on her completely is Ledger Ward, a local bar owner and one of the few remaining links to Kenna’s daughter..."

Cristina: My #1 at the moment is Reminders of Him from Colleen Hoover. That one is still with me. 

Michele G: I really liked it. It felt like “old school” Colleen Hoover to me.

Lisa: ...It tore my heart out and put it back together.

COMEDY ROMANCE!!

"A story of second chances and new beginnings, this is a love letter to books—and a love letter to life

Still reeling from a recent tragedy, Erin Connolly knows she needs to start living, but has no idea how. When she accidentally donates her favorite book—a heavily annotated copy of To Kill a Mockingbird containing a memento she can’t be without—to a local little community library, she’s devastated. But then the book turns up a week later, back in the library with fresh notes in the margins, along with an invitation in a copy of Great Expectations to meet her newfound pen pal.

A life-changing conversation, written only in the margins of beloved classic books, begins between Erin and her Mystery Man..."

Lisa: Just finished The Book Swap by Tessa Bickers. It was really good!!

THE LATEST BY CATHARINA MAURA!! THEY MAKE A DEAL...

"...When the man she's always been in love with starts dating one of her friends, artist Serenity Adesina creates a to-do list that will help her get over him once and for all. The first item on that list? Losing her virginity to Archer Harrison, her older brother's billionaire best friend…and her boss.

He's the perfect choice—alluring, caring, and entirely emotionally unavailable. Their deal was supposed to be simple: Serenity will paint Archer anything he wants in return for a secret, no-strings-attached relationship. Except each kiss leaves them both wanting more..."

SHE CAN'T EVER BOND DUE TO A CURSE...

"...I'm a shifter who can never bond with a pack. Not if I want to live. The day I watched my mom's pack destroy her, was the day I knew I had to run from the shifter cities. Mom and I share the same designation, which means we'll share the same fate. For ten years I hide from the cities and the alphas who control them. Until my luck runs out.

Dragged to Golden Claw against my will, they charge me as a rogue. I'm facing death until one of the strongest alphas in the city scents me as his match. Scents me... and claims me. Even worse? He's part of the most powerful pack of alphas the cities have ever seen..."

Nancy: Just finished A Curse of Fate by Jaymin Eve… loved it! Now starting Quicksilver by Callie Hart.

HE'S BEEN HER CRUSH FOREVER... (P.S. I 4.5 STAR LOVED THIS ONE!! Here's my review)

"...Hanna Boudreaux has lived in the small town of Willow all her life. She’s sweet, cute and quiet. Hanna has a moment of epiphany when she realizes her crush for forever, Raiden Ulysses Miller, is not ever going to be hers. She sees her life as narrow and decides to do something about it.

Raiden Miller is the town’s local hero. A former Marine with the medal to prove his hero status, he comes home, shrouded in mystery. It takes a while, but eventually Hanna catches his eye..."

pamelia: God yes! I loved this book! I think it’s a measure of our trust in KA to actually savor those WTF moments when the heroes go off and say/do something UNFORGIVABLE — because we know that KA has the mad skills to bring it all around.

I really loved Hanna — how great to read such an open, honest, giving heroine and she wasn’t a doormat; she was so ready to stand up and get in his face. Loved her. Loved her great grandma and Spot too...

---> I ONE-CLICKED THIS SO HARD LAST WEEK WHEN IT WAS ON SALE!!! BACK ON THE LIST 'CAUSE READERS LOVE IT!!

Marriage of convenience between the vampire & the werewolf...

"...Misery has her own reasons to agree to this marriage of convenience, reasons that have nothing to do with politics or alliances, and everything to do with the only thing she's ever cared about. And she is willing to do whatever it takes to get back what’s hers, even if it means a life alone in Were territory…alone with the wolf."

Lisa: I just finished Bride by Ali Hazelwood!! Great suggestion. I may need to start reading Were/vampire books now. Highly recommend!!

Mona: I finished Bride by Ali Hazelwood this week. It was great! I highly recommend it to anyone that loves a good wolf shifter/vampire book. It’s not like any other shifter or vampire books I’ve ever read. I didn’t want to put it down and finished all 410 pages in two days. I didn’t want the story to end! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me!

Tiffany: Just finished Bride by Aly Hazelwood and really enjoyed it. Was tentative cause paranormal is not her normal genre, but the paranormal was light-ish and the slow burn/misunderstandings/chemistry was on point.

Aurelya: Just finished Ali Hazelwood’s Bride (audiobook version), and I loved it! It’s not her normal STEM books, but it’s just great. Highly recommend!

BOOK #2 IN THIS TRILOGY!!

"From the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of the genre-breaking international TikTok sensation Butcher & Blackbird comes the second book in the Ruinous Love Trilogy—a hate-to-love dark romantic comedy packed with danger, chaos, and heat."

"...Contract killer Lachlan Kane wants a quiet life working in his leather studio and forgetting all about his traumatic past. But when he botches a job for his boss’s biggest client, Lachlan knows he’ll never claw his way out of the underworld.

At least, not until songbird Lark Montague offers him a deal: use his skills to hunt down a killer and she’ll find a way to secure his freedom. The catch? He has to marry her first.

And they can’t stand each other...."

Michelle: Leather & Lark. Loving it

SOMEONE IS CHANGING THE BOOKS WITH BANNED BOOKS...

"...Lula has become a local celebrity by embarking on mission to rid the public libraries of all inappropriate books—none of which she’s actually read. To replace the “pornographic” books she’s challenged at the local public library, Lula starts her own lending library in front of her home: a cute wooden hutch with glass doors and neat rows of the worthy literature that she’s sure the town’s readers need.

What Lula doesn’t know is that a local troublemaker has stolen her wholesome books, removed their dust jackets, and restocked Lula’s library with banned books..."

Beth: I just finished Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books by Kirsten Miller. A little southern humor, a little social commentary. I highly recommend.

FREIDA MCFADDEN'S LATEST IS ----> THE #3 BOOK ON ALL OF AMAZON KINDLE RIGHT NOW!! PSYCH-THRILLER BLURB JOLT ALERT! SHE'S MET THE PERFECT MAN...

"She's looking for the perfect man. He's looking for the perfect victim.

...finally, she hits the jackpot. Her new boyfriend is utterly perfect. He's charming, handsome, and works as a doctor at a local hospital. Sydney is swept off her feet.

Then the brutal murder of a young woman―the latest in a string of deaths across the coast―confounds police. The primary suspect? A mystery man who dates his victims before he kills them. Sydney should feel safe. After all, she is dating the guy of her dreams. But she can’t shake her own suspicions that the perfect man may not be as perfect as he seems..."

Kimberly: Just finished The Boyfriend by Freida McFadden. Wasn’t expecting that ending!

BLURB JOLT!! SHE'S ON THEIR FLIGHT & THEY LEARN WHEN THEY'RE GOING TO DIE...

"If you knew your future, would you try to fight fate?

Aside from a delay, there will be no problems. The flight will be smooth, it will land safely. Everyone who gets on the plane will get off. But almost all of them will be forever changed.

Because on this ordinary, short, domestic flight, something extraordinary happens. People learn how and when they are going to die. For some, their death is far in the future—age 103!—and they laugh. But for six passengers, their predicted deaths are not far away at all..."

THE LATEST BY ILSA MADDEN-MILLS!!! THE CUPID MATCHMAKER & THE FOOTBALL STAR!

"...Her cupid outfit catches the eye of New York’s beloved star quarterback, Jasper Jannich. She and Jasper have always clashed, but when a pushy admirer goes too far, he steps in as an unexpected knight in shining armor.

He offers a tantalizing proposal: to be Cupid’s Arrow’s premier client. Reluctantly, Jane agrees, aware of the business potential despite her reservations about Jasper and his playboy reputation..."

THE LATEST BY ABBI GLINES!!! SHE'S THE REASON BEHIND HIS WORST NIGHTMARE...

"...She was the cause of what had left me with this raging agony, and yet, the balm that eased my soul. Still, I can never forgive the destruction she caused me and those I love.

I had become a mockery of my revenge because holding her at night while she slept was the only thing keeping me sane. She’ll pay the price through my cruelty, never knowing that while she dreams, I find my solace.

My story begins with my worst nightmare. And she’s the reason behind all of it..."

Bobbie Jo: I read it early this morning. I love it ❤️❤️❤️

ONE OF MY 4.5-STAR FAVORITES!! Here's my review.

Braden Carmichael is used to getting what he wants, and he's determined to get Jocelyn into his bed. He knows she has a past, one that has made her skittish about getting into a relationship, so he proposes an arrangement that will satisfy their intense attraction without any strings attached.

But after an intrigued Jocelyn accepts, Braden decides he won't be satisfied with just mind-blowing passion. The stubborn Scotsman is intent on truly knowing her...down to the very soul.

Patricia: Re reading On Dublin Street for the 12th time!! Still Love it.

Tessa: I finished On Dublin Street yesterday and I’m still in a book fog. I did the whole hug the book to your chest, grin huge, and dance thing right after reading it. What took me so long to get to it?

Jean: Tessa, loved On Dublin Street and entire series for that matter so I get it!

---> IT'S THE #1 BOOK ON ALL OF AMAZON'S TOP 100 KINDLE!!! HE'S ANTI-CHRISTMAS

"...all was going according to plan until my nemesis, Storee Taylor, moved in next door to care for her Aunt Cindy. Without blinking, she turned my simple world into a real nightmare-before-Christmas, especially when she decided to enter the town Christmas Kringle contest - which she was determined to win.

Well guess what? Over my cold-hearted body. There was no way I was going to let her win, not after the history we'd shared. So despite my promise to myself of never participating in the sickening Christmas season, I entered the competition as well..."

Cece: the audio (full cast) is AMAZING!!

Kristin Hannah's The Women—at once an intimate portrait of coming of age in a dangerous time and an epic tale of a nation divided.

The Women is the story of one woman gone to war, but it shines a light on all women who put themselves in harm’s way and whose sacrifice and commitment to their country has too often been forgotten. A novel about deep friendships and bold patriotism, The Women is a richly drawn story with a memorable heroine whose idealism and courage under fire will come to define an era.

Janet: I just finished Kristen Hannah’s ‘Women’. It was SO good

Lori: The Women by Kristin Hannah. I think this may be my top read this year. So far but I don’t think this will be easily surpassed. ...it’s the first book I have read from this author. If they are all this good, I’m in for a treat.

DUET CONCLUSION!

The Epic Conclusion to The USA TODAY BESTSELLING love story, The Boy & His Ribbon.

"...I was stupid to write down my secrets, but I’d been stupid before, so it was nothing new. I couldn’t blame him, hate him, fix him.

I tried to move on without him. But no matter what I did, I couldn’t seem to delete the secrets I’d written. Until something happened.Until he came back and read my stupid secrets. And nothing was the same after that..."

Stacy: Finished “The Boy and His Ribbon” and also “A Girl and Her Ren” last night and let me say….WOW……just…..there really are no words. Book hangover of your life. BEST OF 2018.

It has been years since a book gave me all the feels that this one did and these words still feel inadequate to describe this book…..so Ill just say this…..This book sneaks its way into your soul, grabs a hold, rips it out, and doesnt let go. I can tell it is one of those books that stays with you literally FOREVER.

DARK-HUNTER WORLD!!

"The world of the Dark-Hunters is unlike anything you’ve ever seen before. It’s dark. It’s gritty. It’s dangerous… And it’s a whole lot of unexpected action and snarky comebacks.

My name is Nick Gautier and I was born to end the world. Or so I thought. For years, I believed my destiny was beyond my control. But the Fates love to play with folks and I seem to be their favorite punchline.

Just when My crew and I thought we were done with the Apocalypse, the Fates had dragged back for another round..."