Happy Pub Day to this author!
My Big Fat Fake Marriage by Charlotte Stein
Thank you St. Martin’s Press for providing a copy of this book!
What books are you most excited for this week?
Happy Pub Day – March 11
Review: The Unexpected Heiress
Title: The Unexpected Heiress
Author: George Mallory
Genre: Contemporary, Adult Fiction
Publisher: GM Publications
Source: iRead Book Tours
Format: Ebook
Release Date: April 29, 2024
Rating: ★★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
She inherited a legacy of ambition, betrayal, longing and secrets.
In the shadow of Poisson Gold, a multi-billion-dollar gold mine conglomerate, a family’s legacy unravels in a compelling tale that dives deep into the human psyche.
At the helm of this empire stands the enigmatic Abe Silver, a concentration camp survivor whose past holds secrets as complex as his fortune. With his health failing, Abe’s last-minute will alters the course of history, leaving his daughter Ellie, a newly minted lawyer, to navigate a treacherous path to control the colossal riches.
As grieving Ellie grapples with the immense responsibility thrust upon her, she must confront not only the malignant opposition of her own family and the rigid glass ceiling, but also her deeply buried secret – her sexuality. Set against the backdrop of 2010, a time when LGBTQ+ acceptance was scarce, Ellie’s struggle to reconcile her personal truth with her public facade adds an extra layer of complexity to this riveting narrative.
Review:
This book is a suspenseful family drama about a wealthy mining family in Australia. There were some serious and intense scenes involving medical diagnoses and assaults. This tragic family saga proves that money can’t buy happiness, but it had an uplifting ending. If you like family dramas, this is the book for you!
The Unexpected Heiress is a tragic and intense family drama.
Thank you iRead Book Tours for providing a copy of this book as part of a paid campaign!
Content warnings: death of parent, death of grandparent, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, assault, hospital scenes
Have you read The Unexpected Heiress? What did you think of it?
Review: The Trouble with Anna
Title: The Trouble with Anna
Author: Rachel Griffiths
Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance
Publisher: Gallery Books
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback arc
Release Date: March 4, 2025
Rating: ★★★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
“Sizzling and stylish. I’ve never blushed or laughed so hard!” —Kass Morgan, author of The 100 series
A tart young woman and an arrogant lord collide in this flirty, sexy, and remarkably modern historical romance, perfect for fans of Bridgerton.
Anna didn’t intend to ride in a high-stakes horse race or start up a betting ring. She certainly didn’t mean to find herself in so many darkened corners with Lord Julian Ramsay, quarreling and kissing. But when her grandfather’s strange will stipulates that Anna must marry or she’ll be left broke, there’s nothing she won’t do to win her fight for independence. Even go head-to-head with Lord Ramsay, with her own heart as the prize.
Fans of the slow burn will devour this frenemies-to-lovers story perfect for fans of Sarah MacLean and Evie Dunmore.
Review:
This historical romance was so fun! Anna wanted her freedom and independence, but her grandfather forced her to marry in the terms of his will. Despite that, she still tried her best to earn her independence. I loved the banter between Anna and Julian. There were a couple of instances of miscommunication that were frustrating, but they made a cute couple.
The Trouble with Anna is a fun regency romance!
Thank you Simon and Schuster for sending me a copy of this book!
Content warnings: death, parental death (off page)
Have you read The Trouble with Anna? What did you think of it?
Review: The Kiss Bet, Vol. 1
Title: The Kiss Bet, Vol. 1
Author: Ingrid Ochoa
Genre: Graphic Novel, Young Adult, Romance
Publisher: Wattpad Books
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback
Release Date: February 25, 2025
Rating: ★★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
In this adorable coming-of-age comic for fans of To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before and Rainbow Rowell’s Pumpkinheads, Sara Lin has decided now is the time: she’s going to make her first kiss, something special and magical, happen.
It’s senior year and Sara Lin just turned eighteen. She’s got great friends, a cool dad (or so he thinks), and a whole lot ahead of her. The last thing she needs is to worry about having her first kiss.
But that’s all about to change because her good pal Patrick just challenged her to a bet that will either lead to love, heartbreak, or embarrassment…or maybe all three.
Sara Lin understands that her first kiss is a rite of passage, one that she takes very seriously, even if everyone around her doesn’t. She wants it to be special–true love’s kiss–and wants to fall for someone she really cares about, not just get it over with.
Along the way, as Sara explores her relationship options with three different boys…she discovers that life isn’t a fairytale and romance is inherently complex. It’s messy and complicated, but boy, it sure can be fun.
Review:
This graphic novel is so cute. I liked that all the characters had distinct appearances so I could tell them apart. This story had a kind of love square, instead of love triangle, between the boys who liked Sara and who she liked. The dynamics between the characters had some tension by the end of the story, so I’m excited to see what happens next!
The Kiss Bet, Vol. 1 is a great YA graphic novel!
Thank you Wattpad Books for sending me a copy of this book!
Have you read The Kiss Bet, Vol. 1? What did you think of it?
Review: Fable for the End of the World
Title: Fable for the End of the World
Author: Ava Reid
Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction, LGBTQ
Publisher: HarperCollins
Source: BookSparks
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: March 4, 2025
Rating: ★★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
The Last of Us meets The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes in this standalone dystopian romance about survival, sacrifice, and love that risks everything.
By encouraging massive accumulations of debt from its underclass, a single corporation, Caerus, controls all aspects of society.
Inesa lives with her brother in a half-sunken town where they scrape by running a taxidermy shop. Unbeknownst to Inesa, their cruel and indolent mother has accrued an enormous debt—enough to qualify one of her children for Caerus’s livestreamed assassination spectacle: the Lamb’s Gauntlet.
Melinoë is a Caerus assassin, trained to track and kill the sacrificial Lambs. The product of neural reconditioning and physiological alteration, she is a living weapon, known for her cold brutality and deadly beauty. She has never failed to assassinate one of her marks.
When Inesa learns that her mother has offered her as a sacrifice, at first she despairs—the Gauntlet is always a bloodbath for the impoverished debtors. But she’s had years of practice surviving in the apocalyptic wastes, and with the help of her hunter brother, she might stand a chance of staying alive.
For Melinoë, this is a game she can’t afford to lose. Despite her reputation for mercilessness, she is haunted by painful flashbacks. After her last Gauntlet, where she broke down on livestream, she desperately needs redemption.
As Mel pursues Inesa across the wasteland, both girls begin to question everything: Inesa wonders if there’s more to life than survival, while Mel wonders if she’s capable of more than killing.
And both wonder if, against all odds, they might be falling in love.
Review:
This book was such an intense and emotional story. There was tension between every character, mostly because they were fighting to survive. This dystopian world doesn’t seem that far from our future reality now, with the way things are changing. I wasn’t sure how the story would end because there were so many possible outcomes and most of them were tragic. I would love to revisit these characters in another book one day to see what happens next!
Fable for the End of the World is a thrilling dystopian read!
Thank you BookSparks for sending me a copy of this book as part of the Winter Reading Challenge!
Content warnings: death, animal death, suicide, fire, gun violence, knife violence
Have you read Fable for the End of the World? What did you think of it?
Review: Fast Times, Big City
Title: Fast Times, Big City
Author: Shelly Frome
Genre: Historical Fiction, Thriller
Publisher: BQB Publishing
Source: iRead Book Tours
Format: Paperback
Release Date: June 22, 2023
Rating: ★★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
Like most people, Bud Palmer felt this was just another day. Though the era was drawing to a close, he assumed his life as a sports columnist in the subtropics, in keeping with the benign fifties itself, would go on as predictable as ever. But that particular autumn morning he was thrust into a caper that was totally beyond him, forced him to leave Miami and take the train to Manhattan, and suddenly found everything in this restless “Big Apple” was up for grabs, on the brink, at a dicey turning point.
Review:
This was an interesting thriller. Bud had to hunt for an aspiring actress who had stolen an important briefcase from some gang members in Miami. I loved the world building. It really felt like I was in New York in the 1950s.
Fast Times, Big City is a suspenseful thriller!
Thank you iRead Book Tours for sending me a copy of this book for a paid campaign!
Have you read Fast Times, Big City? What did you think of it?
Happy Pub Day – March 4
Happy Pub Day to these authors!
The Trouble with Anna by Rachel Griffiths
Our Infinite Fates by Laura Steven
Snow White and the Dragon (or Sleeping Beauty and the Seven Dwarfs) by Kim Bussing
When the Bones Sing by Ginny Myers Sain
Love Points to You by Alice Lin
Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave by Elle Cosimano
Freaking Romance, Vol. 3 by Snailords
Fable for the End of the World by Ava Reid
Thank you Simon and Schuster, Wednesday Books, Penguin Teen Canada, Minotaur Books, Wattpad Books, and BookSparks for providing copies of these books!
What books are you most excited for this week?
Review: Mit Out Sound
Title: Mit Out Sound
Author: Rick Lenz
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Chromodroid Press
Source: iRead Book Tours
Format: Ebook
Release Date: February 25, 2025
Rating: ★★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
Would-be movie producer Emily Bennett didn’t believe the legend of a lost movie, starring James Dean and John Wayne. But when she meets two uncannily talented celebrity impersonators-Jimmy Riley and Tom “Duke” Manfredo, and stumbles upon the elusive film editor who stole the master negative of Showdown, it dispels her doubts, fills her with a courage she didn’t know she had, and she sets out to complete the movie.
But as Emily and her stars prepare for day one of shooting, they find themselves entangled in a complex love triangle with Oedipal undertones, mirroring their own past lives and off-screen dynamics. As doubts about their ruthless director, Solange Borugian, surface, Jimmy’s and Duke’s friendship is turned upside down, while Emily and her brother Ben, struggle with their own unresolved issues and are forced to confront their dying father.
On location in Arizona, amidst Apache holy grounds and the magic of day-for-night shooting, the lines between past and present blur and the flawed characters’ backstories intertwine into a tumultuous finale that exposes their hidden animosities, demons, and loves.
Review:
This book gives an interesting look at filmmaking in the 1970s. Emily had a lot of work to do to finish an old film starring John Wayne and James Dean with impersonators. There was a lot of personal trauma that connected the characters, and they had to figure out how to cope with it to finish the job. I think fans of John Wayne and James Dean will like this novel!
Thank you iRead Book Tours for providing a copy of this book as part of a paid campaign!
Content warnings: death, murder, cancer, child abuse, car accident
Have you read Mit Out Sound? What did you think of it?
Happy Pub Day – February 25
Happy Pub Day to these authors!
The Wildest Things by Andrea Hannah
The Otherwhere Post by Emily J. Taylor
The Kiss Bet, Vol. 1 by Ingrid Ochoa
Thank you Wednesday Books, Penguin Teen Canada, and Wattpad Books for providing copies of these books!
What books are you most excited for this week?
Review: Empire of Billions
Title: Empire of Billions
Author: E. Masson
Genre: Romance, Thriller
Publisher: Author E. Masson
Source: Bookinfluencers.com
Format: Ebook
Release Date: August 13, 2024
Rating: ★★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
Amazon Best Seller. Book Lovers would truly enjoy reading this Novel.
A Must Read Novel Today.Revenge may be a dish best-served cold.
But love can melt the hardest heart.The Roberts family are super rich. But everyone knows that money can’t buy happiness.
And they should know. Losing their parents at a young age meant they had to rely on each other.The four boys and their little sister had been taught that rules keep you safe. And what the brothers say goes. But what if the heart wants something else?
Elizabeth may be the youngest but now she’s all grown up. And her heart yearns for Henry Kinkaid — a man her brothers hate.
This just makes her more determined for their forbidden love to flourish. Only when she learns her lover’s dark secret does her heart threaten to shatter.
But how long can she keep Henry out of her life? Especially as she’s carrying a piece of him with her.
The Roberts brothers have strict relationships Keep emotions out of it.
But will the patter of tiny feet melt their materialistic hearts?
And will they bury old wounds before it’s too late?
Review:
This book is about multiple generations of a wealthy American family. They leave a trail of murders and trauma throughout their family tree. The story was exciting and intense. I would have liked to see more action and more description of the characters. This was a fast paced story that kept me intrigued until the end!
Empire of Billions is a great family saga thriller!
Thank you Bookinfluencers.com for providing a copy of this book as part of a sponsored campaign!
Content warnings: death, death of parents, car accident, gun violence, domestic violence, murder
Have you read Empire of Billions? What did you think of it?
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