Hi all, I took the weekend off to basically sleep, it’s been busy in other corners of my world. Today I am finishing up the last of my Irish Breakfast Tea, from Stillwater, Oklahoma. I do have some new teas ordered from smaller shops and I can’t wait to try them (a few came in this weekend, so I am just trying to finish up some of my opened ones).
I’ve read 15 books so far this month, and put one down for now (considering dnfing it but I haven’t decided yet.
I started off the month on a not so great note by reading Killain Unbound (review here). It was not good, bad writing, interesting plot but poorly executed. Not a Fantasy Romance that I would recommend.
Then I moved onto another Fantasy Romance that was much better (4 stars), Half Blood: The Tale of Samara, it was enjoyable. I’m interested to see where the world and the storyline goes. It doesn’t currently say it’s a series but the way it ended definitely makes me think it will be. Full review here
Learn my Lesson by Katee Robert was next, and I enjoyed Desperate Measures and loved Neon Gods. But the constant miscommunication or just general lack of communication between Hades and Meg was grating. The fact that they were both will to communicate with Hercules but not each other only compounded the issue. But still A+ smut and definitely looking forward to continuing the series. Full review here.
Fate of the Fallen was the first Fantasy without romance book that I read this month. And good lord did I love this buddy cop movie in a book. It was fantastic and kept me laughing and I am hoping to pick up the sequel soon! Review here.
I took a detour into Romance next and picked up Take a Hint, Dani Brown. And man did I resonate with Dani. Anxiety and letting people in is difficult especially when you have take someones words to heart that has previously hurt you. Watching her work through everything and let Zaf in, and Zaf letting Dani in, was amazing everyone should read this book. Full review here.
Next I picked up Rick Riordan’s newest book Daughter of the Deep, and every one of his books I enjoy. I can see why some people don’t like them, especially reading them as adults. But the innocent humor and the representation that he weaves into his stories are amazing. And its blatantly stated, in a tasteful way not retroactively added, like another author does. If you want to see my full review and gush about it, click here.
I went back to Fantasy Romances after Middle Grade, and yes it is a very Fantasy Romance heavy month so far, but it’s NetGalley November and 95% of my eARCS were Fantasy Romances. I read Bad Moon Rising by Zoe Forward, and I think this is my favorite Lycanthrope romance so far. It wasn’t overboard with the wolfie things but it had those elements that make them addicting. My review is coming soon!
I then decided I wanted to go ahead and finish out the Brown Sister’s trilogy so I read Act you Age, Eve Brown. And boy did Jacob remind me of my little brother. It was a great conclusion to the series and I wish Talia Hibbert would write sequels for all of the sisters. Review here.
The Sorcerer and the Swan Princess was my next read, it was a quick nothing special fantasy romance and if you want a Swan Princess retelling the Barbie movie is probably more entertaining. The book wasn’t bad, just not as good as I was hoping for.
I picked up the Avengers Reading Initiative group book next, which was Firekeeper’s daughter. and it was amazing. As a person who doesn’t really read thrillers this one was definitely one that sucked you in and made you forget that it was a thriller most of the time. Full review coming soon.
A the DNF, Legacy of Kings. I made it only a few chapters in. About to the point where the Queen started messing with her snake overlords. It seemed to be very sexual in nature, which typically I don’t mind but I draw the line at animals and humans getting it on.
I picked up another Fantasy Romance called A Shift in Shadows, which follows a cat shifter, a werewolf, a wizard, and a vampire. Full of all sorts of fantastical creatures and magic. I could get behind the romance between the cat shifter and the werewolf and I am interested in seeing where the author takes the story. Because spoiler the main bad guy dies at the end of the first book.
4 more! I was forced to pick up Gardens of the Moon for the Avengers Reading Initiative Infinity War Boss Battle, basically read the book you have been putting off the longest. And I need to reread it. It was good, I want to continue, but I feel like I missed a lot of things that Erikson wove into the story. So probably one of those that I need to read each book 2-3 times before it all really sinks in.
Leather and Sage, a debut novel that should have been super interesting but I couldn’t get behind the writing! The author replaced the “a” in any word that began with “a” with a ‘ and then spelled can’t “cain’t” and I just couldn’t do it. It was also very disjointed I felt and that could be because I hated the writing. Who knows. Not on my recommended list for Fantasy/Horror books.
Magic Dark, Magic Divine on the other hand! Oh so good, Intriguing with high stakes, good writing. An interesting plot with plenty of room to explore in the next books I’m impatiently waiting for book 2 in this series and in the Conqueror’s princess (which is the last book I have read). It’s a story where people have different affinities to magic, but because of a massive event magic left earth except for Penn who was from the magic era but was asleep for almost 300 years. And she has basically a giant fire breathing dog named Ashe and she is adorable.
The last book I have read! was The Conqueror’s Princess. Grumpy/Sunshine relationship. Enemies to Lovers, found family. All the good things. Charlie and Evan are two people you can get behind and they both have sides the world doesn’t get to see. Please The Mountain’s Princess come out soon, I am ready to see what happens next!
With only 15 days in the month left we will see how many more books I can read. I do have a 4 day weekend next week for the US Thanksgiving holiday so I am hoping to get a lot of reading and LOTR watching done.
Till next time,
Kaitlyn
Kaitlyn's Literary Teahouse 