June/ July Reading

Posted August 14, 2022 by brokengeekdesigns in Round-Up / 0 Comments

I know I’m late getting this up but the room where I normally work on my computer is hotter than the surface of the sun and even wearing short shots and having a fan pointed at me isn’t enough to make me sit in the room for long enough to edit this.

I finally started doing it at work when I’d finished my actual work so I finally got it done.

image 1 - June/ July Reading
image 3 - June/ July Reading

Title: What once was home by B. K. Bass
Given: 3
How: Author Given Ebook
What: Alien invasion dystopian rebuilding
Review: Review to come but this was a pretty great dystopian novel.

image 42 1024x273 - June/ July Reading
image 4 - June/ July Reading

Title: Mine all Mine by Ella J Quince
Given: 1 DNF
How: kindle
What: Regency romance
Review: DNF at 50% due to misogynistic, rapey vibes from Alpha A-hole.

image 42 1024x273 - June/ July Reading
image 5 - June/ July Reading

Title: My Mechanical Romance by Alexene Follmuth
Given: 4
How: Netgalley
What: Contemporary Romance
Review: Girls in STEM at school, learning about themselves. Robot-wars style school club. Loved it.

image 42 1024x273 - June/ July Reading
image 6 - June/ July Reading

Title: Anything but a Gentleman by Elisa Brayden
Given: 4
How: Kindle
What: Regency Romance
Review: A strong stalwart spinster who has spent her whole life taking care of others suddenly has a tall gentle giant to take care of her. Sweet and lovely.

image 42 1024x273 - June/ July Reading
image 7 - June/ July Reading

Title: Bound to the Dark Elf King by Jessica Grayson
Given: 3
How: KU
What: Paranormal Fantasy Romance
Review: Nice light slow burn romance. Names very generic fantasy.

image 42 1024x273 - June/ July Reading
image 8 - June/ July Reading

Title: Smart Girls don’t kiss Aliens by Alina Jacobs
Given: 3
How: Kindle
What: Rom com with aliens
Review: Earth Girls are Easy meets George of the Jungle. Ridiculous but adorable.

image 42 1024x273 - June/ July Reading
image 9 - June/ July Reading

Title: Embracing the Knight by Jenn Langston
Given: 3
How: Kindle
What: Regency Romance
Review: Miscommunication trope done to death. He wants to marry her; she doesn’t then she does but neither will tell the other. May leave you wanting to bash heads in.

image 42 1024x273 - June/ July Reading
image 10 - June/ July Reading

Title: Hooked by Emily McIntire
Given: 4
How: KU
What: Paranormal Fantasy Romance
Review: Abusive relationship, Hook/Wendy retelling of Peter pan. Emotional damage +1billion.

image 42 1024x273 - June/ July Reading
image 11 - June/ July Reading

Title: Scarred by Emily McIntire
Given: 4
How: Kindle
What: Paranormal Fantasy Romance
Review: Lion King reworking fantasy. Needs a safe word because OMG. NSFW

image 42 1024x273 - June/ July Reading
image 12 - June/ July Reading

Title: Empire of the Wolf by Jody Houser
Given: 4
How: Titan Books
What: Sci-fi fantasy Graphic Novel Review: Great story. Loved being reintroduced to Rose and Ten2

image 42 1024x273 - June/ July Reading
image 13 - June/ July Reading

Title: Sacrifice by Rin Chupeco
Given: 3
How: Netgalley
What: YA Thriller Review: Paranormal investigations documentary on an actual cursed haunted island. Done properly

image 42 1024x273 - June/ July Reading
image 14 - June/ July Reading

Title: An offer from a Gentleman by Julia Quinn
Given: 4
How: Physical Copy
What: Regency Romance
Review: Benedict and Sophie. A little bit odd with her being a maid and him her boss but ymmv

image 42 1024x273 - June/ July Reading
image 15 - June/ July Reading

Title: Stuck with you by Ali Hazelwood
Given: 4
How: Kindle
What: Contemporary Romance Review: Novella. Stuck in a lift after one night’s stand goes wrong. Cute. Very much fun

image 42 1024x273 - June/ July Reading
image 16 - June/ July Reading

Title: Court of bitter Thorn by  Kay L Moody
Given: 3
How: Kindle
What: Paranormal Fantasy Romance Review: The start of a very interesting fantasy series. Elora has to stay in fairy until Brannick becomes king or is taken out of the running. She trains him with her sword skills

image 42 1024x273 - June/ July Reading
image 17 - June/ July Reading

Title: Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood
Given: 5
How: Netgalley
What: Contemporary Romance
Review: She thinks he hates her and is sabotaging her brain studies. He is socially awkward but adorable. LOVED it.

image 42 1024x273 - June/ July Reading
image 18 - June/ July Reading

Title: 101 Super Cute Cat things to draw by Lulu Mayo
Given: 4
How: Netgalley
What: Craft
Review: Fun yet a tad repetitive. Easy to follow

image 42 1024x273 - June/ July Reading
image 19 - June/ July Reading

Title: Whittling Workbook: 14 Simple Projects to carve by James Ray Miller
Given: 4
How: Netgalley
What: Craft Book
Review: Great ideas and a good step-by-step guide.

image 42 1024x273 - June/ July Reading
image 20 - June/ July Reading

Title: Love by Secret by Debra Elizabeth
Given: 2
How: Kindle Free
What: Regency Romance Review: Very simple language. Stilted and basic. Good plot but zero emotion

image 42 1024x273 - June/ July Reading
image 21 - June/ July Reading

Title: Little Fire by Hollee Mands
Given: 4
How: Kindle
What: Paranormal Fantasy Romance
Review: Evangeline accidentally pulls a shadow lord into a different realm where he can’t get back with his powers. He spends time looking after her and doesn’t realise that humans are being traded as slaves. Really enjoyed the slow-burn romance but lots of references to rape and sexual assault and torture.

image 42 1024x273 - June/ July Reading
image 22 - June/ July Reading

Title: When Life gives you Vampires
Given: 3
How: Netgalley
What: Paranormal Romance Review: Plus-size girl gets turned into a vampire against the code. Funny and poignant body positivity

image 42 1024x273 - June/ July Reading
image 23 - June/ July Reading

Title: Love in Due Time by L.B. Dunbar
Given: 3
How: KU
What: Contemporary Romance
Review: Biker meets the librarian. Meh, it was ok but didn’t want to continue the series.

image 42 1024x273 - June/ July Reading

image 2 - June/ July Reading
image 24 - June/ July Reading

Title: Always Practice safe Hex by Juliette Cross
Given: 4
How: Kindle
What: Paranormal Fantasy Romance
Review: Livvy and Gareth’s story. Competition at work but work together well. Brilliant and sweet.

image 43 1024x137 - June/ July Reading
image 25 - June/ July Reading

Title: Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater
Given: 3
How: Netgalley
What: Paranormal Regency
Review: A girl with only half a soul tries to get her sister wed but her sister wants to find a magician to cure her. Cute story, a grumpy male lead but enjoyed the tale.

image 43 1024x137 - June/ July Reading
image 26 - June/ July Reading

Title: Long Shadow by Olivia Atwater
Given: 2 DNF
How: Netgalley
What: Paranormal Regency
Review: 2nd in series. A bit Lackluster. Abigail felt a little flat as a character and the romance was contrived. DNFed at 67 %

image 43 1024x137 - June/ July Reading
image 27 - June/ July Reading

Title: Inked by Rachel Rener
Given: 3
How: Kindle
What: Paranormal Fantasy Romance
Review: Special ink causes tattoos to come to life. Zayn very hot incubus boss, Talia has special blood. Biscuit the tattooed parrot and a Jewish Banshee mother. Loved and adored.

image 43 1024x137 - June/ July Reading
image 28 - June/ July Reading

Title: To get to the other side by Kell Ohlert
Given: 3
How: Netgalley
What: Contemporary Romance
Review: She rescues a chicken and ends up living in his apartment. He does ALL of the relationship work while she pushes him away. A ludicrous amount of money to take care of a poorly chicken, especially one she rescued only a few days before. I liked it but found the main FC annoying and she needed therapy. So badly

image 43 1024x137 - June/ July Reading
image 29 - June/ July Reading

Title: Hidden from Hades by Skye Wilson
Given: 3
How: Kindle
What: Paranormal Fantasy Romance
Review: Hades has been ignoring his wife and so the fates take her away. Hades now has to find his wife and get her to fall for him but the woman she becomes refuses to stand for any of his bs. Sexy and yet sweet.

image 43 1024x137 - June/ July Reading
image 30 - June/ July Reading

Title: Meet me in the Margins by Melissa Ferguson
Given: 4
How: Netgalley
What: Contemporary Romance
Review: Publishing company going under until boss’s son comes in to sort it. Editor trying to write her own book but it falls flat until secret communication between the two leads to more open doors. As a book lover, this hit all the right notes.

image 43 1024x137 - June/ July Reading
image 31 - June/ July Reading

Title: Negalyod: The God Network
Given: 3
How: Titan Comics
What: Fantasy Graphic Novel
Review: Hmm. Great visuals and worldbuilding but the plot fell flat. Could have been so much better.

image 43 1024x137 - June/ July Reading
image 32 - June/ July Reading

Title: Goblins v1: by Tristan Roulot
Given: 3
How: Physical Copy
What: Comedy Graphic Novel Review: Great little comic strips. Some a bit too graphic but the goblins are adorable

image 33 - June/ July Reading

Title: Goblins v2: by Tristan Roulot
Given: 3
How: Physical Copy
What: Comedy Graphic Novel Review: Great little comic strips. Some a bit too graphic but the goblins are adorable

image 34 - June/ July Reading

Title: Goblins v3: by Tristan Roulot
Given: 3
How: Physical Copy
What: Comedy Graphic Novel
Review: Great little comic strips. Some a bit too graphic but the goblins are adorable

image 43 1024x137 - June/ July Reading
image 35 - June/ July Reading

Title: Influencer Island by Kyle Rutkin
Given: 3
How: Netgalley
What: YA Thriller
Review: So much promise but fails to deliver. The set-up was fantastic but the reveal and the actual story were as disappointing as the actual Fyre festival.

image 43 1024x137 - June/ July Reading
image 36 - June/ July Reading

Title: A Fate of Wrath and Flame by K. A. Tucker
Given: 3
How: Kindle
What: Paranormal Fantasy Romance
Review: Thief Romy has been taken from her world and thrust into Princess Romeria’s body right as she is killed. But Romy now has to persuade King Zander that she means him no harm, all the while trying to fight prophecy and the machinations of the court so she can get back home

image 43 1024x137 - June/ July Reading
image 37 - June/ July Reading

Title: A Curse of Blood and Stone by K.A .tucker
Given: 4
How: Kindle
What: Paranormal Fantasy Romance
Review: On the run from the usurper King Romy and Zander must try to work together to save the realm whilst dealing with prophecy, her burgeoning powers and those who do not want peace or the freedom of the humans who have been subjugated for so long. Great world-building, highly enjoyable.

image 43 1024x137 - June/ July Reading
image 38 - June/ July Reading

Title: A Taste of Poison by Tessonja Odette
Given: 4
How: eARC
What: Fantasy Romance
Review: Snow White retelling with body dysmorphia, drug addiction, gambling addiction and the threat of death at the hands of the fae queen. Brilliant retelling, dark and sexy yet sweet and heartwarming.

image 43 1024x137 - June/ July Reading
image 39 640x1024 - June/ July Reading

Title: The Librarian and the Orc by Finley Fenn
Given: 4
How: Kindle Free
What: Paranormal Fantasy Romance
Review: Um. Submissive library worker Rosa agrees to go to Orc mountain after she is tasked with finding reasons to start a war between men and Orcs. But John shows her a different side of Orcs where they care for each other in a very BDSM way. Far too submissive for me but still an engaging read. Very graphic sex scenes.


Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.