Fat Stack Friday November 22, 2024

I missed last week so I have quite a few books to list for my book haul! Check them all out!

For my Kindle:

The Half King (The Half King #1) by Melissa Landers

I have enjoyed Landers' past books so I'm excited to start this new series by her.

Variation by Rebecca Yarros

I have read one romance book by this author and otherwise I'm very much a fan of her Fourth Wing series. I hope this one lives up to the hype.

Servant of Earth (The Shards of Magic #1) by Sarah Hawley

I've really enjoyed the Hawley books I've read in the past. I'm excited for an adult paranormal.

You, Again by Kate Goldbeck

This one is blurbed by Ali Hazelwood and she's one of my favorite authors. I do hope it lives up to her hype!

The Remains of Christmas by Megan Montgomery

I'm looking for some Christmas stories and saw this one in one of my Facebook book groups. I hope I'm not disappointed!

Phantasma (Wicked Games) by Kaylie Smith

This one was recommended by one of my close friends who tends to have the same taste in books as me. I've also seen a lot of talk surrounding it. Here's to hoping I like it. 

Once Charmed, Twice Cursed by Shaylin Gandhi

Another one I saw talk of in my book groups. It just sounds like it will be really interesting!

Trial by Fire (The Eye of the Goddess #1) by Sariah Wilson

I don't even know where I heard about this one but it must have looked good because it's now on my Kindle! 

The Anaconda Downstairs (The Cocky Kingsmans #4) by Amy Award

I've really been enjoying these books. They are body positive, no third act break up, cute and charming romances!

The Co-Op by Tarah Dewitt

I recently listened to Savor It by this author and really enjoyed it. I'm hoping this one is just as good.

Ahen Son (War of Lost Hearts #0.5) by Carissa Broadbent

I'm a huge fan of this author. I haven't started this series yet but now I have all the books that are published so I should!

From Libby/Hoopla:

The Weiner Across The Way (The Cocky Kingsmans #2) by Amy Award

I listened to this one on audio and really enjoyed it. It was cute, though this author does like her insta-love. But if you are a fan of Taylor Swift and her man, this one should hit you right in the feels!

The Pussy Next Door (The Cocky Kingsmans #3) by Amy Award

I really love the body positivity this author. This one was a bit of insta-love but it was cute, nonetheless.

Hate Mail by Donna Marchetti

I should know better than to listen to rave reviews. The blurb offered such promise. I'm about halfway done with this one on audio and I want to punch myself in the face. Maybe it's the narrator so I decided to get the Kindle version and see if that may work better for me. This is the first book for this author so maybe it might be that, as well. 

Accidentally Amy by Lynn Painter

I actually have this one to review on NetGalley but it was previously published and available on Hoopla to listen to. I love me some Lynn Painter and this one did not disappoint!

For review:

Only In Your Dreams by Ellie K. Wilde

I noticed this one on NetGalley and put it on my potential request list. About 10 minutes later I was checking my email and there was an invite from the publisher. I guess it's fate!

Ride With Me (Lights Out #2) By Simone Soltani

I'm in my F1 era! This is the second book in this series. I read the first and it was ok but I wanted to see if the series possibly got better. I hope I like this one more than the other F1 books I've been reading. This will be my 4th and if I am unhappy, I think I'll not read more motorsport books.

I have a few that came in the mail, but I need to take pictures so I'll post those next week.

What did you get this week?

 

Most Anticipated Releases Tuesday November 19, 2024

Happy release day Tuesday November 12, 2024. Here are my most anticipated releases for this week!

The Courting of Bristol Keats (The Courting of Bristol Keats #1) by Mary E. Pearson

THIS BOOK! It's so very good! I wasn't sure I'd like it but ended up loving it so much. I cannot wait for the next one. And the physical copies are so beautiful. I cannot wait to get one. This one is in the running for my top book of the year! You can see my review HERE.

Servant of Earth (The Shards of Magic #1) by Sarah Hawley

I love Sarah Hawley. Her Glimmer Falls series is adorable. I love the sound of this one and cannot wait to give it a try.

Puck & Prejudice by Lia Riley

This one is such a cute premise. I got to read it early and you can see my review HERE.

The Shadows Rule All (Dominions #3) by Abigail Owen

I love Owen. I've read her other series and this one has always been on my list. Now that it is complete, I can dive in. Plus, the covers are so gorgeous.

Under the Mistletoe by Various Authors

These stories were so cute. I loved reading them. Go grab them for free on Amazon! You can see my review of the stories HERE.

What are your most anticipated releases this week?

 

ARC Review: A Demon's Guide to Wooing a Witch (Glimmer Falls #2) by Sarah Hawley

Calladia Cunnington curses the day she met Astaroth the demon, but when he shows up memoryless, why does she find him so helpless . . . and sort of hot?

Calladia Cunnington knows she's rough around the edges, despite being the heir to one of small-town Glimmer Falls' founding witch families. While her gym obsession is a great outlet for her anxieties and anger, her hot temper still gets the best of her and manifests in bar brawls. When Calladia saves someone from a demon attack one night, though, she's happy to put her magic and rage to good use . . . until she realizes the man she saved is none other than Astaroth, the ruthless demon who orchestrated a soul bargain on her best friend.

Astaroth is a legendary soul bargainer and one of the nine members of the demon high council--except he can't remember any of this. Suffering from amnesia after being banished to the mortal plane, Astaroth doesn't know why a demon named Moloch is after him, nor why the muscular, angry, hot-in-a-terrifying-way witch who saved him hates him so much.

Unable to leave anyone in such a vulnerable state--even the most despicable demon--Calladia grudgingly decides to help him. (Besides, punching an amnesiac would be in poor taste.) The two set out on an uneasy road trip to find the witch who might be able to restore Astaroth's memory so they can learn how to defeat Moloch. Calladia vows that once Astaroth is cured, she'll kick his ass, but the more time she spends with the snarky yet utterly charming demon, the more she realizes she likes this new, improved Astaroth . . . and maybe she doesn't want him to recover his memories, after all.

Titel: A Demon's Guide To Wooing a Witch (Glimmer Falls #2)

Author: Sarah Hawley

Publisher: Berkley Publishing Group

Expected Publication Date: 11/28/23

Review:

I want to than Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing me with an egalley of this book to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I truly enjoyed the first Glimmer Falls book. It was amusing and sexy and just plain fun. I was excited to see this next book come up and even more excited to read Astaroth's story. Because, truly, I was not a fan of his at all in A Witch's Guide to Fake Dating a Demon. I kind of wanted to punch him in the face. Maybe have one of the witches toss him again. But, given that Hawley chose to write his and Calladia's story, I knew I'd have to give her the benefit of the doubt. Because there is nothing better than an author taking a villain and making them into a character you love.

This story picks up very soon after the previous one ends. Do you have to read the previous one to read this? Well, that kind of depends. The story can definitely be independently read but you might be lost a bit with the supporting cast and their background that lead to everyone disliking Astaroth. I'm happy I had the background to be able to understand the story better.

The story opens with us meeting Calladia. We met her previously, as Mariel's friend, but we didn't get too much background on her. I love how independent and fierce she is. I love how she embraces her more masculine side (I was always a tomboy). And I love how she takes what she wants and doesn't even blink for anyone who might look at her funny. She spunky and funny and strong. But she also has a side that's been marred by her mother, who treats her like a pawn to further her political career. Calladia will have none of it, though. As for Astaroth, he's not at all what I expected. I wasn't sure I could turn my hatred of him around because in the previous book he was everything I despised in a villain. Is he cocky? For sure. But the author chose to block his memories, so he's really starting fresh with learning who he is. His revelations and growth are exponential, and not in an inorganic way. And the cause he chooses to fight for is very worthy of me changing my mind. Hawley chose the perfect way to endear the reader to him, and to help him become more than what he seemed in the prior installment of this series.

Hawley chooses to weave a good amount of banter into this story. This is what kept me wanting to turn pages.  It drove the relationship between all the characters, morphing their hatred of a demon they thought most terrible, into friendships that swelled my heart. This was especially fun during the sexy scenes. But there are also emotional highs and lows which lend a more serious tone and move the book forward. The story itself, a fight for rights and a path to redemption, was great. The author does a great job of taking something that is politically charged and weaving it through the story line. I love how the author took demons and turned our understanding of who they are (especially Lilath) into those we look at quite differently. 

If you're looking for a great paranormal enemies to lovers story, I highly recommend jumping into this series.

Author:

Sarah Hawley is an author of romance and fantasy novels. She was a winner of RevPit 2018, and her short stories and satirical articles have been published by Hooked, Slackjaw, The Belladonna Comedy, and Points in Case. She co-hosted the Wicked Wallflowers Club podcast about romance fiction, which was featured on Entertainment Weekly’s “Must List” as “a compelling reminder of why the oft-dismissed genre is a real force in cultural conversations about consent and desire.”

Sarah has an MA in archaeology and has excavated at an Inca site in Chile, a Bronze Age palace in Turkey, and a medieval abbey in England. When not dreaming up whimsical love stories, she can be found reading, dancing, or cuddling her two cats.

 

ARC Review: A Witch's Guide To Fake Dating a Demon by Sarah Hawley

 

I would like to thank NetGalley and Berkley for providing me with an eARC of this title to read and give an honest review.

I love me a romcom. I love me a sexy romcom. I love me a enemies to lovers romcom. Throw in a paranormal aspect and all parts of me yelled SOLD!

This is my first title by Hawley. I enjoyed her witty writing and the incorporation of humor. She moved the plot fairly well and kept my interest. 

I enjoyed Mariel and Oz. Mariel was quirky and fun. I was excited to find her coming into herself and gaining confidence throughout the book despite the pressure from her family to be the witch she was prophesized to be. And it was fun to watch her relationship with Oz grow. The sexual and romantic tension was palpable from the start.  And the humor was great. I definitely caught myself laughing out loud during many moments in this book.

Overall this was a quick read and I had fun getting to know the characters and watching them grow!

Title: A Witch's Guide to Fake Dating a Demon
Author: Sarah Hawley
Expected Publication Date: 3/7/23

Publisher: Berkley

Review:

I would like to thank NetGalley and Berkley for providing me with an eARC of this title to read and give an honest review.

I love me a romcom. I love me a sexy romcom. I love me a enemies to lovers romcom. Throw in a paranormal aspect and all parts of me yelled SOLD!

This is my first title by Hawley. I enjoyed her witty writing and the incorporation of humor. She moved the plot fairly well and kept my interest. 

I enjoyed Mariel and Oz. Mariel was quirky and fun. I was excited to find her coming into herself and gaining confidence throughout the book despite the pressure from her family to be the witch she was prophesized to be. And it was fun to watch her relationship with Oz grow. The sexual and romantic tension was palpable from the start.  And the humor was great. I definitely caught myself laughing out loud during many moments in this book.

Overall this was a quick read and I had fun getting to know the characters and watching them grow!