A Scoundrel of Her Own by Stacy Reid Book Review

 

Title: A Scoundrel of Her Own (Sinful Wallflowers #3)
Author: Stacy Reid   
Publish Date: December 28th, 2021
Publisher: Entangled Amara
Source: Huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a review copy!

Lady Ophelia Darby exists in two worlds. In one, she is the impudent, willful daughter of a powerful marquess and darling of the ton. In the other, she moves through the underworld’s shadows as songstress Lady Starlight, protected only by the notoriously wealthy scoundrel Devlin Byrne. But when she stumbles upon her beloved father’s darkest secrets, the line between her two worlds quickly blurs. Now she needs the help of the one man a lady should never trust.

Devlin Byrne stands on the edge of London society, knowing he will never be accepted. No one else knows that his obscene wealth and ruthlessness aren’t without purpose. Or that his purpose has golden-brown eyes that shimmer with mischief, the palest of skin, and a lush mouth that beckons to be kissed, and deeply. But having Ophelia is only the beginning of Devlin’s plans.

It’s undeniable that Devlin Byrne is a dangerous temptation—but just as Ophelia begins to trust him, maybe even fall for him, she discovers she’s not the only one with secrets. And his would lead her down more than just the path of scandal…

Penelope's Review

Wow am I ever impressed with this book! This is the first book I've picked up by this author and I truly can't wait to pick up her others. It can be difficult for a book to stand out in this genre due to the overall predictability (though that is why we keep coming back to this genre lol) but this one really hit the mark. I found the storyline unique, intriguing, and full of wonderful messages. 

Lady Ophelia aka Fifi was a breath of fresh air. She was intelligent and resourceful, and stood up for what she believed in even when it went against the status quo. Her fierce determination in fighting the prejudice that permeated the London ton was admirable, to say the least. She was well-spoken, passionate, and just an overall enjoyable character. I really liked how the author wrote her. 

Then we have Devlin. Wow. Just wow. I have an obsession with male characters that are fiercely loyal to and protective of the object of their affections. Devlin did not disappoint in this regard. He had eyes for Ophelia, and Ophelia only. He was crass in all the right ways, and stopped at nothing to achieve his goals. Watching these two fall in love was a huge delight. I absolutely adored their back story and how they met - it felt like fate and I'm a sucker for that kind of story.

I do wish that we had explored Fifi as Lady Starlight just a bit more and I also am not sure how I feel about the ending as it pertained to Ophelia's parents. All of my questions were answered in that regard, so I dont feel like I'm missing anything but I did get the feeling that it was a bit brushed under the rug. Overall however, I loved this story, and I really loved the author's writing style. I'm very excited to read the previous two novels in this series and am looking forward to the next one! It sounded like a great premise if I'm guessing the correct character!

Rating: 4.5/5 Devils!

Fortune Favors the Duke by Kristin Vayden ARC Review

 

Title: Fortune Favors the Duke
Author: Kristin Vayden
Publish Date: December 28th, 2021
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Source: Huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC for review!

The new Duke has a proper scandal brewing.

Quinton Errington is perfectly happy teaching at Cambridge, with his elder brother carrying the duties of being the Duke of Wesley. But when a trip to celebrate Wesley's last week of bachelorhood ends in tragedy, Quinton, who becomes the Duke of Wesley, would give anything to have his brother back.

Now, under the most heartbreaking circumstances, Wesley's would-be bride, Catherine Greatheart, is left wanting. Her only protection left, her grandmother, has fallen ill, and Catherine has nowhere left to turn but to the family she was so close to being part of. The new Duke is kind, and she could use a friend who understands what she's going through.

Between learning how to be the head of his family's estate, mourning his brother, and trying not to fall in love with his late-brother's fiancée, Quinton will need some help—and it's a good thing he's not alone.

Penelope's Review

This was a really sweet story about overcoming tragedy and finding happiness in those around you. The premise was great, but unfortunately, I found that the overall story didn't end up being all that memorable. There wasn't much to make this book stand out in the historical romance genre. That being said, it was still an enjoyable read and I'm glad I picked it up.

I like Catherine a lot. She was grieving the loss of her fiancé yet still had a good head on her shoulders. She was brilliant with her estate and investments, and I loved seeing a woman in charge in that regard. Quin was grieving the loss of his brother and coping with the sudden inheritance of a Dukedom. I thought he handles the stress relatively well, and enjoyed watching him fall for Catherine slowly but surely. While I did like seeing Catherine and Quin take comfort in each other to help overcome their loss, it ended up being a different kind of romance than what I usually prefer in this type of book. It was a slow, sweet growth of affection that morphed into love and while I know some readers will absolutely love that, it wasn't my favourite.

There was little in terms of twists and turns and intrigue, so you'll have to read this for what it is. A mature exploration of the ripple effects of tragedy and the steps people take to overcome loss. The book has great characters, and it's a nice story. It just didn't grab my attention.

Rating: 3.5/5 Devils!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

 

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? a place to meet up and share what you have been, and are about to be reading over the week. It’s a great post to organize yourself. It’s an opportunity to visit and comment and er… add to your groaning TBR pile! So welcome in everyone. This meme started on J Kaye’s blog and then was hosted by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn here at The Book Date.

Hi guys!! Hope everyone had a great weekend! I actually rescued a cat last week! She is a Sphynx (hairless cat) named Sophia Dobby. (Well it's Sophia, but I added Dobby because.. the similarity is uncanny lol ;P) She was in kind of rough shape but I've been slowly getting her on the mend - we've got medications for her rash and ear infection and both are getting much better. Soon she will be back up to perfect health! I'm so happy she's safe now :)

In terms of books, it's been a very slow reading week. Too busy getting Sophia back and forth from the vet and settled into my house. But I did finish one book for review and am almost through another!. It looks I will be hitting 80 books for 2021! My goal was 50 so I'm excited - but hoping to make that 100 next year!

What I Read Last Week:

What I Am Currently Reading:

What I Am Reading Next:

Girls Before Earls by Anna Bennett ARC Review!

 

Title: Girls Before Earls (Rogues to Lovers #1)
Author: Anna Bennett
Publish Date: December 28th, 2021
Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks
Source: Huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC for review!

WHAT A GIRL WANTS

To survive her difficult childhood, Miss Hazel Lively relied on two things: a tough outer shell and a love of books. Now, at the age of twenty-eight, she’s finally realized her life-long dream of opening a school for girls. She’s hoping that the wealthy families who flock to the shore for the summer will entrust their daughters to Bellehaven Academy―and help pay the way for less fortunate students. All Hazel must do is maintain a flawless reputation and raise a good deal of money. It’s a foolproof plan…till a sinfully handsome earl strides into her office.

WHAT AN EARL NEEDS

Gabriel Beckett, Earl of Bladenton, has had a monstrous headache since the day his teenaged niece became his ward. She’s been expelled from two London boarding schools and is doing her damnedest to scare off his potential fiancée. But Blade has a plan of his own―enroll his niece at Bellehaven Academy, where she’ll be out of town and out of his hair. He just needs to convince the buttoned-up headmistress with the soulful brown eyes to take on his niece.

LEAD TO AN IRRESISTIBLE DEAL

When Blade makes a generous offer to the school, it’s impossible for Hazel to refuse. But she has one non-negotiable condition: the earl must visit his niece every other week. Soon, Blade discovers there’s much more to Hazel than meticulous lesson plans. In moonlit seaside coves and candlelit ballrooms, their sparring leads to flirtation…and something altogether deeper. But the passion that flares between them poses a threat to Hazel’s school and Blade’s battered heart. They say a good thing can’t last forever, but true love? Well, it just might…

Penelope's Review

This is the first book in a new series by Anna Bennett and the first book I have read by this author! I really enjoyed her writing style, and the life she gives to her characters so I'm excited to delve into her other works eventually!

This book follows Hazel, a 28 year old woman who has recently opened up a school for girls, and requires a spotless reputation in order to get it up and running. When the handsome earl, Blade, brings his niece Kitty to Bellehaven Academy, he hopes to enroll her after being expelled from her two previous schools. What follows is a story of dedication and commitment, adventure, and love. 

Hazel was such a great character - she was brave and determined, and had a passion for her school and students. She was so strong, yet very guarded. It was great watching her open up to Blade and begin to realize that there is more to life than just her school and her girls. Blade was a straightforward man with a purpose in mind - get married, have an heir, live a loveless life. Until he meets Hazel. These two have such a great connection, it was really fun watching them get to know each other and fall in love with each other. It was done tastefully and realistically and I was really impressed.

I also loved the family connections - Hazel and her students, Blade and Kitty, etc. Each interaction was so special and really drove home the importance of family (blood related or not). The only thing I would say is that this wasn't the most unique historical romance I've read. Of course when you get into this genre, it's very difficult to find something you've never read before but authors tend to strive for a memorable twist. While I absolutely enjoyed this book and will definitely be trying other books from this author, I would say that it was missing "the twist" that made it stand out, in my opinion. That being said, I encourage you to give it a try! It's a quick, fun read with great characters!

Rating: 4/5 Devils!

The Last She by H.J. Nelson Book Review

 

Title: The Last She
Author: H.J. Nelson
Publish Date: December 7th, 2021
Publisher: Wattpad Books
Source: Huge thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing me with a review copy!

Ara . . . I made a mistake, we all did . . . go back to the beginning . . . it’s not too late.

As the only female to survive the devastating virus, Ara hasn’t seen another human in months―not since her father disappeared. The plague has swept away humanity, and Ara’s world is desolate, haunted by the ghosts of her former life. Her mother. Her sister.

Kaden and his crew live by a code: stay alert, stay alive. When they catch Ara stealing from them, they are furious―and confused. She is the first girl they have seen in three years. And while Kaden knows taking her captive is wrong, he tells himself he’s doing it to protect her.

But with Ara determined to follow through on her father’s mission―Go back to the beginning. End the plague―Kaden becomes mesmerized by Ara’s will and beauty. He knows he will do anything to help her, even if it tears their worlds apart.

Penelope's Review

I'm a sucker for apocalypse books, and The Last She checked pretty much every single one of my boxes! We have a plague that wiped out the population, targeting mainly women and children, we have what appears to be the last female survivor, we have a hot guy determined to keep said female safe... what's not to love?!

Ara is an intelligent, 19 year old woman who knows it's in her best interest to remain hidden and never be found by men. Unfortunately, she's found by a small group of men (duh, otherwise we wouldn't have a book!) and is taken back to their clan (of men, of course) where she meets the leader, Gabriel. Ara doesn't trust Gabriel, something that becomes even more acute after realizing that Kaden really doesn't like him either. Despite her father's earlier warnings about all men, Ara finds herself beginning to trust Kaden but she is never distracted from her true focus - listen to her father's last words and "go back to the beginning". 

This book was a whirlwind. I absolutely loved all of the characters, both good and bad. Ara was smart, resourceful, and an all around survivor. She stops at nothing to get where she needs to go, yet has a soft side that shines through at the perfect times. Kaden was strong (both literally and figuratively), loyal, and determined to keep those he loved safe. Even Gabriel was a really well written character with layers that made you flip flop back and forth between loving him and hating him. We also have some noteworthy supporting characters - Sam and Isaac. I loved them both, for various reasons and thought they were great additions to the book.

The pacing of this book was perfect - I never found myself bored and was able to fly through it every time I picked it up. The only thing I would have liked to have just a bit more of is some background - we see only a tiny portion of the world that they are living in and I really wanted more. Also, though I absolutely loved the relationship between Ara and Kaden, I found that it came about rather quickly with little to no buildup. Which is fine, just a little strange given how much Ara has avoided men over the last three years knowing what they would want to do to her.

Other than that, this book was great! I was under the impression that it was a standalone but given the ending, and sheer amount of unanswered questions I now know it is a series which I'm super excited for! I can't wait to see what happens next as it seems that book 2 will be another high stakes adventure!

Rating: 4.5/5 Devils!

The White Coat Effect by L.B. Wells Blog Tour + Giveaway!

Hi everyone! I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the THE WHITE COAT EFFECT by L.B. Wells Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

 About The Book:

Title: THE WHITE COAT EFFECT

Author: L.B. Wells

Paperback Pub. Date:  March 12, 2020

Publisher: L.B. Wells

Formats: Paperback, eBook

Pages: 171

Find it:  Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle

Sometimes, even a doctor isn’t good enough for some parents.

Meet Rory, a young Jewish medical student “making the rounds” in search for the love of her life. After a series of bedroom mishaps, she decides to pursue surgery where she meets Amir, her Arabian prince.

Hot, passionate love ensues and transcends all mundane concerns until her past heritage catches up with her: she’s in the middle of a forbidden romance.

Tradition or love? It’s an age-old question.

The hot love between Amir and Rory doesn’t cool down. Now she is forced to choose between acceptance in her community—and the parents she loves—or give up the erotically charged cinematic love story she never thought she could find.

What will Rory do? 

 

Praise for THE WHITE COAT EFFECT

“This was a page turner. Not only does the story tickle your senses, but the characters are well developed and I felt I knew them intimately. Hot and interesting would be the best way to describe it. I'm not that familiar with the medical world but this makes me want to dig deeper! The White Coat Effect would make a great movie or TV show... I hope that happens! Amazon Review

" Fantastic book ! It was truly a page turner . As an Operating Room Nurse myself for 20 years , I could totally relate to the medical student’s experience while being scrubbed in and working with other residents and attending Surgeons. This book had me laughing one minute and crying the next. “Amazon Review
 

GUEST POST:

What would be the playlist for The White Coat Effect?

When I’m writing, I always imagine what music would go along with my story. For The White Coat Effect, I found myself thinking of classic rock songs that I’ve loved.

Here are my choices:

1. Flesh for Fantasy – Billy Idol

2. Toxic - Brittany Spears

3. Who’s That Girl – Madonna

4. Do What You Want with My Body – Lady Gaga

5. Damn, I Wish I Was Your Lover – Sophie B. Hawkins

6. Ain’t Nobody – Mary J. Blige

7. RESPECT – Aretha Franklin

8. What’s Love Got to Do with It? – Tina Turner

9. Light My Fire – The Doors

10. Whole Lotta Love – Led Zeppelin

11. Bold As Love- Jimi Hendrix

What songs would you add to the list?

EXCERPT:

 I remember when I first truly fell in love with surgery. It coincided with my first true love for Amir Hadid, the man who changed my life.

* * *

The first two years of medical school had been primarily book learning. It was boring and seemed to involve tons of rote memorizing. Social life was a non-starter. I was horny and bored. My third year was also a colossal disappointment. Now I was entering the fourth year, rounding the corner of my first clinical year. Everything would change, I thought, as we engaged with real human patients. I stood in full uniform—scrubs, ponytail, clogs—ready to be thrown into the icy waters.

I had reported for duty at City Hospital in Westport without much instruction on what to expect. There were no smiles, no pleasantries. I was briefly introduced to my new surgical team, and I shook hands with Shay Meyer, the intense Israeli man who would be my chief resident for the month.

We headed toward the first patient’s room. Suddenly, a tall, dark figure in scrubs brushed past me. As our shoulders met, the tattered carpet generated a painful electric shock.

“Watch where you’re going!” I said.

“Everyone, listen up.” Shay, the chief resident, was now addressing us. “This is our fourth-year resident, Amir.”

“Oh shit,” I whispered, head down, my cheeks flushing with embarrassment at having rudely chastised an important superior.

I took the risk of looking at him. I had to look; we were being introduced. From behind the Clark Kent glasses, his eyes hit me with 360 joules of energy, the maximum setting on a defibrillator.

It was him, the handsome stranger I had seen in passing a few years prior and once, I confess, in my dreams. He stood well over six feet, with an imperious chest and broad shoulders filling out his short-sleeved green scrubs. His forearms flexed the muscles of a day laborer, his dark skin gleaming.

All of his kinetic energy pulsed through light-brown eyes with a dramatic touch of emerald green. His face, deep in concentration, seemed to harbor a spiritual and probing intelligence.

Warning bells from my childhood were chiming insistently.

With a name like Amir and his coloring, he was almost certainly Arabic, not exactly the ethnic origin that my parents had in mind for a mate.

About L.B. Wells:

L.B. Wells is an avid writer, a decent tennis player and plays four instruments – piano, saxophone, clarinet and flute. She also composes music, speaks fluent Spanish and some Hebrew and loves to dance. By the way, she’s single. L.B.’s next book is the sequel to The White Coat Effect.

Goodreads | Amazon

 

Giveaway Details:

3 winners will win an eBook of THE WHITE COAT EFFECT, International.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

12/6/2021	Rockstar Book Tours	Kickoff Post
12/6/2021	Two Chicks on Books	Excerpt
12/7/2021	The Momma Spot	Excerpt
12/7/2021	BookHounds YA	Review
12/8/2021	The Reading Devil	Excerpt/IG Post
12/8/2021	#BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog	Spotlight/IG Post
12/9/2021	Rajiv's Reviews	Review/IG Post
12/10/2021	The Girl Who Reads	Review/IG Post
12/10/2021	@coffeesipsandreads	Review/IG Post

Week Two:

12/13/2021	One More Exclamation	Review
12/13/2021	@curlygrannylovestoread	Review/IG Post
12/14/2021	perusewithcoffee	Review
12/15/2021	_bookbound_	Review
12/16/2021	Coffee and Wander Book Reviews	Review
12/17/2021	Emmiepooh2	Review/IG Post

Stacking the Shelves #16 + The Sunday Post #14

 

Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

If you want to find out more about Stacking The Shelves, please visit Reading Reality!

Hi everyone! My goodness it's been awhile since I've hopped on this meme lol! I've been focusing on putting out reviews, and doing alot of blog tours so all my fun bookish weekly memes have sort of fallen off the wagon! But alas, better late then never! So we recently had the Black Friday sales, which means I of course picked up some books! There was a great sale on boxsets so that's what I stocked up on! 

Purchased Myself:

 

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead.

Happy Sunday! I hope everyone had a great week! I haven't hopped on this weekly meme in awhile so I thought I would try yet again! Got a few reviews this past week which is great, and a blog tour! Hope everyone has another great week!

Last Week on the Blog:

Monday: It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

Tuesday: Legendary Book Review!

Wednesday: Night's Bliss Book Review!

Friday: Pulse Blog Tour!

Saturday: Sienna Book Review!

Sienna by J.F. Johns Book Review

 

Title: Sienna
Author: J.F. Johns
Publish Date: December 1st, 2021
Publisher: Ingram 
Source: Huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a review copy!

I live in a world of chaos.

A world divided between humans and cyborgs.

A world where girls are snatched off the streets to become Marked Ones, their bodies inked with names and images. And now, now I am one of them.

I've been sold to a man called the Master. A notorious Hunter who kills cyborgs. I'm in the claws of the most feared man, trapped in a mansion with six other girls just like me.

I will find the way to escape this nightmare. To run from this world full of torture and death. And the Master's son, Ero, is going to help me. He'll help me save myself as well as the other girls. I will break the cage I'm trapped in, save the girl I'm falling in love with and destroy the evil that inhabits these four walls.

One way or another, I will be free.

Even if it means becoming the worst monster of them all.

Penelope's Review

Before diving into this book, I saw that the reviews weren't amazing so I wasn't sure what to expect. I knew that I loved the cover, and I loved the blurb - so I was excited nonetheless. And I actually ended up really enjoying this! Basically we have regular human, Hunters (who are human but hunt cyborgs), and cyborgs (who are considered second class citizens). Sienna is a human captive of a Hunter who goes by Master, along with six other girls referred to as "sisters". 

Now as some other reviews have mentioned, with the number of characters present in this book, it is true that we don't truly get to know all of them, other than superficially. We don't hear about the backstories of all of the sisters, for example  so if you are really character driven in your book preferences, then this may not be the one for you. That being said, we do get to know Sienna herself pretty well, as well as the backstories of Ero, Aema, the Master, etc. And personally, that was enough for me! 

Sienna is super headstrong, and always wants to fight for what is right. Despite knowing that others may be hurt for her actions, she goes ahead and does the right thing anyway. I actually really loved that about her - I didn't find her selfish, personally. I mean, she's put in a tough position regardless of what she does. If she stands by and does nothing, one person gets hurt. If she acts to save one, another gets hurt. Regardless of what she chooses, something will happen - so I think it's great that she acted on what was right in front of her every time. (This will make a bit more sense if you read the book lol).

Overall, I liked the storyline alot, I liked the characters we meet throughout the book, and I enjoyed the unique plot. There was alot of violence, which I wasn't expecting, but I thought it was written well and added to the story. Give it a shot!

Rating: 4/5 Devils!

Pulse by B.A. Bellec Blog Tour

Hi everyone! This is my stop during the bookstagram blitz for Pulse by B.A. Bellec. Pulse is a new Dystopia Sci-Fi Horror book set in 2040 around a creature and a music festival. Think Fyre Festival, Black Mirror, and X-Files combined.

This bookstagram blitz is organized by Lola's Blog Tours and runs from 1 till 7 December. See the tour schedule here.

During this tour you can download Pulse for free on Bookfunnel

Don't miss the tour wide giveaway! There are 6 winners. You can enter the giveaway at the bottom of this post.

Pulse (Pulse #1)
By B.A. Bellec
Genre: Dystopian Sci-Fi Horror
Age category: Adult
Release Date: 1 December, 2021

Blurb:
Pulse is a Dystopian Sci-Fi Horror novel set in 2040 around a creature and a music festival. Think Fyre Festival, Black Mirror, and X-Files combined. The book is being praised for its genre-bending style utilizing screenplay-like formatting while bouncing all the plotlines with the pace of a thriller.

Links:
- Goodreads
- Bookbub
- Bookfunnel

Book trailer and music for Pulse!
On Youtube you can watch the book trailer for Pulse here on Youtube


The author produces music himself to promote his books, check out the song Requiem here



Prequel story
Read the prequel to Pulse here

About the Author:
Author of the Reader Views Young Adult Book of the Year, Someone’s Story, and co-collaborator on the music it inspired, B.A. was born in Richmond, BC and raised in Langley, BC, before settling in Winnipeg, MB. His first adventure was a career in Finance, where he spent 15 years developing his business skills. His highest achievement was the Certified Payroll Manager designation. He currently still consults with businesses on their systems and processes. Over that period of time, he also attended Lights Film School where he started to nurture his early creative abilities.

A self-starter always interested in research, he taught himself many of the aspects of storytelling through reading books, screenplays and material online. Whenever he found an inspirational piece of art, he quickly went to the source to find the story behind the artist who created the work. It took many years after attending film school for him to finally combine his creative skills with his life experience and tell that story he had been holding back. Some of his favorite creative people: Lukas Rossi, Justin Furstenfeld, Peter Jackson, Stephen Chbosky, J.K. Rowling.

During COVID-19, B.A. started a YouTube channel and was awarded a grant from The Canada Council for the Arts. He also pounded away on the keyboard to bring his second novel, Pulse, from his imagination to the page. He can’t wait to release that book along with the new songs that will go with it!

If you found it this far into his material, reach out to him on social media and make sure to like and subscribe to get updates on all his future projects.

Author links:
- Website
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Goodreads
- Amazon
- Youtube
- Soundcloud
- Instagram

Giveaway
There is a tour wide giveaway for the bookstagram blitz for Pulse. Here's what you can win:
- 2 winners win a Signed Copy of Pulse of Pulse + Coffee + Mug
- 4 winners win a $25 Amazon gift card

You can enter the giveaway here

Or enter the rafflecopter below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway