TMST: Romantic Reads Recommendations

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post on Rainy Day Ramblings where Rainy discusses a wide range of topics from books to blogging. 

  

 Romantic Reads Recommendations

OoooOOOooo romance. I love romance stories. All different types. Romance is just a fun genre to read. I have SOOOO many recommendations I can give out. Sighs. Where to even begin???? Gah! I'll just share a few of my favorites that anyone who reads romance should read or even newbies just getting in should check out. There is no order to my list: 


*Any Jane Austen works, but you must check out Pride and Prejudice and Persuasion. These are my favorites by her. 

    


*Wuthering Heights is a must! So tragic. So dark. HEATHCLIFF!




*Another tragic but goodie, is Snow Fox ! I must re-read this soon. It has been too long. 




*A little YA, but still amazing is If I Stay. Get ready to cry!




*Any book from the Weird Girl series will do. But you must start with book 1 which is Sealed with a Curse. 



*Radiance is a good one. I love the series as a whole so far. But you must start with book 1. 




*The Mystic Cove series is amazing. You must start with book 1 which is Wild Irish Roots.




*I love the whole Ascension Trilogy series, but I really love book 2, Princess. You can soooo get away with reading book 2 alone. But book 1 is fun and so is book 3. 




*Another one like the other. The whole Tang Dynasty series is great, but I really adore book 2, The Dragon and the Pearl, and I believe it can do well alone. Sooo good! 




*Bookends is great! I really must re-read it. For some reason, it really stuck with me. 





*Okay, okay. Last one. I will end with one of my favorites. I even love the movie equally as much. I have re-read this a million times. Cold Mountain is a must-read. 

B's Monday Review: A Heart of Blood and Ashes by Milla Vane

Book 1 in the Gathering of Dragons series

Narrated by Nicole Poole

Publication date Feb 4, 2020

Running time 15 hrs 16 min

Published by Tantor Audio

Fantasy

In exchange for an honest review

I do have mixed feelings about this one. I thoroughly enjoyed it, but at the same time I do not like Maddek. And that first meeting was so dang rapey.

Plus everything else he does afterwards does make me think that Yvenne should dump his sorry barbarian arse.

Yes, very mixed feelings!

Fantasy world where someone named the Destroyer had reeked havoc decades earlier (what was up with that? More please.) Sure countries, gods and such are mentioned, but I would call the world building light. And please do not make me spell anything, oh audio, you are evil when it comes to fantasy. I had to look up both their names.

Maddec is a commander that helps contain some creatures at a border. Then his parents are killed and he is MAD. Which brings us to Yvenne who he wants to murder and throw off a wall. This guy is so unhinged. If he thought about it for 2 seconds he would realise that she would have nothing to gain, while her family had everything to gain. But he does not think about it, not for weeks. He is an arse to her for so long, all while they do it.

Mixed feelings people. I mean she is all sure, I will have a baby by him so he can kill my family so she is in on it. But love? He does not trust her. How can there be love. Also why would she fall for him, he is such a d*ck.

They are trying to get away for her family is a bunch of guys that needs to die! Violently.

And sure, they fall in love and will build an alliance to save the world.

I did like it! I promise. I just did not ever fall for Maddek. I liked Yvenne and her sharp tongue, and her desire to be more even though life has left her weak and crippled.

I guess, either you liked a certain GoT barbarian or you felt like me that he was a creepy rapist, and I guess that tells you how you will feel about this book.

And hey I do want to read more and I did feel a bit disappointed to see that the next book is about 2 strangers.

Narration

She did a great job with everyone. It felt so light you know, even in the face of death and danger.

A generation past, the western realms were embroiled in endless war. Then the Destroyer came. From the blood and ashes he left behind, a tenuous alliance rose between the barbarian riders of Parsathe and the walled kingdoms of the south. That alliance is all that stands against the return of an ancient evil—until the barbarian king and queen are slain in an act of bloody betrayal.

Though forbidden by the alliance council to kill the corrupt king responsible for his parents' murders, Maddek vows to avenge them, even if it costs him the Parsathean crown. But when he learns it was the king's daughter who lured his parents to their deaths, the barbarian warrior is determined to make her pay.

Yet the woman Maddek captures is not what he expected. Though the last in a line of legendary warrior-queens, Yvenne is small and weak, and the sharpest weapons she wields are her mind and her tongue. Even more surprising is the marriage she proposes to unite them in their goals and to claim their thrones—because her desire for vengeance against her father burns even hotter than his own . . .

Book Review: The Call of the Wild by Jack London

Author: Jack London

Title: The Call of the Wild
Genre: Classics, Fiction, Adventure, YA
Format: ebook
Pages: 172 
Published: 1903
Where I Got It: My shelf (Amazon freebie)



Based on London's experiences as a gold prospector in the Canadian wilderness and his ideas about nature and the struggle for existence, The Call of the Wild is a tale about unbreakable spirit and the fight for survival in the frozen Alaskan Klondike.



I guess this is becoming a movie this month so it sparked my interest to read the book. I feel like I read this back in the day. Not sure...or maybe I just had read excerpts.. 

The story follows Buck who had the life of luxury with his human family. One day he is dognapped by someone who needed the money. Buck is sold and finds his way in the wilderness pulling sleds for gold prospectors. He becomes progressively feral in the harsh environment, where he is forced to fight to survive and dominate other dogs and his new world. 

This had me in tears a few times. Poor Buck! Poor other dogs! Heck I even felt bad for John (who was the only human I actually liked in the end). Humans suck!!! These poor dogs. Yes, they were proud of themselves and liked pulling the sled. But there is a limit. I was happy the moment Buck got away. 

HOW is this a kid's book? Lots of violence and death. Maybe I'm more sensitive to it because it is about dogs, but ugh my heart. Poor things treated like slaves for the greed of men. There ARE a couple versions of this book floating around...so maybe kids read the edited version. The version I read was pretty graphic in some points. I know as a kid I would've cried as much as I did at certain aspects. Especially the part with the ice. Damn fools! *shakes fist*

This was really, really good and it really captured my attention. The author, as usual, has a way with his writing that captures you. I was totally hooked from page one and got this done in two sittings (damn work getting the way of my reading life). 

I loved the messages of perseverance in this. Lovely! 

Honestly, I doubt I'll watch the movie anytime soon, because after watching the trailer the story seems SOOOOOOOOOOO different. And I feel it takes away from Buck and his journey to becoming one with the wild.

In the end, I highly recommend this. There is some darkness, but there is hope and the end will get ya! It is quick and will get you right at the heart. 5 stars. 

Audiobook Review: Striker by Lilly Atlas

Author: Lilly Atlas
Narrator:  Noah Michael Levine

Title: Striker
(No Prisoners MC #1)

Genre: Romance
Format: Audiobook
Published:  August 9th 2016
Where I Got It: My shelf (Audible)



Dr. Lila Emerson is finally free of the shadow of her politically connected family, with her new job in a small town Emergency Room. But her new peace is shattered when she encounters the dangerous, but compelling Striker. He's everything she should stay away from, but all she craves. And since he keeps turning up in her ER, he's hard to avoid.

As Vice President of No Prisoners outlaw motorcycle club, Striker is no stranger to violence. But when it touches the pretty doctor he wants in his bed, he'll do anything to keep her safe. When Striker and Lila are thrust together, sparks fly and passions ignite. Before long they find themselves entangled in a relationship neither saw coming.

The MC can and will eliminate any threat against Lila, but what if they—and the man she's falling for—are the reason she’s in danger?



I've heard of this author and I've been meaning to try her out. Found this book and it fits a challenge or two so I gave it try!


The story follows Lila and Striker. Lila is a doctor who is finally free of her family who are rich and now in politics. All she wants is freedom and a small town where she can save people. There is one problem though...Striker. Striker is the VP of the town's motorcycle club. He is hot and dangerous. A threat comes up that puts Lila in danger and Striker and his club are the only ones who can protect her. 


Ooooo I did love Striker. I also loved Jester. The gang was fun. They are all bad boys and deep in illegal stuff and motorcycles. As much as I love a good MC boy...too much danger for me personally. ;)


I liked Lila too especially when we got to learn more about her past. Her family sucks. I would've left too. Screw them. I do wish we would've had more closure with that aspect. But...she is cut off and wants to stay that way. Sooooo I get it...but I feel like there could've been more character development with this.


There was insta-lust for sure. It sizzled with these guys. There was love there too, but they didn't want to admit to themselves. They each had a foot out the door and for good reasons. It was nice to see that their issues were easily resolvable. I just wanted them to get their HEA! And darn their prides and worries! 


The narrator did well. The girl voice was meh. But he is super manly so it is hard to really change it up for each female character and make it sound awesome. Loved his voices for the guys. He has a nice voice for the males. Girls though? Atypical and meh. 


Overall, I really liked this story and especially our characters. I'm excited for book 2! I'll give this 4 stars. 

Challenge(s):
- #6 on Bingo sheet for BAD BOY

- #2 on THE BAD BOYS OF ROMANCE challenge



- #5 for Audiobook Challenge