Bookworm Cafe: April 2017

Sunday, April 30, 2017

Weekly Wrap-Up 4-30-17

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!

Hosted by Tynga's Reviews

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted at Caffeinated Book 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.

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

LAST WEEK ON THE BLOG

THIS WEEK ON THE BLOG

Book Tour + Review - Til Dirt Do Us Part by Teresa Trent
Top 10 Tuesday
book reviews from my TBR
a discussion post if I'm brave enough to post my first one (so nervous!)

BOOKS IN MY MAILBOX

Kindle - Bought

Chocolate Cake and Chaos - Agatha Frost

Kindle - Freebies

Tarte Tatin Murder - Sandi Scott

Cooking Spirits - Joanne Pence

Burnout - Shauna Allen

Filthy Beautiful Lies - Kendall Ryan

Hitched - Kendall Ryan

The Sweet Taste of Murder - CeeCee James

Kindle - For Review

Dane - Leddy Harper

A Crime of Passion Fruit - Ellie Alexander

No Turning Back - Tracy Buchanan

OFF THE BLOG

Nothing much really happened this week. We've just been hanging out around the house and spending time together as a family.

When I got to work on Tuesday night, I found out that the twins that we keep regularly will be gone for 3 months to Germany. Watching them every week over the last year and a half, I've really formed a bond with L and P. I had to keep myself from getting emotional when it was time for them to be picked up to leave. I'm going to miss them so much! Things just won't be the same without them around.

On Saturday we took the kids to our local bowling alley for the Kids Fest that they were having that day. They hold this event once or twice a year. All children under 15 get a free hour of bowling and free shoe rental and certain food/snacks and drinks in the concession stand are only $1. We try to take Chris and Logan whenever they have it because it's a super cheap and fun way to get out of the house and have something to do.

The boys had a blast. They offer bowling leagues for the youth, so we are thinking of signing Chris up for it this summer since he showed some interest in it. They teach the kids proper technique and things like that. It sounds like a lot of fun and a great program so we're going to go to the information meeting in a couple weeks and check it out.

Saturday night childcare at church was a little different this week. Our usual worker in the K-5 room wasn't there this week, so it was just me and Isabel in the childcare room (We have birth - 5 in our room). Isabel and I didn't have any kids shown up for our room, but a little girl that's usually in the K-5 room was there so she got to stay with us this week. She's usually really shy and quiet but she opened up to us pretty quickly. Toward the end, she started laughing at something and couldn't stop. It was so funny. She'd just burst into giggles every couple minutes. It kept things fun and interesting. :)

WEEKLY FUNNY

This has definitely been me lately! My memory has been horrible the past few months. I can put something down and then literally a few minutes later, I've already forgotten where I put it. Ugh!

Best of the Bunch - April 2017

I finally got back into my reading groove and read 10 books this month, plus a couple novellas. Out of everything that I read this month, my favorite goes to Edge of Brotherhood by Molly E. Lee

Edge of Brotherhood has everything you could possibly want in a book. Action, adventure, suspense, and of course, a little romance.

From Goodreads:

What do Dash Lexington, Easton Wells, and Connell Murphey have in common?

They put their lives on the line each day they clock into work. That and their fierce love for the women who match them step for step.

When the studio head who produces both Dash and Easton’s shows announces auditions for a special series to highlight the E.D.G.E men’s skills, Connell and an extreme stunt man named Wade Roberts are the first stars chosen.

Their objective? Accompany Easton deep in the Amazon where he’s recently discovered the lost city of Paititi. With half the structure submerged in dangerous waters, a slew of unpredictable rainforest storms, and a nearly inaccessible location, each man will have to put aside his alpha tendencies and utilize his skills in order to survive the perils of the City of Gold.

But when an enemy from Easton’s past threatens the love of his life, she is met with the wrath of the newly formed E.D.G.E. clan, who will stop at nothing to protect the women they love.

My Review:

5 out of 5 stars

★★★★★

Absolute perfection is how I would describe this story. Molly is a genius, plain and simple. I've loved all of the books in the Love on the Edge series. Each guy is unique and has their own skill set along with an awesome woman by their side. Now, to bring them all together on this adventure is just... wow. The setting is described in such great detail that you feel like you are right there with the characters as everything is happening. Molly has an incredible talent with words and painting the picture for the reader. It's really amazing how she's able to do that. I finished the book a little while ago and my mind is still reeling from everything that happened. You've got sassy and strong females, alpha males who will do anything for their women and each other, danger, excitement, suspense, mystery, and the twist that you will never see coming. Absolutely amazing. This will without a doubt go down as one of my top reads for this year, maybe even ever. Wade is going to the top of my list of favorite book boyfriends. He's funny, sarcastic, and has a skill set a mile long! I really enjoyed his addition to the E.D.G.E men and what they have to offer.

Book Links:

Thursday, April 27, 2017

Release Blitz + Review Dropout by Jamie Schlosser

Amazon

JIMMY
Over the past year, I’ve been called a lot of things. Slacker. Troublemaker. Party animal.
I thought I was on top of the world. Turns out, I was pretty close to rock bottom.
Now I have a new title: college dropout.
Talk about a reality check.
But I’ve got a chance to redeem myself. One summer to turn things around. Two months to prove I’m not a complete f*ck-up.
It’s time to change.
I want to get back to being one of the good guys.

MACKENNA
I have everything I need to live out my dream of being a reclusive songwriter—my guitar, my notebook, and blissful silence.
At least, I did until Jimmy moved in next door.
With tattoos, piercings, and mischievous green eyes, he’s got bad news written all over him. And last time I got with a bad boy, it ended horribly.
Jimmy makes me feel things I shouldn’t feel. Want things I shouldn’t want. He’s a hazard to my carefully laid plans.
But he’s only here for two months.
I can resist him...right?

*Although DROPOUT is part of a series, it can be enjoyed as a standalone.

My Review:

5 out of 5 stars

★★★★★

I've loved all the books in this series and I loved this one as well. The characters and the town are described in such a way you really feel like you know these people, like they're your friends, too. I love that about these books. Jimmy and Mackenna are absolute perfection. They had chemistry right from the start and you can't help but root for these two. I really admire the fact that Jimmy owned up to the mistakes that he made while at college and was willing to do whatever was needed to make things right. My heart broke for Mackenna and what she went through in the past with her ex. She was incredibly strong though and I enjoyed seeing her growth throughout the book. I also loved that we got to catch up with the characters from the previous books in the series. I hope there will be more books to come in the future! I just can't get enough of these characters and the town they live in.

Jimmy Buffet’s ‘Cheeseburger in Paradise’ blared through the house, and I followed the music to the kitchen. I wasn’t sure what I would find, but as long as it wasn’t my neighbor making out with her neighbor I was good.
Turning the corner, I stopped dead in my tracks at the sight in front of me.
It wasn’t Beverly. Or Ernie.
And I most definitely wasn’t good.
A guy wearing nothing but camo-print underwear and a peach-colored apron stood in front of the stove. He was facing away from me, and I caught sight of a large tattoo—angel wings—across the expanse of his muscular back.
Surprised, I let out a high-pitched squeak. The sound got the stranger’s attention and he started to pivot in my direction.
My eyes fell to his sculpted ass, the muscles flexing as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other. He wore briefs. Not boxers or boxer-briefs—actual tighties. No guy should look good in those, but damn, he did.
His black hair was shorter on the sides and longer on top. Some of the inky strands fell over his forehead, falling to just above his bright green eyes.
His lips were parted in surprise, and something flipped in my stomach at the sight of his mouth. The bottom lip was twice the size of the top. Plump. Pouty.
Dark tattoos painted his chest and he had colorful flowers down the length of his left arm. And…
Is that a nipple piercing?
Because of the apron, I couldn’t see his abs, but my guess was that he had a solid six-pack under there.
I opened my mouth to say something—anything.
I wanted to ask him what he was doing in Beverly’s house. Or apologize for walking in on him while he was naked.
Instead, my social awkwardness presented itself full-force with the words that tumbled out of my mouth next.
“If you tried to hide in the woods, at least no one would be able to see your ass.”
His emerald eyes widened. “What?”
Figuring he probably didn’t hear me the first time because of the loud music, I raised my voice. “Camouflage underwear. Your butt would totally blend in with the bushes.”
Looking like he was caught between laughing and being outraged, he opened his mouth to respond.
Then all hell broke loose.

Jamie Schlosser grew up on a farm in Illinois surrounded by cornfields. Although she no longer lives in the country, her dream is to return to rural living someday. As a stay-at-home mom, she spends most of her days running back and forth between her two wonderful kids and her laptop. She loves her family, iced coffee, and happily ever afters.

Author Links

Twitter Facebook Amazon Goodreads

Wednesday, April 26, 2017

Bout of Books 19

I've come across posts from several of the blogs that I follow about Bout of Books 19. It grabbed my interest so I decided to check it out. After reading the information on it, I've decided to participate! This will be my first time, so I'm really excited. Check out the blurb below for information and to visit the Bout of Books blog if you're interested in signing up.

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda Shofner and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, May 8th and runs through Sunday, May 14th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 19 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team

Monday, April 24, 2017

Release Blitz Love Happens Anthology

Love Happens: An Anthology

Release Date: April 24, 2017

Synopsis

In this must-have short-story collection, Melanie Moreland introduces us to Ethan Thomas in When Love Blooms. Melanie Harlow shares her novel, Some Kind of Love. Molly McLain and Rhonda James share Luke and Mia’s no strings weekend that could lead to love. Claudia Burgoa visits New York City in How We Met. Leap with Dylan Allen to London where we meet Cara’s dream man. Emery Jacobs revisits the Beautiful Torture Duet. Go on vacation with the beloved characters of the Unspoken Series by Gabbie Duran. I See You is based on secondary characters in Ginger Scott's How We Deal With Gravity. Fall in love with Jeanne McDonald’s Shadow Kingsley in All Of Me. Lisa Kamps takes us to the ice arena with First Shot At Love (A Baltimore Banners Story). Bad girl Delilah meets Lance, her total opposite, in Wild Pumpkin by Martha Sweeney. Mia Kayla brings us Kent and Beth from Marry Me for Money, a couple with different views in All Work And No Play. In Love on The Edge, Molly Lee’s Dash and Blake from the Edge of Chaos spend their honeymoon chasing storms. Rockstar Silas Palmer finds love on the side of the road in Hitch by S.M. West.

Fifteen authors come together to celebrate Autism Awareness month with proceeds benefitting SARRC and Myles-A-Part.

Love Happens features stories about finding love, falling in love and being in love.

Goodreads

My Review

Storm Chaser Honeymoon by Molly E Lee

5 out of 5 stars

I loved getting another glimpse at Dash and Blake. They are one of my favorite couples ever. It was really neat to go back and see what happened right after they got married. Things don't always go according to plan, but that is their life and it is the perfect fit for them. <3

Purchase Links

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2oFW2kO

iBooks: http://apple.co/2o6yv9G

B&N: http://bit.ly/2pPZkhT

KOBO: http://bit.ly/2oT3HMb

Giveaway

One of Two $20 Amazon Gift Cards

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Direct Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/2f00f39916/

Connect with the Authors

Claudia Burgoa: http://bit.ly/2dq1gfX

Dylan Allen: http://bit.ly/2kp67Ri

Emery Jacobs: http://bit.ly/2ctSfOk

Gabbie S. Duran: http://bit.ly/2oBLoM9

Ginger Scott: http://bit.ly/2naNBxx

Jeanne McDonald: http://bit.ly/2ahMlB3

Lisa B. Kamps: http://bit.ly/2naP1YS

Martha Sweeney: http://bit.ly/2nDT0bV

Melanie Harlow: http://bit.ly/2o2ZWTm

Melanie Moreland: http://bit.ly/2nXpkbv

Mia Kayla: http://bit.ly/2a1nfnv

Molly E. Lee: http://bit.ly/2c6GO2r

Molly McLain: http://bit.ly/2oCY3hh

Rhonda James: http://bit.ly/2naFe5c

S.M. West: http://bit.ly/2o33lSe

Sunday, April 23, 2017