Tag: audiobook

Monthly Reading Wrap-Up: November 2024

GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

BEST MONTH OF THE YEAR!

Favorite books this month:

  • Perfect Distraction
  • Pictures of You
  • Lost and Lassoed
  • The Muse of Maiden Lane
  • If It Makes You Happy
  • Five Stolen Rings
  • Broken Harbor
  • The Road of Bones
  • The Shadowed Land
  • A Reign of Rose
  • Brielle and Bear
  • The Myths of Ophelia
  • Yuletide Bride
  • Not in My Book
  • Oathbringer
  • Izzy and Her Off-Limits Love

Least favorites:

  • Merry Ever After
  • Perfect Distraction by Allison Ashley
  • The Quit List by Katie Bailey
  • [ARC] Pictures of You by Emma Grey
  • Lost and Lassoed (Rebel Blue Ranch #3) by Lyla Sage
  • Never Forgotten by Hannah Linder
  • [ARC] The Muse of Maiden Lane (Belles of London #4) by Mimi Matthews
  • Perfect Fit by Clare Gilmore
  • If It Makes You Happy by Julie Olivia
  • The Temptation of Magic (Empyreal #1) by Megan Scott
  • [ARC] Five Stolen Rings by Gracie Ruth Mitchell
  • Bane of Asgard (Runestone Saga #2) by Cinda Williams Chima
  • Creatures of Chaos (Creatures of Chaos #1) by Julie Hall
  • [ARC] Broken Harbor (Sparrow Falls #3) by Catherine Cowles
  • [Novella] A Royal Possibility (Royal Hearts #4.5) by Amanda Schimmoeller
  • The Blood Orchid (The Scarlet Alchemist #2) by Kylie Lee Baker
  • [Novella] Cruel Winter with You (Under the Mistletoe #1) by Ali Hazelwood
  • [Novella] Merry Ever After (Under the Mistletoe #2) by Tessa Bailey
  • [Novella] All by My Elf (Under the Mistletoe #3) by Tessa Bailey
  • [Novella] Merriment and Mayhem (Under the Mistletoe #4) by Alexandria Bellefleur
  • [Novella] Only Santas in the Building (Under the Mistletoe #5) by Alexis Daria
  • Saved by Noel by Tracy Baack
  • The Road of Bones (The Ashen #1) by Demi Winters
  • [ARC] The Shadowed Land (The Lost Queen #3) by Signe Pike
  • A Reign of Rose (The Sacred Stones Trilogy #3) by Kate Golden
  • [ARC] Brielle and Bear (Once Upon a Time Vol. 1) by Salomey Doku
  • [ARC] The Myths of Ophelia (The Curse of Ophelia #4) by Nicole Platania
  • The Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong
  • Wreck My Plans by Jillian Meadows
  • Christmas With a Crank by Courtney Walsh
  • The Shadows Rule All (Dominions #3) by Abigail Owen
  • Yuletide Bride (Regency Christmas Brides) by Kasey Stockton
  • [ARC] Not in My Book by Katie Holt
  • [Novella] The Best You’ve Ever Had by Amelia Chasen
  • [Reread] Oathbringer (The Stormlight Archives #3) by Brandon Sanderson
  • [ARC] The Seaside Homecoming (On Devonshire Shores #3) by Julie Klassen
  • Fledgling by S.K. Ali
  • Heist Royale (Thieves’ Gambit #2) by Kayvion Lewis
  • [ARC] Izzy and Her Off-Limits Love (Oakley Island #3.5) by Jenny Proctor and Emma St. Clair
  • Where the Library Hides (Secrets of the Nile #2) by Isabel Ibanez
  • Only in Your Dreams (The Mountains are Calling #2) by Madison Wright
  • The Songbird and the Heart of Stone (Crowns of Nyaxia #3) by Carissa Broadbent

Instagram || Goodreads || The StoryGraph

Book Review: Thieves’ Gambit (Thieves’ Gambit #1) by Kayvion Lewis

GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: YA Mystery/Thriller
Length: 384 pages
Author: Kayvion Lewis
Publisher: Nancy Paulsen
Release Date: September 26th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

The Inheritance Games meets Ocean’s Eleven in this cinematic heist thriller where a cutthroat competition brings together the world’s best thieves and one thief is playing for the highest stakes of all: her mother’s life.

At only seventeen years old, Ross Quest is already a master thief, especially adept at escape plans. Until her plan to run away from her legendary family of thieves takes an unexpected turn, leaving her mother’s life hanging in the balance.

In a desperate bid, she enters the Thieves’ Gambit, a series of dangerous, international heists where killing the competition isn’t exactly off limits, but the grand prize is a wish for anything in the world–a wish that could save her mom. When she learns two of her competitors include her childhood nemesis and a handsome, smooth-talking guy who might also want to steal her heart, winning the Gambit becomes trickier than she imagined.

Ross tries her best to stick to the family creed: trust no one whose last name isn’t Quest. But with the stakes this high, Ross will have to decide who to con and who to trust before time runs out. After all, only one of them can win.

INTRIGUED.

This wasn’t initially on my radar but I’m so happy I picked it up! It was a great heist book that I really enjoyed seeing the unveiling and action and chaos as the gambit continued. I loved the main character and her commitment to helping her mom. The side characters were also wonderful and I liked the dynamics that played out as the game progressed.

There’s even a sweet little sub-plot romance that had me smiling and questioning all the motives. I absolutely LOVED the ending. There were so many good twists that I had no idea were coming and kept me guessing and racing towards the end. I’ll definitely be picking up the next book to see where this story continues!

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Thriller
  • Language: a little
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: moderate
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: parental abandonment, death of a parent, knife/gun violence, kidnapping

Instagram || Goodreads || The StoryGraph

Book Review: Lost and Lassoed (Rebel Blue Ranch #3) by Lyla Sage

GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 368 pages
Author: Lyla Sage
Publisher: Quercus
Release Date: November 5th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

She thrives in chaos. He prefers routine. The only thing they have in common? How much they hate each other. From the author of Done and Dusted and Swift and Saddled, the highly anticipated next book in the Rebel Blue Ranch series, a small town romance featuring enemies to lovers and forced proximity.

Teddy Andersen doesn’t have a plan. She’s never needed one before. She’s always been more of a go with the flow type of girl, but for some reason, the flow doesn’t seem to be going her way this time. Her favorite vintage suede jacket has a hole in it, her sewing machine is broken, and her best friend just got engaged. Suddenly, everything feels like it’s starting to change. Teddy’s used to being a leader, but now she feels like she’s getting left behind, wondering if the life she lives in the small town she loves is enough for her anymore.

Gus Ryder has a lot on his plate. He doesn’t know what’s taking care of his family’s 8,000 acre ranch, or parenting his spunky six-year-old daughter, who is staying with him for the summer. Gus has always been the dependable one, but when his workload starts to overwhelm him, he slips up, and he has to admit that he can’t manage everything on his own. He needs help. His little sister’s best friend, the woman he can’t stand, is not who he had in mind. But when no one else can step in, Teddy’s the only option he’s got. Teddy decides to use the summer to try and figure out what she wants out of life. Gus, on the other hand, starts to worry that he’ll never find what he needs. Tempers flare, tension builds, and for the first time ever, Gus and Teddy start to see each other in a different light. As new feelings start to simmer below the surface, they must decide whether or not to act on them. Can they keep things cool? Or will both of them get burned?

Thank you LibroFM for the gifted audiobook.

LOOOOOVED IT.

I am so happy I decided to pick up this series this year because it has my whole heart and soul now. I am obsessed with this whole family and can’t get enough. I loved how the enemies to lovers was executed here. You could FEEL all of the tension and the banter set the perfect edge.

The nanny x single dad trope made my heart burst. I loved all of the little tender moments and watching Teddy and Gus realize just how much love was already there. And even better, it fit into my plot > spice scale (which is totally arbitrary to my own thoughts, but if you know me this might make sense to you).

And the audiobook is top notch. I love dual POV so dang much. This entire series is worth the read.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: moderate
  • Romance: 3 open door
  • Violence: low

Instagram || Goodreads || The StoryGraph

Book Review: Beyond the Filigree Wall (Rivenwilde #1) by Melissa Wright

GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 205 pages
Author: Melissa Wright
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: December 6th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A dark curse. A deadly secret. The ill-fated girl at the heart of both.

Antonetta Ostwind is about to get everything she’s ever wanted. If all goes to plan, she’ll end the fae, steal back what was stolen, and win the post she’s dreamed of since she was a girl.

There’s just one problem. His name is Gideon Alexander.

Gideon holds the key to her coveted post. He’s fantastic with a sword, looks amazing in uniform, and commands even the adoration of his great, beastly dog. He’s living the life Etta needs.

Gideon doesn’t believe Etta should have any of it. In fact, he’s planning to make sure she never does. And that’s a real problem, because if Etta can’t take her post as marshal, how can she have her vengeance and save the kingdom from the prince of the fae?

Slip into clean, slow-burn romance with a properly stabby heroine and the low commitment of a standalone series in this light regency fantasy romp for fans of Enchantment of Ravens and Little Thieves.

SOLID STANDALONE.

I needed something quick, fantasy and enjoyable and this hit all of those marks for me. It’s a 6-hour audiobook that brought some swoon, is in the sweet category and had some naughty fae causing chaos.

The main characters were great and I loved that it was dual POV. There’s not an over complicated plot and just enough happening that it works well within a short book. Definitely recommend for those wanted to mix things up and need a good slow burn.

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: moderate

Instagram || Goodreads || The StoryGraph || TikTok