WWW Wednesday – March 4, 2020

Dear book-lovers,
Welcome to WWW Wednesday! This meme is hosted by Taking on a World of Words. The idea of this meme is to answer three W questions, which are: What are you currently reading? What did you recently finish reading? What do you think you’ll read next? *Note. Click on the book’s title to check it on Goodreads.

CURRENTLY READING:

I’m still on page 23 of The Hunchback of Notre-Dame by Victor Hugo. I just haven’t had time and desire to pick it up again. The same with A Heart So Fierce and Broken (Cursebreakers #2) by Brigid Kemmerer, still on page 254. And still 17% into the story of Alien Minds (Dimension Drift #1) by Christina Bauer. There has been no progress made with these three books for some time, but I will try to get to them at some point, when I get some extra time, however, at the moment it doesn’t look like it’s going to be any time soon, as I have quite many ARCs to get trough, but let’s see.

This is the last week in behind the book readalong for Sky in the Deep, which means that I’m going to finish this YA fantasy romance today or tomorrow. From one side, I’m very happy I took part in this amazing readalong, but from other one, I’m sad that it’s over. But hoping that Adriene is going to do soon another readalong for the companion book The Girl the Sea Gave Back. So at the moment I’m still in chapter 32 of Sky in the Deep (Sky in the Deep #1) by Adrienne Young, but not for long, because I plan to read the last chapters in one sitting. Find more information about behind the book readalong on Adriene’s IG account here.

Raised to be a warrior, seventeen-year-old Eelyn fights alongside her Aska clansmen in an ancient, god-decreed rivalry against the Riki clan. Her life is brutal but simple: train to fight and fight to survive. Until the day she sees the impossible on the battlefield-her brother, fighting with the enemy-the brother she watched die five years ago. Eelyn loses her focus and is captured.

Now, she must survive the winter in the mountains with the Riki, in a village where every neighbor is an enemy, every battle scar possibly one she delivered. But when the Riki village is raided by a ruthless clan settling in the valley, Eelyn is even more desperate to get back to her beloved Aska clan, which is rumored to have been decimated by the same horde. She is given no choice but to trust Fiske, her brother’s friend who tried to kill her the day she was captured. They must do the impossible: unite the clans to fight together, or risk being slaughtered one by one.

Driven by a love for her clan and her growing love for Fiske, Eelyn must confront her own definition of loyalty and find a way to forgive her brother while daring to put her faith in the people she’s spent her life killing.

A few days ago I started reading a first book in a new romance suspense duet – The Mocking Man (The Pact #1) by Leslie Georgeson. I’m 47% into the book and not sure yet what to think about it. I was expecting something a bit different, but it’s not also that bad, so we will just have to see how I feel about this story after I’m done.

Two friends. One pact. A dangerous plan with an elaborate deception. In a world where they must rely on each other to survive, how far will each of them go to honor the pact?
—-
The Mocking Man:

Deception.

Not a word I would have associated with myself fifteen years ago. Back then I was innocent and carefree, a teenage boy with big dreams.

Then my best friend Rafe was kidnapped, and my world fell apart. I foolishly thought I could save him.

I was wrong.

Now my entire life is a web of deceit. My every breath tainted by lies. I don’t like what I’ve become. But it’s essential for my very survival.

My job now is to stay in the shadows and keep Rafe’s sister Isabella safe. She can’t even know I’m here.

Then danger lurks closer. Somehow, I must protect her while keeping my secret.

But I get so caught up in my own twisted game that I eventually make a terrible mistake.

Now she’s a part of the pact. And I can’t let her go.

But what kind of life can I give her if I can never be anything more than the mocking man?

—-

***This series is a romantic suspense duet. Book 1 is Alex’s story, and Book 2 is Rafael’s story. While each can be read as a stand-alone, events in book 1 lead to events in book 2. Therefore, to get the full story without spoilers, it is recommended that they be read in order. These books contain strong language and adult situations. Recommended for readers ages 18 and up.***

RECENTLY FINISHED:

Since last Wednesday’s WWW post I have read six and a half books (this one is mentioned right above), so let’s take a look at those six books. You will notice that my this week’s reading had a trend, as 5 out of 6 books were hate-to-love romances, also 4 out of the 6 books were ARCs.

I was enthralled by this dark and twisted hate-to-love romantic suspense Owned by Him by Raven Amor (4.5 stars), which provided an emotionally powerful reading experience. You can read an excerpt and my review here. *Note. This book is not for everyone, as it covers very dark sexual themes and other triggers, only for mature readers, who can handle dark and twisted romance with morally questionable characters and scenes. I read an ARC of this standalone novel.

Lillianna would do anything for her dad. But the bond of family can be a knife that cuts deep. Her father owed a lot of money. In the ultimate betrayal, he bartered Lilliana as his payment.

Traded to her brother’s best friend. The man who she once loved, her childhood prince.

Malachi Kingston is now the monster who stole her freedom.

Yet as secrets from the past surface, and the pair battle against their darkest desires.

Blood will be spilled. Heart will be broken. Bullets will fly and lives lost.

From author Raven Amor comes Owned by Him, a suspenseful dark romance that will leave readers breathless!

Another ARC that I finished was a first book in a new paranormal romance series about Greek gods – Awful Curse (Celestial Bodies #1) by Elena Monroe (3 stars). I was a bit disappointed by this book, because I expected so much more from a high school paranormal hate-to-love romance with children of Greek gods. I just wanted more paranormal and less teen drama. You can read an excerpt and my review here.

He was King of Arcadia Prep until she came for his throne…

ARIANNA
We moved around a lot, too much.
The shine of my highly respected and decorated military dad’s badge wore off after I became heavy baggage.
I was the new girl thirteen times in two years and every time I had to tape up another box I grew more resentful. Forced to forget everyone I fell in love with, laughed with and bonded with.
For a certain price you could unburden yourself from your hormonal teen at Arcadia Prep too.
I’m reckless.
I’m impatient.
Purple hair, a don’t care attitude and my Doc Martins all screamed leave me alone, fending off any new relationships.
I vowed to keep my heart safe this time, locking it away right under my anger but he knew exactly where I hid the spare key – in his mysterious eyes the minute ours locked.

BOLTON
I was stuck – the essence of a God in some kind of limbo of high school.
I was meant for more than this.
Being king here meant nothing.
Arcadia Prep wasn’t for the weak. The expectations, the pressure, the standards, the success and privilege smug on everyone’s face wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea.
I thrived in chaos.
I’m fearless.
I’m ruthless.
The new girl was not my cup of tea.
She stomped her doc martins all over my tradition, rules and my reign.
We all have secrets. Mine were paper weighted down by my heavy crown.
Her violet eyes and her abrupt attitude spewed sass all over my black on black. She didn’t faze me until I realized she was after my crown…

My next read was also an ARC for a contemporary rock star romance Treyton (Savage Beasts #2) by J. Nathan (4 stars). I liked this sweet, emotional and steamy hate-to-love romance. You can read my review here. *Note. Even though it can be read as a standalone, I would recommend to start first with Kozart.

STANDALONE #2 in the Savage Beasts rock star series.

Treyton Collins is Savage Beasts’ drummer.
He’s the band’s resident bad boy with the tattoos and tongue ring to prove it.
And though his big personality hides secrets and his smile conceals a troubled past, no woman has yet to be immune to Treyton’s charm.
That’s why he’s fascinated by the one who is…

Brielle Patrick is Savage Beasts’ publicist.
She couldn’t be any more different than Treyton.
She’s business suits and he’s torn jeans.
She’s bossy and he’s fun-loving.
She’s got an attitude and he can’t stand it.
And, her latest publicity stunt left her on the outs with the band.
But, if nothing else, Brielle is persistent.
And she’ll prove it by spending the summer on tour with the band.
She’s convinced herself she’s there to keep Treyton out of trouble.
But that isn’t the only reason she’s overseas for two months.
She’s searching for something her life is missing.

Is it possible she could find it when she least expects it?
With the guy she least expects to find it with?

The next read was my most anticipated book of 2020, and it did not disappoint. I LOVED the dark YA fantasy with kind of hate-to-love/friends-to-lovers romance – The Shadows Between Us by Tricia Levenseller (5 stars). I wanted it to never end. This was an amazing YA fantasy book, with slow burn romance, complicated and morally challenged characters, and intriguing world. The Shadows Between Us is at the moment my favourite read of 2020.

Alessandra is tired of being overlooked, but she has a plan to gain power:

1) Woo the Shadow King.
2) Marry him.
3) Kill him and take his kingdom for herself.

No one knows the extent of the freshly crowned Shadow King’s power. Some say he can command the shadows that swirl around him to do his bidding. Others say they speak to him, whispering the thoughts of his enemies. Regardless, Alessandra knows what she deserves, and she’s going to do everything within her power to get it.

But Alessandra’s not the only one trying to kill the king. As attempts on his life are made, she finds herself trying to keep him alive long enough for him to make her his queen—all while struggling not to lose her heart. After all, who better for a Shadow King than a cunning, villainous queen?

I also read an ARC for a second book in a contemporary romance series about a dysfunctional but loving family, who build custom motorcycles – Fast (Burns Brothers #2) by Gillian Archer (3.75 stars). Even thought the surprise baby trope is not one I like to read, this was actually an entertaining and cute romance read, which I enjoyed way more than expected. I just couldn’t say no to this book, because I liked very much the first book Build, and I want to keep reading the next books in this series. You can read my review for Build here.

Family means everything to this tattooed bad boy—good thing since he’s about to start his own.

I wanted her the first time I laid eyes on her. But what starts as a fun time, quickly gets serious when the stick turns pink a month later. My life is already chaos with my recently paroled father popping up and the usual drama at the family business building custom motorcycles. Plus our reality show just got picked up for a full season.

But it really hits the fan when I discover that the new woman in my life is the daughter of the President of the West Coast Kings, the baddest motorcycle club in Sacramento—and our biggest client. Think he’ll like being called Grandpa?

Life just got hella complicated.

And yesterday in the evening I picked up a dark (kind of hate-to-love) suspense romance by one of my favourite author duos – Cruel Obsession (The Obsession Duet #1) by J.L. Beck and C. Hallman (4.5 stars). It was a dark, twisted and very steamy hot romance, with kidnapping, killing and mob, also our hero was more like an anti-hero with almost no morals at all. You can read couple of excerpts here. *Note. This book is for mature audience only.

We were only kids when I made the vow to protect her.

First from the monsters hiding under the bed and then the ones roaming the world freely.

My obsession with Dove wasn’t normal, it toed the line on psychotic but my love for her overshadowed that. I’d killed, destroyed and hurt those that had done her wrong. I’d watched her for years wanting to claim her but refusing too. I was both her guardian angel and the demon lurking in the shadows.

She was mine, even though she didn’t know it yet.

I had planned to let her live her life, while I watched from afar.

Until one night everything changed and I was forced to kidnap her.

She doesn’t remember me.
She doesn’t know me.
She begs me to let her go.

But I can’t. I won’t.

There are things she doesn’t know. Secrets I cannot tell her but one thing is clear.
I’ll die before I ever let her slip through my fingers.

**This book is not suitable for all readers due to violence, sexual content, and mature themes.**

READING NEXT:

At the moment I’m not sure what’s next. I have a few ARCs that I have to read and a few books from library that are due soon, also I should try to finish the books that I have started already. Most of all it depends on what I’m going to be in the mood for. So your guess is as good as mine 🙈 Here are some possible choices 🙂

Tell me in comments – What books have you recently read, are currently reading or plan to read next? You can also share your WWW post link here in comments 😉

Happy reading,
Lady of Bookland