Tag: Kelly Jamieson

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

On By JolieIn book review4 Comments

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 at The Book Date.

Jen Vincent, Teach Mentor Texts, and Kellee of Unleashing Readers decided to give It’s Monday! a kidlit focus. If you read and review books in children’s literature – picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels or anything in those genres – join them.

Happy Monday (well, as happy as a Monday can be…lol) everyone and I hope you all had a great weekend!!

I have several great things that happened over the weekend (well since last week’s WWW).

Miss B and Mr. Z got their first Covid shot. I was able to book their appointments that Wednesday night. Miss B got hers on Thursday. She was actually the first teenager that got their vaccine at that Walgreens. Mr. Z got his on Saturday and let me tell you, all of the people waiting for their vaccines were teenagers and their parents. There were 4 kids ahead of Mr. Z and I counted 4 more going in (Miss R was with me and I took her to wait in the van). They get their 2nd dose the first week of June (June 3rd and June 5th) and after that 2-week wait, they will be vaccinated!! All I am waiting on right now is for Miss R’s age group to get approved and our whole family will be vaccinated. Yay!!

The mask mandate was lifted in NC on Friday…if you were vaccinated. I was so happy (I have a mask phobia and wearing them was awful). I walked into the grocery store (Publix) for the first time in over a year without a mask. We also went out to eat as a family on Saturday. It felt weird to walk in without a mask (and the kids were wearing them). I also cringed because the table next to us was coughing up a fit (to the point where the server asked the guy to step outside on the patio….the guy declined).

School ends next week and they are in high gear testing mode. Mr. Z has to go on Wednesday for his ELA end-of-grade test and I believe on the 26th for his science (not sure on that, they weren’t clear). Miss B has her end-of-course testing this week and her end-of-grade test for Math 1 on Monday.

Meanwhile, in 1st grade, Miss R is having a week of fun last couple of weeks of school. I sent her in with 3 cans of shaving cream and 2 packs of spoons for an activity. Not quite sure what they’re doing. She also brought in a board game (it’s game day). Last week, they had Bring Your Favorite Book to School (Thursday and it was Dolly Parton’s A Coat of Many Colors) and Bubbles and Chalk Day (Friday). Her teacher announced that Wednesday will be their last virtual day (Thank the Lord!!).

BK and I did a lot of yard work over the weekend. I started to pressure wash our deck/pressure wash our outdoor furniture while he mowed and weed-whacked. Plus, we cleaned out under the deck (got rid of any/all toys that weren’t put away for the winter). We also made the discovery that we have a huge fire ant nest. For the time being, I told the kids to stay away from that area and we are going to pick up poison to kill them on the weekend. I also set up my birdbath, refilled the seeds/suet, and the dried corn for the squirrels.

I did do some reading over the weekend but only finished 1 book. BK and I discovered this new show on Netflix: Jupiter’s Legacy and we binged it this weekend. It is a very dark superhero series. We originally thought that it would be a good show for Mr. Z but decided that he probably shouldn’t watch it. I liked it. There is a huge twist during the last episode that made me go “WTF!!“

Also, because of my bingeathon, I didn’t work on any posts. I was too involved with the show to even think about it….lol.

How was your weekend? Anything interesting happen? Read any good books? Watch any good shows?

Let me know!!

What I am Reading Now:

Book Cover
As the captain of the Chicago Aces, Marc Dupuis is all business. The apartment he shares with his teammate and best friend, Duncan, is a refuge from the pressures of fame. But when the sexiest woman he’s ever seen interrupts his early morning coffee wearing only a skimpy cami and matching panties, Marc can’t exactly say he minds. Their chemistry is off the charts. Unfortunately, this girl’s no random puck bunny. She’s Duncan’s little sister—and she’s moving in.

Lovey Armstrong could stare at Marc’s chiseled abs and listen to his French-Canadian accent all day. She just has no idea what’s going on inside his head: When he’s not charming her pants off, Marc makes a Zamboni machine seem warm and cuddly. Lovey knows the team’s bro code says no messing with sisters, but all these mixed messages are hard on a girl’s self-esteem—especially since she’s finally getting her new life together in Chicago. She decides he’s worth another shot . . . because if anyone can melt the ice around Marc’s heart, it’s Lovey.

This was a series I started mid-series in. I started at book 5 and finished the series out. So, I put books 1-4 on my TBR list and figured that I would get around to reading them. Well, here I am. I started reading this last night and I am about a chapter in and I am loving it. I had always wondered about Lovey and Marc’s relationship and how it got started. Now I know!!

What I plan on reading this week:

My reading order for this week is pretty set. My library book should be coming off hold at some point this week (I am #3 in the queue and they have 3 books that they are lending out). So, for this week, the reading order is TBR, TBR, Library, ARC.

Book Cover
Can a broken Alpha save her from the Big Bad wolves?

Lucas has lost his mate, and he’ll never claim another—his kind of broken can’t be fixed. He’s still alpha enough to rescue a young woman from the predatory Red wolf pack, but when she shows up at his office—as his sexy new intern—she stirs up feelings that need to stay buried…

Mia’s just trying to earn her degree and dig her way out of poverty. Keeping her shifter nature secret is key, but her internship at the hottest dot-com development firm in Seattle also has the hottest boss… and he’s a wolf. Who just happened to save her life.

She’d break all the rules for this guy—except he wants nothing to do with her. And the wolves who do are the Big Bad Wolf kind. The kind she’s always heard about.

Mia’s in the middle of a pack war with nowhere to turn… but to the one guy who doesn’t want her at all.
Book Cover
All books can be read as a stand alone or in order of the series.

Leaving the Navy after the death of his best friend in the line of duty, ex-SEAL Ben Harper has returned home in search of some form of normalcy. He’s good at hiding his thoughts and feelings and is positive he has everyone around him fooled. After all, no one ever brings his service career up to him, and he likes it that way.

Presley James is drawn to the new Director of Security at the hospital where she works, just like every other nurse and employee in the building. Tall, dark, dangerous and sexy as hell. With a wicked grin and happy hello for everyone—he is a total contradiction. After spending most of her life caring for people, something about Ben is pulling at her. Something about his smile just doesn’t equal up to the rest of him. No matter how hard he tries, she isn’t fooled.

Will she be able to help him find his way when her own baggage is more than even she can handle?

Mature content, not intended for under 18 years of age.
Book Cover
The Three-Body Problem is the first chance for English-speaking readers to experience the Hugo Award-winning phenomenon from China’s most beloved science fiction author, Liu Cixin.

Set against the backdrop of China’s Cultural Revolution, a secret military project sends signals into space to establish contact with aliens. An alien civilization on the brink of destruction captures the signal and plans to invade Earth. Meanwhile, on Earth, different camps start forming, planning to either welcome the superior beings and help them take over a world seen as corrupt, or to fight against the invasion. The result is a science fiction masterpiece of enormous scope and vision.
Book Cover
Mystery writer Brooke Davies is the new wife on the block. Her tech-billionaire husband, Jack, twenty-two years her senior, whisked her to the Bay Area via private jet and purchased a modest mansion on the same day. He demands perfection, and before now, Brooke has had no problem playing the role of a doting housewife. But as she befriends other wives on the street and spends considerable time away from Jack, he worries if he doesn’t control Brooke’s every move, she will reveal the truth behind their “perfect” marriage.

Erin King, famed news anchor and chair of the community board, is no stranger to maintaining an image–though being married to a plastic surgeon helps. But the skyrocketing success of her career has worn her love life thin, and her professional ambitions have pushed Mason away. Quitting her job is a Hail Mary attempt at keeping him interested, to steer him away from finding a young trophy wife. But is it enough, and is Mason truly the man she thought he was?

Georgia St. Claire allegedly cashed in on the deaths of her first two husbands, earning her the nickname “Black Widow”–and the stares and whispers of her curious neighbors. Rumored to have murdered both men for their fortunes, she claims to have found true love in her third marriage, yet her mysterious, captivating allure keeps everyone guessing. Then a tragic accident forces the residents of Presidio Terrace to ask: Has Georgia struck again? And what is she really capable of doing to protect her secrets?

WWW Wednesday: May 12th 2021

On By JolieIn book review4 Comments

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words.

The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

Personal:

Allergies and that awful cold has been banished from the house. Mr Z was the last one to get it and wouldn’t you know, he got it the worst. He is also my one kid that NEVER gets sick. So it figures that he got laid out with this cold.

Mr. Z has his end-of-grade testing coming up. He did his math today and ELA next week. I’m expecting him to pass both with flying colors. Put it this way, he has a 96 in Math and a 97 in ELA. His GPA is 4.0.

Miss B’s end-of-course testing starts next week. She has one EOG on the 24th. After that, she’s out of school. Well, according to her she’s out of school for the rest of that week. I do plan on emailing her EC (special Ed) teacher to confirm

Because Miss R is in 1st grade, they don’t do end-of-grade testing. Instead, they see how proficient the kids are in math, ELA, writing, and science/social studies. Because Miss R’s teacher contacted me last week, I know that she isn’t proficient in writing. Honestly, I am not that worried about it. I will work with her over the summer break (I got workbooks). Considering how messed up the school year was, I am happy that she is on grade level for everything else.

BK is in Baltimore/Washington D.C. this week. I am worried about how he is going to get home with the gas shortages. He took his company car there yesterday and had problems finding a gas station. He’s hoping that by tomorrow that there will be gas.

Speaking of the gas shortage, we’re good with gas. BK fills the cars (Dodge Journey and Dodge Grand Caravan) up every Saturday/Sunday. So, we’re good for a while if I only drive when I have to. They are expecting everything to be OKish by the weekend (according to the news).

BK and I finally got to watch another episode of The Nevers on Sunday. I am really enjoying that show. But, because of the shitstorm that is around Joss Whedon, I am wondering if it will be canceled….sigh. Hey, at least I still have The Magicians and Lovecraft County.

I have stopped playing Black Desert Online. The game got boring for me. I decided to redownload Elder Scrolls Online and play that. So far, I am liking it!!

I made Slow-Cooker Savory Roast Chicken and Vegetables with garlic mashed potatoes for supper last night. It was a bust. None of the kids ate it. Miss B didn’t like the taste of the chicken, Miss R didn’t like that there were mushrooms in it, and Mr. Z doesn’t like chicken, period. I thought it tasted good….shrug. Gotta love having picky kids.

Blog

I had posted this on Monday (on the IMWAYR post) but I am going to restate it here. I am finally able to edit my posts without having to scroll through all of them. I was so excited about that and I did about 5-6 posts before closing shop for the night. I am hoping to get all my posts edited/links fixed by the end of the summer!!

Reading:

I didn’t do a lot of reading last week. As I mentioned in that IMWAYR post, I had an awful migraine that lasted two days. Then it was my birthday/Mother’s day. Then on Monday, my Kindle died (that happens when you don’t charge it….lol). But I was able to finish one book last night and I am almost done with another.

What I Recently Finished Reading:

Book Cover
Ten thousand years ago, a mysterious race that we only know as the Overseers took primitive humans and scattered them on dozens of worlds across the galaxy. Now, some of those people have found their way back to Earth. A young Justice Keeper named Anna Lenai has tracked a criminal through unexplored regions of space in the hopes of recovering a symbiont that grants its host the ability to bend space and time. Her search leads her to Earth, where she befriends a young man named Jack Hunter. Together, they will face enemies with advanced technology as they struggle to recover the symbiont before its power falls into the wrong hands.

I wasn’t a huge fan of this book. I loved what was promised in the blurb. But once Anna and Jack got the symbiont, the book got very, very weird.

What I am currently reading:

Book Cover
What to do when your crush turns out to be a monster (and other such problems).

Just when correctional nurse October Grace has a handle on her stressful job and taking care of her mentally ill mother, a shapeshifting warrior and a half-vampire plunge her into a foreign land that’s on the brink of starvation. Now, with a ticking clock and a target on her back, October takes up the mantle of becoming one of the rare Omens who can bring hope to a dying world.
Mason and Von remain by her side to shield the national treasure while she sacrifices herself to reap the souls that will feed the nations of Terraway. As the death toll rises daily, October finds herself tangled up in a cutthroat world where fairytale creatures run wild… and every day is a new bloody battle.

I am enjoying this book, even though it isn’t quite what the blurb promised. Yes, October is a nurse but the blurb fails to mention that she has severe OCD. That is brought on by being raised by an abusive hoarder of a mother. As for her being an Omen, October wasn’t even aware of it until the night she met her mother’s new boyfriend. Other than that, I am loving it. Von is one of my favorite characters (the scene where he is trying not to feed on October was pretty funny…mainly because of what he was saying). Mason, I am not sure of, and I do NOT like Danny. He’s a little too free with his hands if you know what I mean.

What books I think I’ll read next:

I finally have new books on my TBR list for this next week. I will have a book come off hold from the library at some point this week, so I am including it on this week’s list. The order in which I will be reading these books are NetGalley ARC, Author ARC, Library book, TBR, TBR, TBR.

Book Cover
At twenty-six, Dahlia Lighthouse has a lot to learn when it comes to the real world. Raised in a secluded island mansion deep in the woods and kept isolated by her true crime-obsessed parents, she has spent the last several years living on her own, but unable to move beyond her past—especially the disappearance of her twin brother Andy when they were sixteen.

With her father’s death, Dahlia returns to the house she has avoided for years. But as the rest of the Lighthouse family arrives for the memorial, a gruesome discovery is made: buried in the reserved plot is another body—Andy’s, his skull split open with an ax.

Each member of the family handles the revelation in unusual ways. Her brother Charlie pours his energy into creating a family memorial museum, highlighting their research into the lives of famous murder victims; her sister Tate forges ahead with her popular dioramas portraying crime scenes; and their mother affects a cheerfully domestic façade, becoming unrecognizable as the woman who performed murder reenactments for her children. As Dahlia grapples with her own grief and horror, she realizes that her eccentric family, and the mansion itself, may hold the answers to what happened to her twin.
Book Cover
I, Elya Pavlovna, am a horribly wicked and unfortunate girl.

After her governess is fired for teaching her to read, Elya writes in a secret journal to continue her lessons on her own. Though, as an unwanted scullery maid, she doubts she will ever have much to say.

But when a charming stranger answers her private messages, Elya’s world turns upside down. He calls her sweet. He calls her strong. He challenges her to come to a palace celebration and leave her abusive past behind.

Each small push reveals more risks and hidden heartache. Will the magic of their words be enough to rewrite their story together, or will it all fade away at midnight?

If you like inspirational heroines, unique love stories, and untrustworthy fae, this romantic fantasy is for you! One-click now to start the magic, romance, and heart-wrenching emotional journey!

Letters by Cinderlight is a twist on the Cinderella story based in Slavic mythology and full of magical fairies with stories of their own.

What are HighTower Fairytales?

HighTower Fairytales lean more toward the original sources (NOT Disney) with rich semi-historical settings. They have magic. They have scary monsters. And, most importantly, they have unique and complex characters who are trying hard to improve themselves.

They also include plenty of humor and all the heroes marry their prince/princess charming and live happily ever after at the end!

Basically, these stories meant to inspire, but have a very difficult and occasionally dark tower to climb. They are conservatively marked at 14+ and are appropriate for teens and young adults.

Currently these stories include:

Winter Falls: A Tale of the Snow Queen (2017)
Cry Wolf: A Tale of Beauty and the Beast (2020)
Depths: A Tale of the Little Mermaid (2020)
Letters by Cinderlight: A Tale of Cinderella (2021)
Robin’s Hood: A Tale of Sherwood Forest (2021)

And more on the way!!!
Book Cover
Set against the backdrop of China’s Cultural Revolution, a secret military project sends signals into space to establish contact with aliens. An alien civilization on the brink of destruction captures the signal and plans to invade Earth. Meanwhile, on Earth, different camps start forming, planning to either welcome the superior beings and help them take over a world seen as corrupt, or to fight against the invasion. The result is a science fiction masterpiece of enormous scope and vision.
Book Cover
As the captain of the Chicago Aces, Marc Dupuis is all business. The apartment he shares with his teammate and best friend, Duncan, is a refuge from the pressures of fame. But when the sexiest woman he’s ever seen interrupts his early morning coffee wearing only a skimpy cami and matching panties, Marc can’t exactly say he minds. Their chemistry is off the charts. Unfortunately, this girl’s no random puck bunny. She’s Duncan’s little sister—and she’s moving in.

Lovey Armstrong could stare at Marc’s chiseled abs and listen to his French-Canadian accent all day. She just has no idea what’s going on inside his head: When he’s not charming her pants off, Marc makes a Zamboni machine seem warm and cuddly. Lovey knows the team’s bro code says no messing with sisters, but all these mixed messages are hard on a girl’s self-esteem—especially since she’s finally getting her new life together in Chicago. She decides he’s worth another shot . . . because if anyone can melt the ice around Marc’s heart, it’s Lovey.
Book Cover
Can a broken Alpha save her from the Big Bad wolves?

Lucas has lost his mate, and he’ll never claim another—his kind of broken can’t be fixed. He’s still alpha enough to rescue a young woman from the predatory Red wolf pack, but when she shows up at his office—as his sexy new intern—she stirs up feelings that need to stay buried…

Mia’s just trying to earn her degree and dig her way out of poverty. Keeping her shifter nature secret is key, but her internship at the hottest dot-com development firm in Seattle also has the hottest boss… and he’s a wolf. Who just happened to save her life.

She’d break all the rules for this guy—except he wants nothing to do with her. And the wolves who do are the Big Bad Wolf kind. The kind she’s always heard about.

Mia’s in the middle of a pack war with nowhere to turn… but to the one guy who doesn’t want her at all.
Book Cover
Leaving the Navy after the death of his best friend in the line of duty, ex-SEAL Ben Harper has returned home in search of some form of normalcy. He’s good at hiding his thoughts and feelings and is positive he has everyone around him fooled. After all, no one ever brings his service career up to him, and he likes it that way.

Presley James is drawn to the new Director of Security at the hospital where she works, just like every other nurse and employee in the building. Tall, dark, dangerous and sexy as hell. With a wicked grin and happy hello for everyone—he is a total contradiction. After spending most of her life caring for people, something about Ben is pulling at her. Something about his smile just doesn’t equal up to the rest of him. No matter how hard he tries, she isn’t fooled.

Will she be able to help him find his way when her own baggage is more than even she can handle?

Mature content, not intended for under 18 years of age.

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

On By JolieIn book review3 Comments

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 at The Book Date.

Jen Vincent, Teach Mentor Texts, and Kellee of Unleashing Readers decided to give It’s Monday! a kidlit focus. If you read and review books in children’s literature – picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels or anything in those genres – join them.

Happy Monday (well, as happy as a Monday can be…lol) everyone and I hope you all had a great weekend!!

For all my Mom blogger friends: Happy Belated Mother’s Day!!! I hope you had a relaxing and wonderful day with your family. I know I did :).

My weekend was great. We completed our outdoor patio area and are thinking of building an area for a firepit. We also started clearing out the area for the pool. I have talked BK into putting sand on top of a tarp so the bottom isn’t as bumpy as it was last year.

We also made our plans for a vacation to Fl. See, last year, we were supposed to go and stay at a cottage on the beach in April. Since Covid happened, our plans got canceled. Well, this year, we are going down for Memorial Day weekend. Our plans are Epcot, Legoland, my MIL’s pool, and the beach. Everyone is super excited. We even hired someone to come in, make sure the cats’ food and water are filled, scoop the litter box, and play with the cats when we are gone. FYI: Rover.com is the place to go for that.

I didn’t read this weekend. With everything that was going on (Friday was my birthday and Sunday was Mother’s Day) on top of having a migraine Thursday and Friday, I didn’t pick up my Kindle. I do plan on sitting down after this post is up and reading.

I worked on my blog for a little bit on Saturday. I had gotten an email from WordPress with the interesting news that you can switch the posts back to the admin view. Go into your account, account setting, and above the dashboard color schemes section is a tab that says “Show wp-admin pages if available.” Click it so it is green and it is changed. I’ll tell you guys, that has made a HUGE difference for me. Instead of scrolling through my posts, I can go, click an arrow to the end, and backtrack to the last post I was editing.

How was your weekend? Anything interesting happen? Read any good books? Find out something that makes your life (blogging and otherwise) 100% easier?

Let me know!!

What I am Reading Now:

Book Cover
Ten thousand years ago, a mysterious race that we only know as the Overseers took primitive humans and scattered them on dozens of worlds across the galaxy. Now, some of those people have found their way back to Earth. A young Justice Keeper named Anna Lenai has tracked a criminal through unexplored regions of space in the hopes of recovering a symbiont that grants its host the ability to bend space and time. Her search leads her to Earth, where she befriends a young man named Jack Hunter. Together, they will face enemies with advanced technology as they struggle to recover the symbiont before its power falls into the wrong hands.

I got into 30% of Symbiosis before my migraine started last week. Honestly, I am a little “meh” about this book. The characters aren’t my favorite and the plotline makes no sense. I am hoping that it straightens out soon or I am going to DNF it.

What I plan on reading this week:

My reading order for these books are TBR, ARC, TBR, TBR, TBR. I do have a library book coming off hold this week and I will read that before the last three TBR’s.

Book Cover
What to do when your crush turns out to be a monster (and other such problems).

Just when correctional nurse October Grace has a handle on her stressful job and taking care of her mentally ill mother, a shapeshifting warrior and a half-vampire plunge her into a foreign land that’s on the brink of starvation. Now, with a ticking clock and a target on her back, October takes up the mantle of becoming one of the rare Omens who can bring hope to a dying world.
Mason and Von remain by her side to shield the national treasure while she sacrifices herself to reap the souls that will feed the nations of Terraway. As the death toll rises daily, October finds herself tangled up in a cutthroat world where fairytale creatures run wild… and every day is a new bloody battle.
Book Cover
At twenty-six, Dahlia Lighthouse has a lot to learn when it comes to the real world. Raised in a secluded island mansion deep in the woods and kept isolated by her true crime-obsessed parents, she has spent the last several years living on her own, but unable to move beyond her past—especially the disappearance of her twin brother Andy when they were sixteen.

With her father’s death, Dahlia returns to the house she has avoided for years. But as the rest of the Lighthouse family arrives for the memorial, a gruesome discovery is made: buried in the reserved plot is another body—Andy’s, his skull split open with an ax.

Each member of the family handles the revelation in unusual ways. Her brother Charlie pours his energy into creating a family memorial museum, highlighting their research into the lives of famous murder victims; her sister Tate forges ahead with her popular dioramas portraying crime scenes; and their mother affects a cheerfully domestic façade, becoming unrecognizable as the woman who performed murder reenactments for her children. As Dahlia grapples with her own grief and horror, she realizes that her eccentric family, and the mansion itself, may hold the answers to what happened to her twin.
Book Cover
As the captain of the Chicago Aces, Marc Dupuis is all business. The apartment he shares with his teammate and best friend, Duncan, is a refuge from the pressures of fame. But when the sexiest woman he’s ever seen interrupts his early morning coffee wearing only a skimpy cami and matching panties, Marc can’t exactly say he minds. Their chemistry is off the charts. Unfortunately, this girl’s no random puck bunny. She’s Duncan’s little sister—and she’s moving in.

Lovey Armstrong could stare at Marc’s chiseled abs and listen to his French-Canadian accent all day. She just has no idea what’s going on inside his head: When he’s not charming her pants off, Marc makes a Zamboni machine seem warm and cuddly. Lovey knows the team’s bro code says no messing with sisters, but all these mixed messages are hard on a girl’s self-esteem—especially since she’s finally getting her new life together in Chicago. She decides he’s worth another shot . . . because if anyone can melt the ice around Marc’s heart, it’s Lovey.
Book Cover
Can a broken Alpha save her from the Big Bad wolves?

Lucas has lost his mate, and he’ll never claim another—his kind of broken can’t be fixed. He’s still alpha enough to rescue a young woman from the predatory Red wolf pack, but when she shows up at his office—as his sexy new intern—she stirs up feelings that need to stay buried…

Mia’s just trying to earn her degree and dig her way out of poverty. Keeping her shifter nature secret is key, but her internship at the hottest dot-com development firm in Seattle also has the hottest boss… and he’s a wolf. Who just happened to save her life.

She’d break all the rules for this guy—except he wants nothing to do with her. And the wolves who do are the Big Bad Wolf kind. The kind she’s always heard about.

Mia’s in the middle of a pack war with nowhere to turn… but to the one guy who doesn’t want her at all.
Book Cover
Leaving the Navy after the death of his best friend in the line of duty, ex-SEAL Ben Harper has returned home in search of some form of normalcy. He’s good at hiding his thoughts and feelings and is positive he has everyone around him fooled. After all, no one ever brings his service career up to him, and he likes it that way.

Presley James is drawn to the new Director of Security at the hospital where she works, just like every other nurse and employee in the building. Tall, dark, dangerous and sexy as hell. With a wicked grin and happy hello for everyone—he is a total contradiction. After spending most of her life caring for people, something about Ben is pulling at her. Something about his smile just doesn’t equal up to the rest of him. No matter how hard he tries, she isn’t fooled.

Will she be able to help him find his way when her own baggage is more than even she can handle?

WWW Wednesday: May 5th 2021

On By JolieIn book review2 Comments
IMG_1384-0

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words.

The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

Personal:

Allergies are easing up here (thank God!!). I haven’t taken an allergy pill in a little over 2 days and I am hoping that we’re over the hump.

With Miss B and Miss R being back in school, I knew that sickness was right around the corner. And oh man, has it hit our household. Everyone (except me, I think I have Mom immunity) has gotten this awful cold. It started with Miss R last Wednesday and by Sunday, BK got it. I’ll admit, I did get a little nervous when I heard the coughing. But, all symptoms were knocked out by Dayquil and everyone (except BK who is on day 3) was over it in 4 days.

Miss B found out that she will not have to take her World History final exam. She was thrilled about that. She does wish that she didn’t have to take her Math 1 or honors ELA exams.

Mr Z takes his exams starting next Wednesday. He only has to take Math and ELA. He has to go to the school and take the test. On a Wednesday (they are virtual here on Wednesdays). At 730 in the morning. Lucky for him (or not lucky depending on how you look at it), I am up by 615 on the weekdays and will be able to wake him up fairly early.

Miss R is still loving school. Her favorite classes: Music (and I like her music class too) with Art being a very close second. She has a boy in her class who likes her….lol.

BK is still traveling. He is off to Atlanta, DC, North Dakota, and NYC this month. I am enjoying the peace during the day (and at night). The only place he hasn’t been is North Dakota and he is excited about going. I told him to take pictures (I live through him).

I haven’t been watching a ton of TV. BK and I did sneak in an episode of Lovecraft County over the weekend. I had nightmares about the ghosts in Letty’s house and what was done to them. Shudder.I am still playing BDO and my games on my phone. My huge generation on BitLife died out yesterday. I was super sad because I was on generation 83.

I made Slow-Cooker Pork Burrito Bowls last night. I wasn’t a huge fan of it. It was the lettuce. If I made it again, I would leave the lettuce out.

Blog

Same old thing going on with the blog. I have had zero motivation with fixing it up.

Reading

I read 4 books between last Wednesday and yesterday. Yay me!!!

What I Recently Finished Reading:

Book Cover
The town of Whistling Ridge guards its secrets.

When seventeen-year-old Abigail goes missing, her best friend Emma, compelled by the guilt of leaving her alone at a party in the woods, sets out to discover the truth about what happened. The police initially believe Abi ran away, but Emma doesn’t believe that her friend would leave without her, and when officers find disturbing evidence in the nearby woods, the festering secrets and longstanding resentment of both Abigail’s family and the people of Whistling Ridge, Colorado begin to surface with devastating consequences.

Among those secrets: Abi’s older brother Noah’s passionate, dangerous love for the handsome Rat, a recently arrived Romanian immigrant who has recently made his home in the trailer park in town; her younger brother Jude’s feeling that he knows information he should tell the police, if only he could put it into words; Abi’s father’s mercurial, unpredictable rages and her mother’s silence. Then there is the rest of Whistling Ridge, where a charismatic preacher advocates for God’s love in language that mirrors violence, under the sway of the powerful businessman who rules the town, insular and wary of outsiders.

But Abi had secrets, too, and the closer Emma grows to unraveling the past, the farther she feels from her friend. And in a tinder box of small-town rage, and all it will take is just one spark—the truth of what really happened that night—to change their community forever.

I am not going to say too much about this book except it evoked very strong emotions while reading it. Not saying I didn’t like it but there are some strong themes running through this book that kept me up after I finished it. Mainly because there are still towns and people out there that act like the people in this book and it scares me.

What I am currently reading:

Book Cover
Ten thousand years ago, a mysterious race that we only know as the Overseers took primitive humans and scattered them on dozens of worlds across the galaxy. Now, some of those people have found their way back to Earth. A young Justice Keeper named Anna Lenai has tracked a criminal through unexplored regions of space in the hopes of recovering a symbiont that grants its host the ability to bend space and time. Her search leads her to Earth, where she befriends a young man named Jack Hunter. Together, they will face enemies with advanced technology as they struggle to recover the symbiont before its power falls into the wrong hands.

I am finally reading this book!! I only got into a couple of pages before I fell asleep but yay!!

What books I think I’ll read next:

I am finally getting to the books that have been on my TBR forever!! The order in which I will read them are: TBR, ARC, and TBR. I do have a book that can possibly come off hold this week. If it does, I will read it before the other TBRs.

Book Cover
What to do when your crush turns out to be a monster (and other such problems).

Just when correctional nurse October Grace has a handle on her stressful job and taking care of her mentally ill mother, a shapeshifting warrior and a half-vampire plunge her into a foreign land that’s on the brink of starvation. Now, with a ticking clock and a target on her back, October takes up the mantle of becoming one of the rare Omens who can bring hope to a dying world.
Mason and Von remain by her side to shield the national treasure while she sacrifices herself to reap the souls that will feed the nations of Terraway. As the death toll rises daily, October finds herself tangled up in a cutthroat world where fairytale creatures run wild… and every day is a new bloody battle.
Book Cover
At twenty-six, Dahlia Lighthouse has a lot to learn when it comes to the real world. Raised in a secluded island mansion deep in the woods and kept isolated by her true crime-obsessed parents, she has spent the last several years living on her own, but unable to move beyond her past—especially the disappearance of her twin brother Andy when they were sixteen.

With her father’s death, Dahlia returns to the house she has avoided for years. But as the rest of the Lighthouse family arrives for the memorial, a gruesome discovery is made: buried in the reserved plot is another body—Andy’s, his skull split open with an ax.

Each member of the family handles the revelation in unusual ways. Her brother Charlie pours his energy into creating a family memorial museum, highlighting their research into the lives of famous murder victims; her sister Tate forges ahead with her popular dioramas portraying crime scenes; and their mother affects a cheerfully domestic façade, becoming unrecognizable as the woman who performed murder reenactments for her children. As Dahlia grapples with her own grief and horror, she realizes that her eccentric family, and the mansion itself, may hold the answers to what happened to her twin.
Book Cover
As the captain of the Chicago Aces, Marc Dupuis is all business. The apartment he shares with his teammate and best friend, Duncan, is a refuge from the pressures of fame. But when the sexiest woman he’s ever seen interrupts his early morning coffee wearing only a skimpy cami and matching panties, Marc can’t exactly say he minds. Their chemistry is off the charts. Unfortunately, this girl’s no random puck bunny. She’s Duncan’s little sister—and she’s moving in.

Lovey Armstrong could stare at Marc’s chiseled abs and listen to his French-Canadian accent all day. She just has no idea what’s going on inside his head: When he’s not charming her pants off, Marc makes a Zamboni machine seem warm and cuddly. Lovey knows the team’s bro code says no messing with sisters, but all these mixed messages are hard on a girl’s self-esteem—especially since she’s finally getting her new life together in Chicago. She decides he’s worth another shot . . . because if anyone can melt the ice around Marc’s heart, it’s Lovey.
Book Cover
Can a broken Alpha save her from the Big Bad wolves?

Lucas has lost his mate, and he’ll never claim another—his kind of broken can’t be fixed. He’s still alpha enough to rescue a young woman from the predatory Red wolf pack, but when she shows up at his office—as his sexy new intern—she stirs up feelings that need to stay buried…

Mia’s just trying to earn her degree and dig her way out of poverty. Keeping her shifter nature secret is key, but her internship at the hottest dot-com development firm in Seattle also has the hottest boss… and he’s a wolf. Who just happened to save her life.

She’d break all the rules for this guy—except he wants nothing to do with her. And the wolves who do are the Big Bad Wolf kind. The kind she’s always heard about.

Mia’s in the middle of a pack war with nowhere to turn… but to the one guy who doesn’t want her at all.
Book Cover
Leaving the Navy after the death of his best friend in the line of duty, ex-SEAL Ben Harper has returned home in search of some form of normalcy. He’s good at hiding his thoughts and feelings and is positive he has everyone around him fooled. After all, no one ever brings his service career up to him, and he likes it that way.
Presley James is drawn to the new Director of Security at the hospital where she works, just like every other nurse and employee in the building. Tall, dark, dangerous and sexy as hell. With a wicked grin and happy hello for everyone—he is a total contradiction. After spending most of her life caring for people, something about Ben is pulling at her. Something about his smile just doesn’t equal up to the rest of him. No matter how hard he tries, she isn’t fooled.
Will she be able to help him find his way when her own baggage is more than even she can handle?
Mature content, not intended for under 18 years of age.

Win Big (Wynn Hockey: Book 3) by Kelly Armstrong

On By JolieIn ARC, book review, Loveswept, NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Loveswept1 Comment
Win Big: A Wynn Hockey Novel by [Jamieson, Kelly]

4 Stars

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Loveswept, Loveswept

Date of publication: November 19th, 2019

Genre: Romance

Series: Wynn Hockey

Play to Win—Book 1 (Review Here)

In It to Win It—Book 2 (Review Here)

Win Big—Book 3

Where you can find Win Big: Barnes and Noble | Amazon | BookBub

When your name is Wynn, victory’s the only option…

Everly Wynn: As the only daughter in the Wynn family of hockey heroes, I never shared the ice with my brothers—or the approval they got from my father.
And that was before the scandal that ruined my life at sixteen.
Now that I’ve put all that behind me and built a successful career, the last thing I need is another hockey player in my life.
Especially one like Wyatt Bell.
He’s an arrogant, fast-living party boy. I hate how he gets by on his good looks and charm.
So why can’t I get him out of my mind?

Wyatt Bell: Life is short, and you’ve got to live it to the fullest. I learned that the hard way.
So on the ice, I always play to win, and on the town, fun and flirting are my game.
Because it’s better to laugh your way through the pain than to let them see you’re hurting—but I’ll never stop wishing I could find someone to share the real me with.
Something about Everly Wynn makes me think she could be the one.
But all she sees is a hockey jock hooked on good times.
If she didn’t take herself so seriously, maybe she would take a chance on being happy.

First Line:

They say that everything happens for a reason

Win Big by Kelly Jamieson

My Review:

I was excited when I read the blurb and saw that this was Everly/Wyatt’s story. Everly was an immense presence in Theo and J.P.’s books, and I couldn’t wait to read about her. I wasn’t disappointed.

Win Big’s plotline was well written and flowed well. The author was able to keep my attention focused on the plot through the entire book. Lately, I have found my attention wandering when reading. So, for a book to keep my attention is a good thing.

There are dual POV’s in Win Big. I am not an enormous fan of dual storylines. I get lost when reading them. My attention wanders, as I mentioned above. But the author did a fantastic job of switching between Everly and Wyatt’s POV.

I loved Everly in Win Big!! She was larger than life presence in the previous two books. She did get on my nerves in J.P.’s book, and honestly, I was expecting the same in this book. So, imagine my surprise when she came across as a normal girl with typical issues. I loved it!!

I loved Wyatt also. I will say that he had some significant baggage when he was getting involved with Everly. I wish that his relationship with Owen/Heather was explained earlier. I thought the same thing Everly did. Other than that, I loved him!! He stood up for her when Everly’s blast from the past came roaring back into her life. There was so much he did for her in this book, and that made me love him!!

Win Big is book 3 in the Wynn Hockey series. It can be read as a stand-alone book, but I highly suggest reading the first two books. There is a crucial storyline that is interwoven in the book. It is explained, but it’s better to read from book 1. That way, there is no confusion when reading about Bob’s problems.

Speaking of Bob’s issues, I loved how Everly, her brothers, her nieces, and nephews came together to try and solve it. I did feel bad that Everly’s digging made her face some painful truths about what was going on with Bob. The scene where they confront Bob and his two older sons was well written, and well, it made me cry.

Everly and Wyatt had some insane sexual chemistry going on. What I liked is that the author built that chemistry up to an explosive release. And yes, that is my way of saying that they had some unbelievable sex.

The end of Win Big was emotional. I am not going to get into it, but I will say that I am excited to see who the next couple is going to be.

I would give Win Big an Adult rating. There is no sex. There is mild language. There is mild violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Win Big. I would recommend it to family and friends.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

In It to Win It (Wynn Hockey: Book 2) by Kelly Jamieson

On By JolieIn ARC, book review, Loveswept, NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Loveswept2 Comments
In It to Win It: A Wynn Hockey Novel by [Jamieson, Kelly]

4 Stars

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Loveswept, Loveswept

Publication Date: July 23rd, 2019

Genre: Romance

Series: Wynn Hockey

Play to Win—Book 1 (Review Here)

In It to Win It—Book 2

Win Big—Book 3 (expected publication date: October 1st 2019)

Where you can buy In It to Win It: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | BookBub

Book synopsis:

Wynn family bonds bend but never break. . . .

“Kelly Jamieson is an auto-buy for me.”—Carly Phillips

JP Wynn: I admit, I’ve made some bad choices—on and off the ice.
Now all I want to do is show my team I can control my emotions while I’m playing and redeem myself with my family, especially with my brother, Théo.
I hate that I hurt him and I’m determined to stay out of trouble. 
But the hot bridesmaid at Théo’s wedding is tempting me into another bad decision.
A little flirting and a hook up with Taylor seem harmless . . . until Manny Martinez jumps me on the dance floor and starts beating the crap out of me.
And just like that I add one more bad decision to my résumé. 

Taylor Hart: I always thought hockey players were hot. Now I think they’re crazy.
Manny broke my heart when he got traded to another team and left without even a goodbye.
Then he showed up at my best friend’s wedding. All I wanted to do was show Manny that I was over him.
And the groom’s sexy brother, JP, seemed more than willing to be my distraction.
But after the way everything went down, I want nothing to do with any of them. 
Easier said than done. Especially when Lacey’s new brother-in-law is always around. . . .
And I keep thinking about the wedding night, when we snuck away to his room for the best sex of my life. 

USA Today bestselling author Kelly Jamieson’s epic Wynn Hockey series can be read together or separately:
PLAY TO WIN
IN IT TO WIN IT

First Line:

I should have known a Wynn family wedding wasn’t going to go off without drama.

In It to Win It by Kelly Jamieson

My Review:

JP is the bad boy of the Wynn family. His wrong choices have affected not only his personal life but his career. He is determined to stay out of trouble. Then he meets Taylor, a bridesmaid at Theo’s wedding. Taylor knows about JP and his reputation. But that doesn’t stop her from hooking up with him at Theo and Lacey’s wedding. It also doesn’t stop her from being surprised when her ex attacks him during a dance. She has enough on her plate without having to deal with a bad boy. She is determined to avoid him. But fate won’t allow that. Taylor and JP are thrown into situations that require them to be together. Will they have their happily ever after? Or with JP’s temper and bad choices drive Taylor away?

I wasn’t too sure if I liked JP when the book started. He was cocky, and he went after Taylor. When he got into the fight with Manny, I did an eye roll. It was typical of how he was portrayed in Play to Win. Then the author did something I wasn’t expected. She started turning JP into a character that I began to sympathize with. He was wracked with guilt over what happened between him and Theo. He was trying to keep his temper in check. His character growth throughout the book was terrific. By the end of the book, I loved him.

Taylor, I didn’t like. She used JP to make her ex jealous and then got mad when JP defended himself. She was judgey about him. There were parts of the book where I was eye-rolling and thinking to myself “Seriously? What does he see in her?” I did feel bad for her when her parents separated. But when she snooped and had that confrontation with her mother, I was horrified. Her character had almost no growth throughout the book. I did think that JP could have done better than her.

Even though I didn’t like Taylor, I felt that she and JP had major sexual chemistry and sexual attraction. The scenes leading up to them having sex (at the beginning of the book) were smoking hot. The quickie they had during the wedding was amazing. The author then cut the sex off and built up that sexual tension, which made for a fantastic sex scene when they finally went at it.

The end of In It to Win It was satisfying. I liked how everything fell into place for JP and Taylor (even if I couldn’t stand them). The author did a great job of wrapping up their storyline as well as a couple of the secondary ones. I also liked how the author set up Everly and Wyatt’s story. Which I can’t wait to read!!

I would give In It to Win It an Adult rating. There is sex. There is language. There is mild violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread In It to Win It. I would recommend it to family and friends.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Play to Win (Wynn Hockey: Book 1) by Kelly Jamieson

On By JolieIn ARC, Loveswept, NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Loveswept5 Comments
Play to Win: A Wynn Hockey Novel by [Jamieson, Kelly]

4 Stars

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Loveswept, Loveswept

Date of publication: March 19th, 2019

Genre: Romance, Sports

Series: Wynn Hockey

Play to Win—Book 1

In It To Win It—Book 2 (expected publication date: July 23rd, 2019

Where you can find Play to Win: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | BookBub

Synopsis:

Meet the Wynns—a hockey dynasty built on family, money, and drama. From USA Today bestselling author Kelly Jamieson, the first novel in a new series is a total win-win.

“Kelly Jamieson is an auto-buy for me.”—Carly Phillips

After an injury forced Théo Wynn to give up professional hockey, he turned to his second love: numbers. Now, as the general manager of his grandfather’s NHL team, the Los Angeles Condors, Théo is dying to prove to the rest of his family—especially the brother who betrayed him—that he’s just as successful as the rest of them. If only Théo had a gorgeous woman on his arm to complete the picture. . . .

Lacey Olson needs to get out of Las Vegas right now, thanks to her no-good, crooked brother. When a handsome stranger who’s out partying with friends comes to her rescue in the cocktail lounge where she works, they strike up a conversation that leads to a crazy plan: her leaving with Théo for L.A. tomorrow. A few drinks later, the idea gets even crazier: a quickie marriage that works for both of them.

But back in California, Lacey immediately turns Théo’s precise, well-ordered life into one big beach party. And before long, she’s tempting him with her smart mouth, sexy body, and sunny charm. The last thing Théo needs is a real relationship to distract him. Because he only plays to win. . . .

My Review:

When I saw that Kelly Jamieson had a new series out, I was pumped. I was disappointed when the Aces Hockey series ended. I was also wondering when the next series was going to start. So, when I saw the book up for review on NetGalley, I pounced on it. I am glad that I did. Play to Win is an excellent start to what I hope is going to be an excellent series.

Theo Wynn was forced to give up professional hockey after an eye injury. Not to be deterred, he became the GM of an expansion hockey team based out of Las Vegas. Theo’s grandfather approached Theo with a job offer. Become the GM for his hockey team, the California Condors. Theo accepted the offer but was aware of the backlash that it would cause. When he meets Lacey and hears her story, Theo has a proposition for her. Become his “fake” wife to show his family that he made it. But can Theo keep Lacey at arms length? Or will he fall for her?

Lacey Olson is between a rock and a hard place. Her brother has stolen all the money in her checking account and disappeared. He also tries to pimp her out to his bookie to pay off his debt. She wasn’t expecting her brother’s bookie to show up at her job in a cocktail lounge. She wasn’t expecting the cute customer she was serving to step in and comfort her when she gets fired. She also wasn’t expecting to accept Theo’s crazy proposition. Or have a quickie Vegas wedding. Can Lacey go through with the charade? Or will she fall hard for Theo?

I liked Theo even if I thought he was too uptight. I understood why he didn’t want to jump in the pool with his clothes on. But I didn’t understand why he was so anal about suitcase packing. His horror in watching Lacey pack was amusing. I did enjoy watching his character grow in this book. He went from an uptight, grudge holding guy to a more laid back version of himself. Lacey was good for him.

I loved Lacey. She was one of the most easy going, go with the flow characters that I have read. Not that she didn’t have issues. Because she did. It was the way that she chose to deal with her issues that endeared her to me. She chose to look at the sunny side of things. Even her relationship with her brother (who I didn’t like). But, she wasn’t a pushover. She ruled when she met Theo’s ex. I did a “You go girl“.

Theo’s family wasn’t perfect. They were dysfunctional. Of course, not every family has a suggested gold-digger. Or sons’ suing their father. Or brother’s stealing girlfriends. But that’s what made this book fun to read.

Unfortunately Lacey’s family was all too realistic. Having an addict in your life is draining, emotionally and financially. The author was able to capture it perfectly.

I liked that Play to Win is a romance that didn’t have Instalove. Sure, Theo and Lacey got married the night they met. But the author chose to make up for that by having them build their relationship. Loved it!!

The sex scenes were steamy, once they had sex. I did roll my eyes when Theo and Lacey made the “no sex” pact. That screamed that they were going to have sex, but not right away. When they finally did bump uglies, it was explosive. I also liked how the author had Theo be on the receiving end of something kinky. That sex scene was through the roof!!

I loved the ending of Play to Win. Handsdown, it was one of the better endings that I have read. The talk that JP gave Theo was epic. What Lacey was knitting was epic. Actually, I was laughing my fool head off at that. Then I went to google it. Note to self: Never google that again. Images are forever seared into my brain. But it was the epilogue that made the book. Loved it. I also loved how it set up Book 2. Which I can’t wait to read.

I would give Play to Win an Adult rating. There is sex. There is language. There is mild violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Play to Win. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Play to Win.

All opinions stated in this review of Play to Win are mine.

Have you read Play to Win?

What are your thoughts on it?

Do you like reading about dysfunctional families?

Let me know!!

Game On (Aces Hockey: Book 8) by Kelly Jamieson

On By JolieIn ARC, book review, Loveswept, NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Loveswept2 Comments
Game On (Aces Hockey, #8)


4 Stars

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Loveswept, Loveswept

Date of publication: January 15th, 2019

Genre: Sports, Romance

Series: Aces Hockey

Major Misconduct—Book 1

Off Limits—Book 1.5

Icing—Book 2

Top Shelf—Book 3

Back Check—Book 4

Slap Shot—Book 5 (review here)

Playing Hurt—Book 6 (review here)

Big Stick—Book 7 (review here)

Game On—Book 8

Where you can find Game On: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Goodreads synopsis:

Cam Brickley and his pro hockey teammates bet on everything: who can win five faceoffs in a row, who can do forty pushups in less than a minute, who can eat a ghost pepper without puking. But when his buddies bet him he can’t date the same woman—like, say, the hot blonde over at the bar—for two months and not fall in love, he’ll take that bet all day. Then he’ll laugh all the way to the hockey arena, where they’ll be washing his jock straps for the rest of the season because Cam’s never giving up his bachelor lifestyle.

Olivia Lockwood, the heiress to the Lockwood Industries fortune, is used to people using her for her money and family connections. When Cam Brickley hits on her in a club, Olivia’s first instinct is to brush him off. But he couldn’t be using her for her money since he has more than enough of his own. Cam’s gorgeous and built, and it would be no hardship to go out with him . . . besides, he’d be the perfect spokesperson for the children’s charity she works with. Maybe it’s time for her to start using people.

Cam and Olivia are both in it for something. What they don’t know yet is that they’re playing for keeps.

My review:

This was a bittersweet read for me. I had come into the Aces Hockey series late in the series (Slap Shot). But, I enjoyed the series from that point on. I got to see Hallsy, Chaser, and Nick get their HEA’s. I was left wondering who was going to be the next one to fall. When I saw that it was Brick, I went “Yes!!” I liked his character and couldn’t wait to see who he fell in love with.

I thought that the bet that Brick made with his teammates was immature. I didn’t like that he could potentially be playing with someone’s feelings. So, I was a little “eh” when he went on the first couple of dates with her. I figured that everything that happened on those dates was karma for the bet. Then Brick did something that surprised me. He told Olivia about the bet. He did it early on in the book. I thought it was awesome. Olivia did react the way I figured she would (who wouldn’t have). Then, in another move that surprised me, she decided to help Brick win the bet. I was like “no way“.

Let’s talk about the first two dates they had. I thought that the location of the first one was original and made me wonder if there is such a thing. It is a great way of getting to know someone. Take them and play a board game. I did feel bad for Olivia and Brick after the date. I have been on a lot of dates Not lately, though. Been in a relationship for 15 years. I have never had someone get sick at the end of the date. I also have never gotten sick at the end of a date. I am glad that Olivia did the right thing and let Brick stay at her condo. Poor guy would have been puking all over the Uber home. The second date went about as well as the first. A walking tour of Chicago and then dinner. What happens. Brick somehow ends up cracking his head on the floor and then Olivia dumps her drink in his crotch. For the record, I have had the drink dumping happen to me. Poor Brick…lol. The ribbing he took from the guys the next day made me die laughing in bed.

I liked Olivia but she did get kind of annoying after a while. She kept bringing up that she never felt that she measured up to her brother and sister. Which caused issues with her self confidence. While I understood it hurt, it did get old after a while. I did think that her work at her nonprofit was fascinating. I wish that it was featured a bit more than a couple of scenes at her office and the celebrity appearance Brick made.

I liked Brick. I liked that he was honest with Olivia. I liked that he made sure she knew that feelings were out of the question for him. I liked that he was a goofball. But he did annoy me towards the end of the book. He handled the situation with Olivia badly. I do wish that the Ashley substory was explained earlier in the book. Because, until it was, Brick looked like a huge jerk. After that explanation, I went “Well, no wonder he didn’t seriously date anyone.” I wouldn’t have if I had been put through that.

The sexual attraction and chemistry that Olivia and Brick had. It was off the charts hot. I loved that the author kept amping it up. I also liked that Olivia and Brick didn’t have sex right away. So, when they did, that first sex scene was smoking hot.

Speaking of sex scenes, the author kept the heat on with them. I loved it. I loved that Olivia was a bit wilder than the other girls in bed. Plus the lingerie she wore. Fantastic!!

The end of the book was bittersweet. I am not going to get into it but I had tears in my eyes. The author did a great job of bringing each character in the previous books and highlighting them. What got me was what Nick said to his brother Aleks. I was also sad that this was going to be the last book in this series.

I would give Game On an Adult rating. There is explicit sex. There is mild violence. There is language. There are triggers. They would be mental illness.

I would reread Game On. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank the publisher, the author, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Game On.

All opinions stated in this review of Game On are mine.

Big Stick (Aces Hockey: Book 7) by Kelly Jamieson

On By JolieIn ARC, book review, Loveswept, NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group2 Comments

Big Stick (Aces Hockey, #7)

4 Stars

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group, Loveswept

Date of publication: October 23rd, 2018

Genre: Romance

Series: Aces Hockey

Major Misconduct—Book 1

Off Limits—Book 1.5

Icing—Book 2

Top Shelf—Book 3

Back Check—Book 4

Slap Shot—Book 5–review here

Playing Hurt—Book 6–review here

Big Stick—Book 7

Game On—Book 8–expected publication date January 15th, 2019

Where you can find Big Stick: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Goodreads synopsis:

A brooding hockey hunk learns to embrace life—and love—from a single mom who takes the world one puck at a time.

Big move . . . Jodie’s motto is “Don’t wait for the perfect moment – take the moment and make it perfect.” And that’s just what she decides to do when she moves to Chicago with her two-year-old daughter. Now all Jodie needs is a place to live, and her best friend’s boyfriend has just the answer.

Big stick . . . Nick Balachov has zero interest in socializing, partying, or flirting now. It’s not that he doesn’t like women. He loves them. It’s just that hockey, casual hookups, and hanging out at home are enough for him these days. Now Nick has a big problem – because the woman living in his empty coach house is a major distraction.

Big deal? The more Nick tries to keep his distance, the more Jodie needs him – around the house, that is. First, he helps with the snowstorm, then the power outage. Nick even finds himself trying to impress her little girl. What the hell is wrong with him? Jodie represents everything Nick doesn’t want. But maybe she’s just what he needs. . . .

My review:

I want to clue you all in for my first paragraph. Usually, when I say that, it is because the book has made me bawl my eyes out or it sucks. Well, in this case, it is neither. This clue is about the timeline of the book. I am going to assume that most of you have read the earlier books in the Aces Hockey series. Big Stick’s plotline coincides with Playing Hurt’s. Actually, Big Stick starts off with what was mid-book for Playing Hurt. What clued me in? The party where Nick met Jodie was one of Chase and Jordyn’s first dates. Then little hints of their relationship showed up in Big Stick. Like when they broke up and Nick had that talk with Chase. It was mentioned in this book after it happened. So, if you are reading Big Stick and happen to see Chase and Jordyn’s names come up, don’t be “WTF“. The author chose to start Nick and Jodie’s story around the same time. It was also a smart move on the author’s part. That would make me look into buying the other books in the series.

Playing Hurt is Nick and Jodie’s story. Nick is a loner. He is a grouch. He hates little kids (his words, not mine). He wants to be left alone. Nick is still dealing with the death of his brother, 3 years later. A death that he feels responsible for. He figures that he is better off keeping to himself. Then he meets Jodie. Jodie is the complete opposite of Nick. She loves to socialize. She is the complete opposite of a grouch. She likes to surround herself with people. She also has a 2-year-old daughter. After a disastrous run-in at a party hosted by Hallsy and Kendra, Jodie is left with the wrong impression of Nick. When Jodie decides she is outstaying her welcome at Hallsy and Kendra’s apartment, Nick makes her an offer. Live in his coach house for minimal rent until she can get on her feet. What could happen? Well, hot monkey sex and falling in love. But can it last? Can Nick decide that he needs Jodie and her daughter in his life or will he let them go?

The two main characters, Nick and Jodie, were complete polar opposites. Since this is a romance novel, they were going to get together. But man, they were like night and day. Nick was serious and kept to himself. Jodie was not serious and loved to socialize. If this was going to be a real-life couple, I would say that their relationship wouldn’t have lasted for very long. But it did. The author, somehow, made them being opposites work in their favor. He was able to come around to being more social and she tried being a bit more serious.

I will say that I loved Jodie’s daughter. I wanted to reach through the screen and squeeze her. Her reaction to Nick was hilarious. “A big giant” was one of the best lines in the book. I also loved her “face fur” comment. That sounded like something one of my kids would have said about their father. I did feel bad for what happened to her in the book. I would have had the same reaction as Nick.

Jodie and Nick had some serious chemistry going on. Sparks flew when they first met. I had a mental bet going on with myself (so sad, huh) about how long it would take for them to start having sex. I lost the bet. They actually held out longer than I thought they would have. Speaking of sex, it was hot. So very hot. My only complaint is that they went bareback so soon after becoming “friends” (hint). I eye-rolled at that. Other than that, I enjoyed the sex scenes. The butt play scenes were my favorite. Only because few authors go there. It’s like its taboo to do it.

I like how the author chose to discuss Nick’s issues. Suicide and depression are hard to write about and I thought she did a great job at handling it. Aleks story was heartbreaking and Nick’s guilt over not being there for him was even more so. I liked seeing Nick coming to realize that to get on with his life, he needs to get over Aleks death.

The end of the book was great. I had thought that Nick was a jerk to end things the way he did with Jodie. I understood that he was scared to death but still, he could have had more finesse. I loved the talk that Hallsy had with him. Love, love, loved it. It was stuff that Nick needed to hear, no matter how hard it was to listen to. I am not going to talk about the end of the book. Let’s say that I was pretty happy with what happened. What Zyanna asked Nick in the epilogue made my heart melt.

I gave Big Stick a 4-star rating. This was a sexy, fun read with some serious topics discussed. The author handled the topics of depression and suicide tactfully. She handled the aftermath tactfully too. I loved the ending and the epilogue.

I would give Big Stick an Adult rating. There is explicit sex. There is language. There is mild violence. There are also trigger warnings. They would be suicide and depression. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 or who is triggered by the trigger warnings read this book.

I would reread Big Stick. I would also recommend this book to family and friends. I would give a heads up about the trigger warning.

If you or anyone you love is depressed or thinking of suicide, please don’t. Contact a friend, a doctor or call the National Suicide Hotline (1-800-273-8255). You matter your life matters.

I would like to thank Random House Publishing Group, Loveswept, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Big Stick.

All opinions stated in this review of Big Stick are mine.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

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Playing Hurt (Aces Hockey: Book 6) by Kelly Jamieson

On By JolieIn ARC, book review, Loveswept, NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group3 Comments

4 Stars

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group, Loveswept

Date of publication: July 17th, 2018

Genre: Sports, Romance

Series: Aces Hockey

Major Misconduct – Book 1

Off Limits – Book 1.5

Icing – Book 2

Top Shelf – Book 3

Back Check – Book 4

Slap Shot – Book 5 (review here)

Playing Hurt – Book 6

Where you can find Playing Hurt: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

He’s playing hurt. She’s laying low. And they’re both flirting with disaster.
 
“Kelly Jamieson is my go-to author for hockey romance.”—Jami Davenport
 
Chase: The last thing I’d ever want to do is let my team down. After overcoming my bad-boy reputation, I was dominating on the ice. But things aren’t going so well this season, and even my parents think I’m partying again. Now I’m really worried about my career. The only bright spot in my life is the Twitter flirtation I’ve struck up with pop princess Jordyn Banks. Turns out she’s a huge hockey fan—and she’s willing to wager a date on her favorite team. . . .

Jordyn: Even though I’m an L.A. fan now, I’ve always had a soft spot for the Aces, since I grew up in Chicago. Then I lose a bet to Chase Hartman, and suddenly I’m up close and personal with a pro athlete who’s anything but soft. Not only is Chase the hottest guy I’ve ever met, but he’s also secretly super sweet. As if I had time for a relationship . . . yeah, right. But when I suddenly have nothing but time on my hands, he’s the only one who understands. Now, with both of our careers at stake, Chase is tempting me to put my heart on the line too.

My review:

I needed to read Playing Hurt. I needed to read a romance where I didn’t have to use my brain to figure out complex plots/relationships. I was able to relax and enjoy reading this book. Which is something I haven’t been able to do in a long time!!

Playing Hurt is the 6th book in the Aces Hockey. This book can be read as a stand-alone. While the other characters from the earlier 5 books are in Playing Hurt, they do not take over the book. Which is something I liked.

The plot of Playing Hurt was cute. Chase starts flirting with Jordyn over Twitter. Eventually, they go on a date after she loses a bet to him. Sparks fly but nothing happens. It wasn’t until Jordyn suffers a vocal injury that lays her up for a year that she reconnects with Chase. That is where the story takes off.

Image result for stubborn men memes

I liked Chase, even if he was a stubborn SOB. Why was he stubborn? Well, he refused to go to the Dr and checked out. Even when he was in obvious pain. So yeah, that was the one part of him I didn’t like. Everything else, I loved. He was romantic (hello, surprise trip to Aruba!!) and more importantly, he knew how to communicate. Well, except for his injury. I did feel bad for him. His parents were jerks. Withholding love because he wanted to quit hockey as a child. That was awful.

I loved Jordyn. She was down to earth. She was sweet. She knew how to hold her own with Chase. My only issue with her was that she was almost too nice. There were a few points in the book where I wanted her to do something naughty to spice up her character. She was almost too sugary sweet. But that aside, I loved her. She was perfect for Chase. She was the ying to his yang.

The romance part of this book was sweet. I loved how the author chose to keep their relationship on a slow burn for the first half of the book. It made the chemistry between them insane. Sparks flew when they interacted. Be it Twitter, text, face to face or phone. And in turn, those sparks made for some pretty intense sex scenes.

I loved the end of the book. While it was your typical happily ever after, I had no issue imagining Chase and Jordyn lasting in real life.

What I liked about Playing Hurt:

A) Chase and Jordan’s Twitter romance

B) How romantic Chase was

C) How realistic their romance was

What I disliked about Playing Hurt:

A) Chase being so stubborn. I wanted to smack him upside his head

B) Jordyn being sugary sweet.

C) Chase’s parents

Image result for happily ever after gif

I would give Playing Hurt an Adult rating. There is explicit sex. There is language. There is some very mild violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

There are no trigger warnings for Playing Hurt.

I would reread Playing Hurt. I would recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank Random House Publishing Group, Loveswept, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Playing Hurt.

All opinions stated in this review of Playing Hurt are mine.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**