Meri Benson's Blog, page 15

Laundry & Writing

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Hello! Welcome to the first Monday of March! I hope that you’re March is going well so far. This post is a little late, but it’s still being posted on Monday! So it counts!

My March is kind of middle ground at the moment. So far, so good with making my posts on time, on Mondays. But then, we only really have this post to go on for the time being. As it’s the first Monday in March. And to be far the rest of the month, while intentions are hopes are high, it’s massively TBD.

I was able to finish editing chapter two of my novel and will be starting chapter three ASAP. That has me fairly excited, to get another chapter done – I finished editing it last night.

So in that respect I can definitely say I’m doing well.

I was also able to get a little writing done. Not a lot. Like two pages worth. But still, writing is writing and all writing is good writing – if only because it means that pen is connecting to paper (or fingers are connecting to keyboard) and words are coming out. I’m struggling with this current project because I’m seriously trying to figure out if it should be first person or third person. I’ve never really worked in first person before so I don’t know if the struggle is partially because I haven’t done it before or if it’s just not working and I should flip back to third. At the same time, it’s something I want to figure out soon – because I don’t want to get half way into the story only to turn around and re-write it the other way.

We’ll see. Maybe I just need a little more progression before I decide though.

On a not so great note, my washer broke. Mid cycle. So Sunday had a lot of time spent at a laundromat to finish the clothes that were all soapy, wash the other load that needed to be done, and then stop to purchase a new washer. Thankfully the store had a sale on, and the new one will be here next Saturday. But it’s a stress that really didn’t need to be added to the already frustrating basement flooding issues.

I’m hoping to continue to get some writing and editing done this week. And some reading as well. All the plans, and I’m slowly but surely carving out time for everything I need and want to do.

Hope that March is going well for everyone else! Any fun projects on the docket to be completed this month? Let me know down in the comments!

February Wrap-Up/March TBR

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I said goodbye to February on Monday. It may have been a little pre-mature, but after all the problems I had in February between health and home, I don’t think that it’s too surprising that I decided to flee from it faster than a girl with a hell hound on her heels.

The weather this week has started to slowly warm up, and I can only hope to leave the frozen behind as I welcome March and it’s unspun possibilities with open arms.  Were you able to finish everything you hoped to in February? Are you moving what you haven’t finished over to this month to try and successfully finish it?

I’m not going to review my goals for 2018 because I know it’s been a struggle. I’m taking a flag pass and counting this as my bye month in the grand scheme of things. What it does mean, is that I don’t get another one so pending no more health or home issues, I will do better moving forward.

February Wrap Up

When I set up my February TBR I tasked myself with reading six books, five new and one that I had started. I don’t think that this was overly too ambitious considering I had been able to read five during January. And truth be told, I think I did fairly well. I was able to read five books this month. It just so happens that some of them weren’t on my TBR, though.

The books I finished:

The Terms #1 by Ruby Rowe
The Terms #2 by Ruby Rowe
Twisted Palace by Erin Watt
Daughter of Magic by Teresa Roman
Buying Beth by Izzy Sweet & Sean Moriarty

Three of the five weren’t on my list, but they caught my attention and I stopped my list to read them. Sometimes things just catch my attention.

The books I didn’t finish off my February TBR:

The Elite by Kiera Cass
Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco
A Shade of Vampire by Bella Forrest
Message of the Crow by Ellen Dugan (started)

Most of these books I’m looking to shuffle over to March because I still very much want to read them. Over all, even though I wandered off my TBR list for other books, I managed to read the number of books I had hoped to, so I’m still proud of myself for getting through them.

February Book Haul

Keeping with what I started last year, I figured it’d be fun to list all the books I purchased in February too.

Elizabeth and the Clan of Dragons by Ava Mason
The Terms #1 by Ruby Rowe
The Terms # 2 by Ruby Rowe
His Haven by Harper A Brooks
Wicked Favor by Sawyer Bennett
Awakened Spells by Logan Byrne
Prism by Nina Walker
The Masterkey by Olivia Wildenstein
My Favorite Husband by Pam McCutcheon
Werewolves in the Kitchen by Shauna Aura Knight
Sex, Lies & Sweet Tea by Kris Calvert
Lost Souls ParaAgency and the Three Witches of Burberry by K.M. Waller
An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
Becoming: The Balance Bringer by Debra Kristi
First World by Jaymin Eve
Flesh and Blood by Willow Rose
Faery Born by Donna Joy Usher
Null and Void by Susan Copperfield
Te Price by Ruby Rowe
Queen of Gods by Scarlett Dawn
The Virgin and the Kingpin by Allyson Lindt
The Wedding Trap by Adrienne Bell
Mr. Sugar by L.D. Fox
Buying Beth by Izzy Sweet & Sean Moriarty
Princess SOS by Sara Page
Craving Maul by Sara Page
Chosen by Stacy Jones

March TBR

Because I did so well in February, I’m once again setting my goal at six books for the month. It’s longer than February by a couple day, which means extra time to get those six books read, right?

Without further ado, the books I’m looking to read in March are:

The Elite by Kiera Cass
Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco
Message of the Crow by Ellen Dugan
An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
Null and Void by Susan Copperfield
Shadow Queen by Harlow Thomas & Anastasia James

I don’t plan for books that might catch my interest, because I never know when I’ll stumble across them and pause my TBR to devour a stray instead. But I won’t stop myself from doing it either. It always makes it interesting when that happens.

For those that know about Erin Watt’s books, no, Fallen Heir isn’t on my TBR for this month. It’s not that I’m not interested in East’s story, I whole heartedly am. And it is on my GoodReads’ TBR because I want to keep an eye on it. But because it’s book one in the two book set about East, and until Cracked Kingdom is released I’m going to want to hold off on reading the first one. I love the books enough that I’ll want the second one out so I can roll right into it.

Goodbye February

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Hey! It’s Monday! I’m a little late with the post, but it’s still Monday!

Not sure I can count this for starting March off on the right foot or not. Since, you know, it is still February. But It’s definitely not hurting for starting March off. Getting the posts back on track and where they belong.

I subscribed to OwlCrate back in December. I do have to say, I’m loving the crates. I keep meaning to do a blog post for the unboxings, and I keep forgetting with the whirlwind that is life. I’ll try and get one done for February’s though. Just need to get some good pictures in for it. So far I’ve been loving their book choices too. I can’t wait to get into those books.

Reading has picked up this last bit of the month. I don’t know if I’ll finish the whole of my February TBR, and the books I don’t will be moved up to March, but I’m at least getting some done. I always forget how nice it is to curl up and read a good book when I’ve not been doing it a while.

Writing and Editing are going a little slower than reading, but I am getting some of the stuff done.

We had more rain this weekend too, so that didn’t help the whole, my basement is a lake scenario. But now that it’s warm and sunny, it seems to finally be clearing up the way it needs to. Thankfully. So excited for that issue to be done.

What are you excited for come March? Any book releases? Movie releases? Writing or Editing goals? Let me know down in the comments!

Down and Dirty

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It’s the last full week of February. February has not been kind to my life. And as a reflection, this blog has started posting on Fridays instead of Mondays.

I’m hoping to get back on track starting with next week. But it’s a small hope. One that I’m going to cling to.

The weather has been crazy here. One day 70’s the next 30’s. That doesn’t seem terrible, but when you get migraines at the drop of a hat due to the shifts in pressure caused by those radical temperature shifts, it becomes a serious issue. I’ve been lucky to be at work most days with the weather turning back and forth like it has been.

I was able to get about one page of editing done this last week. Just one page. It’s not a lot, and I’m actually a little disappointed in myself for it.

And reading wise, I haven’t been after a couple of books at the beginning of the month. So I’ve got some catching up to do there too. I have goals and books to finish – both my own writing wise and other people’s reading wise.

Short update because short week. Also, my basement flooded the last two days, and I’m exhausted from the up and downs of pumping all that water out. So I’m just going to leave you with, I will do better! And the cute picture of the cat sleeping on a ball of yarn above.

Halfway Gone

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Can you believe we’re a little over halfway through February. The second month of the year. We’re almost a sixth of the way through 2018. I’m not even sure where the month went.

I lost a whole week due to a root canal getting slightly infected and being on both antibiotics to kill it and pain meds to mange everything going on in my mouth. It’s why I didn’t get to post Monday, and it’s why I’ve been fairly quiet on Twitter recently. It’s taken everything in me to be able to get into work and focus. Especially with the cold and the snow storm we ended up having.

I mean, look at those icicles up in that picture! That’s the eve of my roof as the sun rises over my neighbor’s house. The bushes in front of my house are about a foot shorter due to the weight of the snow we received over last weekend. Of course, Wednesday and Thursday were in the 40’s so all the snow and ice is slowly melting. But it’s supposed to drop back into the teens for the weekend. At least it means I’ll be snuggled in the house, finally feeling better, so I can write, edit, and read all weekend.

I want to get Chapters 2 and 3 of my current WIP edited by next Thursday! The goal is to get them to my writer’s group for feedback.

I also want to work on the short that a friend of mine is helping and encouraging over on her blog. You should check her out here!

Hopefully though, the end of February will be good to me. After the pain the first half caused me, I think the month owes me.

Book Review: Paper Princess & Broken Prince by Erin Watt

Author: Erin Watt [image error]

Publisher: Erin Watt

Genre: Contemporary (Coming of Age)

Rating: 4 Stars

Ella Harper spent her whole life moving from town to town with her mother, struggling to make ends meet. After her mother dies, it leaves Ella alone, striving to finish high school as she does what she can to support herself and not get found by social services and put in foster care. Her goals involve finishing High School, going to College, and finding a way to give herself a normal life.

Everything changes when Callum Royal appears in her life claiming to be her legal Guardian. He turns Ella’s life upside down when he brings her home to his posh mansion on the ocean, one shared with his five sons who all automatically hate her appearance in their lives and at their Prep School.

The story caught my attention right out of the gate. I was instantly hooked and wanting to find out what would happen, why these five guys automatically hated her, and if she’d stay or find a way to run and go back to her old life at some point. The world is filled with complex characters, some that make you care for them and others that make you want to knock their teeth in.

I finished Paper Princess within 24 hours of starting it. And the cliffhanger it ends on had me picking up book two, Broken Prince, immediately. And less than 12 hours later I had devoured Broken Prince.

I’m trying not to give too much away, which is why there’s not a LOT of saying what’s up in book two. But I will say it was a fantastic read, and there’s not a lot that has me finish a book in less than 12 hours – and it’s not because it was a short book but rather because it truly was that interesting.

I love the Royal family, and have to say that I love seeing them stand together for family. I’m already itching to pick up book three and continue my journey in this posh and luxury filled world.

If you like mystery, intrigue, and don’t mind a little bit of sex – this is definitely a book for you. The plot has you hanging, wondering what will unfold next, who’s behind it, and what in the world is going on.

Book two did end on a cliffhanger as well, which may be why I’m itching to read it. So be aware, these do tend to end with a ‘WHAT?!’ moment.

Book Review: Twisted Fate by Jessi Elliott

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Author: Jessi Elliott [image error]

Publisher: Jessi Elliott

Series: Twisted #1

Genre: Urban Fantasy (New Adult)

Release Date: February 13, 2018

Rating: 5 Stars

Everything in Aurora Marshall’s life is going smoothly. She’s in her final year of her business degree, she’s on track to graduate, and she has plans for her own business after she graduates. It looks like everything will happen the way she’s planned it to.

One night changes everything when she meets Tristan Westbrook. Dragged into the Fae world, Aurora’s carefully planned out life tilts sideways and she struggles to keep her life as normal as possible while handling the dangers that come with being of interest to the dark fae’s leader and plunged deeper and deeper into all things fae.

I have to say, honestly, I loved this book. The characters were engaging, the world was built beautifully, and while time did pass quickly the author did it in a very organic way. I found myself rooting for Aurora as she faced obstacles, wanting her to come out the other side unscathed. Caring about Aurora and what was going on with her life, and with her family, became second nature and at one point in the book I felt as deeply sad as she was.

Now, lets be clear, I’ve read books where sad things happen before. But I will say, it takes a special kind of talent to get your readers so involved with the characters that they cry with them. Jessi has a beautiful way with words and how she weaves this tale.

The story of the fae, and their world and everything about them interests me with how Jessi made it her own and weaved her own mythos for them. I feel for the fae, for everything they’ve been through even as Aurora gets the raw end of a deal with having to deal with them and move in their world.

The completion of the book left me both satisfied with the ending of the plot within its covers, but also craving the next installment of the series.

Disclaimer: I did receive an arc of the book in exchange for my honest, unbiased opinion. All thoughts are my own, and were not colored for receiving the arc.

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Synopsis

Being kidnapped by the leader of the fae really puts a dent in your senior year.

Aurora Marshall is sharp, witty, and always has a plan. Ready to finish her business degree and graduate, her life is going smoothly—until the night she meets Tristan Westbrook.

Tristan, the overbearing, gorgeous fae leader, and an admired businessman in the human world, is all kinds of dangerous. While he finds Aurora intriguing, her refusal to bend to his will keeps them locked in a constant power struggle.

Entering into a deal is the only way to escape Tristan’s clutches, which only plunges Aurora deeper into the fae world. With her future at stake, she is forced to handle his arrogance and extraordinary fae abilities as she fights to stay grounded in her mundane life.

Not to mention her struggle to ignore the growing attraction she knows she shouldn’t feel for the man who kidnapped her.

When people said college would be the most exciting time of her life, Aurora never thought this is what they meant.

 

Available February 13th

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Amazon CA | IBooks | Signed Paperback

 

 

About The Author

 

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | YouTube


Jessi Elliott is a newly graduated law clerk and debut author of both young adult and new adult romantic fiction. Her love of writing was born after many years of reading and reviewing books on her blog Living Within Fiction.She lives in Southwestern Ontario with her family and two adorable cats.

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When she’s not plotting her next writing project, she likes to spend her time hanging with friends and family, getting lost in a steamy romance novel, watching Friends, and drinking coffee.You can find Jessi at www.jessielliott.com, on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to stay up to date on book news and upcoming releases.

 

Review: Twisted Fate by Jessi Elliott

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Author: Jessi Elliott [image error]

Publisher: Jessi Elliott

Series: Twisted #1

Genre: Urban Fantasy (New Adult)

Release Date: February 13, 2018

Rating: 5 Stars

Everything in Aurora Marshall’s life is going smoothly. She’s in her final year of her business degree, she’s on track to graduate, and she has plans for her own business after she graduates. It looks like everything will happen the way she’s planned it to.

One night changes everything when she meets Tristan Westbrook. Dragged into the Fae world, Aurora’s carefully planned out life tilts sideways and she struggles to keep her life as normal as possible while handling the dangers that come with being of interest to the dark fae’s leader and plunged deeper and deeper into all things fae.

I have to say, honestly, I loved this book. The characters were engaging, the world was built beautifully, and while time did pass quickly the author did it in a very organic way. I found myself rooting for Aurora as she faced obstacles, wanting her to come out the other side unscathed. Caring about Aurora and what was going on with her life, and with her family, became second nature and at one point in the book I felt as deeply sad as she was.

Now, lets be clear, I’ve read books where sad things happen before. But I will say, it takes a special kind of talent to get your readers so involved with the characters that they cry with them. Jessi has a beautiful way with words and how she weaves this tale.

The story of the fae, and their world and everything about them interests me with how Jessi made it her own and weaved her own mythos for them. I feel for the fae, for everything they’ve been through even as Aurora gets the raw end of a deal with having to deal with them and move in their world.

The completion of the book left me both satisfied with the ending of the plot within its covers, but also craving the next installment of the series.

Disclaimer: I did receive an arc of the book in exchange for my honest, unbiased opinion. All thoughts are my own, and were not colored for receiving the arc.

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Synopsis

Being kidnapped by the leader of the fae really puts a dent in your senior year.

Aurora Marshall is sharp, witty, and always has a plan. Ready to finish her business degree and graduate, her life is going smoothly—until the night she meets Tristan Westbrook.

Tristan, the overbearing, gorgeous fae leader, and an admired businessman in the human world, is all kinds of dangerous. While he finds Aurora intriguing, her refusal to bend to his will keeps them locked in a constant power struggle.

Entering into a deal is the only way to escape Tristan’s clutches, which only plunges Aurora deeper into the fae world. With her future at stake, she is forced to handle his arrogance and extraordinary fae abilities as she fights to stay grounded in her mundane life.

Not to mention her struggle to ignore the growing attraction she knows she shouldn’t feel for the man who kidnapped her.

When people said college would be the most exciting time of her life, Aurora never thought this is what they meant.

 

Available February 13th

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Amazon CA | IBooks | Signed Paperback

 

 

About The Author

 

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | YouTube


Jessi Elliott is a newly graduated law clerk and debut author of both young adult and new adult romantic fiction. Her love of writing was born after many years of reading and reviewing books on her blog Living Within Fiction.She lives in Southwestern Ontario with her family and two adorable cats.

​

When she’s not plotting her next writing project, she likes to spend her time hanging with friends and family, getting lost in a steamy romance novel, watching Friends, and drinking coffee.You can find Jessi at www.jessielliott.com, on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to stay up to date on book news and upcoming releases.

 

Frozen but Working

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The Midwest had a couple days of nice weather. Just a couple. And then it plunged right back down into single digits and dumped a bunch of snow on us too. The above photo is not from after it snowed, but it is from this winter. I have an outdoor mall near me, and they have a fountain that runs all winter to keep the pipes from freezing over. So the top of this fountain, for the most part, is all frozen except for where the jets of water come out. It’s super cool to see.

With the snow has come the one thing I hate with weather shits. Migraines. Sunday I was knocked back for a good chunk of the day with a migraine and I couldn’t do much of anything.

One thing I managed to do was rewrite the beginning of a short I had started that caught my attention. I was proud of myself. I took this bit of story and the three pages I had flourished into six pages after expanding on the detail and reworking everything.

And then in the shower my brain went – but what if we do this, that, and the other.

Needless to say, I’m hoping to get it rewritten for a third time this week. and then hopefully that will be put to bed enough that I can flush it out and finish it. I’m only expecting a 10k short from it. But it’d be nice to get it finished. One more thing off my long list of open WIPs that I can cross off.

How is your WIP going? Do you have one you have as your sole focus? Do you have many with an idea book beside you to jot down any wayward plots that cross your brain? Let me know down in the comments!

Also! Stay tuned tomorrow for my review of Twisted Fate by Jessi Elliott! You’re going to love it!

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January Wrap-Up/February TBR

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So it is that time. When we pass from one month into another. When we say goodbye to January and all it offered us, hug what we learned close to out hearts, and move ever forward into (if you’re in the Midwest) frozen future of February.

Were you able to finish everything you hoped you would in January? Anything left undone that you’re moving to the new month? Personally, I wasn’t able to finish everything I strived to in January, but I am moving some of them forward to try and finish them in February.

Lets reevaluate my goals for 2018 and see how well I did in January.

Write/plot 3 times a week

This one, sadly, hasn’t been in full force. I DID  get chapter one of my drafted novel edited though. So we are moving forward. I just need to work a little harder to carve out more writing/plotting time.

Read more

This one I most assuredly am doing well at. I was able to slide through five books in January. What are they? Keep reading to find out, I do list them below.

Post a Book Review on the blog twice a month

So, this one was half completed. I didn’t get through the plethora of books this month until late in the month. Literally, I consumed three books in three days. Which, being so late in the month, leaves little time to get those reviews up. But. With reading going better, I’m hoping to get a few reviews in the drafted and scheduled folder so as I read I’ll just keep sliding them into the line to be pushed out. And who knows. If I can keep up the reading as I am, I may try to squeeze in a third review a month. But that’s more down the line as I see how the year pans out. I already know a couple months will be a little busier than others due to annual things going on in my life.

So grand overview, I’m not terrible in working to fulfill my goals, but there’s definitely room for improvement. Here’s to February showing some of that improvement.

January Wrap Up

So, wrapping up January, like I said I read five books. That’s three more this month than I had planned, in the grand goal of reading. But it’s actually two short of my January TBR list.

I was able to finish the following books:

Shattered Circle by Cassandra Larsen
Twisted Fate by Jessi Elliott
Paper Princess by Erin Watt
Broken Prince by Erin Watt
The Selection by Kiera Cass

Broken Prince wasn’t on my January TBR list, but after the way Paper Princess ended I couldn’t stop myself from devouring the second book.

The reviews for Paper Princess&Broken Prince by Erin Watt and Twisted Fate by Jessi Elliott will be up this month. So make sure to watch for those. I’m doing both The Royals books together, because I read both of them in less than 48 hours. That’s not to say they were short books, they just caught my attention that well.

The two books I didn’t get through are:

Message of the Crow by Ellen Dugan
Resurrection by Tucker Malarkey

For Message of the Crow, I just didn’t get to it before the month ended. If I hadn’t chosen to read Broken Prince this month, I might have had the time to finish it. But alas, I was just too enamored by the The Royals to stop. Though I was able to tear myself away to read The Selection.

Resurrection isn’t a lack of time for not finishing. I did try. I just couldn’t get into the writing and the book. Nothing against it or the author, it just wasn’t my cup of tea so I won’t be finishing the book.

January Book Haul

Because I thought it would be fun too, I figured I’d share all the books I purchased in January. It’s almost a sickness. I read five books, but I ended up purchasing 27 books due to sales on Amazon a lot of times.

Rune Service by J.B. Garner
Once in a Blue Rune by J.B. Garner
Because You Love to Hate Me edited by Ameriie (Anthology)
Mojitos & Murder by Sara Bourgeois
Pirate’s Vengeance by LJ Andrews
Aveline by Lizzy Ford
Charred Heart by Lizzy Ford
Hinder by Kristin Ping
Soul of the Witch by Deanna Chase
Gifted by the Moon by Lilith Black
Shadow Queen by Harlow Thomas & Anastasia James
Spear of Destiny by Ines Johnson
The Haunting of Willow House by Anthony M. Strong
Blood and Magic by Ilana Waters
Marked by Power by Cece Rose & G. Bailey
Winter’s Guardian by G. Bailey
Sapient Salvation by Jayne Faith
Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch
Queen of Gods by Scarlett Dawn and Katherine Rhodes
The Lunar Effect by C.J. Pinard
Moon Cursed by Tori Centanni
Daughter of Magic by Teresa Roman
Stolen Ink by Holly Evans
Broken Prince by Erin Watt
Twisted Palace by Erin Watt
Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco

I also started an Owl Crate subscription, and their January Fearsome Fairytales box so I received a special cover book:

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

It’s a super long list of books. It’s an addiction, really. Most of those, at least, are ebook so at least they’re not taking up floor space because my shelves are full.

February TBR

Just like January, I’m going to be ambitious for February. Now, I realize this month is shorter than any other month but after the amount I was able to read in January, and looking at most of my calendar for February and finding it relatively absent of anything but writing goals, I have faith in myself to find the time to read these books.

I am looking to finish:

Message of the Crow by Ellen Dugan

My not getting to it in January is by no means because I wasn’t interested in it, but merely because I wanted to read something different. Paper Princess and The Selection are both more Contemporary than I normally read. There’s no magic, there’s no wizard or spell or werewolf or vampire. And while i do love my urban fantasy, and high fantasy, and I always will, it was kind of nice to step out of that box for a little while.

I’m also looking to read:

A Shade of Vampire by Bella Forrest
Daughter of Magic by Teresa Roman
Twisted Palace by Erin Watt
The Elite by Kiera Cass
Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco

Six books. And if you’re reading this carefully you’ll recognize two author from January. Twisted Palace is The Royals book three, and closes the sage for the characters that make up the first two books. So I’m really looking forward to seeing how their story ends. There is a book four, and a book five that’s pending release, that I may pick up later because I am interested in that world, but it’s narrated by a different person in that world so I won’t feel as compelled to continue it immediately. The Elite is book two of The Selection Series, and I’m curious but ready to jump into America’s story as she moves forward in the Selection. Both of those worlds, while there is no magic involved, have captured my undivided attention. But I’m excited to get through all five of my books.

Did you get any amazing books in January? What are your reading plans for February? Let me know down in the comments!