I can’t really take credit for the photo or the flowers – my daughter took the picture and my Mum grew the flowers from seed, although I did plant them in my garden a few months ago, so I’ve had some hand in growing them.


Well unbelievably it’s Monday again, and whilst the weather here in the East Midlands is much more autumnal in regards to temperature, we have had a couple of lovely days in regards to blue skies and dry weather. Yesterday we took a walk around the local countryside. We are incredibly lucky to be within walking or very short driving distance of a lot of beautiful places and footpaths.

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a wonderful 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 organise yourself. It’s an opportunity to visit and comment and er… add to your groaning TBR pile! Everyone is welcome. This meme started on J Kaye’s blog and then was hosted by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn over at The Book Date.

Last Week’s Reads

There were a couple of other books that I started reading that just weren’t clicking with me. I’m going to give both of them another shot next month. Ray and Five Stars were both great reads, No Love Lost was OK but a little slow and the story just didn’t offer anything I haven’t read countless times before.

Currently Reading

The author very kindly sent me a copy of this, and I LOVE Adrien, James and Lois. I’m a very happy bunny indeed!

Upcoming Reads

After a total break down in reading mojo, I’m finding it helps not to place too much expectation on myself in terms of what books I need/want to read over a week. I’m hoping that I will at least have started my re-read of Beautiful Tears by this time next week, but I’m not going to beat myself up about it if I haven’t. Reading is meant to be about enjoyment, afterall.

I’ve not decided whether to do a monthly round up on the 1st, or whether to do that next Monday. It all depends on time and motivation. So that’s all from me – happy reading!

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

Hello and welcome to another #IMWAYR. Autumn officially begins tomorrow but I’m hoping the warm weather lasts a few more days at least. It’s been so pleasant to be able to sit with our French doors open to the garden and enjoy the sunshine.

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a wonderful 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 organise yourself. It’s an opportunity to visit and comment and er… add to your groaning TBR pile! Everyone is welcome. This meme started on J Kaye’s blog and then was hosted by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn over at The Book Date.

Last Weeks Round Up

I finished the beta books, an arc AND two books that I own, one of which I had promised the author I would read at some point. I stepped down from a few more arc teams and where arc books are optional am (once again) making sure I don’t have too much else on my plate AND that I do really want to read the book. It’s helped me rediscover my enjoyment of reading, not to mention allowed me to start on my TBR list again.

I did have a DNF on Saturday night. It was the first in a trio of books that were released a week apart. I say released, they were re-releases from an author I’ve enjoyed in the past. I’m disappointed that I didn’t enjoy the book and annoyed with myself for having wasted money on the next two books, since I’m unlikely to read them. I left it too long between buying and trying, so I’ve gone past the “return” date for them. Thankfully I’d bought them all at 99p so it isn’t as big a loss as it could have been.

Currently Reading

I actually had a blank space on my google calendar for today and tomorrow. That doesn’t happen very often and left me quite panicky about what to read! I did have a summer TBR and know I failed dismally on reading those book, but in the end it became another millstone, along with too many arc books, dragging me down. So I’ve wiped the slate clean on that list and am going to get this arc book out of the way so that I can enjoy some “me reading”

What I’m aiming to read next.

I may change my mind on these, and that freedom/flexibility is what I need in my reading at the moment.

Have a great week and happy reading x

#IMWAYR

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a wonderful 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 organise yourself. It’s an opportunity to visit and comment and er… add to your groaning TBR pile! Everyone is welcome. This meme started on J Kaye’s blog and then was hosted by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn over at The Book Date.

It turned out it wasn’t the week I was going to complete KF Breene’s Demigod’s series. I struggled to get into anything, though I did have 3 different beta reads and an arc on the go, so I wasn’t NOT reading. The weather this weekend has been more summer-like than the week we had away actually during the summer – typical! Though I’d take my windy, showery holiday days over the terrible fires burning throughout much of Western USA – my thoughts and best wishes are with you.

So what did I read last week?

Normally I’m a one book at a time type girl, but last week I flittered between various beta and arc reads like a restless butterfly. I seem to have finally gotten into the right headspace, so hopefully I’ll be more on the ball this coming week.

Currently Reading

Because when all else fails, ignore the ever growing TBR list, ignore the pile of arcs and buy a new book to read! It’s definitely working and I’m loving this story so far.

How the rest of the week is shaping up

I still have some more beta reading to do, and after that I’ll be arc reading The Artist (Men of the North #11) by Elin Peer. I love the dystopian future Earth that the author has created, so this is a book I’m very much looking forward to reading.

Wherever you are, I hope you are staying safe and well! Happy reading.

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a wonderful 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 organise yourself. It’s an opportunity to visit and comment and er… add to your groaning TBR pile! Everyone is welcome. This meme started on J Kaye’s blog and then was hosted by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn over at The Book Date.

So last Tuesday saw my return to full time work, after lockdown and working remotely for a while and then working part time. Added to that we had a few weeks holiday so it’s been both a shock to the system but also a relief to start getting back into a routine. It does mean I’ll have a lot less blogging time but I’m determined to keep my round up post going, along with a few other memes.

I’ve struggled with reading the last week or so, nothing seems to be hugely catching my attention. I’m feeling very meh about the books I’m reading and I KNOW it is definitely me. I dipped in and out of quite a few books but feel as though I didn’t really read much at all.

Last Week’s Books

So I read a fairly short novel (an ARC book that I also bought), a short story that was a good impulse buy and 3 parts of books as a beta reader.

Currently Reading

An ARC read and a beta read. I’m struggling to focus on either, though for the beta read it’s going over chapters I’ve already read (out of order) and this time checking for flow etc.

Also to read this week

I have a couple of beta reads to complete and despite promising myself that this IS the week that I will start my re-read of Sin & Spirit, I may just go off piste and read something altogether different. Whatever I do read, I’m determined it will be from my “already purchased” TBR list.

What are your reading plans? How is your week shaping up? I hope you get time for reading some really great books. Bye for now!

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a wonderful 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 organise yourself. It’s an opportunity to visit and comment and er… add to your groaning TBR pile! Everyone is welcome. This meme started on J Kaye’s blog and then was hosted by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn over at The Book Date.

Last Week’s Reading

4 books were arc commitments, 2 were by new-to-me authors and another was novella length. The Mila Young book was my own choice and is the second part of a trilogy. The final book was a beta read for Merel Pierce, I’m hoping my feedback was useful and can’t wait to read her updated version.

Current Read

This is another arc read, though I also have the book on pre-order since Eva Dresden is one of my favourite authors.

Upcoming Reads

This week has already gotten away from me, hence publishing Monday’s post a day late. Based on that I’m not going to put too much pressure on myself by planning anymore than these two arc reads.

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a wonderful 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 organise yourself. It’s an opportunity to visit and comment and er… add to your groaning TBR pile! Everyone is welcome. This meme started on J Kaye’s blog and then was hosted by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn over at The Book Date.

Well we’ve gone from temperatures hitting the low 30’s celsius at the end of last week, to grey, drizzly skies and temperatures in the high teens. That’s purely because we wanted to go and a walk and also because we need to do some exterior glossing of the windows before we return to work. The rear of our property has the sun on it most of the day. So far this summer it’s either been far too hot to paint, or it’s been raining. We’ve given up waiting for the “right” weather and figure the damp is less of an issue than high temperatures would be.


Last week didn’t turn out to be so good for clearing the TBR list. I may also have agreed to a couple more arc books AND had another unexpected one from an arc team. I’m still ploughing through a beta read helping correct the English in it – though I’m definitely no expert on that front! I’m also sneaking in reads of a TBR book that I bought last week because, shrug, displacement behaviour.

Read Last Week

These were all arc reads but I really enjoyed them and have already bought three of the four. Finances willing I’ll buy the final one asap.

Currently Reading

First one is the ongoing beta read, second is an arc and third is the TBR book I’m sneaking in when the mood strikes.

Books to be read this week

The last book is a sequel and I haven’t read book #1 (though I do own a copy). I’m just wondering whether to read it first or not, since the blurb of this lets me know that both of them are really emotional reads and, sigh, I’m not too sure I could handle two close together.

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a wonderful 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 organise yourself. It’s an opportunity to visit and comment and er… add to your groaning TBR pile! Everyone is welcome. This meme started on J Kaye’s blog and then was hosted by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn over at The Book Date.

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

How is it already Monday again, and not only that but almost half way through August? Last time I looked it was the end of May, I’m sure!

I read some books of the books on my list last week, others got swapped out just “because”. I had one book I struggled with, and had it not been an arc I would have DNF’d it. It’s unusual in that there are 4 protagonists (2 separate couples) who will feature through a series of books. I can’t abide heroine 1, who was one of the major characters in this book. It’s quite rare that I dislike a MFC but Brianna just overwhelmed me with her stupidity and selfishness. Thankfully the couple who were less prominent in this book (in terms of their relationship) were enough to have me invested in reading more.
After that I dumped some of the books I intended to read in favour of a trilogy box set that was on sale – yes I bought another book, well three novellas, oopsie. What can I say, it was second chance and kinky – it had my name written all over it. This was followed by another arc and then a freebie that had been sitting on my kindle for over 2 years.

Read last week

Currently Reading

I’m still beta reading Stamina, along with reading a new release called In A Haze. Both are turning out to be quite different to my normal reads, but also very intriguing and they have certainly captured my attention.

Up next – if plans are followed

These are all arc reads – 2 of which were unexpected (oh the fun of being on an “email” arc team!) One contemporary, one PNR and one Rom-Com, so I have a good mix of books here. I always struggle when I get two or three similar books to arc read in a row, so I’m quite grateful at how different these three are.

So that’s my reading week – what does your’s look like?

Yet another week has flown past and so I’m joining in again with Kathryn at The Book Date, sharing books and adding to that TBR.

I attended my first socially distanced social event on Sunday, it is still so strange not hugging and kissing friends and family when we meet. Then there is the stress of trying to remember to keep a certain distance away from one another. Thankfully it didn’t spoil our fun and before we knew it four hours had passed!

I had quite a prolific reading week, finishing five and a half books. I say “half” because one was an anthology I’ve been reading over several weeks now.

Books Read Last Week

Night Scourge Review
The Devil Review
I will be adding a review of Valentine Roulette this week.
Violence releases on the 29th with Renegade two days later on the 31st July, so reviews of those will also be up over the next week. Subversive isn’t due out for quite a while so I shall have to sit on that review for a little longer.

I didn’t manage to read Devious Resolutions, which I bought right at the start of the year, but the summer isn’t over yet!

My current read

The third book in the Fragile Ties Trilogy, by Jennifer Bene, releases in early August. It’s been a while since the first two books released, so I’m doing a re-read. That way I won’t spend half the book playing mental catch-up on the story.

Next on the list

The last book is a time dependent read and one of the many purchased books sitting unread on my ereader.

Not only did I hit all my reading targets last week but I absolutely LOVED the books too. It was a really good reading week. This is a weekly chance to join in with The Book Date and other blogs joining in with the meme. Whilst it’s a great way to share good reads, it may impact on any attempts to reduce your TBR list 😉.

Books Read Last Week

Collaring His Cadet and Bedroom Hymns were both re-reads and were well worth doing. They are very different types of book, CHC is more of an exploration and self discovery story, with a smidge of romance. BH is a dark and twisty romantic suspense that keeps you guessing until the end. The Game Maker was vintage Kitty Thomas, for those who know and love her work. Heartbreaker was a light relief book, but also very well written and engaging. Cruel Idols was my first Sorcha Black book but it most definitely won’t be my last. I cannot sing it’s praises highly enough.

Currently Reading

Lynher, Rafe, Kensey et al return for more mysteries, manipulations and machinations in this dystopian urban fantasy epic. *Squeeeee!*

This weeks TBR books

The first two are arc reads, the second two are ones that I really need to get crossed off my TBR. Subversive is by a new-to-me author, but the two sample chapters I read of this really hooked me in and had me wanting to know more. Devious Resolutions is an anthology of dark MM reads, so if I don’t get to complete it I would at least like to get a few stories read.


Have a great reading week!