2019 Bookending Winter Day 1: Ways A Villain Could Ruin the Holiday Season

It's December 1st and that means it's time for Bookending Winter!! In case you don't know what Bookending Winter is, let me enlighten you. It's a wonderful month-long event created by Clo @ Cuppa Clo and Sam @ Fictionally Sam where each day has a different prompt for the participants to talk about. Basically awesomeness all around! And there's hosts, so you can not only do some blog hopping, but also discover new bloggers while you're at it, and since we're an amazing community, we need to all be friends and be merry. 'Tis the season, people!!!

The first host of this year's event is Sophia @ Bookwyrming Thoughts and her prompt is Ways  A Villain Could Ruin the Holiday Season. Let me tell you, these villains have tremendous power to destroy all nice things, including the Holiday Season. Let me tell you how they could ruin mine.

Audiobook Review: Kulti by Mariana Zapata

Author: Mariana Zapata
Series: N/A
Narrator: Callie Dalton
Audience: +18
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Sports Romance
Publisher: Tantor Audio
Length: 16 hours and 13 minutes
Release Date: July 28th 2015 (first published March 20th 2015)
My Rating: 5 Cups
Source: Audible
Blurb (from Goodreads):

“Trust me, I’ve wanted to punch you in the face a time or five.”

When the man you worshipped as a kid becomes your coach, it’s supposed to be the greatest thing in the world. Keywords: supposed to.

It didn't take a week for 27-year-old Sal Casillas to wonder what she'd seen in the international soccer icon - why she'd ever had his posters on her wall or ever envisioned marrying him and having super-playing soccer babies.


Sal had long ago gotten over the worst non-break-up in the history of imaginary relationships with a man who hadn't known she'd existed. So she isn't prepared for this version of Reiner Kulti who shows up to her team's season: a quiet, reclusive shadow of the explosive, passionate man he'd once been.

I've been meaning to read Mariana Zapata for a while now. In fact, she's the author that finally convinced me to try out the Audible Escape subscription I now love so much. Because I didn't know where to start, since I've heard a lot of good stuff about her books, I pestered my dear friend Sam from Fictionally Sam to point me in the right direction and Kulti was the second book on her list I think. Since it was also the first book that I noticed by her on AE, I decided to go with it. And let me tell you, it was glorious.

Book Review: A Holiday By Gaslight by Mimi Matthews

Author: Mimi Matthews
Narrator: Alex Wyndham
Series: N/A
Audience:  +18
Genre: Historical Romance, Christmas Romance
Publisher: Perfectly Proper Press
Release Date: November 13th 2018
My Rating: 4 Cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

A Courtship of Convenience

Sophie Appersett is quite willing to marry outside of her class to ensure the survival of her family. But the darkly handsome Mr. Edward Sharpe is no run-of-the-mill London merchant. He’s grim and silent. A man of little emotion—or perhaps no emotion at all. After two months of courtship, she’s ready to put an end to things.

A Last Chance for Love

But severing ties with her taciturn suitor isn’t as straightforward as Sophie envisioned. Her parents are outraged. And then there’s Charles Darwin, Prince Albert, and that dratted gaslight. What’s a girl to do except invite Mr. Sharpe to Appersett House for Christmas and give him one last chance to win her? Only this time there’ll be no false formality. This time they’ll get to know each other for who they really are.

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC from Netgalley and Perfectly Proper Press in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or the content of my review in any way.

The first thing that caught my eye was the cover. How could I ignore it, when it's so pretty? The next thing that made me want to read this book was the fact that it was not only a Christmas story, but a historical romance one. So basically you have the two best things in the world put together. I've never read Mimi Matthews before, but I absolutely loved this introduction into her world and I believe I shall dive into her backlist in the upcoming year.

Book Review: Gravemaidens by Kelly Coon

Author: Kelly Coon
Series: Gravemaidens #1
Audience: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Release Date: October 29th 2019
My Rating: 5 Cups
Source: Publisher
Blurb (from Goodreads):

The start of a fierce fantasy duology about three maidens who are chosen for their land's greatest honor...and one girl determined to save her sister from the grave.

In the walled city-state of Alu, Kammani wants nothing more than to become the accomplished healer her father used to be before her family was cast out of their privileged life in shame.

When Alu's ruler falls deathly ill, Kammani’s beautiful little sister, Nanaea, is chosen as one of three sacred maidens to join him in the afterlife. It’s an honor. A tradition. And Nanaea believes it is her chance to live an even grander life than the one that was stolen from her.

But Kammani sees the selection for what it really is—a death sentence.

Desperate to save her sister, Kammani schemes her way into the palace to heal the ruler. There she discovers more danger lurking in the sand-stone corridors than she could have ever imagined and that her own life—and heart—are at stake. But Kammani will stop at nothing to dig up the palace’s buried secrets even if it means sacrificing everything…including herself.

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book from Penguin Random House in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or the content of my review in any way.

Wow. Gravemaidens just blew my mind people! This was a buddy read with two very dear friends, Haley and Kal, and let me tell you something. If you could see our group DMs while reading this book, you would all know that we were insanely in love with this story. Although I haven't read that many YA books this year, I can tell you right now that Gravemaidens is probably one of my favorites this year.

Book Review: Cross Breed by Lora Leigh

Author: Lora Leigh
Series: Breeds #23
Audience:  +18
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Erotic Romance
Publisher: Berkley Books
Release Date: September 25th 2018
My Rating: 4.5 Cups
Source: Own Copy
Blurb (from Goodreads):

The Breeds are humans altered before conception with the DNA of the predators of Earth. But although they all carry the genetic material of beasts within them, Cassandra Sinclair stands apart. A unique mix of wolf, coyote and human, she is revered by many—but preyed upon by others. She is fiercely protected by her community…but no one manages to stop her when she slips away one day to offer her body in exchange for her sister’s safety.

The man she succumbs to surprises her by unleashing her inner animal in ways she never dreamed possible—and provokes her deep, furious rage. To Cassie’s shock, he is the mate she has long awaited. She may never be able to forgive his deception. Still, as dangerous enemies track her, and as the threat of all-out war between Breeds and the humans who despise them hovers in the air, they must join forces and hold fast to each other.

But the passionate union between them holds a potential that could change the world—and some will do anything to stop it…

*Disclaimer: This book contains mature content. As a result, my review may contain references to content intended for mature audiences only.

**Disclaimer: My review won't contain spoilers about Cross Breed, but it probably will include spoilers for previous books. With this being book 23 (actually 33 if you count the novellas) in the Breeds series, spoilers cannot be avoided.  

I did it, guys. I finally did it!!! I read Cross Breed!! Let me tell you, it wasn't easy convincing myself to read this book. We all know I have a fear of reading my most anticipated books (which I call unicorns, by the way), so I decided to read this during a sleepless night this week. Guys, the wait of over 10 years for this book was worth it. And more.

Blog Tour Book Review: From Flame and Ash by Carrie Ann Ryan

Author: Carrie Ann Ryan
Series: Elements of Five #2
Audience: YA
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: November 19th 2019
My Rating: 4.5 Cups
Source: Give Me Books Promotions
Blurb (from Goodreads):

NYT Bestselling Author Carrie Ann Ryan continues Lyric’s epic journey in this spellbinding sequel to From Breath and Ruin.

Lyric lost her past, her friends, and even her connections to both worlds when she found out about the Maison realm and her calling. But now she must put that aside and travel back to the Maison realm to continue her training as the Spirit Priestess. Only her journey isn’t to Rhodes and those she fought alongside before. This time, Easton and the other Obscurité warriors will stand by her side as she tries to unlock her final three elements.

However, just as she starts to learn more about what she’s been prophesied to do, a Seer’s wish and the calling of the Lumière kingdom calls her forth, thrusting Lyric into another journey where she must trust those on both sides of the age-old war to survive…and keep those she loves safe.

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book from Give Me Books Promotions in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or the content of my review in any way.

I have been waiting for this book for what felt like a very, very long time. I'm always excited for Carrie Ann Ryan's books, though, so it shouldn't be such a huge surprise to anyone. But I truly loved reading about Lyric and her journey in the previous book (and you can read my review for From Breath and Ruin here if you want to) and I was very interested in seeing what happens next for her and her friends.