All of these books were really good! I love it when I’m on a reading streak. First up, I stayed up very late reading Winter’s Arrow by Lexi C. Foss. This is the second book in the X-Clan (Omegaverse universe) series, which is part of the Zombie Year 2099 world. I had no clue what that was until I read this book. Now I am intrigued to read more. Winter’s Arrow can be read as a standalone. I have book three tee’d up for tonight. The world is post apocalypse, where there are shifters Continue Reading
Audible Original: The Stand-in by Lily Chu
The Stand-in by Lily Chu July 15, 2021 by Audible Originals Contemporary Romance Reviewed by Melinda I wanted to listen to this audiobook as soon as I heard that Phillipa Soo was narrating this, because I’m a big fan of hers. She did a wonderful job infusing the story with nuance and context. The book opens with Gracie working in a job she hates, but that she needs to save money to support her elderly mother, who lives in a Residential care facility. Gracie’s been wanting to move Continue Reading
Review: What if You & Me by Roni Loren
What If You & Me by Roni LorenContemporary RomanceJuly 6, 2021, by Sourcebooks CasablancaAudio ARC Review by Melinda I really love parts of this book so much. This continues the Say Everything series and examines mental health, trauma, and disability in really interesting, yet romantic, ways, and I love all of that. I love that both Andi and Hill felt like real characters, they were fully fleshed out with realistic issues and flaws. Messy characters are my favorites, and these two Continue Reading
Audible Original Review: What the Hex by Alexis Daria
What the Hex by Alexis DariaContemporary PNRJuly 1, 2021, by AudibleAudio ARC Review by Melinda Another well-done Audible Original with a fantastic narrator, Jacqueline Grace Lopez. Basically audiobooks can live or die entirely on who narrates them, and Jacqueline added so much to this experience. It’s even more impressive that when I looked her up to see what else I could find that she narrated this was her debut! Her Spanish added a lot to the context of the book. This is a Continue Reading
Audiobook Review: Reel by Kennedy Ryan
Reel by Kennedy RyanContemporary06/08/2021 Self PublishedARC Review by Melinda Reel is a story that at first I had difficulty putting my finger on what time period it was taking place in, and I think that was because the story felt timeless, something that I loved about this book. When Neevah is cast as the star in a new biopic that Canon Holt is directing, everything changes for her. We can tell from the beginning that both Neevah and Canon are passionate people. Canon is a famous Continue Reading
Jen’s Mini Audible Reviews: Reviews for Books by Amy Harmon, Jennifer L. Armentrout, Kerri Maniscalco, Sarina Bowen & Elle Kennedy and Kylie Scott
I love listening to books when I go on walks and when I’m working around my house. All of the below books were excellent. I’m pretty particular about voices. There's one popular male narrator out there who just gives me creepy uncle vibes. I really enjoyed these stories AND the narrators were terrific. No creepy uncle. :) The Songbook of Benny Lament by Amy Harmon Epic!!! This was brilliant!! The narrator, Rob Shapiro was spot on. The story takes place in NYC in the 1960s and Shapiro’s Continue Reading
Joint Review: Call Me Maybe by Cara Bastone
Melinda and I are Cara Bastone fan girls so I thought it would be fun for us to do a joint review of Bastone’s latest release- Call Me Maybe, An Audible Original. Kini: The whole premise is that Vera, the female main character, calls tech support and starts an hours long call with Cal, the male main character. I love these kinds of set ups. When I first started this story I wasn’t sure I was going to love the male narrator’s voice. It was stronger and deeper than I had imagined. Continue Reading
Audio Review: A Princess for Christmas by Jenny Holiday
A Princess for Christmas by Jenny HolidayContemporary Holiday RomanceOctober 13, 2020, by AvonARC Review by Melinda This book was the definition of aggressively fine for me and part of it has to do with my own issues I bring with me but part of it was definitely the book. My issue is around that once again breast cancer is in the background for these characters. Admittedly, it plays a small part but it looms large over the entire book as it’s what killed one of the protagonist’s mothers. Continue Reading
Audio Excerpt: Playing for Keeps by Kendall Ryan
Playing for Keeps, the first book in Kendall Ryan's new Hot Jack series, is available on audio first! Playing for Keeps I've never been so stupid in my entire life. Elise Parrish, my teammate's incredibly sweet and gorgeous younger sister, should have been off-limits, but my hockey stick didn't get the memo. After our team won the championship, our flirting turned physical, and I took her to bed. Then shame sent her running the next morning from our catastrophic Continue Reading
Audio Excerpt: The Slow Burn by Kristen Ashley
Kristen Ashley has a new audio book out today via Audible. This is the second book in the Moonlight and Motor Oil series. Our friends at Audible sent us this snippet to share with the Smexy Readers. You can pick up your copy of The Slow Burn now. Tobias Gamble knew from a young age precisely the kind of woman he was going to make his. She was not going to be like his mother. She was going to be like the mother he claimed. In other words, she was going to be just right. And Continue Reading