Photo Credits: for all graphics Marcela Bolívar (pixabay), Brigitte Werner (pixabay), JL (pixabay), gutport (pixabay) Edited by Vaishali C O M B I N E D W R A P U PJ U L Y / A U G U S T R E A D I N G Hello reading friends. I'm currently writing to you from the tail end of another heatwave that has only just shifted into what I hope will be a long-lasting, unobstructed Autumn with waves of brisk air and nippy temps. Only semi-permanent cooler temps for the rest of the year from here please. I've surfaced, but let's just say I reached my limit well before the first heat wave here in the UK hit. With recent highs of 40 degrees (the likes of which we’ve never experienced here before), we were even issued a strong red alert for extreme heat for the first time ever. This record-breaking heatwave spelled drama in all shapes and sizes for my health, so it was my August wish for my body to either spontaneously develop a resilience to its long-time humid harasser or - more realistically - for the universe to take mercy on this chronic illness-surviving anchoress. It took some time, but I got my wish, and let it be said that this year has pushed the gritty ceiling with my health so fingers crossed I get a relatively restful, baseline rest-of-the year 2022 experience *flops where I currently sit*… The Summer might be leaving us, but I'm confident that a call to close Summer is far from unequal to a call to close the Summer reading season. As my mood-reading motto goes, seasons are not reasons for the mood to indulge what the mood wants. In my last Monthly Wrap Up I eagerly mentioned a few baby fruits in the bookish works that were in the July/August pipeline. In combination with my usual reads and reviews covering the past two months (which you'll get as per usual come the end post), I come armed with some project-bearing matured fruits! I don't have one author interview to share. I don't even have two author interviews to share. I have a whopping three author interviews to bring to your late-August attention. One from a poetry writer, one from a romance writer and one from a YA fiction author, the line-up has a bit of everything. I'm hoping there's something available whatever the need might be. As I write this, I'm even currently planning on a few more interviews that'll hopefully be ready and ripe for my Sep/Oct Newsletter still. Back to the matter at hand though, my first interview promises an insightful look into Urban Disorders, and how poetry hits for Natasha Deonarian. A small spoiler: this was one of my favourite interviews to date (have a read through and you'll understand why). Second comes my interview with Anya Wylde. Known for her regency romance, she currently has a contemporary fantasy romance released just May of this year, and of course I had to make that the theme for our interview. Last but not least (and taking things into a more primitive direction with Spirit Wolf) I share my interview with YA Fantasy writer Michael Skyner, and you'll discover more about his penchant for the art of silliness and how he uses it in tow with creativity. Currently finishing up trying to finalise a not-yet published guest post, I'll leave you with that little teaser to mull over... Realising that I've one-clicked quite a few amazing book deals - also amazing most-anticipated reads - within the short space of only a few months, I'm going to do something different and share my purchases. So many of which I'm looking forward to! Of course, this is yours truly so a friendly reminder that about 99% of them are indeed romance reads. Another reminder that all procured were sale items, and while trying my best to exact purchasing limits, it proved to be an exercise in discipline because I couldn't pass up what was on offer. But with a tempting spread of books at reduced prices? I'm not sure any reader could call that anything other than a mini dream-haven situation to hog. Joyful and hopeful over my bought wares, hopefully you'll even get to see them with the label 'read, reviewed and ready for your consumption'. The first I bought was Elle Kennedy's Good Girl Complex, which I'm so excited to read. And even though I have The Deal, The Chase and Troublemaker sitting untouched in my kindle app, I'm still not sure which to start with. Next up is Christina Lauren's Something Wilder; Lauren's an author heard of by every romance reader so I'm hoping Something Wilder will be an epic book to start off with from her backlist. Courtesy of a Goodreads friend, I also bought You Had Me at Hola and A Lot Like Adiós by Alexis Daria. All it takes is one look at the celebratory POC cover art to establish what made me wish I could charm them into my TBR. These instalments bear a bright and brilliant buzz. I'm excited times three to sample either one! Quick-fire list of more bought reads... Prepare yourself because I'm going to execute a rapid succession round of additional acquired reads (just because I have so many to share, though feel free to skip these and head on for more important things), and who knows maybe they'll provide inspiration to get your reading juices flowing, you already have them TBR stocked and readied or can add them to your reading lists! Here we go: It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey, The Bridge Kingdom by Danielle L. Jensen (which I've read and reviewed here!), The Sailor In Polynesia by Liz Alden, Royally Tricked by Misha Bell (my current I'm-reading this as we speak read), The Meet Cute Method by Portia MacIntosh, The Wicked King by Holly Black (note: I have yet to make The Cruel Prince a purchase so I'm not sure what my backwards method here was), Kiss the Stars by A.L. Jackson, The Pact by Max Monroe (another side note: if you're currently not a member, my fellow romance readers need to make subscribers out of themselves and join the Max Monroe girls' newsletter. It's so much Monday Morning fun), The Witch Collector by Charissa Weaks, The Prison Healer by Lynette Noni (another book that's pulling all the eagerness forth from me), The Book Boyfriend by Claire Kingsley, Falling for You by Lea Coll (you can find that read and reviewed here!), Phoenix Unbound by Grace Draven, Cold Wicked Lies by Toni Anderson, Nanny for the SEALS by Cassie Cole (this writes utterly brilliant polygamous romances and I highly recommend her in every multiverse), and finally I also have the Slice Series boxed set by Teagan Hunter. Readers, I invite you take your fill, become a highly functioning wish-fulfiller and treat yourself to your own escapist fun. Just one more for the reading road though? I can't personally teach you 50 Ways to win Back Your Lover but maybe Kelly Siskind can. Arriving in my kindle library on September 6th I'm so excited to read the author's new release. I'm hoping to pre-read 5 Tricks to Seducing Your Enemy in preparation, but sloth-paced reader that I am (notwithstanding the fact that I still haven't even started on her Showmen series), we'll take it day by day because this e-trail of books might just flatten me quicker than my failing body. Drawing to a close, I'm going to segue into an author project that I spoke a bit about in my previous Reading Wrap Up. I have NEW updates on DISSENT: An Anthology for Reproductive rights. You can find more on that below, along with a few other upcoming community-based charity anthologies. The romance authorship has proved only time and again that their craft contributes to so much more than writing stories, it's pulling our similars, our sisterhood circles that hope for the love we read about to bleed into the world we live in, who ally together in times of great and desperate need, especially in the face of minimised rights for women. And that's precisely what DISSENT, this three-book anthology is about. And because I think I've waffled aplenty and the content coverage might be too much for your busy brains to digest in one sitting, I release you from being monopolised (unless you really do enjoy being monopolised by all things story) I'll finish by sharing a few more bits and pieces you can find below, finalised with my end of July/August reads. Enjoy. And feel free to hound me with what you've been enjoying by replying using the contact form below. DISSENT: A Charity Anthology As promised, I have more up-to-the moment news news for DISSENT! With so many passionate romance writers passionately lending their art and craft for this donative cause, DISSENT has accumulated more than 150 contributing authors! That also means 150+ stories for readers to break into. Whether it be novella, excerpts, chapter teasers, short stories or extended add-ons from the fictional couples you love so much, there'll be a broad never-before-seen selection of sub-genres for all. A romancing pick n' mix that spans style and genre. And because the volume of contributing, best-selling authors overflowed like fountain spray, DISSENT will now be split into three sequenced volumes. All royalties and accumulated proceeds will be split and dispatched to the selected (US based) organisations that aid in, bolster and support reproductive health. The 6th of September is still its release date but it's currently available to pre-order and physical copies will be available closer to the date! It was in the spirit of protecting female autonomy that this community of romance writers gave their names to this completely community-bound project that will hopefully be the benefit and be the difference in someone needing that required help. All raised proceeds from both the e-book and paperback will be donated to the selected charities supporting female reproductive health, and as an extension female rights. I'm always so incredibly humbled that the romance authorship (and readerships) rarely fails to rise to the occasion and come to mother these so very essential causes that help us thrive a little bit more. To find out more about these superheroine authors, follow the below link if you're at all interested in being a part of their mission. For more information for authors/readers/bloggers etc (and to support their hosted charity auction to raise funds) head here: https://romancedissents.com/ Or you can support Romance for Reproductive Rights by stopping by Change.org to support and sign your name to a petition for healthcare and bodily autonomy. Help the petition reach its goal! A Selection of included authors! INCLUDED AUTHORS: Brighton Walsh, Nicole French, Kennedy Fox, A.M. Roark, A.R. Hall, Aarti V Raman, Aidy Award, Alexis Anne, Amanda Richardson, Amelia Wilde, Amie Knight, Amy Quinton, Anna Michael, Aria Wyatt, Ashley Lane, Autumn Jones Lake, B. Celeste, B.L. Olson, Blair Babylon, Brenda St John Brown, Brenna Aubrey, Bri Blackwood, Cara Dee, Carmen Jenner, C.L. Matthews, Cassie Graham, Celia Kyle, Charity Ferrell, Claire Wilder, Claudia Burgoa, Dakota Willink, Dani René, Daniela Romero, Dee Garcia, Dee Lagasse, Deidre-Ann Anderson, Donna Grant, Echo Grayce, Elena Aitken, Elle Thorpe, Ellis Leigh, Emily Colin, Emily Goodwin, Erica Alexander, Erin Parisien, Eva Charles, Eva Moore, Evelyn Adams, Glenna Maynard, H.D. Carlton, Haley Jenner, Heidi McLaughlin, Holly Mortimer, Hope Jones, Ines Johnson, Iris Morland, J. Saman, J. Sterling, J.H. Croix, J.L. Beck & C. Hallman, J.M. Walker, Jane Blythe, Janet Berry, Jasmin Miller, JD HOLLYFIELD, Jen Stevens, Jenika Snow, Jenna Hartley, Jenna Lynn, Jennifer Sucevic, Jessica Florence, Jillian Liota, Julia Kent, Kait Nolan, Kat Latham, Kat Savage, Kate Canterbary, Kate King and Jessa Wilder, Kate Meader, Kathy Coopmans, K.B. Cinder, K.D. Proctor, Kelly Maher, Kim Loraine, Kym Grosso, Lainey Davis, Laramie Briscoe, L.M. Halloran, Laura Lee, Lauren Stewart, Lea Coll, Len Webster, Lili Valente, Linnea May, Lisa Shelby, Lissanne Jones, Lucy Lennox, Mary Ann Marlowe, Max Henry, Megan Ryder, Melissa Andrea, Melissa Marino, Melonie Johnson, Mia Harlan, Mignon Mykel, Molly O’Hare, Monica Corwin, Morgan Jane Mitchell, N.A. Moore, Natasha Raulerson, Nicole Blanchard, Nina Levine, Pamela DuMond, Patricia D. Eddy, Persephone Autumn, R.L. Kenderson, Rachel Brookes, Raven James, Rebecca Paula, Rebecca Yarros, Regina Kyle, R. Castro, Roxie Noir, S. Cinders, Sade Rena, Saffron A. Kent, Samantha Lind, Sarah M. Cradit, Scarlett Cole, S.E. Rose, Shaw Hart, Sydney St. James, S.J. Sylvis, Skye Alder, Stephanie Anne, Suzanne Baltsar, Sylvie Stewart, T.K. Leigh, Tabatha Vargo, Tamara Lush, Taryn Quinn, Tawna Fenske, T. Gephart, Toni Aleo, Tracy Krimmer, Tricia Lynne, Trish Milburn, V.F. Mason, Vanessa Booke, Vivian Wood, Zoe Ashwood, and Zoe York Other (Upcoming) Charity Anthologies Hell Hath No Fury: A romance anthology from some of your favourite authors, with 100% of the proceeds going to charities safeguarding reproductive rights. More details will be available soon, but the 18th October will be the release date. A few participating authors include: Amelia Wilde, Carly Phillips, Claire Hastings, Clarissa Wild, Giana Darling, Ivy Fox, Jack Davenport, Jessica Gadziala. Nicole Blanchard, Piper Davenport, Skye Warren, Dee Palmer, Eden Summers, Ella Fields and more! One More Kiss: A charity romance anthology with stories from over 50 romance authors, benefiting suicide awareness and prevention. All proceeds from eBook and paperback sales will be donated to The Keith Milano Memorial Fund at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (a US charity). The paperback is coming soon, due to the overwhelming response it will be published in volumes! A few participating authors include: A.C. Wilds | Alexa Padgett | Angela Sanders | Anne Mercier, Annie Anderson | April Canavan | April D Berry | Autumn Archer | Beck Knight | Bella Faust | Carmen Bishop | Celia Kyle | Dee Lagasse | E.S. McMillan | E.C. Land | Echo Grayce | Elena Gray | Elizabella Baker Bluebonnet: Bluebonnet: An Anthology for Uvalde. Bluebonnet is a romance anthology with short stories from over fifty romance authors. All of the funds raised from the sale of this anthology will be donated to the Robb Elementary School victims’ families. More information will be available soon and all sales will be donated to the cause. Evil Queen: Celebrating female empowerment, Evil Queen is a romance anthology that furthers the message that 'anything is possible' in the realm of female hope, creativity and drive. All proceeds will be donated to WriteGirl; a creative writing organisation that holds the belief of helping women thrive and practically engages in the growth of creativity, self-expression, confidence and nurtures creative storytelling ingenuity in women writers. Paperbacks will be available closer to release date, which will be October 4th! Some participating authors include: Amanda Cuff | Aubree Valentine | Cali Melle | Chasity Tarantino | Daisy Allen | Dee Lagasse | Ellie Isaacson | Georgana Roland | K. Krieger | K Leigh | KF Hassall | Kandi Steiner | Kat Singleton | Kat T. Masen | Kay Blake | M Leigh Morhaime | Malynda Schlegel | Mignon Mykel | Persephone Autumn | Renee Dyer | Savannah Stewart | Shannon O’Connor | Sutton Bishop | Trish Anderson | Tori Fox | Victoria Ellis My July and August Reads... |
So much like Take a Chance On Me, sixth in succession to Lea Coll’s All I want series, this fifth in her Annapolis Harbour collective, Falling For You is poised with a passionate pull that pushes and challenges the weight of a fallible relationship that's not at all ready to rise and yet wants to thrive in its own way. Falling For You's storyline is quite a simple one, its challenges more personal, its trope positively familiar, its characters honest, pained and feasible but Lea Coll assures a delivery synonymous with her predilection for heartfelt discovery. With protagonists that arrive layered and laboured, both Jonah and Callie's togethered pathway carves a connection rippled with difficulty. |
- 3 S T A R S to Falling For You
2) The Bridge Kingdom by Danielle L. Jensen - Rating ★ ★ ★ ★ 4
Trained and tested for their worth as the next possible Queen of their enemy Kingdom, Lara and her sisters have been schooled in the beliefs of warring nations and the art of enemy infiltration. For one of them to one day become espoused to a rival leader who's responsible for the paucity of Maridrina's people. Lara sees to it that she become the daughter of royalty to free her people. Now complete in her training she steals the upper hand and - motivated by the pull to save her sisters - emerges as the one chosen to leave the seclusion of the Red Desert with her life untouched. With uncumbersome worldbuilding, imagery that shifts, rattles and moves, formidable characters with a lot to lose and a lot to gain, a gravitational delivery that pulls, prose that exists in that plentiful place of being enough and never too much, I lucked out with this fantasy romance that rails against submission but rests upon a hate to love appeal. |
- 4 S T A R S to The Bridge Kingdom
3) Wicked Court by May Sage - Rating ★ ★ 2
Accelerated to the top of my list of immediate reads because it was time to break with contemporary romance for a bit and sit with some courtship backdropped by formidable fantasy elements (still dedicated to romancing those love bonds of course), I really nurtured some high hopes for this duology. I was at a peak state of reader thrill, and pitched as a fantasy PR romance with courts, craft (gorgeous covers) and cunning Fae with a royal heroine poached from her rights as a gentry, thieved from using her extraordinary magic and criminalised since birth by an unseelie queen's wrath, I could easily picture where a story of a trivialised powerhouse of a princess would go. |
- 2 S T A R S to Wicked Court
4) Shadow Cursed by May Sage - Rating ★ ★ 2
Shadow Cursed actually takes place a decade forward from Wicked Court. To distract himself from a sacrifice Vlari made, a very wounded Drusk has funnelled all his efforts into training up the Fae for war. Pouting for all of ten years, he's not at all happy with the decisions Vlari made to secure Whitecroft's as a sanctuary for the Fae. But without that choice, the remaining folk of Tenebris would have died or been conquered by a changeling who ruthlessly took the throne. As Vlari describes herself, she's taken up the role of "the shield of Tenebris" and her life force is their protection, but when Drusk visits her after ten years of denying her existence, what he discovers becomes a turning point. And that's when he starts to act more purposefully as opposed to operating in the vacant zone. |
- 2 S T A R S to Shadow Cursed
5) Heartstopper by Alice Oseman - Rating ★ ★ ★ 3
Courtesy of my little sister, who was gifted the first three volumes in paperback by a friend some time ago, I was able to sneak the first copy from her 'I came back for the summer' luggage. I couldn't help it, the books were eyeing me up, and as is true of temptation, I eyed it up right back. And as we soundlessly circled each other for a few days, I came to the deciding settlement that I must stop my heart for Heartstopper. Not that I've actively opened a Young Adult novel recently, but the genre's been calling to me these past few months, and seeing as this graphic novel is recipient to all the rage right now, I couldn't think of any better way to satisfy the pull than by giving in to this piece of popular fiction. |
- 3 S T A R S to Heartsopper
6) Royally Tricked by Mischa Bell - Rating ★ ★ ★ 3.5
True to form, fit, fancy and their joint zany authorship profile, the mutual force of Ana Zaires and Dima Zales amounts to one thing; rom-com eccentricity carved by two sets of hands that love to twiddle their fingers to romance of its own upended sensibility. If you loved the flair of Misha Bells’ Hard Code (or any other book in their Hard Stuff series), the likelihood of loving this is a matter of racing formulaic certainty. Dabbling in that space of shameless comedy with quirky textures, characters of their own idiosyncrasy and alternative cultures, Royally Tricked promises a feel-great slow burn with some delightful silly. Furnished with troublesome furry creature pets with agendas, eccentricities and bizarre situations to swoon and swan over, the ace in the hole for me was opening my book to the life of a leading lady creative with aspiring wishes to become a great female illusionist. |
- 3.5 S T A R S to Royally Tricked
7) Heartstopper: Vol 2 by Alice Oseman - Rating ★ ★ ★
Where book one develops the friendship and the privately swelling feelings (of longing and confusion) between Nick and Charlie, it's Nick's ambivalence with his sexual identity that takes precedence with this read. The soothing teenage sweetness overload continues with volume two of Nick and Charlie’s romance. Foremost in shaping up a voice in sharing Nick's sexuality crisis, it was just touching to see all the people who matter to him give him the love (like his mom), the easy acceptance (like Charlie), the shared understanding (like Tara) and all the cuddles (from Nellie) in lending him the space to sit with and explore how he felt with the difference in developing feelings for a boy. |
- 3.5 S T A R S to Heartsopper Vol 2
I love interacting with fellow readers and hearing about reader opinion, so if you'd like to talk books or about your own recent reads, get in touch and comment below!
H A P P Y R E A D I N G
---------------------------------------
M Y R A T I N G S Y S T E M:
★ - 1 star: I did not like the book
★★ - 2 stars: The book was okay
★★★ - 3 stars: It was a good, solid read
★★★★ - 4 stars: A great book
★★★★★ - 5: A phenomenal read
---------------------------------------
R E L A T E D P O S T S:
● May/June Reading Wrap Up 2022
● March/April Reading Wrap Up 2022
● January/February Reading Wrap Up 2022
● November/December Reading Wrap Up 2021
● September/October Reading Wrap Up 2021
● July/August Reading Wrap Up 2021
● May/June Reading Wrap Up 2021
● March/April Reading Wrap Up 2021
● January/February Reading Wrap Up 2021
● November/December Reading Wrap Up 2020
● September Reading Wrap Up 2020
________________________________________________
Leave a comment and let's talk...
Leave a Reply.
Vaishali
Born in the UK
Raised in the UK
But whose truest homeland lies between the pages of a book.
Archives
February 2024
January 2024
December 2023
November 2023
October 2023
September 2023
June 2023
May 2023
April 2023
March 2023
February 2023
January 2023
December 2022
November 2022
October 2022
September 2022
August 2022
July 2022
June 2022
May 2022
April 2022
March 2022
February 2022
January 2022
December 2021
November 2021
October 2021
September 2021
August 2021
July 2021
June 2021
May 2021
April 2021
March 2021
February 2021
January 2021
December 2020
November 2020
October 2020
September 2020
August 2020
July 2020
June 2020
May 2020
April 2020
March 2020
February 2020
January 2020
December 2019
November 2019
October 2019
September 2019
August 2019
July 2019
June 2019
May 2019
April 2019
March 2019
February 2019
January 2019
November 2018
October 2018
September 2018
August 2018
July 2018
June 2018
March 2018
January 2018
August 2017
May 2017
Categories
All
Adult Fantasy
Adult Fiction
Adventure
Anthology
Apocalypse/post Apocalpyse
Author Spotlight
Biographical
Blog Interviews
Blog Promo
Book Reviews
Contemporary
Dystopian
Erotica
Faeries
Fantasy
Favourites
Guest Posts
LGBTQ+
Mental Health
Military
Mystery
New Adult
Non Fiction
Non-fiction
Novella
Paranormal
Poem
Polygamy
Reading Wrap Ups
Reading-wrap-ups
Reverse Harem
Romance
Romantic Suspense
Science Fiction
Shapeshifter
Short Story
Urban Fantasy
Vampires
Young Adult