Tag: books

  • Book Review: Mountain Topped by K.M. Neuhold & Mia Monroe

    Sometimes there’s a limit to how many genre tropes you can cram into one book. However, there’s a difference between “too many” and “just enough combined in the right way.” Neuhold and Monroe strike the perfect balance in this book with three unique and compelling characters who also balance each other in the best way.…

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  • Book Review: Les’s Bar Series by Jodi Payne & B.A. Tortuga

    This post includes reviews of the books in the Les’s Bar series: Just Dex (#1) Hide Bound (#2) Just Dex (Les’s Bar #1) Original review posted to Goodreads only, July 2021: There’s a certain amount of “insta-love” between the characters in this book. However, not all is smooth sailing once they get together in New…

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  • Book Review: Winter of the Owl (Seasons of the Lukoi #1) by Iris Foxglove

    I came to this series because I’d previously read the Starian Cycle books by the same author, though I did not review them for my blog. Foxglove has created a truly expansive world in that it is not necessary to read the previous books to appreciate anything about this story. The forced-proximity element of this…

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  • Book Review: Shades of Winter (For Everything a Season #1) by E.M. Lindsey

    Lindsey is officially the only author I know who can write a “low-angst” book that still leaves me absolutely aching for the characters. Liam and Dante shouldn’t work together, which of course means that they absolutely do. I adored the way this story switches up the traditional bodyguard trope formula by having the characters hook…

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  • Book Review: Texas Detour by Kelly Fox

    This novella is available as a free download via Prolific Works as part of the Your Book Boyfriend’s Boyfriend M/M Romance Group Giveaway 2022. I think it’s become part of the official regulations that it’s not a Kelly Fox book unless you’re laughing out loud one moment and then crying two pages later. This situation was definitely…

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  • Book Review: Shades of Lust (Carnal Tower #1) by E.M. Lindsey

    Disclaimer: I received an electronic ARC of this novel from the author. Once again, Lindsey has written a low angst book that doesn’t stint on being packed with feels. Low angst doesn’t mean low emotion, after all, and this author is adept at teasing out the connections between characters that are not evident at first…

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  • jlgribble.com | header image for January Wrap-Up & February Goals

    January Wrap-Up & February Goals

    The highlight of my month is my new coffee machine with milk frother that makes espresso, so that I can make lattes from the comfort of home. It’s cold out, and I severely dislike it (the only perk is lots of kitty snuggles). One of my annual conventions has already been canceled, and I’m expecting…

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  • Book Review: Headcase (Necessary Evils #4) by Onley James

    Read my reviews of the previous books in the Necessary Evils series: Unhinged (Necessary Evils #1) Psycho (Necessary Evils #2) Moonstruck (Necessary Evils #3) Damaged (Necessary Evils #3.5) Disclaimer: I received an electronic ARC of this novel from the author. How excited was I to read this book? I informed the spouse he was in charge of dinner and stayed…

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  • Book Review: Damaged (Necessary Evils #3.5) by Onley James

    This novella is available as a free download via Prolific Works as part of the Your Book Boyfriend’s Boyfriend M/M Romance Group Giveaway 2022. Read my reviews of the previous books in the Necessary Evils series: Unhinged (Necessary Evils #1) Psycho (Necessary Evils #2) Moonstruck (Necessary Evils #3) With this novella, set in the middle of an established…

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  • header image with text "build report" and picture of LEGO Typewriter set box

    LEGO Build Report: Typewriter

    Since the spouse and I still had an entire 3 days off between when we got back from our holiday vacation and returning to work after the new year, I spend 2 of them building LEGO and binge-watching television shows. As I writer, you know it was only a matter of time until I got…

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  • book review header image featuring book cover of Stable Hill by Jodi Payne

    Book Review: Stable Hill by Jodi Payne

    I have a soft spot for poly romances. I may joke that it’s because you get multiple relationships in one book for the same low price. However, it’s mostly because what I love about romance stories is the different ways people interact and connect. This book, in particular, intertwines three men from different walks of…

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  • jlgribble.com | header image featuring book cover of Leviathan Falls (The Expanse #9) by James S.A. Corey

    Book Review: Leviathan Falls (The Expanse #9) by James S. A. Corey

    Read my reviews of the previous books in The Expanse series: “The Butcher of Anderson Station” (Expanse #0.5) Leviathan Wakes (The Expanse #1) Caliban’s War (The Expanse #2) Gods of Risk (The Expanse #2.1) Abaddon’s Gate (The Expanse #3) The Churn (The Expanse #3.5) Cibola Burn (The Expanse #4) Nemesis Games (The Expanse #5) The Vital Abyss (The Expanse #5.5) Babylon’s Ashes (The Expanse #6)…

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  • jlgribble.com | Featured image with book covers of Caged, Sacrificed, Fated, and Careened (Baal's Hart series) by Bey Deckard

    Book Review: Baal’s Heart Series by Bey Deckard

    This post includes reviews of the books in the Baal’s Heart Series: Caged (#1) Sacrificed (#2) Fated (#3) Careened (#3.5) Caged: Love and Treachery on the High Seas (Baal’s Heart #1) I’ve never read a pirate romance before, and Deckard sets a high bar for any I read in the future. Outside of the engrossing…

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  • jlgribble.com | book review featured image with cover of Angels in the City by Garrett Leigh

    Book Review: Angels in the City by Garrett Leigh

    Garrett Leigh writes excellent angst, so I was curious to see how that would balance out the inherent lightness of a holiday romance. I was not disappointed by any means, as Jonah and Sacha stumble into a relationship together throughout a single December. Neither man really does relationships for various reasons, but their first hookup…

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  • jlgribble.com | Featured image showing books covers of Tidal Wave, Backfire, Broken Wings, and Wicked (Broken Chains MC series) by E.M. Lindsey

    Book Review: Broken Chains MC Series by E.M. Lindsey

    This post includes reviews of the books in the Broken Chains MC series: Tidal Wave (#1) Backfire (#2) Broken Wings (#3) Wicked (#4) Tidal Wave (Broken Chains MC #1) I’ve never read an MC (motorcycle club) romance and never really thought it’d be my jam. But since E.M. Lindsey is one of my favorite authors,…

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  • jlgribble.com | Book review of Unshackled by Cara Dee

    Review: Unshackled by Cara Dee

    As much as I love my morally gray characters, I’m not one for mafia romances. However, I am very much for almost everything written by Cara Dee, so I knew I’d be diving into this book as soon as it was released. I have not read the M/F books that also take place in this…

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  • jlgribble.com | Book review of Preston's Christmas Escape (Naughty in Pendleton #5) by Brigham Vaughn

    Book Review: Preston’s Christmas Escape (Naughty in Pendleton #5) by Brigham Vaughn

    Read my reviews of the previous books in the Naughty in Pendleton series: Date in a Pinch (#1) Embracing His Shame (#2) Made to Order (#3) Flipping the Switch (#4) This book can stand completely on its own and is not officially part of the Naughty in Pendleton series as far as I can tell on Amazon and Goodreads.…

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  • jlgribble.com | featured image for book review of A Thousand Lifetimes by Kate Hawthorne

    Book Review: A Thousand Lifetimes by Kate Hawthorne

    Vampires are my jam, and Hawthorne is one of my favorite authors. The only reason I hadn’t read this book before now is that I’m rationing her titles since I’m almost out of “new” things to read by her. Once I started this book, I couldn’t put it down. I didn’t get enough sleep last…

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  • header image with black and white random books overlaid with the text "2021: A Year in Reading"

    A Year in Reading: 2021

    Hey, remember I was totally shocked by how much I read last year? A whopping 258 books? 2021 was apparently my time to shine. And by shine, I mean completely immerse myself in fictional worlds. How did I pull this off? A few reasons come to mind. My day job finally got rid of its…

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  • featured image of random book pages and the header December Wrap-Up & January Goals

    December Wrap-Up & January Goals

    A week ago, I was reading a romance novel in a private cabana on a tropical beach. This morning it snowed. I hope that’s not a metaphor for how 2022 is going to go. The spouse and I had an amazing cruise vacation for the holidays followed by a few quiet days at home, but…

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