mental health

  • Book Review: Light From the Grave by Sara Dobie Bauer

    As a reviewer who occasionally reads and reviews her friends’ books, this can result in the peculiar scenario of writing about how much I loved a story that evolved from the grief experienced by a person I care for. Though there is a romance through-line to this book, the true themes involve how the two…

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  • Book Review: A Gentle Way to Love (Ways to Love #1) by Abrianna Denae

    I joke that I read polyamory romances because you get more relationships for the price of one, but the reality is that I truly enjoy the intricacies that can develop out of the traditional storyline arc when three (or more) people are involved. The general premise of this book was entirely novel to me, as…

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  • Book Review: Pretty F*cked (Pretty Broken #4) by J.R. Gray

    Read my reviews of the previous books in the Pretty Broken series: Pretty Obsessed (#1) | Pretty Toxic (#2) | Pretty Wreck (#3) The conflicting relationship between Iris and Cas has been the unaddressed through line between each of the previous books in this series. And now that we’ve covered the other members of Pretty Broken, it’s…

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  • March Wrap-Up & April Goals

    I had grand plans for last month, but got caught up in the intersection of physical and mental health issues that reduced my productivity output to a few book reviews and way too much time playing World of Warcraft. It’s more than a bit frustrating, but I’m trying to be gentle with myself. I didn’t…

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  • Book Review: Wildfire (In Vino Veritas) by Garrett Leigh

    Read my reviews of the previous series set in the same world, Vino & Veritas. Since Leigh wrote one of my favorite books of the previous series set in this world, I immediately started with hers to revisit my favorite bar in Vermont. The heroes from the earlier book are strong secondary characters here, but this…

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  • Book Review: Sworn Enemy (Wild Heart Ranch #1) by Kelly Fox

    This book is the first in a brand-new series, but it is also set in Fox’s sprawling and delightfully interconnected world and features plenty of familiar characters. In particular, the two heroes are featured in previous books – one as a solid sort of hero and another as a specific type of villain. Even before…

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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: Priest Series (Priest, Sinner, and Saint) by Sierra Simone

    Book Review: Priest Series by Sierra Simone

    This post includes reviews of the books in the Priest series: Priest (#1) Sinner (#2) Saint (#3) Priest (Priest #1) I enjoyed this book a lot more when I stopped thinking about it as a romance. I have very little patience for the religious angst of white guys, especially when it involves a religion with…

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  • Review: Scratcher (Irons and Works #7) by E.M. Lindsey

    Read my reviews of the previous books in the Irons and Works series. I absolutely adored the Irons and Works series, and while it is definitely an author’s prerogative to state that a series is finished, I’m certainly not mad that Lindsey changed their mind about this one. We return to the Irons and Works…

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  • Review: Vino & Veritas Series (multiple authors)

    This post includes reviews of books in the Vino & Veritas series: Featherbed (#1) by Annabeth Albert Heartscape (#2) by Garrett Leigh Headstrong (#3) by Eden Finley Aftermath (#5) by L. A. Witt Turnabout (#9) by Laurel Greer Daybreak (#12) by Kate Hawthorne Heartsong (#13) by A. E. Wasp Stronghold (#14) by Ana Ashley Limelight…

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  • Review: Love Me Whole by Nicky James

    I always go into romance novels in which one of the characters has a significant mental health issue with a grain of salt. Since I personally know someone with Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), I went into this book with a whole bucketful. I am not an expert by any means, but as a reader, I…

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  • Review: Only Colorado Series by J. D. Chambers

    This post includes reviews of the books in the Only Colorado series: Only With You (#1) Only See You (#2) Only Need You (#3) Only Keep You (#4) Only Love You (#5) Only For Us (#6) Only With You (Book 1) This book won’t be for all readers due to the kinks of one of…

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  • Review: Hell’s Bedroom Series by Tanya Chris

    Kitchen Sink Dom (Book 1) Knowing some of the backstory of how this book developed made it even more entertaining: Chris asked for kink suggestions in a social media group and did her best to incorporate as many as possible. What might have been a disjointed connection of sex scenes held together by a plot…

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  • Review: Camassia Cove Universe by Cara Dee

    This post includes reviews of the books in the Camassia Cove Universe series. I’m reading them in a weird mix of the order listed on Amazon and the author’s recommended reading order on her website. Home Out Out for the Holidays Noah Power Play Sleepless Home I’m pretty solid at this point in knowing what…

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  • Review: Us Series by A. M. Arthur

    This post reviews each of the available books in the Us series: Here For Us (#1) Sound of Us (#2) Uniquely Us (#3) Heart of Us (#4) Here For Us (Book 1) This novel is a slow-burn romance between three very different men, and I don’t just refer to their disparate ages. It also includes…

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  • Review: Giving Consent Series by Kate Hawthorne

    This post contains reviews of all the books in the Giving Consent series: “Worth the Switch” (Book 0.5) Worth the Risk (Book 1) Worth the Wait (Book 2) Worth the Fight (Book 3) Worth the Chance (Book 4) Desperately Seeking (supplemental novellas)

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  • Review: No Shame Series by Nora Phoenix

    This post contains reviews of all the books in the No Shame series: No Filter (Book 1) No Limits (Book 2) No Fear (Book 3) No Shame (Book 4) No Angel (Book 5)

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  • Review: Broken Pieces Series by Riley Hart

    Broken Pieces (Book 1) Like it says on the tin, this is a book in three parts, in which each part encompasses a complete love story arc. First, it’s the young adult love between Josiah and Mateo as they are thrust together in the foster care system. Then, the older and unexpected love between Josiah…

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

    December Wrap-Up & January Goals

    Another year, another decade. Welcome to the Roaring Twenties! I had an excellent holiday season, spending quality time with family and friends. Unfortunately, I wasn’t quite as productive as I’d like to have been. A theme for 2019 was the seemingly never-ending battle with finding an anti-anxiety medication that works for me without side effects…

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