Coming Soon... A NEW Romantasy by Masha Sova... Godbound!

I'm so excited that I just received an ARC of Godbound by Masha Sova! I can't wait to dive in! Thank you to Xpresso Book Tours and Net Galley for the review opportunity! And thank you Masha Sova for writing what sounds like a delicious read! Here's the book blurb:

The Scarlet Letter meets the divine, deadly trials of The Games Gods Play in this dark, epic romantic fantasy where society weaponizes shame, gods weaponize survival, and love becomes the most dangerous rebellion of all.

They branded her a sinner.

She chose to become a threat.

In a kingdom where a forgotten goddess’s curse has become law—where purity is power and desire is a death sentence—Raylane has lived her life playing the perfect girl. Obedient. Untouched. Destined for the crown.

All so she might one day reshape a realm that damns cursed women like her mother… women who dared to fall in love.

Until one kiss ruins everything.

Branded impure and cursed with rot-magic that spreads by touch, Raylane is cast into the Trial of the Bound—a brutal arena where champions fight to the death, gods revel in blood, and power feeds on the prayers of the crowd.

Her only hope of survival? Swear fealty to the very goddess who cursed her. In return, the goddess tears a shadowbeast from another world and binds him to Raylane’s side—feral, unwilling, and the only one who can help her tame the power threatening to consume her.

He doesn’t want her. Doesn’t trust her. But their fates are entwined, and every step toward mastery binds them tighter.

As her power grows and their bond deepens, Raylane must make an impossible choice: win the trial, free the cursed, and unleash a forgotten goddess bent on reclaiming the world… or lose everything to save those who now pray for her death.

One path leads to love.

The other, to mercy.

Both end in ruin.

Mark your calendars... Coming June 6th, 2026

 

Yesteryear by ..... a Review

Wow, my head is spinning a bit after reading the final pages of Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke. Here's the dirt (Literally)...

Meet snarky Natalie Heller Mills, pioneer woman/tradwife, and social media influencer who shows her millions of followers how life is so much better on Yesteryear Ranch, with traditional values, hard work (those cows aren't going to milk themselves) and farm fresh produce. No one need know that the kitchen is actually a top of the line kitchen with all the modern conveniences a girl could want, that she has two nannies for her "perfect" children, and that the crops aren't quite organic. And to top it off, she hires a producer to make all her content absolutely perfect... then one day, Natalie wakes up to find herself pulled back in time to the 1850's, where Yesteryear Ranch is an honest to goodness working farm, with no electricity, no modern plumbing and no modern conveniences. Plus, she has children that call her Mama, but she has no idea who they are. But she remembers children, just not these children. The one constant in all this, is her husband Caleb... who seems the same, but doesn't seem "right". What the heck is going on?! Is this a bad dream? Is she going crazy? You'll be desperate to find out.

Yesteryear is dark, funny at times, and it's also very sad. Want to know the price of fame and an Instagram account with a zillion followers? Ask Natalie. The story goes back and forth between both "worlds", with Natalie as our narrator. As she navigates both stories, we see the struggle she has with being perfect for the camera and for the people around her. As the reader, we get to see the persona behind her mask... and it's a doozy! I found her snarky, judgmental, and conniving. I didn't like her at first because of all those things, but eventually she drew me into her world and I couldn't stop turning the pages. She is a really interesting character! What a story! (BTW, we also get to learn about Natalie before all the fame, and that's a story in itself.)

This is definitely a must read for 2026. The way the story played out, in what seemed like two parallel worlds, was so interesting. And you're going to want to meet Natalie for sure... P.S. Lots of great discussion for any book club. 

Put this on your TBR list! You'll have to wait a few months... 

Yesteryear will be published on April 7th, 2026 by Penguin Random House

Thank you Penguin Random House for the early access and eBook! I really enjoyed it!

#Yesteryear #Netgalley

Release Date Review... The Twelve Months of Christmas by Sheila Roberts...

 

The Twelve Months of Christmas by Sheila Roberts

Published by Mira 

Release Date: October 3, 2023

Today marks the release of Sheila Roberts newest book (and new Christmas read),The Twelve Months of Christmas! Yay! I always look forward to a new book from Sheila, because I just love her books! They never, and I mean never, disappoint me! What did I think of her newest book, The Twelve Months of Christmas? Here's my review...

Ho Ho Humbug-that's what Christmas was for Sunny, Arianna and Molly. Sunny, newly married and her stepkids basically hate her; Arianna, newly divorced and sharing her young daughter with a jerk of an ex, and that means him having her for Christmas too! And Molly, who is tired of the snarky customers she has at the Post Office where she works.  So, what's a girl to do after Christmas wasn't very Christmasy? Well, a Christmas do-over of course! And that's exactly what these 3 friends choose to do, together! These ladies decide to keep the spirit of Christmas all year long and celebrate "Christmas" every month (ever hear of the Christmas Easter Bunny?!). At first the celebrations were just the 3 of them, but then more and more of their family and friends joined in ultimately becoming the Christmas they all wanted and needed thru-out the whole year.

Along the way, we get to know Sunny, Arianna, Molly, their families, and their lives. You can't help but step into the story and feel like you are walking along side these wonderful characters, dealing with their struggles, but also their celebrations. I have to admit I did shed a tear or two along the way, but in the end it was nice to see these women choose to lift each other up when times are tough and show us what true friendship is. 

Sheila Roberts is a wonderful writer. Her books are heartfelt, sprinkled with romance and just a touch of humor. The Twelve Months of Christmas is all of that and more. A great Christmas read or anytime read when you want to satisfy that need for sitting down with a good book. I really enjoyed spending time with Sunny, Arianna, Molly and their families. The story kept me engaged, and I was sorry to turn that last page and say goodbye. Thank you, Sheila Roberts, for another great read!

P.S. Sheila always has some great recipes in the back of her books, and this one includes Dirt Cake which sounds deelish!

**I received a copy of this book from the author for a honest and true review. Thank you Sheila, I loved it! 

A Special Surprise in my mailbox... The Twelve Months of Christmas by Sheila Roberts

I'm so excited to share what arrived in my mailbox this week! A review copy of The NEW Christmas novel by Sheila Roberts (and some other goodies)! It's such a treat because I just love her writing. If you love a heartwarming story, sprinkled with a bit of humor, you will love her writing too. The Twelve Months of Christmas comes out on October 3rd, so mark your calendars! P.S. Sheila always includes a recipe or two in her books... Look for my review on Chick with Books coming soon... 

p.s. you can read the first chapter at Sheila's Place!

Still Me by Jojo Moyes... A Review

I laughed, I cried, and I became totally enamored. Jojo Moyes weaves a story filled with love, humor, compassion and the need to be true to oneself. She does this by creating full of life characters that we grow to love and allowing us to still love the characters we've grown close to. I loved this book! Author Jojo Moyes amazes me. How you may ask? Let me tell you...

First, What is the storyline? Still Me is about how beloved character Lousia Clark leaves everything behind, England, her close family, her hunky new paramedic boyfriend Sam and moves across the pond to New York City. She's still trying to live in the moment and experience all life has to offer as her precious deceased love, Will Traynor, Me Before You, has inspired her to do. She accepts a job working for a very wealthy family, who is as dysfunctional as you can imagine and along the way she meets so many wonderful people, all of whom we really get to know because Jojo Moyes knows how to delve deep into the souls of her characters. The pulse of the story centers around the quirky people in the building Louisa works in and New York City itself (and let me tell you, Jojo really captures the sights and sounds of The City! You really feel like you are right beside Louisa as she is walking those streets!) There are a few twists and turns in the juggling act Louisa must do in order to keep her job, her boyfriend and her sanity, but you'll have to read Still Me to find out how that all works out. *Hint... have tissues ready, it's a bumpy, emotional fun-filled ride!

Now how is this story amazing? Well, revisiting a well loved character in a new book can be risky business. We loved Louisa Clark in England and the previous 2 books, Me Before You & After You, we loved character Will Traynor, we even loved Louisa's new love interest Sam, but would we love her moving across the pond? Would this new story pull us in or would we be missing everything Louisa and Jojo Moyes leaves behind in the last two books including those characters? The answer is that author Jojo Moyes does a fantastic job on all counts and Still Me is a wonderful read!

If you love the character Louisa Clark, if you've read the previous 2 books, or just Me Before You, you will love Still Me! If you haven't read the previous adventures of Louisa Clark, you still can enjoy Still Me and will fall in love with quirky, full of heart character Louisa Clark for the first time. In any case, pick up a copy of Still Me by Jojo Moyes and be prepared to be swept up in Louisa's newest adventure! A little romance, a little heartbreak, a lot of fashion and a great story! Coming to your bookstore of choice January 30th! Published by Penguin Random House.

I want to thank Penguin Random House for sending along a review copy of Still Me for an honest review! I loved it!

River Road by Carol Goodman... A Review

On a cold winter's night, you're driving home from a party, upset and with a few glasses of wine in you. All of a sudden, out of nowhere comes a deer! You can't avoid it, you hit it. You get out of the car, to look at the damage to your car and the deer.. But no deer. What happened to the deer? Was it a deer? Must have run off...

So begins the story of River Road by Carol Goodman and Nan, a creative writing teacher at the state college, a borderline alcoholic, and a grieving mother who lost her 4 year old daughter in a hit and run accident years ago.

Nan just learned at the faculty Christmas party that her tenure was denied and drives home upset and hurt. When she rounds the corner on River Road, the same spot her daughter was killed, a deer comes out of nowhere and she hits it. Or does she?!

The morning after she's waken by a policeman at her door, questioning her about the damage to her car. It just so happens that one of her students was killed in a hit and run last night, in the same spot Nan "claims" she hit the deer... What really happened on River Road that night? Nan isn't quite sure herself, as she begins to try and piece things together. Slowly it is revealed that everyone is harboring secrets that could make them a suspect, but there is ultimately only one guilty of murder...

I LOVED this book! It just grabbed me from the start and I was on the edge of my seat the whole time reading. In fact, I read it in just a few days because I couldn't put it down. The writing was wonderful and the plot of the story was so well thought out from start to finish. The characters were well written too. A genuinely great read, with lots of suspense and twists & turns that will have you guessing in all the wrong places!

Definitely a 5 star read! Though the books are different, the beginning of River Road reminded me of The Girl on The Train, which I also thoroughly enjoyed. So, if you're a Mystery/Suspense reader River Road should be on your TBR list! And today you can find it in your local bookstore, because today is its' release date!

I would like to thank Touchstone and Simon & Schuster for sending along a copy of River Road for my reading pleasure and honest review!