Book Blogger – dinipandareads.

#WWWWednesday: 27 October 2021

Published on October 27, 2021October 27, 2021 by dinipandareads5 Comments

Hello, hello and welcome back to another episode of WWW Wednesday, a weekly meme hosted by Sam @ Taking On A World of Words, which means I’ll be answering these questions:

What did you read last?
What are you currently reading?
What will you read next?

Post divider: What did you just finish reading?

I’ve managed to finish 3 books since last week. NGL, my reading has pretty much been non-existent since I started a new game… 🙈

To Hate Adam Connor (Love & Hate #2) by Ella Maise ★★★½
I have mixed feelings about this book because even though I enjoyed it more than the first, I still had issues with the writing. It started off well but then towards the middle to the end the writing (especially the dialogue) became stilted and it kept taking me out of the story. That said, I absolutely adore Lucy and still loved her ride-or-die friendship with Olive, and Adam Connor… Well, he’s definitely quality DILF material! 😂 Their romance was steamy AF. RTC

The Secret Garden on 81st Street: A Modern Retelling of the Secret Graden by Ivy Noelle Weir ★★★★☆
This story picks up right from where Kept from Cages leaves off and it was an absolutely thrilling and action-packed conclusion to the Ikiri duology. We reunite with the fantastic crew and experience more terrifying supernatural events, monsters and even zombies as we travel across continents in a race against time to stop Ikiri’s dark powers from spreading further. Check out my blog tour review!

Puck Shy (Carolina Comets #1) by Teagan Hunter ★★★½
Puck Shy is an entertaining rom-com and a promising start to a new sports romance series by this author! Teagan Hunter never fails to make me laugh and I found myself loving these quirky and awkward characters, and I loved their cheesy but ultimately sweet romance. Harper and Collin were so good together and I can’t wait to read more from this series! Check out my ARC review!

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#TopTenTuesday: Spooky Books That Piqued My Curiosity

Published on October 26, 2021October 26, 2021 by dinipandareads20 Comments

So, we’re back with another Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s prompt is: Halloween Freebie

I’m quite the chicken when it comes to horror and other spooky ghosty supernatural things, so it’s really no surprise that I’m not all that fussed with the spooky season. I tend to stay away from the majority of spooky/horror books but there are a few I keep seeing since last year that piqued my curiosity. Pretty much all of these are very hyped and they’re a good mix of MG, YA and Adult. I’m curious enough that I’ve even added quite a few of these to my TBR so only time will tell if I ever decide to pick any of these up! 😂

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ARC Review: Puck Shy by Teagan Hunter

Published on October 25, 2021 by dinipandareads7 Comments

Special thanks to Teagan Hunter and her team for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Goodreads: Puck Shy (Carolina Comets #1)
Publication Date: 28 October 2021
Genre: Sports Romance
Panda Rating:

I’m having the definition of a bad year.
Game Six loss costing my team the Cup? Check.
Getting arrested and ruining my image? Check.
Almost getting run over after my car breaks down? Oh, look—a hat trick.

My contract is up with the Carolina Comets this year, and I need to get it together if I want to stay with the team.
I need relaxation, not a relationship.
But when I’m scrolling on a dating app and stumble across the pretty girl who almost ran me over, I know I can’t let her walk away this time.

Harper is funny, smart, and doesn’t care about hockey.
I’m not supposed to be focusing on anything other than my career, yet I can’t get Harper off my mind.
I know I shouldn’t fall for her…but I think I already have.
PUCK SHY is a standalone hockey romantic comedy. It’s good, low angst fun with some hot hockey players.

PRE-ORDER NOW!

I’m a Missouri-raised gal, but currently live in North Carolina with my US Marine husband and 9-year-old dog. I spend my days begging him for a cat, and I survive off coffee, pizza, and sarcasm. When I’m not writing, you can find me binge-watching various TV shows, especially Supernatural and One Tree Hill. I like cold weather, buy more paperbacks than I’ll ever read, and I never say no to brownies.

Writing is my passion, and this is just the beginning of my journey.

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Newsletter | Reader Group

TL;DR: This was a great start to a new sports romance series! Harper and Collin were super likeable characters and their romance, albeit a little cheesy at times, was really sweet. Their goofy and flirty banter brought had me constantly smiling as I read, and I loved seeing them get to know each other and slowly fall in love. There are also some great friendships in this story, Harper and Ryan are hilarious besties, and I can’t wait to meet more of the Carolina Comets in future books!

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Sundays in Bed With… #MyWeeklyWrapUp

Published on October 24, 2021October 24, 2021 by dinipandareads11 Comments

We’re back with another Sundays in Bed With… meme! This meme dares to ask you what book has been in your bed this morning and is hosted by Midnight Book Girl. Come share what book you’ve spent time curled up reading in bed with, or which book you wish you had time to read today!

Ah, another Sunday come and gone and I don’t want to go back to work tomorrow! I’ll be spending the rest of my Sunday in bed with my ARC of Puck Shy by Teagan Hunter. You might’ve seen me reading a few of Hunter’s romcoms and they’re always a fun & steamy read! Hunter is now delving into the world of sports romance focusing on the NHL and this is the first in her new Carolina Comets series! I’m having fun with it so far 😊

I’m having the definition of a bad year.
Game Six loss costing my team the Cup? Check.
Getting arrested and ruining my image? Check.
Almost getting run over after my car breaks down? Oh, look—a hat trick.

My contract is up with the Carolina Comets this year, and I need to get it together if I want to stay with the team.

I need relaxation, not a relationship.
But when I’m scrolling on a dating app and stumble across the pretty girl who almost ran me over, I know I can’t let her walk away this time.
Harper is funny, smart, and doesn’t care about hockey.
I’m not supposed to be focusing on anything other than my career, yet I can’t get Harper off my mind.
I know I shouldn’t fall for her…but I think I already have.

PUCK SHY is a standalone hockey romantic comedy. It’s good, low angst fun with some hot hockey players.

What are you currently reading?

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First Lines Friday – 22 October 2021

Published on October 23, 2021October 22, 2021 by dinipandareads3 Comments

Happy Friday book lovers! We’re back with another First Lines Friday, a weekly feature for book lovers hosted by Wandering Words. What if instead of judging a book by its cover, its author or its prestige, we judged it by its opening lines? Here are the rules:

Pick a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR) and open to the first page
Copy the first few lines, but don’t give anything else about the book away just yet – you need to hook the reader first
Finally… reveal the book!

First lines:

“Once upon a time, there lived twelve reasonably attractive princesses who, when lined up together, caused such a sight that the world agreed to call them beautiful. And so they were.”

Do you recognise the book these first lines come from?

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Blog Tour Review: The Secret Garden on 81st Street by Ivy Noelle Weir

Published on October 22, 2021October 22, 2021 by dinipandareads3 Comments

Today is my stop on the TBR & Beyond Tours for The Secret Garden on 81st Street: A Modern Retelling of the Secret Garden by Ivy Noelle Weir. Special thanks to Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for providing an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

Be sure to click on the banner above to check out the rest of the amazing bloggers on tour!

Goodreads: The Secret Garden on 81st Street: A Modern Retelling of the Secret Garden
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: 19 October 2021
Genre: Middle Grade Graphic Novel

Panda Rating:

(4 pandas)

The Secret Garden with a twist: in this follow-up to Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy, this full-color graphic novel moves Mary Lennox to a New York City brownstone, where she and her very first group of friends restore an abandoned rooftop garden…and her uncle’s heart.

Mary Lennox is a loner living in Silicon Valley. With her parents always working, video game and tech become her main source of entertainment and “friends.” When her parents pass away in a tragic accident, she moves to New York City to live with her uncle who she barely knows, and to her surprise, keeps a gadget free home. Looking for comfort in this strange, new reality, Mary discovers an abandoned rooftop garden and an even bigger secret…her cousin who suffers from anxiety. With the help of her new friends, Colin and Dickon, Mary works to restore the garden to its former glory while also learning to grieve, build real friendships, and grow.

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BOOK DEPOSITORY

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INDIGO

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Quick Fire Fantasy Book Tag!

Published on October 21, 2021October 21, 2021 by dinipandareads17 Comments

I’m back today with another tag and today it’s all about fantasy books! I first saw the Quick Fire Fantasy Book Tag on El @ Papertea & Bookflowers and it looked like a fun and easy one to do, so I thought I’d give it a try! Aside from romance, fantasy is my most read genre and I enjoy all kinds from MG to YA to Adult. Who doesn’t love being swept away into new worlds with great characters and exciting stories!? On that note, let’s get to it. 😉

Rules

Thank the person who tagged you and link back to their post
Link to the creator’s blog (thebookwormdreamer.wordpress.com) in your post
Answer the prompts below – all fantasy books!
Tag 5 others to take part
Enjoy!

5 star book

The Goddess of Nothing At All

I read this last month and it it’s one of my top reads of 2021 and one of my all-time favourites! This is a story about Sigyn Odindottir, a lesser known Norse goddess by birth, and Loki’s wife. I would 100% recommend this book if you love: Norse mythology, unapologetically queer characters, characters who refuse to give up or back down no matter how many times they’re discarded or beaten down, heart-achingly sweet romance and heartbreakingly painful betrayals, and complex and morally grey characters that you want to protect forever and rage against!

my review

Always going to recommend

Jade City // THE GREEN BONE SAGA

Should anyone be surprised to find this title here? Absolutely not! Not sure if I’ve raved about this book/series enough on my blog yet but… Easily one of the best ever adult fantasies I’ve read in my life and I haven’t even read the final book yet. The Green Bone Saga is E-P-I-C and I will never not recommend this beast!

own it but haven’t read it yet

A Dead Djinn in Cairo

This is a novella that I’ve had on my Kindle for a while now and I don’t know who exactly I haven’t read it yet. As if the mystery set in an alternate magical Cairo wasn’t intriguing enough, the story is also shorter than 50 pages, so it’s a guaranteed quick read!

would read again

Name of the Wind

NGL, I read this book ages ago, long before I started reviewing and blogging, so I have very little recollection about the majority of the story. What I do remember was how thrilled I felt after finishing it and how desperate I was to get my hands on the sequel. I also remember how much I loved Kvothe. I’m actually planning to read this again next year (hopefully, lol)!

in another world

MAGIC UNLEASHED // Venators

I was introduced to this series thanks to a blog tour a few years ago. It’s still ongoing and there are apparently plenty more books to come in this series, but I love the huge cast of characters and Eon is a fantastic albeit terrifying world where 90% of the creatures are likely to want to kill you. The story is action-packed and full of magic and supernatural creatures!

my review

back on earth

Spellbreaker

This is a historical fantasy set in regency London and it’s a delightful mix of magic and real! I really enjoy Holmberg’s writing that always manages to hook me in quickly. There’s so much to enjoy in this story including: an intriguing mystery, forbidden magic, a sweet slow burn romance, and great found family vibes!

And that’s a wrap, folks! I’ll be tagging a few people below but no pressure if you’re not interested or if tags aren’t your thing! Even if you’re not tagged and want to do it, please feel free to do so! 😊

Becky | Hasini | SAMMIE | KERRI | Maria

Have you read any of these books or are they on your TBR?

#WWWWednesday: 20 October 2021

Published on October 21, 2021October 26, 2021 by dinipandareads12 Comments

Hello, hello and welcome back to another episode of WWW Wednesday, a weekly meme hosted by Sam @ Taking On A World of Words, which means I’ll be answering these questions:

What did you read last?
What are you currently reading?
What will you read next?

I’m still in a funky reading mood so I’m kind of surprised that I managed to finish seven books, though a few of them were novellas or quick romances:

Man in Charge Duet by Laurelin Paige ★★½
I thought this duet started out promising. While not really standing out, it wasn’t terribly written and there was some intense sexual tension between the H/h, although there wasn’t much depth to their character. But by the time we hit drama-land and got to book two, I only gave it 2-stars for the smut cos the rest was just a hot hot mess! 🙈

Given to Darkness (Ikiri Book 2) by Phil Williams ★★★★☆
This story picks up right from where Kept from Cages leaves off and it was an absolutely thrilling and action-packed conclusion to the Ikiri duology. We reunite with the fantastic crew and experience more terrifying supernatural events, monsters and even zombies as we travel across continents in a race against time to stop Ikiri’s dark powers from spreading further. Check out my review!

Continue reading →

#TopTenTuesday: Online Resources for Book Lovers!

Published on October 20, 2021October 19, 2021 by dinipandareads16 Comments

So, we’re back with another Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s prompt is: Online Resources for Book Lovers (what websites, podcasts, apps, etc. do you use that make your reading life better?)

Ooh, this one is probably gonna be a “short and sweet” one for me but I’m so looking forward to seeing what all of you use and recommend! I’m pretty sure this is a topic that hasn’t been done before (or at least, not that I can remember in the years I’ve been doing TTT) so this is gonna be fun!

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ARC Review: Given to Darkness by Phil Williams

Published on October 19, 2021October 18, 2021 by dinipandareads4 Comments

🥳 Happy Pub Day to Given to Darkness! 🎉

Today I’m sharing my thoughts on Given to Darkness, book two in the Ikiri duology by Phil Williams. When I was approached by Phil to read the conclusion to this thrilling duology I immediately said yes because I remembered how much I enjoyed book one! Check out my review for Kept from Cages.

Special thanks to Phil Williams for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Goodreads: Given to Darkness (Ikiri Book 2)
Publisher: Rumian Publishing
Publication Date: 19 October 2021
Genre: Supernatural Action Thriller

Panda Rating:

_{(4 pandas)}

Ikiri demands blood. Whose will it be?

A malevolent force stirs from the heart of the Congo. One child can stop it – but everyone wants her dead. Reece Coburn’s gang have travelled half the world to protect Zipporah, only to find her in more danger than ever. Her violent father is missing, his murderous enemies are coming for them, and her brother’s power is growing stronger. Entire communities are being slaughtered, and it’s only getting worse.

They have to reach Ikiri before its corruption spreads. But there’s a long journey ahead, past ferocious killers and unnatural creatures – and very few people can be trusted along the way. Can two criminal musicians, an unstable assassin and a compromised spy reach Ikiri alive? What will it cost them along the way?

Pick up this exciting conclusion to the Ikiri duology today, for a supernatural thriller that will keep you hooked right to the finish

BUY A COPY:

AMAZON UK

amazon US

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