Monthly reading review – January 2018

This January I have read:

The Scoundrel Takes a Bride (Regency Rogues #5) by Stefanie Sloane ★★

The Golden Compass (His Dark Materials, #1) by Philip Pullman ★★★

A Test of Mettle (The Iron Druid Chronicles #3.5) by Kevin Hearne ★★★★

A Prelude to War (The Iron Druid Chronicles, #7.5) by Kevin Hearne ★★★★

Three Slices by Kevin Hearne, Delilah S. Dawson and Chuck Wendig ★★★★

Taurus by Božica Dragaš ★★★

The Shab-al-Hiri Roach by Jason Morningstar ★★★

1. How many books you’ve read last month? Are you happy with the amount you read?

In January I have read six books in total. I have decided leave the short story from one of them out of the count. I would like to read a bit more in general and get the number of books I read in a month closer to ten.

2. What was the best of all the books you’ve read in January? Any scenes or characters that made a lasting impression?

I loved getting back to The Iron Druid Chronicles in the form of short stories and they were the highlight of my reading in January. The Shab-al-Hiri Roach has given me some food for thought in January as well.

3. Were there any not so good books for you last month? What made it hard or not enjoyable to read?

The historical romance The Scoundrel Takes a Bride did not impress me much. I guess I was not in the mood for romance books this January.

4. How did the books you were reading last month fit in your reading plans if you had any?

Only planned reading I did was finishing The Golden Compass from December and reading the Taurus book for my book club meeting at the start of February.  The rest of the books, excluding the TBR Jar Draw The Shab-al-Hiri Roach were not planned.

5. Any updates on the series you are reading or are you starting any new series?

Technically I tried out three new series: His Dark Materials #1) by Philip Pullman, Blud short story by Delilah S. Dawson and Miriam Black short story by Chuck Wendig.

6. Would you like to recommend any books or authors you’ve been reading this last month?

This January recommendation goes for Kevin Hearne and Iron Druid Chronicles. I enjoy the stories from the world of Iron Druid a lot and hope to continue reading the next book soon.

Final thoughts on January reading

I have posted three book reviews in January:

The Scoundrel Takes a Bride (Regency Rogues #5) by Stefanie Sloane ★★ – REVIEW

Three Slices by Kevin Hearne, Delilah S. Dawson and Chuck Wendig ★★★★ – REVIEW

The Shab-al-Hiri Roach by Jason Morningstar ★★★ – REVIEW

I am still reading A Man for Himself: An Inquiry into the Psychology of Ethics by Erich Fromm and I am slowly trudging on with Fifty Shades Freed (Fifty Shades, #3) by E.L. James. I am having trouble with it and hope to finish it by the time the movie comes out.

I have yet to do the TBR Jar Draw for February and start on the other book for my book club reading in February which is Lord of the Flies by William Golding.

The Scoundrel Takes a Bride – Book review

Finished reading

The Scoundrel Takes a Bride

(Regency Rogues #5)

by Stefanie Sloane

★★

Expectation

This historical romance was a part of my TBR Jar Draw from December. I picked it out since I was in the mood for a historical romance book. I wanted a nice and silly historical romance with interesting characters. I have never read any books from the Regency Rogues series or anything by this author before. I got the book as a gift from a friend I used to work with.

Is the guy on the right wearing a corset too? Whats with that hairdoo? Those bangs look like they have been done by a blind hairdresser! The lady looks like she is embarrassed to be in the picture with him!

Summary

Right at the start this book did not rise to my expectations with the main heroine fainting for some silly reason. That same heroine whose mother was brutally murdered while she was a child has been working with Bow Street Runners and was deeply involved in theory of criminal psychology. And she faints for no reason whatsoever. This made the rest of the reading not so motivating.

Some time in the book the prominent point of the book turns the solving of the mystery murder from the characters childhoods. If it werent for two “romantic” thryst scenes between the main characters this would be historical murder mystery book.

The tone of the book was not what I was expecting. The title alone was more than decieving with no actual scoundrel in sight – the character it was supposed to refer to was a bit of an alcoholic with kinda heroic background…

Conclusion

I keep waiting on a good historical romance book to sweep me off my feet in the manner of Desperate Duchesses series by Eloisa James. That series set my expectations for a good historical romance a bit high maybe. For some reason this book did not click with me. This will not stop me from trying out some other new historical romace for February if not sooner.

Any suggestions?

 

Acquisitions in Paperback!

December and the gift of books!

I was lucky to receive several books in paperback as a gift recently! I got five books and here they are!

First book I got is a third book by J.R.Ward series Fallen Angels ENVY.

I haven’t read any of Fallen Angels series but I have read first four books in Black Dagger Brotherhood series by the same author. In this urban fantasy series I’m expecting something like BDB with Angels instead of vampires.

Second book is historical romance THE SCOUNDREL TAKES A BRIDE by Stefanie Sloane.

This book is fifth in the Regency Rogues series. I have not read anything by this author but generally like the genre. I’m looking forward to reading some historical romance and hope it’s a good one!

Next are first three books in Elder Races series by Thea Harrison.

Dragon Bound – book 1

Storm’s Heart – book 2

Serpent’s Kiss – book 3

I have heard some nice reviews on this author but never tried it before. I have only vague idea what this urban fantasy series is about but the promise of dragons is enough to keep me interested!

Lately I’ve been reading some serious books for my Book Club and these will be delightful reprieve from some serious topics.