Cross My Heart and Hope To Spy and Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover by Ally Carter

Source: Goodreads

Source: Goodreads

Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy Synopsis:

Cammie Morgan is back, and it's clear that her life hasn't calmed down since the events of I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You. At first, giddy anticipation is in the air. Gallagher Academy, Cammie's elite spy school, is hosting a visit from a covert training center for boys. Soon after the boys' arrival, though, everything goes dangerously awry when a series of security breaches are discovered at the academy. Worse yet, teenage agent-in-training Cammie is being blamed for the penetration. With the school's top-secret status at risk, the Gallagher Girls have to work quickly to save their beloved school.

Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover Synopsis:

When Cammie "The Chameleon" Morgan visits her roommate Macey in Boston, she thinks she's in for an exciting end to her summer break. After all, she's there to watch Macey's father accept the nomination for vice president of the United States. But when you go to the world's best school (for spies), "exciting" and "deadly" are never far apart. Cammie and Macey soon find themselves trapped in a kidnappers' plot, with only their espionage skills to save them.

As her junior year begins, Cammie can't shake the memory of what happened in Boston, and even the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women doesn't feel like the safe haven it once did. Shocking secrets and old flames seem to lurk around every one of the mansion's corners as Cammie and her friends struggle to answer the questions, Who is after Macey? And how can the Gallagher Girls keep her safe?

Soon Cammie is joining Bex and Liz as Macey's private security team on the campaign trail. The girls must use their spy training at every turn as the stakes are raised, and Cammie gets closer and closer to the shocking truth

So taking a break from Rereads, I decided to try out the Gallagher girls series. See the thing is I read the first installment of the series about five or six years ago and I loved it but I didn't continue with the second. At the time, it was the first time I'd read any kind of spy novel so that made it doubly exciting. So today I decided it was time to pick up where I left off.

Now I don't have a lot to say. I read both #2 and 3 in the series on the same day. And all in all it was a great read, I really like the main character and all of her friends. Their personalities and voices were all very thought out and developed and nobody did anything that made me label them too stupid to live (TSTL). So as was the case in both books, I was chugging along, reading, getting into the story, excited to see how the mysteries will resolve, ready to proclaim the book(s) a four star read. But then all of a sudden, at like 80-90% things just got stupid, or convoluted, or I was left thinking "why is this happening" or "what exactly is happening" and so both books ended with a feeling a disappointment. I mean I understand cliffhangers, and nonresolutions. I get why they're present in series'. But this wasn't disappointment due to a cliffhanger, this was just disappointment due to endings that don't really match the quality of the rest of the books.

In my opinion.

But I'd still recommend them, and I will (at some point) finish this series.

Note: 3.75 stars. The squeakiest of cleans.

Rereads: A Game Worth Watching by Samantha Gudger

Source: Goodreads

Hey!

I'm doing this thing where I'm re-reading a bunch of books that I've read and loved this year, but failed to review out of shear laziness. So here goes!

A Game Worth Watching was awesome. I really really enjoyed this book. The storyline itself is not original but it was executed so well that I didn't care. I was there right along with the protagonist Emma. I felt her fears, her hopelessness, her insecurities. I felt it all. And the thing is, my love of this book is purely a testament to Gudger's writing ability, because Emma's character has a couple of traits that I normally can't stand. She snaps at people that try to get close to her for one and she sees herself as completely worthless. But Gudger just did such a great job of providing an in depth look at her both her home situation and her inner dialogue/ thought process, that I was sympathetic. Sure I didn't always agree with her opinions or her actions but I was rooting for her. I was rooting for her to break free from the poison that she had internalised and when she did I actually fist-pumped and yelled "YESSS!!"

So to summarise, it completely drew me in.
Note: Squeaky clean, 4.25 stars

Interview with Tate and Luke

Welcome to the

Cowboys & Christmas

Blog Tour!

A kickoff of new holiday romances by Shanna Hatfield

and a fundraiser for the Justin Cowboy Crisis Fund

An Interview with Two Heroes

Have you ever wondered what two men from two different centuries would discuss? Today, Shanna Hatfield brings together two of her popular heroes for an interesting interview. Luke Granger is a banker, rancher, and involved community member in The Christmas Bargain, a sweet Victorian romance taking place in 1893 in Hardman, Oregon. Tate Morgan is from the contemporary sweet romance The Christmas Cowboy. He’s a retired saddle bronc rider who calls his ranch near Kennewick, Washington home. Welcome to you both. Tell us a little about your home. Luke: I live in the small but bustling community of Hardman, Oregon in Eastern Oregon. We have several churches, a school, a newspaper office, skating rink and mercantile there. My wife, Filly, and I live in the house where I grew up on the edge of town. We raise cattle and a few horses. Tate: Kenzie, my wife, and I live on the ranch that my grandfather started back in the early 1900s. We’re about thirty miles from Kennewick, Washington. We primarily raise beef cattle, wheat, and hay.   What is your single most favorite modern convenience? Luke: Indoor plumbing. Filly frequently reminds me we are very fortunate to have indoor plumbing at our house. When the weather outside is cold and nasty, it sure comes in handy. Tate: I have to say I appreciate indoor plumbing too, but since that is something common that we all take for granted, I’d say my phone is my favorite convenience. (At Luke’s confused look, Tate grins and hands over his cell phone, giving him a brief explanation of how it works.) Luke: I can’t believe you can instantly speak to someone whenever you wish or look up any piece of information. This is like holding the world in your hand. Tate: Yeah, it is.   What’s your favorite thing about your home? Luke: (Smiles) Without a doubt, my wife is what makes it home. Filly is the best thing that ever happened to me. Tate: (Nods in agreement) Kenzie turned a quiet ol’ ranch house back into a home. She’s the best and first thing that comes to mind when I think about home.   Here are three fun questions... Coffee or tea? Tate: Most of the time coffee, except during the holiday season. Kenzie makes the best Christmas tea. Luke: (Glances at Luke with a curious expression) Filly makes Christmas tea, too. Is the tea your wife makes dark and spicy with just a hint of sweetness? Tate: Sure is! Maybe it’s an old recipe. Cats or dogs? Luke: Dogs. Tate: Definitely dogs. Sweet or savory? Luke and Tate: Sweet! Tate: Christmas treats are one of the best things about the holidays. Luke: I heartily agree. Tell us one thing you admire about your wife. Luke: It’s hard to choose just one. Filly is such a strong person. Her father imprisoned and abused her for more than a decade before I married her. She not only survived but also thrived. She’s witty, charming, lovely, and loving. (Takes a photograph from his pocket and shows it to Tate) Tate: (Grins at Luke). She’s beautiful. She reminds me of Kenzie with that twinkle in her eye and her height. Isn’t that unusual for your era? Luke: Yes, it is. She’s an unusually wonderful woman, though. Is Kenzie tall? Tate: Yep. (Pulls up a photo of Kenzie on his phone and hands it to Luke) Luke: She’s enchanting. Is that your son she’s holding?</ strong> Tate: (Nods) The thing I admire most about Kenzie is her drive. Once she decides on something, there is no stopping her. She’s funny and ten-times smarter than I ever hope to be, not to mention gorgeous and sweet. I don’t know what I did to deserve her, but I’m grateful every day for her love... (Smirks) and her cooking. Luke: (Chuckles) Thank you both for joining us. Any parting words for our readers?</ strong> Tate: If you enjoy historical fiction, sweet romances, or good westerns, I hope you’ll consider reading our stories in the Hardman Holidays and Rodeo Romance series. Luke: Be sure to check out The Christmas Calamity, releasing Nov. 13. My assistant Arlan really gets into the magic of the season with the arrival of a prestidigitator in town. Tate: I’ve never met a prestidigitator, although I’ve been around some great rodeo clowns. (The two men get to their feet.) Luke: If you aren’t in a hurry, do you mind if I look up a few things on that? (Gestures to Tate’s cell phone) Tate: (Hands Luke the phone) Go right ahead. By the way, I’d sure like to know how...    

Justin Cowboy Crisis Fund®

Now through Dec. 24, Shanna will donate 10 percent of the net proceeds from all her book sales to the Justin Cowboy Crisis Fund. The JCCF is a non-profit organization that assists rodeo athletes who’ve sustained catastrophic injuries and are unable to work for an extended period.  

Where to Find The Books

Start the Rodeo Romance Series with The Christmas Cowboy.

Kindle | Paperback | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords | Apple | Audible

Travel back to a different time with the historic Hardman Holiday Series,

beginning with The Christmas Bargain.

Kindle | Paperback

You’re Invited to PARTY!

You’re invited to join in the online Cowboys & Christmas Facebook Party Thursday, Nov. 13 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (PST). Drop in anytime during those four hours to enter to win great prizes, chat with guest authors, and more! Here’s the link to the party: http://tinyurl.com/ cowboychristmasparty The third book in the Hardman Holidays sweet Victorian romance series releases that day! The Christmas Calamity takes readers back to Hardman just in time for the holiday season. Preorders are available now for just $1.99 on Kindle. You can reserve your copy here: http://amzn.com/B00OGOO994 In addition, the first book in the Hardman Holidays series, The Christmas Bargain, will be available free that day, as well!

Enter to Win Prizes!

To enter the drawing for an Amazon gift card, autographed books, chocolates, original western artwork, and more fun goodies, fill out this form. http://tinyurl.com/ cowboychristmasprizes

About Shanna Hatfield

A hopeless romantic with a bit of sarcasm thrown in for good measure, Shanna Hatfield is a best-selling author of sweet romantic fiction written with a healthy dose of humor. In addition to blogging and eating too much chocolate, she is completely smitten with her husband, lovingly known as Captain Cavedweller. Shanna creates character-driven romances with realistic heroes and heroines. Her historical westerns have been described as “reminiscent of the era captured by Bonanza and The Virginian” while her contemporary works have been called “laugh-out-loud funny, and a little heart-pumping sexy without being explicit in any way.” She is a member of Western Writers of America, Women Writing the West, and Romance Writers of America. Find Shanna’s books at: Amazon | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords | Apple Shanna loves to hear from readers! Follow her online: ShannaHatfield | Facebook | Pinterest | Goodreads | You Tube | Twitter

The Christmas Cowboy and The Christmas Bargain by Shanna Hatfield

Source: Amazon

Source: Amazon

The Christmas Cowboy Synopsis:

 Flying from city to city in her job as a busy corporate trainer for a successful direct sales company, Kenzie Beckett doesn’t have time for a man. And most certainly not for the handsome cowboy she keeps running into at the airport. Burned twice, she doesn’t trust anyone wearing boots and Wranglers, especially someone as charming and handsome as Tate Morgan.
Among the top saddle bronc riders in the rodeo circuit, easy-going Tate Morgan can handle the toughest horse out there, but trying to handle the beautiful Kenzie Beckett is a completely different story.
As the holiday season approaches, this Christmas Cowboy is going to need more than a little mistletoe to win her heart. 

The Christmas Bargain Synopsis: 

Luke Granger is about to get more than he bargained for…
As owner and manager of the Hardman bank, Luke Granger is a man of responsibility and integrity in the small 1890s Eastern Oregon town. When he calls in a long overdue loan, Luke reluctantly accepts a bargain in lieu of payment from the shiftless farmer who barters his daughter to settle his debt.
Philamena Booth is both mortified and relieved when her father sends her off with the banker as payment of his debt. Held captive on the farm by her father since the death of her mother more than a decade earlier, she is grateful to leave. If only it had been someone other than the handsome and charismatic Luke Granger riding in to rescue her. Ready to uphold her end of the bargain as Luke’s cook and housekeeper, she isn’t prepared to marry Luke as part of a crazy Christmas bargain.

Hey Guys,

So about a month ago I got an email from Shanna Hatfield asking if I'd be interested in reviewing some of her books for an upcoming blog tour. Now since she was already on my Goodreads to-read list I jumped at the chance! So here goes it, my thoughts on The Christmas Cowboy (TCC) and The Christmas Bargain (TCB).

Thoughts:

I was initially apprehensive about reading Christmas-themed novels because even though I absolutely LOVE Christmas, I am not a fan of Christmassy-ness. In fact, I'm altogether scrooge-like until enough Christmas spirit hits me LOL! But once I started reading The Christmas Cowboy (I read that one first), I was pleasantly surprised because it wasn't at all cheesy or over the top with Christmas cheer. I loved that the story wasn't based around Christmas, it just so happened that part of the story occurred at Christmas time. I thought that was a great approach to take. And it was the same with The Christmas Bargain. So these books definitely left me open to more Christmas-themed reads.

Now onto the books themselves.

As I mentioned earlier, I read TCC first. And I enjoyed it. It gave off a very lazy afternoon vibe. You know? Like when you just kind of want to escape and have your heart warmed without having to put much effort in? That's what it was like. I got a very hallmark movie feel from it. (I love hallmark movies btw). It was very sweet and nice and there weren't any surprises. I liked that the characters had unique backgrounds that you don't see very often. Like for example, the hero's father was in his nineties! I appreciated little touches like that. I also liked how sure the hero was of his feelings for the heroine. Now on the other hand there were just a few things that I didn't like as much. For some reason I didn't connect to the heroine. I felt like her prejudice was a bit... juvenille? Or maybe irrational is a better word. I mean the source of said prejudice was explained to us but I just wasn't convinced that what she had experienced would realistically cause such an aversion to cowboys. Also while I loved their attraction and chemistry, it felt like each time they kissed or looked at each other, we were told that either Tate or Kenzie had to stop before things got out of hand. I felt like that statement would have been more effective if it was just mentioned a few times instead of every time. However, another thing that I appreciated was the amount of time that passed by over the course of their relationship. This wasn't like after a week they were in love, actual months and seasons passed by as things happened- that was refreshing.

While I just liked TCC I really enjoyed TCB. You should know that I'm a sucker for any type of marriage of convenience novel. Especially one that was so well executed. This type of story can get cheesy real quick but Shanna did a great job. I found myself grinning and laughing so much while reading this and at the end I was completely satisfied and thoroughly glad for the characters. It's funny because at the beginning I didn't know if I was gonna like the hero, he had a second where he seemed like he could be shallow. But he wasn't, he was awesome. I loved the supporting characters. I loved how their relationship unfolded and how they went from strangers to lovers in the purest sense. It was a great read. And while I put TCC down many times while reading, I read TCB beginning to end in one go. I should also say that while we were again told that the hero was practising restraint when they kissed, it wasn't every time, so it didn't bother me (bother is such a strong word but I can't think of anything weaker right now) like it did in TCC.

Ok I think that's it. TCC was ok but TCB was great!
Note: both are clean TCC gets 3 stars and TCB gets 4.

Stay tuned for an interview with Tate and Luke, the heroes of these novels, next!

Ice Angel by Elizabeth Hanbury

Synopsis:

 When mysterious young widow Lady Isabella Vane arrives in London, she is quickly christened the "Ice Angel" because of her reserved manner and ethereal beauty. While society wonders at the reasons for Lady Vane's demeanor and the secrets that lurk in her past, the Earl of Bramwell continues in his devil-may-care approach to life. Hal has no desire for serious relationships with women since his own bitter disappointment several years earlier. However, once their paths cross, Hal's interest is sparked and he becomes obsessed with discovering what lies beneath the ravishing Isabella's icy exterior. But can Isabella ever overcome her past to find love?

This will be quick. I liked this enough. I liked the premise, the two main characters had each been romantically hurt in the past, Isabella more than Hal. Even though I rolled my eyes at her initial prejudice against him, I got over that quickly enough and began to enjoy(ish) the story. However where this book fell short in my opinion was with the contrived 'drama'/obstacle that occurred. It was the same thing that I've seen time and time again and I could see it coming from 25 miles away. And to be honest I always feel cheated/disappointed when an authour goes for the formulaic instead of the original... Otherwise it was a pleasant if not spectacular or particularly imaginative read.

Note 3.25 Stars. Content: kisses, one wedding night scene where sex is described using abstract/poetic/flowery language as opposed to descriptive/graphic language. So the book is cleanish depending on your version of what clean is.

Neanderthal Seeks Human: A Smart Romance by Penny Reid

Source:Goodreads

My faith in contemporary romance has been renewed. I took a huge break from all things contemporary romance. For a month or so I have solely read historicals because I was completely over the mind numbing brainless drivel I'd been reading. Seriously, I almost gave up reading all together because I'd become so frustrated that every book seemed to be the same and the characters all fell in love in ten seconds within three words of speaking to each other. I felt like I was loosing my mind. Like maybe there were chapters missing to every book I read where the characters actually spoke to each, got to know each other, and were justified in their 'feelings'. So for the sake of my sanity, I took a break. But then I got equally frustrated at how hard it was to find a good historical romance that was clean, that I hadn't already read. I kept reading solid three star books and well, I don't like settling for good when I could have great, so again I began to feel book-frustrated.

Anyway, unto this book. I've had this on my Goodreads to-read list for like 3 months. However, the reviews were mixed as to whether or not it was clean and so I hesitated in reading. For some reason yesterday I decided to try it out and thank God I did! This was so freaking awesome. I can't even deal with the relief and satisfaction that I feel after reading this.

Thoughts:

The attraction and tension in this was so freaking delicious. Like, it was palpable, tangible, thick enough to bite. It. Was. Delicious. But this book was the full package because although the tension was delicious, so was the actual story. Like I've read so many books and combined with the fact that some authours are sort of just churning out the same story, I'm hardly ever surprised anymore. But Penny Reid didn't go with the formulaic, cookie cutter, this has worked before so I'll just repeat it story lines. It was original. Like I could never have seen who Jon cheated with coming. I was legit surprised. I loved that there were actual conversations in this book, where they legit talked lol. I loved Janie's stream of conciousness, and will we ever learn about the Japanese kids and eye contact?

I'm gonna wrap this up because I have part two waiting for me. But all in all this was awesome, it was obvious that time was spent with this, the angst is minimal, so is the drama, the characters are all reasonable. It was quirky without trying too hard. And my faith in the genre is restored.

Note: Clean: sex happens behind closed doors. Only kissing is described. 4.5 stars. I'm not sure if the other books in the series is clean, but I'll keep reading to find out.

ETA: Unfortunately for me the rest of the series isn't clean :(

An Unexpected Gentleman by Alissa Johnson

Source: goodreads

Synopsis:

Adelaide Ward has but one goal- to obtain an offer of marriage from the respectable, if less-than-appealing, baron Sir Robert Maxwell before her family is ruined. But it's the devilishly handsome Connor Brice who captures her imagination- and a kiss in broad daylight- in front of a dozen members of the ton. Now Adelaide must decide if the charming scoundrel who stole away her reputation might still be trusted with her heart.
Connor Brice seeks a long overdue revenge on the baron. And what better way to launch his campaign than to steal the lovely Miss Ward for his own? A quick "compromising" and an even quicker wedding ought to do. But if Connor wants to establish any sort of domestic tranquility, he'll have to regain Adelaide's trust and choose what means more to him- his thirst for vengeance or his need for Adelaide.

You know I've read like 25 books since I last posted. Beginning to end. But they were all like solid three star books and so I wasn't moved to actually write about them. And I wasn't completely convinced that I was going to write about this one until the very end. I liked this book because it was different. The hero was a bit/ a lot of a douche. And he didn't apologise for it. And I'm not talking the normal douchey ness of rakes that are so common in historical romances. I mean, this dude could've been a villain. He was manipulative and self serving, but since he didn't ever act with the intention of harming the heroine, I didn't hate him. In fact, the reader is made to understand his reprehensible actions even though we don't agree with them.

I liked this book because I applaud Alissa Johnson for stepping outside of character norms. I found myself laughing quite a bit at several moments in this book. And am still left feeling a bit dazed/confused. Like, I know I shouldn't have liked the hero but I really did. In fact, I liked him so much that I'm going to read another Alissa Johnson book, right now.

Note: Contains sex between a married couple. The sex isn't overly descriptive, squint and you'd miss it. So like 98% clean. 3.5 stars.