Happy Tuesday and welcome to another edition of Top Ten Tuesday hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl. This week's theme is Books On My Spring 2021 TBR, but because my TBR already has too many books, I thought I'd focus on reading some of them. So the following books (in no particular order) have been patiently waiting to be read and knocked off of my TBR list:

---

And there you have it. Ten books I'm vowing to read before the end of Spring, even if I have to DNF them. I don't even care. Less books on my TBR leaves me less anxious and feeling like I accomplished something.

So... have you read any of these books? Have any of them ever made it to your TBR?

If you have a TTT post, please leave a link to it below so I can come and check it out. Happy Reading!

Happy Tuesday and welcome to another edition of Top Ten Tuesday, an event hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl! I haven't done one of these in too long and I am glad to be able to bring my top ten list to you today. This week's theme is Spring Cleaning Freebie (for example, books you’re planning to get rid of for whatever reason, book’s you’d like to clean off your TBR by either reading them or deciding you’re not interested, books that feel fresh and clean to you after winter is over, etc.)

I chose to go back to the beginning of my Goodreads TBR and tackle the books that have been sitting, waiting to be read, the longest, which include:

Rose by Sydney Landon - a New Adult Contemporary Romance - My name is Rose Madden and I have spent my life being the perfect daughter. Thanks to my daddy, I'm an expert marksman who dresses like some modern day freaking June Cleaver. My life has been perfectly scripted since the day I was born. I've never deviated from the plan—until I met attorney Max Decker. Now he has me doing insane things to get his attention, like grabbing him in his car and being arrested for stalking my ex-boyfriend just so he'll come bail me out of jail. He thinks I'm crazy—but he wants me anyway, he just can't admit it. I'm tired of living my life for others, and Max has just given me a reason to show everyone that this good girl is going bad.

Revived by Samantha Towle - Contemporary Romance - Falling for his uptight therapist is not part of Leandro’s plan. Having unethical feelings for her patient, the angry Brazilian race car driver, is not part of India’s plan. But what if the wrong person is the only person who is right?

Fighting For Forever by J.B. Salsbury - Contemporary MMA Romance - She’s everything I hate about Vegas: a stripper, loose with her body and her morals. But there’s something about her, a complexity that she buries deep, and I’m determined to uncover it. The deeper I go, the less I understand. When I finally learn the truth, we engage in a battle where life and death hang in the balance. Fighting could kill us both, but if we win, forever is the prize.

Never Never by Colleen Hoover & Tarryn Fisher - YA Romance/Mystery - Charlie Wynwood and Silas Nash have been best friends since they could walk. They've been in love since the age of fourteen. But as of this morning... they are complete strangers. Their first kiss, their first fight, the moment they fell in love... every memory has vanished.

Confess by Colleen Hoover - New Adult Contemporary Romance - Auburn Reed is determined to rebuild her shattered life and she has no room for mistakes. But when she walks into a Dallas art studio in search of a job, she doesn’t expect to become deeply attracted to the studio’s enigmatic artist, Owen Gentry.

Tribeca by Callie Hart & Lili St. Germain - Dark Romance/Romantic Suspense/Thriller - Roberto Barbieri is known in the Kitchen by many names: Bobby B. The Barber of Brooklyn. Il Assassino. My brother and I call him Father. No matter what name you call him by, when Roberto Barbieri tells you do something, you do it. No questions asked. And you do NOT f*ck it up. - NOTE: this book hasn't been released and probably never will be :(

Bound to You: Volume 4 by Vanessa Booke - Contemporary Romance - I, Rebecca Gellar, am doing the unthinkable. I’m marrying a man who hits every category on my Run-Like-Hell list… 1. Arrogant. 2. Dangerously Handsome. 3. Brooding. 4. Domineering. 5. Possessive. 6. Playboy. The funny thing is I couldn’t be happier.

Hearts of Blue by L.H. Cosway - a standalone contemporary romance that tells the story of star-crossed lovers Karla Sheehan and Lee Cross, a police constable and the thief who steals her heart. She upholds the law. He breaks it.

It's a Wonderful Tangled Christmas Carol by Emma Chase - Contemporary Romance - After a blowout fight with Kate about his workaholic habits sends Drew to the office in anger on Christmas Eve, he falls asleep at his desk. There, three lovely holiday spirits magically visit him to teach him that every moment is precious and that he should never take his family for granted. But when he wakes up, will he just write it off as a dream?

Nuts by Alice Clayton - Chick Lit/Contemporary Romance - When gorgeous local farmer Leo Maxwell delivers her a lovely bunch of organic walnuts, Roxie wonders if a summer back home isn’t such a bad idea after all. Leo is heavily involved in the sustainable slow food movement, and he likes to take his time. In all things. Roxie is determined to head back to the west coast as soon as summer ends, but will the pull of lazy fireflies and her very own Almanzo Wilder be enough to keep her home for good?

---

Okay, so there you have it. Ten books that have been waiting for years to be read and I need to figure out which one(s) will stay and which will go. Tell me below which book you would kick off!! Oh, and if you have a TTT post, leave a link to it in the comments so I can come by and check it out :D

Happy Tuesday and welcome to another TTT! I almost missed making this post (again) because I got all caught up in Animal Crossing. I know, I know... I'm addicted. Whatever! I've finally got a 5-star island and I intend to keep it that way!! Anyhoozits... This meme is hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl and this week's TTT theme is Books Written Before I Was Born. I decided to show you the books that were published in the year of my birth that I actually read. Can you guess what year I was born in?

The Neverending Story by Michael Ende

Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews

The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories by Angela Carter

Tales of the Unexpected by Roald Dahl

Amelia Bedelia Helps Out by Peggy Parish

Oh Say Can You Say by Dr. Seuss

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

The Dead Zone by Stephen King

---

Have you ever read any of these books? I have a few of them slated as re-reads for some time in my life. Have you guessed my birth year yet?

Happy Tuesday and welcome to another TTT! I almost missed making this post because I got all caught up in Animal Crossing. I know, I know... I'm addicted. Whatever! I've finally got a 5-star island and I intend to keep it that way!! Anyhoozits... This meme is hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl. This week's TTT theme is New-to-Me Authors I Read in 2020. I actually found more than 10 new-to-me authors last year, but the following are the ones that gave me the best reads of the bunch!

So here they are, in alphabetical order:

Christi Barth

I found her through her romantic comedy novel, Tempting the Prince. It's a forbidden, royal romance that introduced me to a cast of characters that I couldn't help but fall in love with.

Giana Darling

Although I first tried her work in an anthology, I didn't get to read any of her books until last year. I just knew that I had to try her out. And I'm glad I did. Lessons in Corruption was an age-gap romance that hit me just right lol

Hazel Grace

OMG, this author blew me away with her Little Mermaid retelling in Siren. I'm a huge fan of retellings and this one was done extremely well.

Leigh Bardugo

This author has been on my to-read list for a very long time. I've even got many of her books on my shelves. So when I finally got the chance to read from her, I grabbed it and Wonder Woman: Warbringer was better than I expected. I'm definitely going to be reading more from her.

Lexi C. Foss

When I read Winter's Arrow, a Snow White retelling, I was hooked on this author's words. I've read plenty of her books since, many of them back-to-back, and I can't get enough. For fans of paranormal romance, she is a must-read!

Marissa Meyer

Whoa whoa whoa! If you haven't read The Lunar Chronicles, you are missing out! After reading Cinder, I needed to read the entire series (which I loved) and I'm looking forward to reading more from this author. Good thing I have more of her books on my shelves.

N.J. Walters

I couldn't find an image for this author, but it doesn't even matter because her work speaks for itself. I first found her through Fury Unleashed and I have absolutely no regrets. She writes some of the most amazing paranormal romance I've ever had the pleasure to read. Honestly, with her Forgotten Brotherhood series, she's been put on my must buy list!

Penny Dee

After reading Off Limits, a sweet mc romance of forbidden love, I knew I wanted more of what this author had to offer. And I'm glad to continue reading her books.

S.T. Abby

Also known as C.M. Owens and Kristy Cunning, she has been recommended to me time and time again. When I finally read The Mindf*ck Series, I finally understood what everyone wanted me to know. It sucks that she's no longer writing :(

Sarah J. Maas

Okay, so here's the deal... I've got a ton of this author's books sitting on my shelves. Seriously, I've got the Throne of Glass and A Court of Thorns and Roses series sitting there, collecting dust. So when I got the chance to read House of Earth and Blood, her attempt at a more mature content, I grabbed it. And loved it. OMG did I love it. So yeah, I'll be getting to those books on my shelves as soon as possible.

There were other authors who I discovered in 2020 who were also great and who I will read from again - Erin Trejo, Stacey Marie Brown, D.B. Reynolds, S.M. Soto and Jeff Pollak.

---

Have you read from any these authors before? Am I the only one to discover them in 2020? I'm usually the last to do things in this crazy bookish world.

Who did you find in 2020? Please tell me in a comment below or leave the link to your own TTT post if you have one. Happy reading!!

Happy Tuesday and welcome to another TTT! This meme is hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl. This week's TTT theme is Books I Meant to Read In 2020 but Didn’t Get To. I have way more than 10 books that I didn't get the chance to read last year. Books that I'm hoping I can get to this year. For this post, I went back to an earlier post, SOME OF THE BOOKS ON MY FALL 2020 TBR, and my TBR and chose the ones that I'm pretty sure I'll read in the near future. So here goes...


Storm and Fury by Jennifer L. Armentrout - Enter a world of gargoyle protectors, rising demons and one girl with an explosive secret.
Dead Pretty by Samantha Towle - I had a stalker. A murderous one. And I had no clue who he was. He never showed me his face. Not even when he carved his final message into me.
Cinderella is Dead by Kalynn Bayron - It’s 200 years after Cinderella found her prince, but the fairy tale is over. Teen girls are now required to appear at the Annual Ball, where the men of the kingdom select wives based on a girl’s display of finery. If a suitable match is not found, the girls not chosen are never heard from again.
Ripple Effect by Keri Lake - They call me RIP. I’m a killer. A murderer. A psychopath. In the eyes of the righteous, I’m a monster, born of sin and depravity.
TimeTrap by J.T. Bock - UltraAgent TimeTrap is hiding out. This peace-loving, universe-traveling hero is tired of fighting Aztec gods, sociopathic scientists, and her reality TV–star mother. She needs a vacation from using her superpower. With comfy slippers and streaming movies, she’s taken refuge with her new boyfriend, Max Martin, in his high-tech, gated home.
Five Dark Fates by Kendare Blake - After the grim confrontation with Queen Katharine, the rebellion lies in tatters. Jules’s legion curse has been unbound, and it is up to Arsinoe to find a cure, even as the responsibility of stopping the ravaging mist lies heavy on her shoulders, and her shoulders alone. Mirabella has disappeared.
Burn For Me by Ilona Andrews - Nevada Baylor is faced with the most challenging case of her detective career—a suicide mission to bring in a suspect in a volatile case. Nevada isn't sure she has the chops. Her quarry is a Prime, the highest rank of magic user, who can set anyone and anything on fire.
Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco - Two sisters. One brutal murder. A quest for vengeance that will unleash Hell itself… And an intoxicating romance.
One Step After Another by Bethany-Kris - He finds the unfindable, but she’s terribly good at hiding …
Trapped by Alison Aimes - “Convicts don’t ask. They take.” Marooned on a primitive prison planet , Bella West has one chance for survival until rescue arrives: trade her body for protection.

---

I am very pleased to note that this list is certainly eclectic. There's fantasy, scifi, young adult, dark romance, etc. I'm excited to dig into these books this year.

What books did you miss out on last year? Please tell me in the comments below or leave the link to your own TTT post if you have one. Happy reading!!

Happy Tuesday and welcome to another TTT! This meme is hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl. I hope you've been enjoying the new year so far! 2021 has only just begun and I've already read a five-star book. Granted, it was a re-read, but it still counts :) This week's TTT theme is Most Anticipated Releases for the First Half of 2021 and I had to dig in the crates as it were to find books that I would not only actually read, but that I hadn't covered already. I'm obviously going to have some repeats, but trying to limit this list to only 10 is hard AF. I have about 50 books I have to read by the end of the year and I'm going to do everything possible to make it so.

Here's my list, in no particular order:

Just As I Am by Cicely Tyson

Non-fiction/Autobiography/Memoir
Releasing January 26, 2021

“In her long and extraordinary career, Cicely Tyson has not only exceeded as an actor, she has shaped the course of history.” –President Barack Obama, 2016 Presidential Medal of Honor ceremony

"Just As I Am is my truth. It is me, plain and unvarnished, with the glitter and garland set aside. In these pages, I am indeed Cicely, the actress who has been blessed to grace the stage and screen for six decades. Yet I am also the church girl who once rarely spoke a word. I am the teenager who sought solace in the verses of the old hymn for which this book is named. I am a daughter and mother, a sister, and a friend. I am an observer of human nature and the dreamer of audacious dreams. I am a woman who has hurt as immeasurably as I have loved, a child of God divinely guided by His hand. And here in my ninth decade, I am a woman who, at long last, has something meaningful to say.” –Cicely Tyson

Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas

Young Adult Fiction/humanitarian
Releasing January 12, 2021

If there’s one thing seventeen-year-old Maverick Carter knows, it’s that a real man takes care of his family. As the son of a former gang legend, Mav does that the only way he knows how: dealing for the King Lords. With this money he can help his mom, who works two jobs while his dad’s in prison.

Life’s not perfect, but with a fly girlfriend and a cousin who always has his back, Mav’s got everything under control.

Until, that is, Maverick finds out he’s a father.

Suddenly he has a baby, Seven, who depends on him for everything. But it’s not so easy to sling dope, finish school, and raise a child. So when he’s offered the chance to go straight, he takes it. In a world where he’s expected to amount to nothing, maybe Mav can prove he’s different.

When King Lord blood runs through your veins, though, you can't just walk away. Loyalty, revenge, and responsibility threaten to tear Mav apart, especially after the brutal murder of a loved one. He’ll have to figure out for himself what it really means to be a man.

The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna

Young Adult Fantasy
Releasing February 9, 2021

Sixteen-year-old Deka lives in fear and anticipation of the blood ceremony that will determine whether she will become a member of her village. Already different from everyone else because of her unnatural intuition, Deka prays for red blood so she can finally feel like she belongs.

But on the day of the ceremony, her blood runs gold, the color of impurity--and Deka knows she will face a consequence worse than death.

Then a mysterious woman comes to her with a choice: stay in the village and submit to her fate, or leave to fight for the emperor in an army of girls just like her. They are called alaki--near-immortals with rare gifts. And they are the only ones who can stop the empire's greatest threat.

Knowing the dangers that lie ahead yet yearning for acceptance, Deka decides to leave the only life she's ever known. But as she journeys to the capital to train for the biggest battle of her life, she will discover that the great walled city holds many surprises. Nothing and no one are quite what they seem to be--not even Deka herself.

Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert

Contemporary Romance
Releasing March 9, 2021

In Act Your Age, Eve Brown the flightiest Brown sister crashes into the life of an uptight B&B owner and has him falling hard—literally.

Eve Brown is a certified hot mess. No matter how hard she strives to do right, her life always goes horribly wrong—so she’s given up trying. But when her personal brand of chaos ruins an expensive wedding (someone had to liberate those poor doves), her parents draw the line. It's time for Eve to grow up and prove herself—even though she's not entirely sure how…

Jacob Wayne is in control. Always. The bed and breakfast owner’s on a mission to dominate the hospitality industry—and he expects nothing less than perfection. So when a purple-haired tornado of a woman turns up out of the blue to interview for his open chef position, he tells her the brutal truth: not a chance in hell. Then she hits him with her car—supposedly by accident. Yeah, right.

Now his arm is broken, his B&B is understaffed, and the dangerously unpredictable Eve is fluttering around, trying to help. Before long, she’s infiltrated his work, his kitchen—and his spare bedroom. Jacob hates everything about it. Or rather, he should. Sunny, chaotic Eve is his natural-born nemesis, but the longer these two enemies spend in close quarters, the more their animosity turns into something else. Like Eve, the heat between them is impossible to ignore—and it’s melting Jacob’s frosty exterior.

The Revelation of Light and Dark by Sawyer Bennett

Chronicles of the Stone Veil #1
Urban Fantasy
Releasing February 9, 2021

I always knew I was different.

From a young age, my mind has been plagued with things only I could see. Some hauntingly beautiful, others completely terrifying. Never knowing if these visions were real or just hallucinations, I learned how to lock them down and ignore them. I learned to take solace in the relative anonymity of city life and find peace in the rainy days my city of Seattle is known for. But just when I think my life is getting on track and my dreams are achievable, a moment of weakness causes me to learn a hard and fast lesson.

My entire existence has been a lie.

Now I’m faced with a new reality that’s as implausible as it is fantastical. Filled with realms and veils, light and dark, fae and daemons, gods and angels—things I don’t understand but am forced to acknowledge. It doesn’t help that the man teaching me about my unique gifts is the gorgeously handsome Carrick Byrne, one of Seattle’s richest and most powerful men. He intimidates, annoys, and intrigues me all at the same time. I don’t trust him and yet there’s no one else to help me. No longer certain who to put my faith in, what to believe, or how I fit into it all, one revelation is clear…

The world as I know it will never be the same again.

Vampire by Rebecca Zanetti

Dark Protectors #12.5/1001 Dark Nights
Paranormal Romance
Releasing April 13, 2021

Dr. Mariana Lopez has finally stopped bailing friends out of difficult situations. Well, except for substituting as the leader for another anger management group, pitching in as a campaign strategist for a prospective sheriff, and babysitting three dogs. Even with such a full life, she can feel the danger around her—a sense that something isn’t right. Nightmares harass her, until the real thing comes to life, and only the dark and sexy male sitting in her group can save her. However, with safety comes a price she might not be willing to pay.

Raine Maxwell is one of the Maxwells out of Montana, which means he's not only one of the most deadly vampires alive, but his path is set and his mate has been chosen for him. To save him—to continue his line. Unfortunately, his mate is an enhanced human female who has no idea of her abilities, of his species, or of her future. He’d like to lead her gently into this new world, but his people aren’t the only ones who’ve found her, which puts her into more danger than she can imagine. Plus, in order to follow his laws, he only has one week to convince her that immortality with him is what she wants—and needs.

Repeat Offender by Lani Lynn Vale

Souls Chapel Revenants MC #1
Romance
Releasing January 12, 2021

Lynnwood Thatcher Windsor has lived a lot of lies. Seen a lot of good men go down.

But he will not stand by and watch as the world he’s built from the ground up burns to ashes before his eyes. Even if he has to build an army to combat the problem he sees brewing around him.

One step at a time, he carefully lays out his plan, building layer after careful layer until everything is where he wants it to be.

Every part is impeccably played, his pawns are in the perfect place, and then she barrels into his life, totally scattering every single piece he’s set in motion.

The bad thing is, she doesn’t even realize how badly she’s messed up until she’s roused the beast.

***
The day that Six Ines Broussard met Lynnwood Thatcher Windsor was the worst day of her life.

First, she has a public breakup with a man she’s not even dating. Second, she has to deal with a black-tie event that she’d rather gouge her eyes out than to go to. Third, she then has to sit at a table for hours on end with the one man she despises.

Just wanting a break, she thinks she’ll lose herself for a few hours and do what she loves to do best—spend time by herself and go for a walk in the middle of nowhere, spot some birds, and get a little sun. Only, her day doesn’t go nearly as planned.

She walks right into the middle of hell. And at the center of it? Lynnwood Thatcher. The mayor. The man that she took one glance at on the night of his inauguration and dismissed as boring. A total stick in the mud.

Only, he’s not so boring shirtless, in the middle of nowhere, doing things that are very illegal.

At first, she’s appalled. Then her interest gets piqued. Stuck-up suit is hot! And he has tattoos. Oh, and let’s not forget one hell of a mouth on him!

Then he goes and kidnaps her, and she realizes that nobody is quite as hot as you thought they were when they’re now holding you hostage.

Stalkers: a Dark Romance Anthology

Dark Romance
Releasing February 16, 2021

You should never fall for the bad guy…

Over thirty of your favorite USA Today and bestselling authors have come together to create an epic collection of forbidden, dark romance stories.

Get lost in this unputdownable mixture of short stories. From heroes to bad guys, there’s something for everyone.

stalk·er

A person who stalks: a person who pursues someone obsessively.

Stalkers is a taboo romance collection jam-packed with captivating stories.

Authors Included:

Abigail Davies · Yolanda Olson · Ally Vance · Jessica Ames · N. Isabelle Blanco · D.S. Wrights · Faith Ryan · Sam Destiny · S. Firecox · Cole Denton · Ker Dukey · Petra J. Knox · Kara Dawson · Brianna Hale · Alice La Roux · Emery LeeAnn · Raven Amor · Claire C. Riley · Shannon Youngblood · Kat T.Masen · Logan Fox · Cassia Brightmore · Leaona Luxx · William Joseph · A.K. MacBride · K.I. Lynn · Ryleigh Sloan · Erin Trejo · C. Firecox · B.L. Olson · Michelle Pace · M.A. Foster

Make It Sweet by Kristen Callihan

Contemporary Romance
Releasing February 23, 2021

Life for Emma isn’t good. The world knows her as Princess Anya on Dark Castle, but then her character gets the axe—literally. The cherry on top is finding her boyfriend in bed with another woman. She needs a break, and sanctuary comes in the form of Rosemont, a gorgeous estate in California promising rest and relaxation.

Then she meets the owner’s equally gorgeous grandson, ex–hockey player and current recluse Lucian Osmond, and she sees her own pain and yearning reflected in his eyes.

He’s charming when he wants to be but also secretive and gruff, with protective walls as thick as Emma’s own. Despite a growing attraction, they avoid each other.

But then there’s an impromptu nighttime skinny-dip, and Lucian’s luscious homemade tarts and cream cakes start arriving at Emma’s door, tempting her to taste life again…

In trying to stay apart, they only grow closer—and their broken pieces just might fit together and make them whole.

The Warlord by Gena Showalter

Rise of the Warlords #1
Paranormal Romance
Releasing April 20, 2021

For centuries, Taliyah Skyhawk has prepared to become Harpy General, leader of the deadliest female army in existence. One of the requirements? Remain a virgin. But, for a chance to save her people, she must wed the fearless leader of the Astra Planeta, Alaroc Phaethon.

The time has come for Roc to sacrifice another virgin bride to his god. There has never been a woman alluring enough to tempt him from his path. No warrioress powerful enough to overcome his incredible strength. No enchantress desirable enough to make him burn beyond reason. Until now.

With the clock ticking, war between husband and wife ignites. Except Taliyah never expected the merciless king to challenge the future she once envisioned. She certainly never anticipated the thrill of their battles turning into games… The problem is, only one spouse can survive.

---

What books are you looking forward to reading? Have any of these made your list? If you've got your own TTT, leave me a link to it so I can come and check it out.

Happy reading!