Top Ten Tuesday: Books On Your Shelf Since Before Blogging That You STILL Haven't Read

This is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish where each week bloggers share a list of books for the prompt given. So hopefully I'll have a new list to share with you all each week!

This Week's Topic: Top Ten Books On Your Shelf Since Before You Started Blogging That You STILL Haven't Read Yet

I have been blogging since May of 2011, which is over FIVE YEARS AGO. How crazy is that? My book collection has exploded since then, but I have had a decent amount of my books since before I started blogging. Sadly, there are still some books on my shelves that I haven't read yet. Here are some of the ones that have been on there for more than five years! 

1. Legally Blonde by Amanda Brown

2. Lucky T by Kate Brian 

3. The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

4. Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt

5. Crazy Wild by Tara Janzen

6. Cocktails for Three by Madeleine Wickham

7. The Wedding by Nicholas Sparks

8. The Choice by Nicholas Sparks

9. Something Blue by Emily Giffin

10. Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens

Book Review: Archer's Voice by Mia Sheridan

Archer's Voice

By Mia Sheridan 

Release Date: January 25, 2014

Source: Amazon

Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

When Bree Prescott arrives in the sleepy, lakeside town of Pelion, Maine, she hopes against hope that this is the place where she will finally find the peace she so desperately seeks. On her first day there, her life collides with Archer Hale, an isolated man who holds a secret agony of his own. A man no one else sees.

Archer's Voice is the story of a woman chained to the memory of one horrifying night and the man whose love is the key to her freedom. It is the story of a silent man who lives with an excruciating wound and the woman who helps him find his voice. It is the story of suffering, fate, and the transformative power of love.

It's official. Mia Sheridan is AMAZING. I've read two books by her now and am completely in love with her storytelling and her deep, emotional characters. Archer's voice was a romance unlike any other romance I've ever read and I loved it. 

Bree Prescott is running from her past after her father died and arrives in the sleepy town she visited as a kid. Adjusting to life in a small cottage with the job as a waitress, Bree is trying to find peace. When she runs into a big and gorgeous, yet silent man, Bree is intrigued. Archer Hale has not spoken since tragedy struck his family when he was a little boy and he tries his best to stay alone and unnoticed. When he runs into Bree, though, he finds himself drawn to her and wanting to actually get close to another person. Bree and Archer slowly start a relationship that tests them both in ways they had never imagined. 

Wow, this book. It seems like every romance now has the cocky main character who has tons of experience and has all the right moves. That is definitely not Archer. Archer has grown up not speaking to anyone and only interacted with his uncle who was a little on the strange side. So when Bree started popping up at his place, Archer had no idea how to act, he just knew that he really liked Bree. Their relationship was so adorable and I loved every moment they spent together. Archer really started to open up and Bree was able to find the peace she needed after what had happened to her in her past. 

While there was a sweet romance, there were also some suspenseful and mysterious parts that really had me hooked to the story. We had no idea what had happened in Archer's past or what was going to happen to Bree since she ran away from home, which kept me invested in their story, just dying to know their secrets. 

Overall, Archer's Voice has made me the newest member of the Mia Sheridan fan club. I loved the unique storyline, the super sweet man that Archer was, and the slow development of the relationship between our two main characters. For a refreshing and sweet romance, you definitely need to read Archer's Voice!

Stacking the Shelves (207)

 

Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews where bloggers share what books they got throughout the week!

From Amazon

I loved Leaving Amarillo so much that once I finished it, I made sure that I got the third book on Amazon so that I could binge the next two books in the series. I can't wait to read it! 

That's it for me! What did you all add to your shelves this week? 

Book Review: Leaving Amarillo by Caisey Quinn

Leaving Amarillo (Neon Dreams #1)

By Caisey Quinn

Release Date: March 17, 2015

Source: Own Copy 

Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Dixie Lark hasn’t had it easy. She lost her parents in an accident when she was young and grew up in a ramshackle house on a dirt road in Amarillo with her ailing grandparents and overprotective older brother. Thanks to her grandfather, Dixie learned to play a mean fiddle, inspired by the sounds of the greats—Johnny and June, Waylon, and Hank. Her grandfather’s fiddle changed Dixie’s life forever, giving her an outlet for the turmoil of her broken heart and inspiring a daring dream.

Ten years later, Dixie and her brother, Dallas, are creating the music they love and chasing fame with their hot band, Leaving Amarillo. But Dixie isn’t enjoying the ride. All she can think about is Gavin, the band’s tattooed, tortured drummer who she’s loved since they were kids. She knows he feels the connection between them, but he refuses see her as more than his best friend’s little sister.

Convinced that one night with Gavin will get him out of her system, Dixie devises a plan. She doesn’t know that her brother has forbidden Gavin from making a move on her-a promise he swore he’d always keep . . . a promise that once broken will unexpectedly change the future for Dixie, Gavin and the band.

I absolutely love rock star romances and have been gobbling up any book of that genre that I can get my hands on. A few people have recommended Leaving Amarillo and said that I would love it, so I decided to pick it up and give it a chance. AND I LOVED IT. SO MUCH. 

After her parents died, Dixie and her older brother, Dallas, grew up with her grandparents, living a meager life together. When they meet Gavin, a kid who had it even rougher than them, the three of them become best friends. As they get older, they create a band called Leaving Amarillo and are chasing their dream to make it big. Dixie has loved Gavin since they were young, but Dallas has made it clear that Gavin cannot touch her. Dixie has decided it's time to put herself first, but will Gavin put his relationship with the man who is basically his brother to give into the intense connection he's never had with another girl before? 

First off, the reason why I really loved this book is because Dixie, our main character, was actually in the band. Dixie played the fiddle and we got to see her in her element and really feeling the music and connecting with her bandmates up on stage. That created a very intense connection with Gavin that was even stronger than it was off the stage. And what an intense connection that was! This connection has been building for YEARS and I was cheering on Dixie every step of the way she decided to finally go after what she wanted with Gavin. 

Gavin definitely sealed the deal for me in this book. I absolutely loved his character and the little glimpses we got into his past that explained why he was the way he was now. He was so loyal to Dallas, which made it that much harder for him to admit that he felt anything for Dixie. While Dallas was annoying for getting in the way of Gavin and Dixie being together, I still really admired how much he loved Dixie and how much he loved music. I am excited to read his story in the next book!

As far as rock star romances go, Leaving Amarillo has moved into the category of one of my favorites. We got a girl who was actually in the band and was finally taking the risk and going after the guy she wanted. Gavin is totally my newest book crush and I just want him and Dixie to be happy! If you want a book with a relationship that will have you BEGGING for them to finally give into their attraction, you have to read Leaving Amarillo.

Waiting on Wednesday (154)

 

This is a meme hosted by Breaking the Spine where every Wednesday bloggers highlight a book that they are eagerly anticipating the release of!

The Goal (Off-Campus #4)

By Elle Kennedy 

Release Date: September 26, 2016

She’s good at achieving her goals…

College senior Sabrina James has her whole future planned out: graduate from college, kick butt in law school, and land a high-paying job at a cutthroat firm. Her path to escaping her shameful past certainly doesn’t include a gorgeous hockey player who believes in love at first sight. One night of sizzling heat and surprising tenderness is all she’s willing to give John Tucker, but sometimes, one night is all it takes for your entire life to change.

But the game just got a whole lot more complicated

Tucker believes being a team player is as important as being the star. On the ice, he’s fine staying out of the spotlight, but when it comes to becoming a daddy at the age of twenty-two, he refuses to be a bench warmer. It doesn’t hurt that the soon-to-be mother of his child is beautiful, whip-smart, and keeps him on his toes. The problem is, Sabrina’s heart is locked up tight, and the fiery brunette is too stubborn to accept his help. If he wants a life with the woman of his dreams, he’ll have to convince her that some goals can only be made with an assist.

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OH MY GOSH THIS BOOK COMES OUT IN ONLY ONE MONTH. Can you tell I'm excited? Because I'm so freaking excited! I am pretty much obsessed with every word Elle Kennedy writes and her Off-Campus series is one of my favorite series of all-time. I loved book three, so I am even more excited for book four to come out. Sabrina sounds like such an awesome character and I can't wait to see how she handles a guy like Tucker! 

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Books Set in College

  

This is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish where each week bloggers share a list of books for the prompt given. So hopefully I'll have a new list to share with you all each week!

This Week's Topic: Top Ten Books Set in College

New Adult is definitely one of my favorite genres, and most new adult takes place in a college setting. So when we got to pick the setting for this week's topic, I decided to go with college! Since I graduated from college last year, I'm still around that age, which is why I think I love books that center around characters in New Adult books. And the books in that genre are AMAZING. So here are my favorite books that take place in college!

1. Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover

2. Bad Romeo by Leisa Rayven 

3. The Score by Elle Kennedy

4. Forgiving Lies by Molly McAdams

5. Addicted to You by Krista and Becca Ritchie

6. One Tiny Lie by KA Tucker

7. Too Late by Colleen Hoover

8. The Year We Fell Down by Sarina Bowen

9. Scoring Wilder by RS Grey

10. The Deal by Elle Kennedy

Book Review: Ricochet by Krista and Becca Ritchie

Ricochet (Addicted #1.5)

By Krista and Becca Ritchie

Release Date: May 22, 2014

Source: Borrowed from Friend 

Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

As a sex addict, Lily Calloway must do the impossible. Stay celibate for 90 days. 

Cravings and fantasies become her new routine, but while Loren Hale recovers from his alcohol addiction, Lily wonders if he’ll realize what a monster she really is. After all, her sexual compulsions begin to rule her life the longer she stays faithful to him. 

Progress. That’s what Lily’s striving for. But by trying to become closer to her family—people who aren’t aware of her addiction—she creates larger obstacles. When she spends time with her youngest sister, she learns more about her than she ever imagined and senses an unsettling connection between Daisy and Ryke Meadows. 

With Lily and Lo’s dysfunctional relationship teetering and unbalanced, they will need to find a way to reconnect from miles apart. But the inability to “touch” proves to be one of the hardest tests on their road to recovery. Some love brushes the surface. Some love is deeper than skin. 

Lily and Lo have three months to discover just how deep their love really goes.

I fell in love with Lily and Lo in the first book of this series and the way things ended in Addicted to You, I HAD to know what would happen next to them. Would they stay together? Would they beat their addictions?? I DIDN'T KNOW AND IT WAS KILLING ME. 

While Lo is off at rehab trying to overcome his addiction to alcohol, Lily is left to try and ignore her cravings for sex and pleasure. Without her rock, though, Lily finds it harder and harder to resist. Lily finds herself surrounded by people who are determined to help her through her addiction, but can she stay faithful to the only guy she's ever loved, or ruin it all because of her addiction? 

I wasn't sure how I would feel about an entire book without Lo (while he's in rehab) but I still freaking loved this book. We may not have gotten the present Lo, but there were plenty of flashbacks to Lo and Lily's previous relationship where we got to see them when they were falling for each other and at the very beginning of their addictions. It was so sad how responsible they both felt for feeding one another's addiction and I hated watching them deal with the repercussions of those addictions because I cared about them so much. Krista and Becca really make me see Lily in a nonjudgmental way and really understand what she was going through as a sex addict. 

While I loved Lo and Lily's relationship in this book, I also loved the relationship Lily had with the side characters and the relationship those characters had with one another. Rose is the best and I absolutely adore her interesting and sweet relationship with Conner. I am BEYOND excited to finally get to Rose's books in this series, but I've got to figure out what happens to Lo and Lily next before I get there! I also loved Ryke's character and his strange relationship with Daisy. I JUST WANT MORE OF ALL OF THE CHARACTERS. NOW. 

If you can't tell, I am head over heels in love with this series. While this is book 1.5, it is still a glorious 260 pages that is necessary in understanding Lo and Lily's relationship and journey together. If you haven't started this series yet, you absolutely have to! And if you haven't read anything by Krista and Becca Ritchie, that is an absolute crime. Pick up any one of their books and you are guaranteed to fall in love with their damaged, but utterly lovable characters.