I'm not someone that gives out 5 stars very often, and it usually is reserved to books that are special to me, moved me, and I can see myself reading again, which I've already proven by reading Wild at Heart a second time in two month.... Read More
Time of Our Lives by Emily Wibberley, Austin Siegemund-Broka
I enjoy YA contemporary romances, and I really love the covers of this author duo's novels. I felt the same when I picked up If I'm Being Honest last year. The covers look cute, contemporary, and promise a light-hearted story. Now we just have to wait and see if the story delivers too.... Read More
Happy & You Know It by Laura Hankin
Doesn't the cover make you look twice? At least it did for me. The cover caught my eyes, and the blurb sealed the deal. There is just something about wealthy mothers and their secrets. And the drama was right up my alley.... Read More
Late to the Party by Kelly Quindlen
I think Late to the Party was definitely a #thecovermademepickitup, but then the blurb got me hooked. It's only my second sapphic novel so far, but both times the author did a marvelous job. ... Read More
BOOK HAUL / May 2020
Thanks to the generosity from publishers and book tours I received some fantastic book mail this month. I'm excited to read them all. And I love that it's a wonderful mix of different genres. Have you read any of these yet? What was the last book mail you received?... Read More
The Blacksmith Queen by GA Aiken
The Blacksmith Queen is the FIRST book in a brand new series. And I was elated when I realized that EVERYTHING I loved about the Dragon Kin series was incorporated into this new series. Besides a new beginning, the book had everything that makes a GA AIKEN book fun and entertaining.... Read More
Catch and Kill by Ronan Farrow
I feel that books like Catch and Kill and She Said are MUST READ for all of us. They are a reminder that certain practices and folks, that think money can buy you anything and help you get away with anything, are still to this day the norm in many industries. It shouldn't. But it is.... Read More
Beach Read by Emily Henry
This book is a case of it not being the right book for me. Maybe I expected something different, who knows. But one thing is for sure, I don't feel the same way about this book as everyone else.... Read More
Best audiobooks to listen to
Best audiobooks to listen to As I already mentioned in the Beginner’s Guide to Audiobooks, I’m a HUGE audiobook fan... Read More
Beginner’s Guide to Audiobooks
Beginner’s Guide to Audiobooks Hello, have you ever listened to an audiobook? I grew up in Europe, and my siblings... Read More
THE WHISPER MAN BY ALEX NORTH
This book has been a highly popular book on Instagram, it was everywhere, and EVERYONE loved it. I was lucky enough to receive the audiobook from the publisher, instead of having to wait half a year for my library hold to go through. Popular books are highly asked after at the library, and the wait can be multiple months. I’m always shocked when I see I’m #76 on a waiting list for one out of three copies. Patience is not my strongest suit. Oh well….... Read More
Things You Save in a Fire by Katherine Center
My first book by the author was How To Walk Away and it blew my mind. The writing was beautiful, enthralling and unputdownable. Shortly after I finished the book, I knew I would be keeping an eye out for this author. Ever since, her books have been highly anticipated, and wonderful escapes into stories that are beautifully written.... Read More
Valentine by Elizabeth Wetmore
Valentine was my LAST BOTM book EVER!!! Since I'm moving to Europe soon, I had to cancel my BOTM subscription and I'm so SAD about it!! I love the service, and IG has such a big BOTM community that whenever we picked new books for the month, it felt like a group event. I'm super crushed about it! But I'll keep my eyes on future BOTM books, so I at least be reading the same books like everyone else.... Read More
THE SEVEN HUSBANDS OF EVELYN HUGO BY TAYLOR JENKINS REID
I’m just coming out and say it here and now – this book deserves ALL the stars. Not only because of Evelyn Hugo herself, but also because of the story, the plotting, and all the emotions it evoked in me. It’s with one word a MASTERPIECE!!!... Read More
Books & More – May 2020 edition
I don't know how everyone is doing but my life can't get much more boring as it is at this moment, honestly! And I actually like it this way - BUT it doesn't make for an interesting check-in.... Read More
Meet Cute by Helena Hunting
First I need to mention that this book did not feel like a typical rom-com. And I think if that’s what you are expecting, you will be disappointed. Instead it’s a touching and heartfelt love-story with some LOL moments, but it’s NOT what I would think of as a typical rom-com. The cover is a bit misleading too. Nevertheless this book was a wonderful surprise – and should be read by anyone who loves something a bit more emotional and heartwarming.... Read More
Something to Talk About by Meryl Wilsner
Something to Talk About was my first queer FF romance, and thanks to the author I couldn't have picked a better one to start with. From the writing to the characters, this novel completely surprised me with how much I loved it.... Read More
Popular Kindle Unlimited Authors
I have been a Kindle Unlimited fan and user for many years. As with every subscription I sometimes take a break. Amazon makes that fairly easy to do - which I appreciate. But I always come back and rejoin, because there is just something alluring about the idea that I can read as many KU titles as I can squeeze in for just $9.99 a month.... Read More
CARRY ON BY RAINBOW ROWELL
I’m finally sitting down to write my review for Carry On. This review will be a mix of regular review and audiobook review, since I listened and read it, and both experiences were different from each other.... Read More
The Rosie Result by Graeme Simsion
I absolutely adored The Rosie Project when I listened to it in 2015. It was an audiobook recommendation from a friend and I loved it. A romance novel, written by a male author, featuring a scientist with Aspergers – “oddly charming and socially challenged genetics professor on an unusual quest: to find out if he is capable of true love”(Goodreads). It had everything I love about a romance novel and everything I needed for a novel to stand out, to be different, unique. A story written outside the box. Book 2 The Rosie Effect was just ok. But OMG The Rosie Result brought it all home. What a fantastic conclusion.... Read More
MUST READ FORBIDDEN ROMANCES
I've been an avid romance reader for many years now. And one trope out of all, makes me stop and pick up a book faster than any other and that's the FORBIDDEN ROMANCE. Sometimes it's not even that FORBIDDEN or taboo, but even a little vibe makes for some awesome reading.... Read More
The Chestnut Man by Søren Sveistrup
I've been adding more and more thrillers to my tbr. Last year, during #thrilleroctober I went on a thriller audiobook spree and loved it!! One of the books I read was the The Chestnut Man which reminded me a lot of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and Department Q. The tension was extremely high throughout the entire book. And besides the beginning, there wasn’t a boring minute in the entire book. On top of it the killer was fantastically unexpected.... Read More
How to Walk Away by Katherine Center
I’m the first to admit that I have a hard time picking up new to me authors. But boy, was I glad when I followed a personal recommendation and started this book. Without reading the blurb, I was immediately pulled into a story that was fascinating, touching and incredibly emotional.... Read More
The Girl He Used to Know by Tracey Garvis Graves
I've become quite picky when it comes to romance novels. Probably because I read too many during my lifetime. Either way, there are times when I DNF quite a few romance books, back to back, because they all start sounding the same to me. So, when I was stuck in a similar rut last year, and I picked up my copy of The Girl He Used to Know, I couldn't believe how fast I fell in love with the heroine and the story.... Read More
Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes
Ever since I saw the cover, I was intrigued. The blurb sounded fantastic and the reviews were amazing – there was no doubt I would be picking it up. I just had to decide on the format. Physical book or audiobook.... Read More
My favorite rom-com novels
I'm not the biggest rom-com reader, but I LOVE to laugh!! Always have! And although I don't actively search for rom-coms to read, when I come across one, I'm not going to say no.... Read More
THE DOWNSTAIRS GIRL BY STACEY LEE
Stacey Lee is a new to me author. And if I'm honest I picked the book mainly because it was a BOTM choice and the reviews looked really good. I ended up waiting for the audiobook, as it often happens with new to me authors and a genre that is not usually my strong suit. But I was really glad I did because the audiobook and the story were fabulous!... Read More
Well Met by Jen DeLuca
I still remember my first time at a Renaissance Faire. The atmosphere, the costumes, the actors (which I didn’t even know were actors) and the food. But especially the location, tugged away in a wooded area, path leading through it all, connecting areas and stages. It was EXACTLY as the author described in this book. The heat, the dust and grime, the feeling of getting transported into a different time. It was FABULOUS!!!... Read More
You’d Be Mine by Erin Hahn
Oh wow!!!! This book was way more than I expected. And it was so much more than I could have hoped for. I was feeling this giddiness, happiness, and an all around enchantment I haven’t felt in a long time.... Read More
If I’m Being Honest by Emily Wibberley, Austin Siegemund-Broka
If I'm being honest, I picked this mainly because of the title - lol, and the cover! It was my first book by this author couple, but it won't be my last.... Read More
May 2020 Bookish Goals | or in other words my MAYbe tbr
I don't usually make a monthly tbr anymore. I call them HOPEFULS or POSSIBILITIES, this month they are MAYbes. But I like to keep a yearly tbr, a book challenge for 2020, about all the books I like to read this year. Sometimes I clean it up a little when I lose interest in a book, but mostly I LOVE to be able to check books off the list.... Read More
Favorite April 2020 releases
April 2020 was a month of many great releases, and I personally can recommend five of them. There are actually a few more that have been released, but I haven't had the chance to read them yet. I hope I'll get to them soon.... Read More
The Switch by Beth O’Leary
I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say that this book was one of my most highly anticipated novels of the 2020. And boy, I'm now even more in love with the author's writing than I was after reading The Flatshare. This was such a heartwarming novel, with so many LOL moments but it was also surprisingly deep and thoughtful at times. Another winner for me!... Read More
Pretty Things by Janelle Brown
This was without a doubt a case "I couldn't take my eyes off the cover" and the blurb sealed the deal!! Gorgeous cover, a plot about con artists, and a setting like Lake Tahoe - a dream come true!! ... Read More
TWICE IN A BLUE MOON BY CHRISTINA LAUREN
It’s a sign of my devotion to all things Christina Lauren that I’m nowadays going blind into their books. I don’t need to read the blurb or know anything else except that it is a CL book. That’s all I need to be excited and incredibly happy to start a new Christian Lauren book.... Read More
THE HAPPY EVER AFTER PLAYLIST BY ABBY JIMENEZ
Last year's The Friend Zone was one of the hottest romance books of the year. UNFORTUNATELY I wasn't a huge fan of it. I thought it was just ok. I have a hate/love relationship with hyped books, they just don't OFTEN work for me. But that didn't keep me from trying The Happy Ever After Playlist, because you never know.... Read More
THE GRACE YEAR BY KIM LIGGETT
What a book!!! I don’t think this book is for everyone, but boy am I glad that I picked it up. This is for certain a book I won’t forget anytime soon. It’s being compared to the The Handmaid’s Tale and Lord of the Flies, and that alone should have been warning enough – lol.... Read More
April Wrap-Up / 2020
I think I'm not the only that feels like April was one strange month! But I can't really complain it was a GOOD reading month for me. I read 14 books PLUS the entire Kate Daniels series, which is another 10 books. There can't be any doubt that I didn't do much more this month than read.... Read More
A MADNESS OF SUNSHINE BY NALINI SINGH
I don't often read thrillers, more romantic suspense than thrillers, but when I found out Nalini Singh was writing one, I just had to read it. There were quite a few things I loved about this book.... Read More
REGRETTING YOU BY COLLEEN HOOVER
I've only read one book by Colleen Hoover so far, It Ends With Us, and it was an experience I was hesitant to repeat again. That book messed with my head and heart. So, ever since that time, I'm wary when it comes to her books.... Read More
WHERE THE LOST WANDER BY AMY HARMON
I've read MANY historical western romance over the years, and the plot for Where the Lost Wander isn't unique, it's actually a fairly typical plot about a hero that is both, white and Native Indian, and a wagon train going west. But what makes this book so fantastic is that the author took the basics of a classic historical western romance and turned it into a beautiful work of art.... Read More
A Bad Day for Sunshine by Darynda Jones
A long, long time ago, I found the author's Charley Davidson series, thanks to my library, and read the first few books until I lost interest. Yeah it happens. I wasn't into paranormal fantasy anymore at that point, and found myself neck deep in indie romance instead - that genre has no bottom, and I just recently resurfaced again. BUT as soon as I saw the author's name pop up on NetGalley I got more than a bit curious.... Read More
How I spectacularly failed my Netgalley Readathon
So, last week I decided to participate in a weeklong NetGalley Readathon hosted by The Library Looter & Anniek’s Library. I was in need of some NetGalley reading and thought the Readathon came at a perfect time. Unfortunately I failed spectacularly.... Read More
My Favorite Books / First Quarter 2020
I'm not someone that gives out 5 stars very often, and it usually is reserved to books that are special to me, moved me, and I can see myself reading again, which I've already proven by reading Wild at Heart a second time in two month.... Read More
MY LOVELY WIFE BY SAMANTHA DOWNING
Wow wow wow - this book was CRAZY!!!! I honestly couldn't believe all the twists and turns - which made it quite the entertaining read. Moreover I think I finally realized what I love about thrillers - it's definitely the shocks, and the OMGs.... Read More
THIRTEEN (EDDIE FLYNN #4) BY STEVE CAVANAGH
I've heard a lot about this book before I even picked it up. And the idea of the murderer sitting on the jury was the most intriguing aspect of all. I've read some great thrillers recently, The Whisper Man, The Chestnut Man and The Nanny during last year's #thrilleroctober and I enjoyed them all!! The genre is amazing for audiobooks. They really make you sit on the edge of the seat.... Read More
The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary
The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary I often lament that romance novels have started to feel the same to me after... Read More
THE SUN DOWN MOTEL BY SIMONE ST JAMES
This was another #bookstagrammademedoit kind of a deal. It was also a BOTM pick as can be seen in the photo, that means the #BOTM community talked about this book non-stop and I had a hard time escaping it - lol. On the other hand, Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James was my first book by this author, and it won't be my last.... Read More
The Love Story of Missy Carmichael by Beth Morrey
Honestly, if you put Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine and A Man Called Ove into the blurb of a book, I'll be definitely picking it up. I actually devoured the audiobook in three days. and it gave me all the feels I liked about the two above mentioned books. It was heart-warming, thoughtful, endearing, and moving. They call it a "coming-of-old" old story, and it fits, it was a celebration of life, even when the GOOD years have gone by.... Read More
SMOKE BITTEN BY PATRICIA BRIGGS
Getting a new Patricia Briggs novel is a highlight. A once in a year experience. Something that needs to be savored and enjoyed to the fullest. There aren't that many UF authors I adore and can rely on for excellent storytelling. Patricia Briggs is one of the BEST!... Read More
Look the Part by Jewel E Ann
This book deserves 6 stars!! I was literally blown away by this novel. It was my first book by Jewel E. Ann but it won't be my last. This book was just A M A Z I N G!! (and it's one of those re-reads that only get better with each time. Now years later, this book is still one of the BEST romance novels I read in years)... Read More
BORN A CRIME: STORIES FROM A SOUTH AFRICAN CHILDHOOD BY TREVOR NOAH // AUDIOBOOK REVIEW
I went into this book blind. I didn't know anything about Trevor Noah except for him being a TV show host. All I knew was that this book got glowing reviews, and the audiobook was lauded as amazing. As part of this year's bookish goals, I have been picking up more non-fiction reads throughout the year. Honestly I couldn't have picked a better one to start with.... Read More
DAISY JONES & THE SIX BY TAYLOR JENKINS REID
Daisy Jones & The Six – Taylor Jenkins Reid is a gripping novel about the whirlwind rise of an iconic 1970s rock group and their beautiful lead singer, revealing the mystery behind their infamous breakup. Daisy Jones & The Six was my first book by Taylor Jenkins Reid. And it also was the BEST audiobook I ever listened to.... Read More
My 2020 Book Challenge
Every December I'm looking forward to the many new books that are being released in the following 12 month. I make lists, pick challenges, which I rarely stick to, but the making of lists is one of my favorite things to do next to reading. Next to tracking how man books I read, thanks Goodreads, I want to challenge myself to read more books outside of my go to genres.... Read More
MINOR DRAMAS & OTHER CATASTROPHES BY KATHLEEN WEST
I love finding new authors, and when I saw the cover and read the blurb of Minor Dramas & Other Catastrophes by Kathleen West I knew I would be adding this one to my tbr. I received the ebook from the publisher, but decided to wait for the audiobook from the library instead, since I was going through a book slump. As always, Julia Whelan did an amazing job narrating this book.... Read More
Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren
I don't usually go for women's fiction. Two of my criteria are a guaranteed happy ending and romance or at least a love story. That's just how I roll. So I was beyond excited and ecstatic when I received a galley from the publisher, but I also was nervous. I shouldn't have been, but it feels wrong if I didn't at least mention it. Now, for the last three days, I lived for coming home after work to pick up Love and Other Words. I can hardly describe the way this book made me feel.... Read More
The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren
Almost with amazing regularity, this author couple writes some of THE BEST couples in contemporary romance. So far, I’ve adored all of them, and Olive and Ethan are one of their best to date. This is real talent. Creating characters that mesh so well with each other, that it feels effortless.... Read More
SHE SAID: BREAKING THE SEXUAL HARASSMENT STORY THAT HELPED IGNITE A MOVEMENT BY JODI KANTOR, MEGAN TWOHEY
Ever since reading Bad Blood and watching Spotlight I have been in awe of great journalism. She Said was a wonderful addition, and a must read book, especially since, like Bad Blood, the article that started it all, was only recently published, October 5th 2017. Interestingly enough, there was another journalist that worked on the same topic, Ronan Farrow, who wrote for The New Yorker , and published his article a few days later, on October 10th. I haven't read his article yet, but I'm going to read his book Catch and Kill: Lies, Spies, and a Conspiracy to Protect Predators next. Both Jodi Kantor, Megan Twohey as well as Ronan Farrow won the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service for their journalism about Weinstein.... Read More
The Foxhole Court – Nora Sakavic
I’m OBSESSED with this series. There is really no other way to describe my state of mind. I started googling characters when I was just 30% into the book. That’s when I found fan art by @llstarcasterll, and was a GONER! I even commissioned this piece for myself.... Read More
Books & More – April edition
This series is dedicated to catching you up on what's going on behind the scenes of The Browneyed Bookworm. All the things, big or small, that might not get their own blog post. Like regular book news, book hauls, TV & movies I'm currently watching, what I'm reading or listening to, and anything else I would like to chat about. It's a way for me to catch you up on everything that happened - and anything goes.... Read More
Netgalley Readathon
I just came across this NetGalley challenge by The Library Looter & Anniek's Library and I thought it couldn't have come at a better moment in time. Here in California we are still having a mandatory Shelter in Place, that means I actually have time to read.... Read More
