X

FragrantBooks Blog

Following my heart, one book at a time...

You are here: Home / News / eBook Deals / Friday Finds & Reader Recommendations – 07-31-2020

Friday Finds & Reader Recommendations – 07-31-2020

By 26 Comments

HAPPY FRIDAY!!! We’ve found a bunch of great reads AND a few surprise new releases that just went live like that one to the left!!

And… Tasha brings us our exciting book news of the day, as well as a recommendation, so I’m starting us off with that one. 😀

Tasha J: Hey, I read Our Chemical Hearts years ago and absolutely loved it. I remember once recommending Bev read it too. That was back when we were reading YA.  Anyway, it’s a movie now, coming August 21 and the trailer just released. Thought I’d share.

TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT WE FOUND FOR THE WEEKEND :D !!

And…

  • One Hot Italian Summer by Karina Halle <— KARINA HALLE ALERT!!! She’s staying in Tuscany to write her next book… until the owner of the house shows up!!! GASP!! “…At first the villa is a dream come true for Grace – that is until Claudio Romano shows up one day with his ten-year old son, Vanni, in tow. Turns out, this is Claudio’s house, and Claudio happens to be her agent’s ex-husband from long ago. Thanks to their annual father and son bonding trip being cancelled, Claudio and Vanni are here to stay. So is Grace. With the three of them sharing the same house, Grace’s writing plans are thrown out the window...”
  • Ritual: A New Adult College Romance (Palm South University Book 5) by Kandi Steiner
  • Our Chemical Hearts by Krystal Sutherland <— AND HERE’S TASHA J’S INITIAL RECOMMENDATION from back in 2016!!!

Tasha J: Ok, I just finished Our Chemical Hearts by Krystal Sutherland and oh my goodness, I LOVED it!!! I’m pretty sure it’s a “Bev” book. I think I saw on goodreads you had it marked as to-read, Bev, so I say read it please!! Of course I love John Green’s work also, and it did totally have that feel.

It’s entirely in Henry’s point of view and I know that’s a turn off for you Amy, but I bet even you would like it! And he’s got the two awesome, quirky, funny, have your back best friends. And his love interest, Grace is a complete hot mess, that’s all I’ll say on that.

But, there’s also angst, and heartbreak, and mystery, and beauty so it had all the feels and for me, the ending was perfect!

Theresa: Hi Maryse, I was wondering if you have had the chance to read any of Jessica Gadziala’s books?  I have enjoyed her Henchmen MC series, the Mallicks, and the Professionals series. There are definitely triggers which she has posted on her website.  I hope you get the chance to read her books.

Jennifer: How am I not seeing the After series in your reviews?!? Talk about life changing. I was a causal reader, usually only picking up books for the summer to bring by the beach or pool. That has all changed. I have read more books in the last 60 days then the last 6 years- no kidding!

The after series about Hardin and Tessa completely and utterly swept me away. It’s a reality I never want to leave which is how I stumbled on your website and found Beautiful Disaster. Beautiful and After Series are soo similar however After is a little more steamy.

Working on the other reads you mentioned. Not sure which one to start with, feel like I’m still feeling the loss of Travis and Hardin, but I am ordering several on your list and hoping they bring me back to life.

Liz: I just read captive, it was amazing thanks for the recommendation.

Maryse: YAY LIZ!!! Thank you for letting us know you loved it too!!!!

  • Flock (The Ravenhood Duet Book 1) by Kate Stewart  <— KATE STEWART’S LATEST IS BACK ON THE LIST ‘CAUSE OUR FELLOW READERS ARE LOVING IT! “...That’s the novelty of fiction versus reality. You can’t re-live your own love story, because by the time you’ve realized you’re living it, it’s over. At least that was the case for me and the men I trusted my foolish heart to.⁣ Looking back, I’m convinced I willed my story into existence due to my illness.⁣ And all were punished…”

Marissa: It’s incredible!!

Layne: Completely agree! It was amazing. I couldn’t put it down!

  • Violence (Antihero Inferno Book 3) by Lily White <— LILY WHITE’S LATEST IS LIVE!! OH MY THIS ONE SOUNDS LIKE ALL SORTS OF TROUBLE!!! 🤭😬😁 “...He’s one of a pair. Identical twin to Damon. And an enforcer for the Inferno if one is ever needed. I knew better than to get involved with him. With his aggression. With the constant fights. With the games the twins were known to play with every woman stupid enough to fall for them. We made a mistake when we met again as adults. I fell in love. He fell in love. His brother fell in love, too…”

Erica: It’s killing me not to start it now but I almost missed deadlines because of the last two books! 😫 I totally plan of spending my Friday night with this book!!

Maryse: This one gave me the biggest blurb jolt of all three of ’em. Sounds like it’s gonna hurt!!!

  • JR recommends THESE two:

JR: I just read 2 books this last week that were both very different but very good! First was The Rivalsby Vi Keeland. It was a sexy enemies to lovers story. I loved Sophia and Weston.

The second was The Last Flight by Julie Clark. Not a romance but a thriller that kept me guessing until the end. I recommend both if you are trying to decide what to read next!

Maryse: OMG I AM DYING to read The Last Flight!!! That is the ultimate blurb jolt and I can’t imagine where it even goes, but I bet it’s exciting!!

Mony: Going back to my romance book roots… Jill Shalvis. I think I’ve read about 20 of her books! Rainy Day Friends (Wildstone, #2). This book surrounds you with the warmth of a family running a winery, making you feel cozy, while telling the tale of a woman finding her bearings & getting to know a gorgeous book boyfriend cop. 4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Leslie M: Mony, I read a ton of Jill Shalvis too! My fave are the first 3 of the Lucky Harbor series. I adore romances that have sub-plots with siblings.

Mony: Next up was Kristy Marie’s Commander in Briefs series. New author for me. After loving her book, IOU, I wanted to try more. Started with Gorgeous (Book #2)…about a war vet and a young woman…it’s an intense, warm, enemies-to-lover, slow burn story. 4⭐⭐⭐⭐

Then on to Commander (book #1… I know…should have started with this one!) Not quite as good as the other but the connection between Theo, a pro ball player, and Anniston – friends to hot lovers – is intense…compelling (and it sets up the series). What I’ve really loved about the series so far is Anniston’s love & energy…how she takes in 6 sexy Marine vets and helps them in each book, & the dialogue which can turn into ” hot sexy irreverent”…what is that you say?…hmm read the book LOL 3 -3.5 ⭐⭐⭐

Drifter & Interpreter are next up.

Mony: Last, The Man She Married by Allison James. I needed a book with gem on the cover for a challenge read & randomly picked this one up. I don’t read suspense/thrillers but this was just right. Story about a wife whose husband dies…then it becomes very complicated as she tries to pull together puzzle pieces about him. Great appearances by a private detective character…stayed up late to finish 🙂 4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Michelle: I’ve just finished Colin Jost’s “A Very Punchable Face”. I have been struggling with romance reads lately; I would  start one but then find it just isn’t holding my interest; then try another with the same feeling. So, when this book came out I decided to read it, (I love late night talk shows/SNL) and loved it.

His stories are so funny, he didn’t seem to care that he was making fun of himself. I laughed through the whole book; finding it hard not to laugh when I was reading at night next to my  sleeping DH.

So, if you need a change to what you are reading, give this a try. And if you need a little romance, he mentions his fiance a few times too!

AUDIOBOOK L:DVERS!

  • ➔➔ Not a member of Audible yet? Get a free 30 day audible trial (which includes 1 free audiobook + 2 audible originals)
  • ➔➔ AND! Audiobook Matchmaker!! <— Find out which of YOUR Kindle books are available as audiobooks at a BARGAIN-PRICE! This is how it works. Click on that link & Amazon will show you all of your Kindle books that are also available as an audiobook at a seriously discounted price. This way, you can switch back and forth, seamlessly between your ebooks and your audiobooks. VERY COOL!
  • ➔➔ Audible now has an “Escape” package membership (30 day free trial) – used to be called the “Romance” package <— this one is SO cool, and worth it (unlimited listening for all of the audiobooks in the program, and there are tons – kind of like Kindle Unlimited)!!
  • ➔➔ And… if you’re not an audible member yet, you can get the first 4 months for 46% off this summer!!!

and…

Michele G: I really loved His & Hers! It was great in audio too fyi.

Tasha J: Alice wrote Sometimes I Lie, which I have, and I’ll get to someday 😂, but it was hugely popular and I’ve heard really great this about His & Hers. I think I saw Michele read it too and raved about it.

PREORDERS (going live soon!!! 😀 )

➔➔➔  Get Maryse’s Book Blog updates delivered by email (you’ll get one daily email that will have each post from that day consolidated on it).

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
26 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Leslie M

Good morning! I had typed really long comment then it disappeared. Grrrrr

I hope everyone staying safe from hurricane.

I’m still trying to perk myself up and figure out dinner. Also going to try to read. My current book is Never Enough by Kelly Elliott

Reply
Maryse

I think I’m starting “Clayton” right now. Gonna break from my horror-murder mystery. I’m in the mood for angst. I think. Eeeeep.

Reply
Tasha J

Hah!! I totally blushed reading that comment. That was so long ago! I miss being that excited about a book though.

Reply
Maryse

LOL!! I know it… some still do that to me. Tarryn Fishers for sure… and Colleen’s. And psych-thrillers!! LOL!! Horror too, but only if it’s super-scary. OH I LOVE THAT.

Oh and… maybe Clayton which is what I’m starting today. We’ll see…

Reply
Tasha J

Yea, it’s been a long time since I’ve reeeally felt it though. Too long, probably the beginning of the year. That’s when I thought I had my reading groove back and this was gonna be my year. 😏 And yep, they were thrillers!
Now, I just dk what I’m in the mood for. My focus has been crap so I’m hardly trying cuz I know it’s useless. I got a bunch of samples recently. But actually reading them is too challenging. Could be a distraction/time thing as well.
But, to brighten my mood? Pre-fall weather today!! 70, chill in the air, the smells are there, leggings and tee shirt, got my hot Autumn twilight latte. *sigh* It’s wonderful. I actually talked my Mom into chili and hot dogs over the fire at the camper tonight to really set the mood. 😂

Reply
Tasha J

I picked The Unraveling of Cassidy Holmes for my Book of the Month, and added The Guest List. I couldn’t decide between that add on or The Night Swim and then I remembered my castle getaway and thought The Guest List fit.

Reply
Michele G

I just finished The Night Swim….it was very good!

Reply
Michele G

Maryse….read Flock!!

Reply
Tasha J

Flock is one of my samples 😀

Reply
Michele G

Yay Tasha! Can you tell how much I loved it? Lol

Reply
Leslie M

MIDNIGHT SUN!!!!!!!!

*happy dance times infinity*

Reply
Tasha J

I am looking forward to this too!

Reply
Maryse

I CAN’T WAIT!!!!!!!!!!!

Reply
Jan

I’ve started reading News of The World by Paulette Jiles. Set in 1870s US Old West. Not a romance. An old guy who makes his living moving around reading newspapers and bringing news of the world to little Western towns. He takes on the task of returning to her family a ten year old white girl who was captured by Indians when she was little and has forgotten even how to speak English. It kinda has that True Grit feel. Or maybe Lonesome Dove. I truly loved the book of Lonesome Dove. This one is much shorter, but I’m liking it so far. Quality writing, and something different if you want a change from romance, which I do now and then.

Reply
mony

Jan,

That sounds like a wonderful read! I’ll have to look it up.
Sounds like it has some common themes with Carry the World by Susan Fanetti…about the pack librarian…that story is still staying with me….

I’m new to Western historical fiction and love how it brings in all the senses for the reader…you can almost imagine the grit on your skin & in your hair from riding, the smells of campfire, sights of mountains and brush, rough clothes and bedding… Don’t think I get that effect from any other book genre. 🙂

Reply
JulieO

Jan
My Dad loved LONESOME DOVE. Both book and mini series. I also did and read a lot of Larry McMurty books. My Dad bugged me till I read them also so we could talk about them. Of course he was a big Louis LaMoure (sp?) fan also. A year or two before he passed he read a lot of C J Box’s books about a sheriff in Montana or Wyoming (present day). I always called them western mysteries. He always got his man.

I miss my Dad!

Reply
mony

JulieO…so lucky to have a great dad like that…plus to have him pass on the gift of reading 💞🎈

Reply
mony

☀️☀️One Hot Italian Summer by Karina Halle looks amazing! On my TBR list! ☀️☀️

Reply
JulieO

Please let me know how it is. For the next couple of months I’m only reading books that have gotten good reviews on this blog. I have so many books on my TBR thank goodness for KU and “sample this book”.
Happy reading Mony you’ve given me some good recommendations.

BTW…both my parents were readers. My mother taught me to read before I started school. I started school when I was 4. I was actually reading JANET LAMBERT and also the BOXCAR CHILDREN in 2nd grade. My teachers didn’t know what to do with me. They just let me read what I wanted whenever reading was taught. My parents always got in bed at night turned their bedside lights on and read before they went to sleep. So I did the same and still do to this day. Then my sister came along and she hated reading. They had no idea what to do with her! Years later she was diagnosed with dyslexia. To this day she hates to read. Don’t know what I would do if I couldn’t read.

Reply
Maryse

It sounds so much like me and my mom when I was little… and my teachers too, for that matter. I remember in grade one (or 2?), reading from a children’s book and my teacher was so impressed that I understood to read with inflection and change the voices for the characters.

My favorite time of the year were the read-a-thons and I always won prizes for it.

Reply
JulieO

Maryse
When I was in 4th grade we went on a family vacation to Colorado. At the time I was reading GONE WITH THE WIND and my dad got mad at me and told me to put the book down and look at the scenery. And I remember saying “but Dad the Yankees are coming and it is getting really good.” My mom was just cracking up in the front seat. I hardly remember any of that vacation other than GONE WITH THE WIND. For years that was a big joke in our family. Whenever someone couldn’t do something they could be heard say that the Yankees were coming.

Reply
Maryse

LOL!!!!!!!! I LOVE THAT!!! 😂😂😂

Reply
Milissa

what was the Amazon prime first pick books?

Reply
Tasha J

https://www.amazon.com/firstreads

Reply
Tasha J

I snagged Girl Gone Mad. I was actually a little intrigued by the crime fiction though, and Find Layla has a few good reviews on GR. If I was in the mood for heavy, that one may have got me.

Reply
Maryse

That’s the one I got too!!

Reply