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A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

February 6, 2020 by Steph Leave a Comment

This post contains affiliate links you can use to purchase the book. If you buy the book using that link, I will receive a small commission from the sale.

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. MaasA Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
Published by Bloomsbury USA Children's Buy for Kindle | Buy in hardcover | Buy in paperback
Goodreads

A thrilling, seductive new series from New York Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas, blending Beauty and the Beast with faerie lore.
When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.
As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it . . . or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.
Perfect for fans of Kristin Cashore and George R. R. Martin, this first book in a sexy and action-packed new series is impossible to put down!

So, I wanted to love this book. When I finished it, I did love this book, in fact. But the more I thought about it after I finished, the more iffy I got about it. (Maybe this is a sign of a good book, though. I was thinking about it after I finished it, so that should count for something?)

First, the plot borrowed heavily from Beauty & the Beast. (Not necessarily the Disney franchise, btw.) There were times it was distracting because of this. I kept making little checkmarks on my “Was this in Beauty & the Beast” list. I don’t mind stories having similar plots to old favorites, so it wasn’t a huge problem, but I feel like people should be aware of this upfront.

Second, there’s a scene midway that breaks the book into halves, and it seems like during that scene, the author sort of switched courses a bit. The second half of the book felt like a completely different book altogether. It wasn’t necessarily a bad course correction, but it felt a little abrupt and jarring.

Toward the end of the book, it honestly felt a bit like she was up against a deadline and had to get it done. (I’m assuming this is because it’s a series, and she needed a break point.) And the ending left me with more than a few questions which I’m hoping are going to be answered in the next books.

Also, the character development was a little dicey at times. Authors sometimes forget we’re not in their heads, so we do need a little exposition or explanation. Overall, though, I enjoyed the characters a lot. I felt like it was a new, fresh take on an old story, and the characters were endearing for the most part.

All in all, this book was a solid, fun read. The author is good at “showing not telling,” and that goes a long way to making a good read, I think. (She’s a storyteller who writes well, and that’s a rare commodity. I’m a huge fan of folks who tell stories instead of writers who are writing, if that makes sense.)

I’m definitely not mad I spent time on it like I have been with other books. (Those reviews are coming, I swear!) I plan on reading the next novel in the series, and provided it’s at least as good as this one, I’ll likely read the last of this trilogy.

So, have you read this book/series? What were your thoughts?

Note: apparently reworking classic fairy tales is kind of this author’s thing. Good to know.

Filed Under: Reviews Tagged With: new adult, paranormal romance, urban fantasy, young adult

6 Apps to Help You Conquer the World (or at least your day)

May 4, 2018 by Steph Leave a Comment

This week is all about apps or software to help us get shit DONE. From upping my direct sales game to helping me center myself, these are the apps I’m digging most and, more importantly, the ones I think you’ll find wicked helpful, too. They’re not sorted in any particular order, by the way. (In other words, don’t ask me to pick a favorite because I love them all. 😂)

  1. Perspective App – I wanted a quick little journaling app to help me be more aware of when I’m doing things that help me feel like I’m living my best life v. things I’m doing because I think I should or because they’re a bad habit or whatever. This definitely fit the bill. There are prompts for times you might be stuck, and it really does help you track your moods, habits, etc. Plus, it’s free**!
  2. 365 Gratitude app – as you probably know, I run a daily gratitude group on FB. I try to remember to post there daily, but I fall down sometimes. So I was SUPER HAPPY when my friend, Amber Rodham Keating, suggested this app. (P.S. Buy her husband’s movie. It’s a favorite thing this week, but since it’s not an app, it didn’t make the list.)
  3. FIITFU – Y’all, I love my direct sales business. I REALLY love my customers, but my brain is addled with the ADHD, so follow up is a real struggle for me. Enter FIITFU (Fortune Is In The Follow Up). Now I’m not gonna lie and say this thing is perfect because hoo boy, it’s not. But is it the best thing going for direct sellers? Absolutely YES. Has it improved my follow up game by leaps and bounds? FUCK. YES. Plus, you can do a month-long free trial, so what do you have to lose?
  4. Trello – I don’t even know how to start to explain the glory of Trello. It’s kind of like if Pinterest and Evernote had a baby. Except better. Man, just go check it out!
  5. Text Expander – I don’t know how I lived without this, tbh. If you have a Mac or iPhone, you already know about creating text shortcuts for commonly used phrases, and this is like that, except ON STEROIDS. (And it works on all apps on my Mac, unlike the native text expansion which Google Chrome refuses to recognize.) The autocorrect feature is also an upgrade from Mac’s native app. If you’re a direct seller doing Facebook parties, you can create each of your party posts in this app and only have to do a few keystrokes to have your posts entered. So long 3rd party posting services which might or might not work this week!
  6. ThinkUp – this app has been a favorite for a while now. You create your own affirmations in YOUR VOICE (which is important because your subconscious will listen to you more than some random voice). They say it best – “bring yourself to the next level.”

So, do you use any of these apps? What’s on your list of favorites?

**All these apps are free or free to try.

Filed Under: General Tagged With: be nice to yourself, direct sales, Friday Favorites, love yourself, self-help, there's an app for that

Friday Favorites: 5 Products to Make Your Life Easier

April 20, 2018 by Steph Leave a Comment


We’re all looking for stuff to make our lives easier without spending a ton of money; right? These five products are all under $26, and I use them daily so I can vouch for their usefulness. Without further ado, here’s my list:

1. These heat sealers have come in so. flipping. handy. when it comes to resealing bags of all kinds. If you’re tired of having stale chips, these are for you. (I would NEVER tell you to use these to reseal your Color Street strips because that is not recommended for our products, but if you DID use them for that, I wouldn’t rat you out.)
2. This handbag organizer is my new favorite thing. It can go skinny to fit into my Luci bag or wide to fit my Kate Spade. It gives everything a place in whatever bag I carry, and that sings to me in ways I can’t even explain.
3. This purple shampoo is fantastic if you’re a silver fox like me. (Blondes, this is for you, too.) Even when I use it every time I wash my hair, it doesn’t do that weird blue tint thing some other purple shampoos have done, but it DOES get rid of any brassiness.
4. This water bottle is LIFE. At 64 oz, it holds the daily recommended amount of water. (I fill it twice, though.) So you know you’re getting your hydration needs met. With only ONE trip to the ice maker.
5. The lid that goes with the water bottle in #4 should probably count as a sub-item, but whatever. Since you have to buy it separately, it’s a separate item; OKAY? (It’s worth the extra $$, I swear.)

So there you have it – my current favorites. What’s on your list? Do you have any of these yourself?

P.S. When it’s legal in my state, my 4/20 Favorites will look TOTALLY different. 😀

Filed Under: General Tagged With: advice, be nice to yourself, Friday Favorites, love yourself, pampering life

Four (FREE!) Books to Help You on Your Self-Care Journey

April 10, 2018 by Steph Leave a Comment

It’s been a while since I’ve done a free books post, and I thought it would be fun to do one involving titles about self-care. While I have downloaded all of these, I am in the process of reading them myself, so I cannot vouch for them as of yet, but they were the most highly reviewed, so I took some chances.

So, here we are with the list already:
1. Self-Care for Activists: A Guide to Clearing Yourself of Trauma While Working for a Better World
2. The Self-Care Revolution: smart habits & simple practices to allow you to flourish
3. The 5 Phase Shift: A Self-Care Guide for Women Who Want to Have It All
4. Rooted in Purpose: Overcoming Self-doubt and Pursuing Your Life’s Calling

So, which of these do you think you’ll try? Let me know in the comments!

P.S. As usual, these books were listed as free at the time this article was published, but prices are subject to change without notice, so CHECK THE PRICE before you hit that buy button, please!

Filed Under: Books Tagged With: be kind to yourself, be nice to yourself, free books, self-care, self-help, self-love, take care of yourself

Tips to Stay Motivated

February 12, 2018 by Steph Leave a Comment

Today kicks off the Seven Day Kindness challenge, but I’m not going to delve into that too much because you can get all those details in the best Facebook group ever. But this challenge has gotten me thinking about motivation and how to get it and keep it because I gotta tell y’all, as much as I want to be kind, my petty side wins out a lot. So how am I going to keep motivated through all this?

...as much as I want to be kind, my petty side wins out a lot.Click To Tweet

1. I’ve stated a public intention to be kinder. So now I’ve got folks watching me and I don’t want to let them down. (Or prove the haters right. Heh.)

2. I’m not in it alone. By having a group of friends who are in this with me, I have a support system for the days when I just don’t want to be kind, dammit. They can help me get back on track.

3. I dumped the “all or nothing” mindset. If I slip, no big deal. Just try again. Eventually, enough tries to do the thing will turn into a habit of just doing the thing.

4. I’ve got my “why” solidly in place, and I’ve put up little reminders all over the place to help me remember I want to feel more aligned with my best self.

So what about you? Do you have any motivation tips or tricks to share? Hit the comments and do tell.

Filed Under: Positive Mindset Tagged With: advice, be nice to yourself, believe in you, how to, love yourself

Free Book of the Day: I Bring the Fire series.

January 5, 2018 by Steph Leave a Comment

This post contains affiliate links you can use to purchase the book. If you buy the book using that link, I will receive a small commission from the sale.

Free Book of the Day: I Bring the Fire series.by C. Gockel
Published by Amazon Digital Services Buy for Kindle
Goodreads
four-half-stars

Sometimes the hero is the wrong guy at the right time.

When Amy Lewis prays for a savior, Loki Norse God of Mischief and Chaos isn’t who she has in mind. Loki can’t resist Amy’s summons, but he can insist she help him outwit Odin, ruler of the Nine Realms. Can Amy trust a so-called God of Mischief? With a powerful evil calling him from beneath the city's streets, can Loki even trust himself?

This box set contains the first three installments of I Bring the Fire plus In the Balance. It is perfect for fans of The Dresden Files, American Gods, and Terry Pratchett.

So, my IDKBFF, Missy, introduced me to this series a while back, and I really, really loved it. Enough so that I bought the rest of the series, and y’all. I don’t buy books very often. There are entirely too many free options. (As you know since you’re here grabbing a free book right now!)

It’s a modern take on Norse mythology (with a little bit of Hinduism and maybe some Buddhism thrown in), and it’s also pretty damn sexy. (It’s not really erotica, though. At least not in my opinion. Just a good ol’ action romance. Is that a thing? It is now.) Since I don’t do spoilers, how about just read the books?

Also, let’s establish right now most of what I read and review will be rated M for Mature. I’ll note it when a book is okay for younger kids, but that’s not really my thing. Maybe I could get Tricia to write reviews? Hmm…

ANYWAY, please let me know what you think. Don’t be scared; Missy and I won’t come to your house and demand you explain yourself if you hate it. Well, probably we won’t.

four-half-stars

Filed Under: Reviews Tagged With: buy more books, daily free books, free books, free Kindle books, Friday Favorites

Free Book of the Day: Karma.

January 4, 2018 by Steph Leave a Comment

This post contains affiliate links you can use to purchase the book. If you buy the book using that link, I will receive a small commission from the sale.

This book may be unsuitable for people under 17 years of age due to its use of sexual content, drug and alcohol use, and/or violence.
Free Book of the Day: Karma.Karma by Donna Augustine
Buy for Kindle | Buy in paperback
Goodreads

People say karma's a...well, you know. Personally, I don't think I'm that bad. It's not like I wanted this job. I wasn't even in my right mind when I accepted the position.
Now, I'm surrounded by crazy coworkers like Lady Luck, who's a bit of a tramp, and Murphy's Law, who's a bumbling oaf. But the worst is Fate. He's got a problem with transfers like myself, and I have to see him constantly. It's unavoidable. We're hunting the same man—my murderer.

So, I’m going to switch things up a little around here. Rather than just throwing a bunch of free books at you and hoping one sticks, I’m going to offer one free book I’ve actually read. That way you know you’re getting a solid recommendation instead of just a shitload more books to add to your TBR pile. Also, it’s self-preservation, y’all. My TBR shelf on Goodreads is getting out of control.

This was one of the very first free books I got, and I LOVE it. The whole series is actually pretty good (but not free!). Since I’m not about the spoiler life, I’m not going to go into huge detail about the plot. Overview: Karma is a real person who has to work with other anthropomorphized concepts like Fate, Luck, etc.

It’s a fun, light read for ADULTS. I don’t recall it being filled with loads of graphic sex scenes, but there were definitely some sexy scenes. Violence wasn’t a major issue, either, but again – it was present. So maybe don’t use this as a chapter book for your fourth grader is what I’m saying here. But hey, you do you.

Please let me know what YOU think; I’d love to steer toward books y’all will love. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’ll be happy to the boss of you, but you know, it’s okay to speak up is what I’m saying.

Filed Under: Reviews Tagged With: magic, paranormal romance, urban fantasy

Free Books for January 2, 2018

January 2, 2018 by Steph Leave a Comment

Hello again! Look! More free books! I went pretty heavy on the Sci Fi/Fantasy today. Mostly because that’s the mood I’m in. Which is basically how I run my entire life…which probably explains a lot about my life, doesn’t it?

ANYWAY. I’ve decided on Fridays I’ll start reviewing one of the freebies featured in that week’s Monday post. I’ll highlight which book in the Monday post. That way if you want to read it, too, you’ll have some time. If that’s not enough time, then just skip it. It will be okay, I promise. Pinky swear, even.

Now, without further ado, here are today’s free books.

Free Books 1.2.2018

As always, CHECK THE PRICES before you click the buy button as they are subject to change without notice, and while I will sympathize with you over your giant book bill, I will not be responsible for it, friend.

Also, please feel free to let me know what you think of any given selection. If you want to offer input on books to be reviewed, I’m open to that. (I’m also open to review submissions because hey, why not?) Just hit me up in the comments. 🙂

Filed Under: Books Tagged With: buy more books, daily free book list, daily free books, free books, free Kindle books

Happy New Year 2018!

January 1, 2018 by Steph Leave a Comment

Hey, I hope you had a fantastic New Year’s Eve and are feeling sufficiently chipper to have a wonderful New Year’s Day. If you’re still recovering, here – have some free books to help ease you back into the land of the living. If you’re already on top of your game, here – have some free books to keep your momentum going. Basically, I’m saying “HERE! HAVE SOME FREE BOOKS!” because free books are always the answer, right?

Free Books 1.1.18

Anyway, as usual, my choices are arbitrary AF, so who knows if they’re any good or not. (But stay tuned – later this week, I’ll be offering up some opinions along with all the freebies. AWW YEAAHHHH.) And? CHECK THE PRICE before you hit that “Buy Now” button as the prices are subject to change without notice. (I’m still mad about that $.99 I spent a few weeks ago. Okay, not really.)

And please, let me know if you’ve found your new favorite author (or genre or book), wouldja? Thanks, friend!

Filed Under: Books Tagged With: buy more books, daily free book list, daily free books, free books, free Kindle books

Black Friday Favorites: 2017 Edition

November 24, 2017 by Steph Leave a Comment

Hey, hi! I hope your Thanksgiving was amazing, and I hope you’ve found good deals on the items on your list. Hopefully, you’ll find a few more right here. These are a few of my favorite things which also happen to be on sale today. WAHOOOOOO.

1. Kindle Paperwhite. I bought mine in April of 2016 (according to Amazon’s records, like if I would remember this on my own HA!), and I’ve used it almost daily ever since. While the science is shaky about whether or not e-readers are better for your eyes, I will offer my anecdotal experience – I much prefer reading on my Kindle than my phone. Maybe it’s the way it’s lit or the matte screen. I dunno, man. But I love my Paperwhite. (And please know if they’d offered a Black Friday special on the Kindle Oasis, I might very well have had to upgrade. Maybe Cyber Monday?)

2. My Instant Pot. Y’all. I use this sucker nearly every day, as well. Now while I might have gotten it last Black Friday, it took me a little while (and some encouragement from my friend, Cait, who has some amazing IP recipes) to get over my fear of blowing up the house and actually use it. Since then, though? I can’t imagine life without it. I forgot to thaw out the chicken AGAIN? No problem. The IP can cook it from frozen and usually just as quickly as if I’d remembered to thaw it! I can make black beans FROM THE BAG in just over an hour. WHAT? Get yourself one of these. You can thank me later.
Related: the 8 qt has a freaking AMAZING deal for Black Friday, and this 6 qt LUX is also on sale so if you don’t foresee wanting to adjust the pressure on recipes, this might be the one for you.

3. Fitbit Flex 2. I’m not doing 40K steps/day like some of my friends, but I AM doing more steps because I like getting badges and shit for hitting goals. So, if you’re looking to get a headstart on your New Year’s resolutions, you could do worse than getting yourself one of these guys. ($40 off. I’m kind of mad I don’t need another one.)

So, those are my big three Black Friday favorites. What are some of yours?

Filed Under: General Tagged With: Black Friday sale, Friday Favorites

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Hi, I’m Steph!

I'm reading books (mostly) from Kindle Unlimited so you don't have to...unless they're awesome and well-worth your valuable reading time.

You're welcome. 😂

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