#6Degrees of Separation #2 – March 2024

I’ve seen this meme on several book blogs I follow, so I thought I would join in to keep up my blogging this year.

This is a monthly link-up hosted by KateW at Books Are My Favourite and Best. Each month a book is chosen as a starting point and linked to six other books to form a chain. A book doesn’t need to be connected to all the other books on the list, only to the one next to it in the chain. The rules are:

Link the books together in any way you like.
Provide a link in your post to the meme at Books Are My Favourite and Best.
Share these rules in your post.
Paste the link to your post in the comments on Kate’s post and/or the Linky Tool on that post.
Invite your blog readers to join in and paste their links in the comments and/or the Linky Tool.
Share your post on Twitter using the #6Degrees hashtag.
Be nice! Visit and comment on other posts and/or retweet other #6Degrees posts.

This month’s task was to start with the book Tom Lake by Ann Patchett. I haven’t read this and it’s not on my TBR list so I’ve decided to link the first book with the word LAKE in the title. I was thinking of going with a name in the title, but Lake won the toss.

The Cottage at Whisper Lake by Phillipa Nefri Clark, I loved this book, part mystery, part romance. It was such a great read.

I am going with a lake being a body of water and so is a river, my next book is The Vet from Snow River by Stella Quinn. This is one of my #backlistreads for this year, a very overdue read which has been waiting 3 years for me to read it.

Continuing with the body of water theme, the next book I am linking is Galaxies and Oceans by N.R Walker, this is set on Kangaroo Island off the coast of South Australia, and this was an emotional read that I really enjoyed.

Continuing with the body of water theme I am choosing Jewel Sea by Kim Kelly, I’m only partway through this book, but I know it’s going to be a fabulous read, it’s also set in my home state of Western Australia. It is about a pearl that comes with a curse and a warning.

I’m going in a completely different direction to the one I had planned, but my next book is P is for Pearl by Eliza Henry-Jones, set in Tasmania, it is an absolutely beautiful and moving story (see my review), one I would like to revisit.

My next book is one I’ve had on my Kindle for a while and we jump across an ocean to visit New Zealand, it might be time to read it. Charlie and Pearl by Tammy Robinson. Apparently, this one might make me cry so I’ll make sure I’m not in public when I’m reading it.

So, there is my second #6Degrees of Separation post which I am quite happy with and it’s brought to my attention a couple of books that I really must read this year. Have you read any of these?

It’s Monday! What are you reading?

First seen over on Book’d Out I’m going to try to do this post regularly linking to It’s Monday! What are you reading? at BookDate.

I’ve had a pretty good reading week this week

I finished 2 brilliant audiobooks

Wildflower by Monique Mulligan – Read my review

The Rat Catcher: A Love Story by Kim Kelly – Review to come

I finished reading

UnConVentional Kiss by K.C Carmine & Katherine McIntyre (ARC) – Review to come

Brighter Than Fear (Fangs and Felons #3) by Becca Seymour (ARC) – Read my review

This week I will be reading

To the RIver by Vikki Wakefield (ARC)

April’s Fool (Northarbor Coven #2) by Jax Stuart (ARC)

The Sea Captain’s Wife by Jackie French (ARC)

I am currently listening to 3 audiobooks but none of them has particularly grabbed me just yet and 1 of them I’m thinking of giving up which is a shame, but there is no point continuing with something I’m not enjoying.

Around the World in 80 Days by Michael Palin which was one of the books I used in my #6degrees Challenge post for February.

The Peacemaker – Sharps and Springfield book 1 by Morgan Brice (ARC)

Lonely Diner (Some Like It Haute book 3) by Dann Hazel (ARC)

I start my study this week, and I have well and truly overextended myself until the end of April adding an extra shift on a Monday evening as well as an Art Therapy client on a Friday, so here’s hoping I survive.

My art lesson went well, it was interesting learning what worked and what didn’t. I also made a card for a client’s 60th birthday tomorrow.

I’d love to hear what you’ve been reading and what you hope to read this week. Until next week, happy reading.

New Release Book Review: Brighter Than Fear by Becca Seymour

4.5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨

Fangs and Felons is one of my favourite Urban Fantasy series, I love the world Becca Seymour has created and I’m thrilled she is writing more in the series. You don’t have to have read the previous two books, but you are missing out on a fabulous read and the back story behind what is happening now.

I did not want to put this book down, I loved diving back into this world and the found family the members of the SICB have become. I loved Rowan and Flynn’s connection from where Rowan stalks Flynn from afar to where they meet and already have a connection between them. I really enjoyed the connection between Flynn and Rowan and loved seeing it expand albeit quite fast, it was clear there was something special between them.

The hunt to bring down Hornell, the tech used to bring back Prince which causes some tense times for Flynn and his coworkers and loved ones, the corruption they uncover and the danger and intrigue that is always close had me well and truly caught up in the story.

I can’t wait for book 4 Stronger Than Fate to continue the intrigue and learn Lucus’ story.

Add to Goodreads

Purchase Link → Amazon

About the book

In the world of covert operations, trust is paramount, yet I’ve been straying, fostering secret ties with the elusive “unicorn hacker,” challenging my loyalty to the ITU, my SICB family.

No doubt about it, I’m going to be in deep shit when they find out—it’s only a matter of time.

But when an investigation explodes, so does my world—and for the first time, I hear the hacker’s voice, magnetic and captivating, pulling me in deeper.

I also finally get his name.

Rowan Hart, a former agent and a tiger shifter with haunting scars. He becomes an unexpected hero, thrusting us into an alliance against Hornell, SICB’s prime target. Despite clashes with my team, we form an unstoppable duo, until a sudden attack fractures our team, leaving me changed in ways beyond imagination.

As I fight for survival, it takes both my unit and Rowan’s unwavering resolve to keep me alive. Amidst chaos, Rowan’s commitment becomes clear—he’ll move heaven and earth to grant me a second chance at life and, perhaps, with him.

Audiobook Review: Wildfire by Monique Mulligan

When I read this two years ago it impacted me greatly. Listening to Katherine Littrell bring Monique Mulligan’s fabulous, emotional and heartfelt story to life, conveying all the emotions I felt when I first read it, made this an audiobook I didn’t want to put down.

A glimpse at domestic violence through the eyes of a 10-year-old who has so many questions about everything. Her new friend Acacia brings with her life experiences Jane can’t begin to understand and in the end that friendship will change the way Jane and her family view things that ‘are none of our business ‘.

I highly recommend this novel in any form, hopefully, it brings about conversation and change.

Read my full review of this novel from 2 years ago here

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About the book

When no one stands up to an abuser, can anyone be truly safe?

“Weaves together a tender and poignant coming-of-age story with a powerful narrative.” —Lyn Yeowart, author of The Silent Listener

Tormented at school, ten-year-old Jane wants a best friend more than anything. Her wish is answered when Acacia moves in next door, and a carefree summer break beckons. Yet as their friendship blossoms and secrets are shared, Acacia remains stubbornly guarded about her home life, especially when it comes to her mother’s new boyfriend Daryl.

Jane stumbles onto a disturbing scene involving Daryl and is coerced into silence. Frightened and confused, she stays quiet, but when sounds of violence start emerging from Acacia’s house, she hopes an adult will intervene.

Jane’s own family seems to be deteriorating into chaos too, as if the darkness in Acacia’s house is spreading like ripples in a pond. It will end in disaster if no one acts, and it may end in tragedy if someone does …

It’s Monday! What are you reading?

First seen over on Book’d Out I’m going to try to do this post regularly linking to It’s Monday! What are you reading? at BookDate.

I’ve had a pretty good reading week this week, it was helped by the fact three of the books were ones I needed to finish from previous weeks.

This week I finished reading

Snowy Mountains Dawn (Bundilla Novel #4) by Alissa Callen (ARC) Review to come, another fabulous addition to this series, possibly my favourite.

Icebound Rivals by Hayden Hall (ARC) Review to come, I will say this was my favourite in this series so far.

Cry of the Firebird by T.M Clark (Bookclub pick and #backlistread) Review to come

Ocean Coloured Hearts by Lyndsey Jeminson – Review to come

Easy Does It (Palm Island #5) by K.M Neuhold (ARC) Review to come

I finished Listening to

To the Moon and Back by NR Walker – Review to come

I am currently listening to a fabulous novel that I read nearly 2 years ago, Wildflower by Monique Mulligan, it is narrated by Katherine Littrell and she has completely blown me away with how she has brought the book to life, she has managed to convey all the emotions I felt when I read it. I’ve only got 2 hours to go so I will finish this tomorrow or Tuesday.

This week I hope to start listening to

The Rat Catcher: A Love Story by Kim Kelly, I have the paperback on my shelf I just don’t have time to read it and it’s been sitting patiently there for nearly 2 years so I decided to borrow the audiobook. Kim Kelly is one of my favourite historical fiction authors, actually, I’d read anything she wrote, so I’m disappointed in myself for not getting to this as soon as I bought it.

Since The Rat Catcher is only a 4-hour listen, I’m hoping to at least start Around the World in 80 Days by Michael Palin which was one of the books I used in my #6degrees Challenge post for February.

I will be reading

To the RIver by Vikki Wakefield (ARC)

UnConVentional Kiss by K.C Carmine & Katherine McIntyre (ARC)

Brighter Than Fear (Fangs and Felons #3) by Becca Seymour (ARC)

It’s been a busy week and a hot week with temps in the 40s and that’s Celsius. I had my 3rd rehearsal for the city of Joondalup Festival Community Chior on Thursday and things are starting to come together, it’s nice being part of something.

I only managed to get a little bit of art done, I was trying something out with the purple flowers in my lesson, but couldn’t get it exactly how I wanted. I’ll keep trying. And then today I painted a cute frog for my friend because I haven’t seen her for a while.

I’d love to hear what you’ve been reading and what you hope to read this week. Until next week, happy reading.

It’s Monday! What are you reading?

First seen over on Book’d Out I’m going to try to do this post regularly linking to It’s Monday! What are you reading? at BookDate.

I’m slowly catching up with my ARCs which is good, a couple more reviews to catch up on in the next couple of days, so keep your eyes open for those, I updated last week’s post with review links for the books I’d finished.

This week I finished listening to

Growing Up Queer in Australia

I started reading this but had to take it back to the library so I borrowed the audiobook on BorrowBox instead. This is my first book for the Nonfiction Readers Challenge and I will do up a post for that this week.

I finished reading

Stepbrother Mine by Felicity Snow (ARC) Read my Review

Oblivious by Ashlynn Mills (ARC) Read my Review

Thorn Evermore by Mia Monroe – Read my Review

Not as much reading as I’d hoped but happy to have these ones finished, they were all very good reads. I’m continuing on with Cry of the Firebird by TM Clark, I’m at 89% and no matter what, I will finish it this week.

I’m also continuing with

Snowy Mountains Dawn (Bundilla Novels #4) by Alissa Callen (ARC) I’m at 62% so this should also be finished this week.

Candy Hearts Vol 1 – LGBTQIA2S+ Charity Anthology (ARC)

I’m also going to be reading

Easy Does It by K.M Neuhold (ARC)

Icebound Rivals by Hayden Hall (ARC)

I’m listening to

To the Moon and Back by NR Walker

I only have 2 hours left of this one, it’s only a short book but I haven’t decided what I am listening to next. The book I was going to listen to for my book club had triggers in for me and I couldn’t get past the first chapter, so it will be a surprise for all of us what I choose next.

I am excited and a bit overwhelmed as I got into the course I’d applied for, I’ll be doing my Cert 4 in Mental Health which starts in 2 weeks, On top of that I’m doing rehearsals for the City of Joondalup Community Festival Choir, I’ve never sung in my life so it’s an interesting learning curve. I’ve done two rehearsals with 5 more to go before the performance on the 17th March.

I had my art lesson on Friday as I usually do and really liked how my painting turned out so put it in a frame and hung it on the wall. I also did some painting over the weekend doing several small watercolours and my last painting for my Progressive art group something I’ve loved being a part of for the past 3 months.

So a pretty busy week really. I’d love to hear what you’ve been reading and what you hope to read this week. Until next week, happy reading.

New Release Book Review: The Invention of Wings by Robin Knight

With The Invention of Wings, Robin Knight’s new Mulligan’s Mill series is off to a good start.

I enjoyed meeting and getting to know Mitch and Gage and of course Gage’s niece Ginny who was quite the character and helped bring Mitch and Gage together again, though I think they’d have got their eventually even without her help as they still had so many feelings towards each other.

Mitch’s sister Maggie wasn’t my favourite character and I’m only guessing she has some sort of intellectual disability because that’s how she came across to me. Her hoarding was out of control, I’ve seen this myself within my own family and Mitch did a good job of helping her clean the house out, she might need help down the track unless she continues to get a lot of support from Mitch and her friends.

I liked the way Ginny’s dream to fly on the ice brought Mitch, Gage, Maggie and their friend Bud together giving them all a project to work on. I thought this project was of great benefit to Maggie as she had a real need to be needed and seen as able.

There was the bad guys, Gage’s father and evil stepmother who caused some drama for them all, but good won out in the end, you can’t have a romance with a sad ending.

I’m looking forward to getting to know Aunt Bea better, she seems like she will be quite the character.

I’ll be looking out for more from Mulligan’s Mill.

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About the book

♥ Small Town MM Romance
♥ Second Chance at Love
♥ Enemies-to-Lovers
♥ Found Family

MITCH

‘Wings’. That was the nickname they gave me in the lead-up to the Olympics. I was ready to take home the gold for figure skating, ready to make all my dreams come true… all but one… the dream of finding true love. That dream ended the night I lost the only man I ever wanted, betrayed by fear, by doubt, by him. It was a moment that led to my downfall on the ice rink and the ultimate humiliation. And so I did what any broken spirit would do… I fled my hometown of Mulligan’s Mill, determined never to return.

That is until I got the call from Doc Morgan, letting me know that my sister Maggie’s hoarding habit was getting out of control. Now it seems Mulligan’s Mill is calling me back… back to face the past. Is it possible for a fallen hero to find his dignity once more? Is it possible for a man to return home and not make the same mistakes twice? Is it possible to pretend the past never even existed… or was I destined to re-live it all over again?

GAGE

He was the rising star of the ice-skating rink. I was the captain of the football team with a bright future under the Friday night lights. We had everything… promise, potential, each other. Then one night I freaked out, I pushed him away, and nothing was ever the same again. In the years since Mitch had left Mulligan’s Mill, my life was turned upside-down by a family tragedy. Now, as the sole carer of my wheelchair-bound niece Ginny, I spend every waking hour working part-time jobs to keep the roof over our heads. I barely get a minute to think about my shattered dreams of becoming a football star… but I still think about him… every single day.

When I find out that Mitch is returning to Mulligan’s Mill, the news triggers a wave of excitement and regret. Was what we had real, or just a foolish young fling? Would the flame re-ignite once more if we saw each other on the street, or would he turn around and walk away like we never met? Would I finally find the courage to talk to him again, or would fear get the better of me just like it did on the night I broke both our hearts?

The Invention of Wings is the first book in a Small Town MM Romance series set in Mulligan’s Mill… a small town with big hearts!

#ThrowbackThursday #1 February 2024

I was asking Davida from The Chocolate Lady’s Book Review Blog for some ideas of memes I could join in with and she suggested I could join her twist on #ThrowbackThursday.

The gist of her Throwback Thursday is to highlight one of your previously published book reviews. I love this idea as it brings to people’s minds wonderful books they might have forgotten or not even heard of.

For the Twists/Instructions for Throwback Thursday visit her here. I’m going to try and keep the same schedule she does, the Thursday before the first Saturday of every month, but you can link to her blog all month.

I’d love to know if you join in.

For my first #ThrowbackThursday post I have gone with a review I originally published on 1st February 2021. I can’t believe it was three years ago I read this fabulous novel, it might be time for a reread.

The Truth & Addy Loest by Kim Kelly

This was a story I didn’t want to end.

As I got pulled deeper and deeper into Addy’s story, drawing several parallels to some of my own struggles, I wanted to stay there with her as she dealt with those struggles, the stories her brain told her, the encounter with the woman who owned the curiosity shop, beautiful and tender-hearted Dan, her brother Nick and her ever grieving father.

Addy is so like many broken parts of me, so many broken parts of many others, but she shines brightly even as she doesn’t see it, even as she doubts everything about herself and thinks she is dying.

As always Kim Kelly brings to the fore important issues, not just of then, but of now. The fight for women to be treated with respect and not as an object for a man to drool over or take advantage of, the fight to not be afraid. She deals with past injustices of the war, both WWI and WWII, and the effects felt generations on by those who come after and carry those memories in their cells. She touches on the need to hide who we are from those we love, to protect ourselves and them. How hard it was to be gay in the 80s, not that it is easier now for many, but as a society, it is much more accepted.

Click here to read the rest of this review and find out more about the book

New Release Book Review: Lust (Seven Deadly Sins #1) by Sienna Moreau

The first book in Sienna Moreau’s new Seven Deadly Sins series, Lust kicked it off with a bang. I was hooked from the get-go and didn’t want to put it down.

I enjoyed learning about the alternate world that she has created where the Sins are demigods who rule over the humans, and where there are many things humans are completely unaware of. The Sins are far from good and there is corruption, murder and more on their hands.

We meet Deacon who is on a mission, to find his brother and he has been pointed towards the Sins by some unknown people, maybe good, maybe bad but they certainly have a hidden agenda that he is unaware of. Provided with an invitation to one of Lust’s parties, he has his goal and his priorities in place, meeting Lust is important for only one reason and he is determined he won’t be swayed from his mission because of the demigod.

Lust is not a good guy, but he’s not an unlikeable guy and I could feel his interest in Deacon and the connection between them from the start. There are plenty of spicy scenes between these two and a couple of emotional spots where I felt quite sorry for Lust because of Deacon’s actions. Though neither wants the connection, they also can’t seem to let it go. Both have so many secrets though, man there were secrets and twists coming out of the woodwork and I was more than happy to go along for the ride.

I enjoyed meeting some of Lust’s brothers and am really looking forward to getting to know each one much more intimately in future books.

4.5 Stars

🍎 LUST (SEVEN DEADLY SINS BOOK 1) 🍎

✨ Read on KU or buy it here

Sleeping with the Demigod of Desire could cost Deacon his life, but falling for him could cost him everything.

Deacon St. James’ search for his missing brother has led him straight into the arms of one of the Deadly Sins that rule the world. Lust is charming, captivating and powerful and Deacon all too willingly falls to his knees at his command. The connection and heat between them could consume him whole, if he lets it.

From the moment Deacon walks into his life, Lust is enamoured by the spirited man who can shake off the very magic that he uses to control the world. He has no intention of letting him go.

The harder Lust falls, the more everything falls apart around him. Enemies plot from the shadows, and secrets that both Lust and Deacon hold have the potential to destroy them from the inside. If they’re going to survive, they have to learn what it means to trust… and to love.
Lust is a high steam MM urban fantasy romance with dark themes, morally grey characters, violence, gore, and adult situations. It has a happily-for-now (HFN) for the couple featured, and ends on a plotline cliffhanger.

It’s Monday! What are you reading?

First seen over on Book’d Out I’m going to try to do this post regularly linking to It’s Monday! What are you reading? at BookDate.

All in all, I had a pretty good reading week, I managed to finish

Pretty Dogs (Dirty Strays #2) by Riley Nash (ARC)

My Review

The Billionaire Orc by Lilith Stone (ARC)

My Review

Lust by Sienna Moreau (ARC)

Review to come this week

Rocket Science by K.M Neuhold

I’ve nearly finished listening to

Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth (Bookclub pick)

so look out later in the week for that review

and I’ll finish

Dead Serious #4 Professor Prometheus Plume by Vawn Cassidy (ARC)

tonight, so keep your eye out for that review on Tuesday hopefully

This week I will be reading

The Invention of Wings by Robin Knight (ARC)

Snowy Mountains Dawn (Bundilla Novels #4) by Alissa Callen (ARC)

Love and Redemption by Kelsey Hodge (ARC)

And if I have time I’ll be finishing Cry of the Firebird by T.M Clark

And I’ll be listening to

Salt River Road by Molly Schmidt

It was a long weekend here in Australia so I went down south and stayed with my Auntie, it was nice to get away. I made time to do some watercolour pieces that I hope to turn into cards for my future Etsy store.

I’d love to hear what you read last week and what you are hoping to read this week.

Until next week, happy reading.