Don't miss my review of book one in the series, Polaris Rising,
​as well as my interview with the author Jessie Mihalik.

Don't miss the latest Shelf Byte podcast feature! You'll hear a spoiler-free book or audiobook review in 5 minutes or less!
​
Today, I'm sharing my thoughts on Polaris Rising by Jessie Mihalik. If you've read this book (or listened on audio), I'd love to talk about it! Comment below and let me know what you thought. 

​on't miss the latest Shelf Addiction interview! I’m interviewing author Paullina Simons. She shares what she’s currently reading and what authors have influenced her. We also talk about her latest novel, The Tiger Catcher. Don't forget to check out Paullina's lightning round Q&A at the end of the interview!

You've got a bonus!! I'm also including my Shelf Byte book review of The Tiger Catcher along with the interview. You'll hear my spoiler-free review in 5 minutes or less!

Don’t miss out on the awesome giveaway on sponsored by Paullina Simons at the bottom of the post!

Paullina Simons was born and raised in Leningrad, USSR. In 1968, her father was arrested for  protesting the Soviet Union’s invasion of Czechoslovakia and spent the next five years of his life in the Gulag prison camps and in exile. In the mid-seventies, Paullina and her family managed to leave the U.S.S.R. and immigrate to the United States. While growing up in Russia Paullina dreamed of someday becoming a writer. Her dreams were put on hold as she learned English and overcame the shock of a new culture.

After graduating from the University of Kansas and various jobs including working as a financial
journalist and as a translator, Paullina wrote her first novel Tully. Through word of mouth, the book was welcomed by readers all over the world. She has since written twelve novels, a memoir, a cookbook, and two children’s books. Her books have been published in over 23 countries, sold millions of copies, and have been on many bestseller lists around the world.

Paullina has lived in Rome, London, and Dallas, and now lives in New York with her husband and half
of her children.

Connect with Paullina Simons!
​Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Website

Welcome to another #BuddyReads. What's a Buddy Read? Me and a fellow book nerd select a stand alone title that we'll either read, listen to, or a combination of both, then we chat about it on the podcast! This is a candid and spoiler-filled convo covering women's issues and adult topics, so you've been warned!

Classy Green, friend, fellow book lover, audiobook listener, and Shelf Addiction reviewer joined me on the podcast to discuss The Idea of You, by Robinne Lee. We both listened to the audiobook.

​If you've already read The Idea of You, leave a comment and let us know what you thought about it.

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin/Tantor Audio
Release Date: June 13, 2017
Format: Paperback/MP3 Download
Pages: Paperback: 372 | Audio Length: 11 hrs 55 mins
Narrator: Robinne Lee
Source: Scribd/Audible
Genre: Romance, Contemporary Fiction
Bookmark Rating: 2 - Tamara | 3 - Classy
​
Synopsis:​ When Solène Marchand, the thirty-nine-year-old owner of a prestigious art gallery in Los Angeles, takes her daughter, Isabelle, to meet her favorite boy band, she does so reluctantly and at her ex-husband’s request. The last thing she expects is to make a connection with one of the members of the world-famous August Moon. But Hayes Campbell is clever, winning, confident, and posh, and the attraction is immediate. That he is all of twenty years old further complicates things.

What begins as a series of clandestine trysts quickly evolves into a passionate relationship. It is a journey that spans continents as Solène and Hayes navigate each other’s disparate worlds: from stadium tours to international art fairs to secluded hideaways. And for Solène, it is as much a reclaiming of self, as it is a rediscovery of happiness and love. When their romance becomes a viral sensation, and both she and her daughter become the target of rabid fans and an insatiable media, Solène must face how her new status has impacted not only her life, but the lives of those closest to her.

It's that time!!! Happy Valentine's Day. Tonight my husband are chilling at home. Nothing big. We will exchange something little, I'll cook one of his favorite meals and we'll watch more of The Blacklist on Netflix! #NetflixandChill basically. What are you doing tonight?  If you're not doing anything date-wise, may I recommend some time for reading! Take some time for self care, take a long bath, drink some wine, and crack open a romance and treat yourself on this day (or any day really). These book recommendations are for more than just a romantic holiday. Whenever you want a bit of romance, check out these suggestions from this special two part podcast!

In honor of romances for every reader, Sue Brown-Moore and I teamed up to do a two part podcast! Listen to the Shelf Addiction Podcast and the Grave Tells Romance Podcast to hear each half! Total we have 20+ romance book recommendations. From traditional romance, to paranormal romance, to gay romance, and more. Including both light on the heat to VERY spicy...we have something for everyone!  If you'd like to jump on over to Sue's post, you can find that here.

Do you have a favorite romance that you like to recommend? If so, please comment below and let me know what it is and why you love it.  

​Publisher:  Grand Central Publishing | Hachette Audio
Release Date: October 13, 2015 | October 15, 2015
Format: Audio CDs
Pages: Hardcover: 486 pages | Audio Length: 14 hours 23 mins
Narrator: Christopher Ryan Grant​
Source: Publisher
Genre: Romance, Contemporary Romance
​Rating: 4 bookmarks

​Synopsis: Colin Hancock is giving his second chance his best shot. With a history of violence and bad decisions behind him and the threat of prison dogging his every step, he's determined to walk a straight line. To Colin, that means applying himself single-mindedly toward his teaching degree and avoiding everything that proved destructive in his earlier life. Reminding himself daily of his hard-earned lessons, the last thing he is looking for is a serious relationship.

Maria Sanchez, the hardworking daughter of Mexican immigrants, is the picture of conventional success. With a degree from Duke Law School and a job at a prestigious firm in Wilmington, she is a dark-haired beauty with a seemingly flawless professional track record. And yet Maria has a traumatic history of her own, one that compelled her to return to her hometown and left her questioning so much of what she once believed.

A chance encounter on a rain-swept road will alter the course of both Colin and Maria's lives, challenging deeply held assumptions about each other and ultimately, themselves. As love unexpectedly takes hold between them, they dare to envision what a future together could possibly look like . . . until menacing reminders of events in Maria's past begin to surface.

As a series of threatening incidents wreaks chaos in Maria's life, Maria and Colin will be tested in increasingly terrifying ways. Will demons from their past destroy the tenuous relationship they've begun to build, or will their love protect them, even in the darkest hour?

Rich in emotion and fueled with suspense, SEE ME reminds us that love is sometimes forged in the crises that threaten to shatter us . . . and that those who see us for who we truly are may not always be the ones easiest to recognize. 

*This audiobook was provided by the publisher in exchange for a honest review.

​I was really honored to help Tamara with this review of the Nicholas Sparks story "See Me." I have been quite a Nicholas Sparks fan since my emotional high school days pouring over "A Walk to Remember". In the last couple years I have lost track I am sad to realize he has 18 novels in total now! I have become quite behind on his books so I jumped in with fresh "eyes". 

​A read and listen book review consist of time spent both reading the physical book and listening to the audiobook. I personally think that this is the best way to read books when you're short on time!  

Read on to find out why the first installment of this YA retelling earned a three bookmark rating.  Before I get into the review, full disclosure, at the time that I'm writing this review, I've already finished book two. The hype is true, book two is so much better than the first book, so just keep that in mind.

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens /Recorded Books
Release Date: May 3, 2016
Format: Kindle, Audio MP3
Pages: 626 | Audio Length: 22 hours 16 mins
Narrator:​ Jennifer Ikeda
Source: Kindle, Audible
Genre: Fantasy,  YA, New Adult
Review Date: February 13, 2017
Rating: 5 bookmarks

Synopsis:​ Feyre survived Amarantha's clutches to return to the Spring Court—but at a steep cost. Though she now has the powers of the High Fae, her heart remains human, and it can't forget the terrible deeds she performed to save Tamlin's people.

Nor has Feyre forgotten her bargain with Rhysand, High Lord of the feared Night Court. As Feyre navigates its dark web of politics, passion, and dazzling power, a greater evil looms—and she might be key to stopping it. But only if she can harness her harrowing gifts, heal her fractured soul, and decide how she wishes to shape her future—and the future of a world cleaved in two.

With more than a million copies sold of her beloved Throne of Glass series, Sarah J. Maas's masterful storytelling brings this second book in her seductive and action-packed series to new heights.