Brandee's Bookish Babble #11 ~ My Favorite Reads of 2015

Welcome to Brandee's Bookish Babble. There are many, many similar posts to this one - but basically I wanted a place to discuss bookish and/or blogging stuff and I needed a title. :) I hope you enjoy!

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I tried...I really tried to limit this list to 10 but I just couldn't do it. You'll notice some of my favorite authors below but I want to thank those of you who added a few of these reads to my list. Y'all know who you are...THANKS!




Were any of these authors on your favorites list for 2015? Who else made your list?? 

That's What HE Said #48 ~ Thirsty Thursday & Hungry Hearts #27

That's What He Said is a weekly meme hosted by the lovely ladies @Chapter Break. Here's the deal: every Thursday, post a line from your book boyfriend to his heroine. Keep in mind, these are direct quotes from dialog in the books. The quote doesn't have to be romantic - just something our hunky hero said to his lucky lady. Be sure to link up over at Chapter Break as well.

My pick this week for That's What He Said is from:

Twist by Dannika Dark

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"I am announcing my intent to court Silver."

...

"Obviously, I don't have your blessing, nor do I seek it. I'm not asking your permission, so there is no need for the drama. I't smy right to court whomever I wish. If there are other suitors, they can challenge me for the right of free competition; I will accept that challenge whenever it is given."

Logan doesn't say this specifically to Silver, as he's declaring himself in front of her Ghuardian, Justus, and two other would-be suitors. But I love how he made a statement about her and his intentions toward her.

*~*~*~*~*~*

"Why can't you hand me the donut?"
 "To you it may seem insignificant, but to the Chitah, it's a sign of trust. There's a lot you don't know about my kind, Silver. We have different customs, and what may seem like a simple gesture to you, holds meaning to us. I want you to trust me. I want you to see me as something more than I am. I want you to eat from my hand."
I know what he meant, but behind all those words the only thing I heard him say was, "I want you."
Logan's eyes widened when I let him feed me--sugar coating my lips.

Brandee's Bookish Babble #10 ~ Favorite New-to-Me Authors of 2015

Welcome to Brandee's Bookish Babble. There are many, many similar posts to this one - but basically I wanted a place to discuss bookish and/or blogging stuff and I needed a title. :) I hope you enjoy!

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Looking over my 2015 reading list, I thought I'd share my Favorite New-to-Me authors of this year. I was really trying to keep this list to 10 but I couldn't pare it down. ;) I *met* so many fabulous authors this year. So here are my 20 Favorite New-to-Me Authors:




Did y'all meet any new-to-you authors that you'd like to rave about? Let me know...I'm always happy to meet a new author. :D

2015 Bookish Resolutions Challenge Wrapup

I have so very much enjoyed this challenge, hosted by Laura @Trips Down Imagination Lane and Michelle @Because Reading. I had a lot of fun while also learning some things about myself...like I can enjoy an audiobook AND even though I challenged myself, I still have trouble getting my Netgalley reads read. ;) I *will* be participating in this challenge again next year and I hope you'll join me!

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My 2015 Bookish Resolutions were:

• Improve my Netgalley Rating (started at 15.2%)
• Listen to one audio book per quarter.
• Write more discussion posts and/or create some fun features for my blog.

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As I said, even though I challenged myself to improve my Netgalley rating, I didn't do so well with that goal. (I am challenging myself to raise it to a certain percentage in 2016) However, Netgalley did some tinkering with things which resulted in a boon for me! I'd been happy that I'd gotten my rating up to 19% but it's now sitting at 46%. WOOHOO!!! I can't figure out what they did or why, but I'm not complaining. And I'll be adjusting my challenge percentage for 2016 in accordance. ;) I'm thinking I just may hit 75%-80% next year!  :D

As y'all know, I finished the audiobook portion of my challenge early on. And I've continued indulging in this guilty pleasure of mine and listened to 3 audiobooks in December. Those days with 2.5+ hour commutes helped! ;)

I also continued with my discussion posts/fun features, Travel by the Book, Beyond the Books, and Brandee's Bookish Babble. This month I also continued my Traveling to the Terminus feature, as I'm still working at series catch up. All these will continue into 2016 since I have a lot of fun doing them and y'all seem to like them. :) 

All in all, I'm calling it good with my resolutions. I may not have made much headway in one area, but I made plenty in others. So I'm happy. :) How did y'all end up?

When Life's Kicking Your Butt, How About a Theme Song ~ December

Once again, my pal, Robyn, over @robgirlbooks, has us creating a soundtrack for our lives. This challenge is all about sharing the music you listen to when you need motivation, or to celebrate, or when you're happy or sad, or when you're cleaning, etc. Sounds fun, yeah? Here's how it works... Robyn gives us a theme every month and we post songs that fulfill that theme as it applies to us. Then at the end of the year, we'll have a playlist!

The playlist for 2014 can be found here (youtube link) if you're interested. I enjoyed sharing my family's musical tastes with y'all and I enjoyed being introduced to some new music. I'll post the playlist for 2015 once Robyn has it ready. 

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I've been just awful with this meme this year. This is only my 7th post. But I wanted to go out with a bang. ;) Robyn picked a great theme for December ~ a song that makes you feel optimistic about 2016. I'm feeling like 2016 is gonna be a great year - one where I'll get these posts done every month. ;)

Here are our choices:

My Pick
Dixie Chicks always makes me smile and since 2016 will be a year where Sky will be leaving for her own Wide Open Spaces, I thought this song was fitting. :D

James' Pick

James had a hard time picking but ended up being able to find something relatively optimistic by Death Cab for Cutie. ;)

Sky's Pick

Sky 's pick is from a band I took her to see back in October...A Silent Film.

Berk's Pick
Berk's choice is...from a musical. Naturally. ;) 

Jax's Pick
Jax is still a fan of Finding Nirvana, so his pick is Tomorrow. 

#TravelingtoTerminus Review ~ Walk Through Fire ~ Kristen Ashley

Walk Through Fire by Kristen Ashley
Chaos #4
Release Date: October 27, 2015
Genre: Adult, Contemporary Romance
Source: Purchased ebook on Nook
Rating: 5 Bookworms
Goodreads

Synopsis
Millie Cross knows what it's like to burn for someone. She was young and wild and he was fierce and even wilder-a Chaos biker who made her heart pound. They fell in love at first sight and life was good, until she learned she couldn't be the woman he needed and made it so he had no choice but to walk away. Twenty years later, Millie's chance run-in with her old flame sparks a desire she just can't ignore. And this time, she won't let him ride off...

Bad boy Logan "High" Judd has seen his share of troubles with the law. Yet it was a beautiful woman who broke him. After ending a loveless marriage, High is shocked when his true love walks back into his life. Millie is still gorgeous, but she's just a ghost of her former self. High's intrigued at the change, but her betrayal cut him deep-and he doesn't want to get burned again. As High sinks into meting out vengeance for Millie's betrayal, he'll break all over again when he realizes just how Millie walked through fire for her man...

One reason I'm a KA fan? This lady brings the feels! And Walk Through Fire was a huge feels-fest! My feelings ran the gamut from laughing to crying, steaming mad to just steaming. ;) I reached the end and was worn out emotionally but also completely satisfied.

Only KA could take a story on two people, completely in love, divided for 29 years for well-meant/intended reasons, reunite...not without some blow back, and make it so freaking real. And Logan and Millie deserve it to happen. There are hurt feelings, crushed dreams, an ex-wife, bratty and not-so-bratty children. And there are these super crazy loyal brothers who stand behind their brother and thereby say terrible, but if you're Millie, forgivable things. There's also the trouble caused by one incredibly and criminally insane crime boss. All this mixed together for a lot of tears, a lot of sighs, a lot of laughs, and quite a few gasps.

I love how Logan and Millie's story fit into the overarching plot but mostly I just adore them. And I'm thrilled they survived walking through fire for one another in order to find their dream again.

Cover Reveal ~ Finding Me Series ~ Michelle Mankin

Romance and self-discovery later in life, the FINDING ME series is a Tempest standalone spin off with a more experienced but familiar cast of characters. Find Me. Remember Me. Keep Me releases on January 15th and is a story about hard decisions, second chances and love when you least expect it!   

**Find Me, Remember Me, and Keep Me is a full and complete novel in three separate parts. A standalone Tempest spin-off.**

Add to the entire series to your TBR at: http://bit.ly/1JAPXpH

Blurb

Almost forty-one-year-old Annabelle Morris, wife to multi-billionaire record label executive Charles Morris of Zenith Productions, and mother of two is at a crossroads in her life.

Separated from her husband after walking in on him having sex in the public restroom of a charity event she was hosting, she has arrived on the island of St. John alone and rejected, determined to re-evaluate her life and her marriage. She's tired of being her husband’s showpiece while he pretends she doesn't exist. She's tired of trying to make their marriage work for the sake of their two teenage boys.

When she meets Johnny Lightning, a sexy but mysterious piano-playing, bearded sailor, she is tempted to break vows she has never before broken. But Johnny is much younger than her and seems to be hiding more than a few secrets of his own.

From the laid-back sandy beaches of the Caribbean to the elite circles of Dallas high society, Annabelle is forced to make critical choices.

Is a chance for happiness worth the risk of giving up the life she has always known?

Worth jeopardizing her own and possibly even her children's future?

In the end, will she stay on her present course or brave a new and uncharted one?

Find Me, Remember Me, and Keep Me is a full and complete novel in three separate parts.

A standalone Tempest spin-off.

About the Author:

Michelle Mankin

Michelle Mankin is the New York Times bestselling author of the Black Cat Records series of novels. Rock Stars. Romance. Redemption.

Love Evolution, Love Revolution, and Love Resolution are a BRUTAL STRENGTH centered trilogy, combining the plot underpinnings of Shakespeare with the drama, excitement, and indisputable sexiness of the rock 'n roll industry.

Things take a bit of an edgier, once upon a time turn with the TEMPEST series. These pierced, tatted, and troubled Seattle rockers are young and on the cusp of making it big, but with serious obstacles to overcome that may prevent them from ever getting there.

Rock stars, myths, and legends collide with paranormal romance in a totally mesmerizing way in the MAGIC series.

Catch the perfect wave with irresistible surfers in the ROCK STARS, SURF AND SECOND CHANCES series.

Romance and self-discovery, the FINDING ME series is a Tempest spin off with a more experienced but familiar cast of characters.

Stalk Her: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | TSU | Newsletter

My TBR List Review ~ Origin ~ Jennifer L. Armentrout

My To-Be Read List is a meme hosted by Michelle @Because Reading. I think it's a fabulous idea because it gets y'all in the game and it helps me knock off some of the many, many books on my TBR list. You're more than welcome to join in the fun! I've included the basic rules below but you can click on the graphic above to hop over to Michelle's site where you can find all the details. 

Here's how it works:
On the first Saturday of each month, I will make a post with three books from my TBR List (these books can be already on your ereader or bookshelf OR books you might want to purchase) and add your link on the linky that will be provided on Michelle's post. Y'ALL will help me choose which book I will read next. The following Saturday, I will announce which book won. Then the last Saturday of the month, I'll post my review.

Fun, right?!?

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Origin by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Lux Series #4
Release Date: August 27, 2013
Genre: YA Paranormal Romance
Source: Purchased paperback
Rating: 5 Bookworms
Goodreads

Synopsis
Daemon will do anything to get Katy back.

After the successful but disastrous raid on Mount Weather, he's facing the impossible. Katy is gone. Taken. Everything becomes about finding her. Taking out anyone who stands in his way? Done. Burning down the whole world to save her? Gladly. Exposing his alien race to the world? With pleasure.

All Katy can do is survive.

Surrounded by enemies, the only way she can come out of this is to adapt. After all, there are sides of Daedalus that don't seem entirely crazy, but the group's goals are frightening and the truths they speak even more disturbing. Who are the real bad guys? Daedalus? Mankind? Or the Luxen?

Together, they can face anything.

But the most dangerous foe has been there all along, and when the truths are exposed and the lies come crumbling down, which side will Daemon and Katy be standing on?

And will they even be together?

Holy glowing aliens! I could never have guessed at the events that occurred in Origin or the direction those events would take Katy and Daemon. Y'all told me Origin was epic. It absolutely was! And I'm beyond anxious to see where this firestorm will lead Katy, Daemon, and company.

Origin begins with Katy a captive of Daedelus and y'all, I could not believe the things Katy endured at their hands. Thank goodness Katy is so strong - I'm not sure I could bounce back from some of that stuff even if I had Daemon to help. Daemon's rescue plans were pretty genius, honestly. But I worried how he'd deal with finding out all Katy had experienced. I liked the introduction of Archer, a soldier of Daedelus and an unlikely ally, as well as the other plot twists (more like explosions) JLA threw at us.

The complexities of everything Daedelus - their plans, their technology - and how it all affects Katy, Daemon, and his family and friends proved JLA's prowess in crafting a riveting story. I couldn't help but notice the relevance of Daedulus' end-game goals and the similarities to some scientific issues facing the world today. JLA wove that in with everything else delivering an action-packed, suspenseful, socially relevant romance. Seriously. Awesome.

The appearance of some characters was heartwarming and some others was devastating. Gah! The secrets revealed, the battle fought, the lines drawn...and that ending! There was so much epicness packed into Origin. And I just know it's all eading up to and ending the greatness of which I can't fathom. So, so happy Opposition is already waiting on my shelf!