This week I'm sharing some of the books I meant to read last year but didn't get to. Most of these are 2020 releases but there are a few from 2019. I read a lot of books last year but I just can't seem to keep up with my ever-expanding TBR mountain. These are just a few of the books I had every intention to get to last year but for some reason or another they kept getting pushed back. I'm hopeful I'll get to them this year.
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About the Book
Lauren Bailey may be a romantic at heart, but after a decade of matchmaking schemes gone wrong, there's only one match she's committed to now--the one that will make her a mother. Lauren is a dedicated first grade teacher in Idaho, and her love for children has led her to the path of international adoption. To satisfy her adoption agency's requirements, she gladly agreed to remain single for the foreseeable future; however, just as her long wait comes to an end, Lauren is blindsided by a complication she never saw coming: Joshua Avery.
Joshua may be a substitute teacher by day, but Lauren finds his passion for creating educational technology as fascinating as his antics in the classroom. Though she does her best to downplay the undeniable connection between them, his relentless pursuit of her heart puts her commitment to stay unattached to the test and causes her once-firm conviction to waver.
With an impossible decision looming, Lauren might very well find herself choosing between the two deepest desires of her heart . . . even if saying yes to one means letting go of the other.
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About the Book
He’s torn between love and honor...
Lucas Danby has always regretted the decisions that caused his dishonorable discharge from the military—and he’s never stopped trying to redeem his honor. He's spent the past decade taking on dangerous short-term missions as an elite private soldier—the only part of his life that's ever gone right. But the high-risk work never cures his shame. Now he’s stuck stateside, mentoring a new recruit. Worse, he's sick of lying to the people he cares about most—including the woman he’s secretly loved for years.
She can’t escape her house of memories...
Jenessa Belville should be happy. She's the hometown girl everyone loves, after all. But she’s also the last Belville left—and if she had her way, she'd leave the name and all its painful memories behind. Which is exactly what she hopes to do once she sells Belville Park, the massive estate she inherited from her parents. First, though, she needs to restore the property’s once-glorious gardens. But on the same day she puts up the “For Sale” sign, she discovers three children hiding in the caretaker's cottage, thrusting her into the unexpected role of temporary guardian.
Fighting for their future means healing from the past...
Struggling to mentor a young man with scars nearly as piercing as his own, Lucas offers to help Jenessa restore the Belville grounds. Though drawn together by a trio of kids who tug on their hearts and the sparks they can’t deny, past secrets and current sorrows threaten to pull them apart. Only the brightest love and hardest sacrifice can turn the house Jenessa never wanted into the home she and Lucas have always longed for.
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About the Book
A mysterious letter alluding to a secret in her parents' past brings Genevieve Woodward back to her Blue Ridge Mountains hometown, but she's also in need of a break from a high-profile career that has left her dangerously burned out and concealing a powerful secret of her own. When she wakes inside an unfamiliar cottage to find the confused owner staring down at her, she can no longer ignore the fact that she needs help.
Sam Turner has embraced his sorrow and his identity as an outsider. The solitary, disciplined life he lives on his historic farm is the life he's chosen for himself. The last thing he wants is to rent his cottage to a woman as troubled as she is talkative. Yet, he can't force himself to turn her away right when she needs him most.
As Genevieve researches her family's history and her and Sam's emotions deepen, they will have to let go of the facades and loneliness they've clung to and allow light to illuminate every hidden truth.
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About the Book
I, Holiday Brown, have it all. A platinum record. Multi-million dollar home in Manhattan that I share with my two best friends. Life is looking fantastic until my roommate’s brother decides to bunk in our guestroom while his house gets renovated.
W. Emmett Bell has always been the bane of my existence. He’s annoying, stubborn, a know it all, and just might be the most gorgeous man I’ve ever laid eyes on. But I refuse to fall for him. Then his sister’s threatened by a stalker and dynamics change. His unwavering faith isn’t quite as self-righteous as I’d always thought, and maybe he has a good side I’ve overlooked all these years.
Or maybe it’s all too much trouble.
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About the Book
When an English socialite embarks on a dangerous journey to save her sister from the Nazis, glamour, romance, and espionage collide.
As the daughter of Sir Alfred Whitford, Kat has a certain set of responsibilities. Chasing her wayward sister, Ellie, to Nazi-occupied Paris was never supposed to be one of them. Now accustomed to the luxurious lifestyle that her Nazi boyfriend provides, Ellie has no intention of going back to the shackled life their parents dictate—but Kat will stop at nothing to bring her sister home.
Barrett Anderson was arrested for defending himself against a drunken bully of high birth. Given the option of jail or training Resistance fighters in Paris, Barret chooses the latter. He poses as a bar owner, entertaining Nazis at night while his men train right below their jackboots during the day. Being assigned to watch over two English debutantes is the last thing he needs, but a payout from their father is too tempting to resist.
From the moment Kat and Barrett meet, tempers flare and sparks fly amid false assumptions. Despite their differences, they’ll have to find a way to trust each other in order to survive their deadly mission. In the end, their hearts may prove more traitorous than the dangers waiting around the corner.
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About the Book
The Natchez Trace National Parkway stretches 444 miles from Nashville to Natchez, the oldest town on the Mississippi River. It's the perfect road for a relaxed pleasure drive. Unfortunately for park ranger Luke Fereday, lately it's being used to move drugs. Sent to Natchez to infiltrate the organization at the center of the drug ring, Luke arrives too late to a stakeout and discovers the body of his friend, park ranger John Danvers.
John's daughter Brooke is determined to investigate her father's murder, but things are more complicated than they first appear, and Brooke soon finds herself the target of a killer who will do anything to silence her. Luke will have his hands full keeping her safe. But who's going to keep him safe when he realizes he's falling--hard--for the daughter of the man he failed to save?
Award-winning author Patricia Bradley introduces you to a new series set in the sultry South that will have you wiping your brow and looking over your shoulder.
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About the Book
Boston police detective Dani Lake dreads returning to her small hometown of Skye, Alabama, for her ten-year high school reunion--and not just for the normal reasons.
At only fifteen, Dani tragically discovered the body of her murdered classmate, setting in motion the process that led to the unjust conviction of her dear friend and an unshakable burden of guilt she carries to this day. So when new evidence surfaces during her trip home which suggests the truth Dani’s always suspected, she embarks on a mission to expose the real killer, aided by Skye police detective Chris Newton--who happens to be the man Dani’s best friend is dying to set her up with, and also the only person who believes her.
But when Dani pushes too hard, someone pushes back, endangering Dani and those closest to her as she unearths secrets deeper and darker than she ever expected to learn—secrets that may bring the truth to light, if they don’t get her killed first.
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About the Book
Ever had ex-housemates you can’t get rid of?
When Killian and the rest of the Drake vampires kicked me out of their mansion without any explanation, I felt beyond betrayed…
I was livid!
But I refused to waste my energy thinking about them. Thanks to all the free training I got while living with vampires, I had the skills I needed to finally free my family. I even got my house back! Best yet, I can pass on the magic techniques and fighting skills I’ve learned to all the wizards in our group.
As long as I ignore the rotating vampires standing watch on the corner across the street, life is normal again…until the fae risk injuring hundreds of supernaturals just to stage a surprise attack on Killian.
There’s no way I’m going to let the fae get away with this. I may be furious with Killian, but I hate bullies even more.
But, big surprise, my good deed won’t go unpunished. I knew I’d face a fallout for saving the most feared and lethal vampire in the Midwest—I just never imaged the lengths Killian would go through to protect me and win me back…
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About the Book
First in a duology that reimagines fairy tale tropes within a space opera—The Princess Bride meets Princess Leia.
Rory Thorne is a princess with thirteen fairy blessings, the most important of which is to see through flattery and platitudes. As the eldest daughter, she always imagined she’d inherit her father’s throne and govern the interplanetary Thorne Consortium.
Then her father is assassinated, her mother gives birth to a son, and Rory is betrothed to the prince of a distant world.
When Rory arrives in her new home, she uncovers a treacherous plot to unseat her newly betrothed and usurp his throne. An unscrupulous minister has conspired to name himself Regent to the minor (and somewhat foolish) prince. With only her wits and a small team of allies, Rory must outmaneuver the Regent and rescue the prince.
How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse is a feminist reimagining of familiar fairytale tropes and a story of resistance and self-determination—how small acts of rebellion can lead a princess to not just save herself, but change the course of history.
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About the Book
The ninth book in the fast-paced InCryptid urban fantasy series returns to the mishaps of the Price family, eccentric cryptozoologists who safeguard the world of magical creatures living in secret among humans.
Sarah Zellaby has always been in an interesting position. Adopted into the Price family at a young age, she's never been able to escape the biological reality of her origins: she's a cuckoo, a telepathic ambush predator closer akin to a parasitic wasp than a human being. Friend, cousin, mathematician; it's never been enough to dispel the fear that one day, nature will win out over nurture, and everything will change.
Maybe that time has finally come.
After spending the last several years recuperating in Ohio with her adoptive parents, Sarah is ready to return to the world--and most importantly, to her cousin Artie, with whom she has been head-over-heels in love since childhood. But there are cuckoos everywhere, and when the question of her own survival is weighed against the survival of her family, Sarah's choices all add up to one inescapable conclusion.
This is war. Cuckoo vs. Price, human vs. cryptid...and not all of them are going to walk away.
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About the Book
New York Times bestselling and Alex, Nebula, and Hugo-Award-winning author Seanan McGuire introduces readers to a world of amoral alchemy, shadowy organizations, and impossible cities in this standalone fantasy.
Meet Roger. Skilled with words, languages come easily to him. He instinctively understands how the world works through the power of story.
Meet Dodger, his twin. Numbers are her world, her obsession, her everything. All she understands, she does so through the power of math.
Roger and Dodger aren’t exactly human, though they don’t realise it. They aren’t exactly gods, either. Not entirely. Not yet.
Meet Reed, skilled in the alchemical arts like his progenitor before him. Reed created Dodger and her brother. He’s not their father. Not quite. But he has a plan: to raise the twins to the highest power, to ascend with them and claim their authority as his own.
Godhood is attainable. Pray it isn’t attained.
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Have you read any of these books? If so, what did you think about them? What were some of the books you meant to read last year but didn't get to?
Nicole's and Becky's contemporaries are SUCH good reads. Hope you enjoy both when you have the chance to read them. Melissa's and J'Nell's are two on my list this week. Hopefully we'll both enjoy. :)
ReplyDeleteI hope we do too! I'm glad to hear you liked Nicole's and Becky's books. That just makes me want to get to them even more. :D
DeleteOh wow that Incrypt series is humming along! I didn't realize there were so many now- i liked the first one.
ReplyDeleteI was shocked to realize the tenth one is coming out this year. I hadn't realized it had been going on for so long. :)
DeleteSuch good-books. Do you own them already? Or do you plan to borrow them from the library? I am a library fan myself. My TTT list
ReplyDeleteI purchased most of them when the ebooks were on sale. I do appreciate the library though too. They're such a blessing! :)
DeleteI am honestly more likely to read the library books than ones I buy for some weird reason.
DeleteI'm the same way too.
DeleteThere is a few good ones which are on my TBR as well. Nicole Deese's I've read last week and enjoyed it. I loved Josh. My List: https://moretoodiscover.blogspot.com/2021/01/top-ten-tuesday-books-i-meant-to-read.html
ReplyDeleteI have to read Nicole's book ASAP. I'm hearing so many great things about. :)
DeleteI am loving your list-and your urban fantasy picks especially!
ReplyDeleteThank you! I read a lot more urban fantasy last year than the year before, but there were just so many goods ones that I couldn't keep up. Isn't that always the case though, lol. :D
DeleteI love Becky Wade and have one of her books on my list:
ReplyDeletehttps://collettaskitchensink.blogspot.com/2021/01/top-ten-tuesday-books-i-meant-to-read.html
Colletta
Her books are always so good! I've really gotta find the time to try out this new series of hers. :)
DeleteThe Trouble With Love sounds interesting!
ReplyDeleteMy post.
It does! I've read a few of Toni Shiloh's books before and loved them. Plus, I've heard amazing things about this one, so I expect it to be really good. Hopefully I can get to it this year. :)
DeleteI haven't read any of these yet either. I hope you get to them all soon.
ReplyDeleteThank you! I hope you're able to get to yours soon too. :)
DeleteI like the typography on the cover of How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse by K. Eason.
ReplyDeleteHere's my Top Ten Tuesday list.
I do too! It's such an eye-catching cover. :)
DeleteSo many books so little time, am I right? Hope you manage to get around to these. Happy reading! My TTT https://readwithstefani.com/books-i-meant-to-read-in-2020/
ReplyDeleteRight? I say that all the time, lol. I hope you manage to get around to yours too. :)
DeleteOooh! All of these books sound interesting! Hope you get to read all these books!
ReplyDeleteHere’s my TTT!
Ronyell @ Rabbit Ears Book Blog
Thanks, Ronyell! I hope you're able to get to yours too! :)
DeleteI haven't read any of these, but they do all look good. And several are on my current TBR list, too: the Rory Thorne book and also The Socialite. Here's hoping we get to them this year. :)
ReplyDeleteI hope we get to them too, Lark! They sound so good! :)
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