Life Update, Currently Reading, & September TBR

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Hi everyone! It’s been a while! Just out here enjoying life and still figuring out this new life schedule of mine. I read nothing but The Diviners in the month of August, therefore no August Wrap-Up will be posted. Instead of reading, I watched all the seasons of La Casa De Papel and How To Get Away With Murder. I was also having fun and going out. Sometimes I think of doing blog posts of places I’ve visited. However, I’m the type of person who likes to enjoy the moment rather than take pictures of every single thing so I guess that’s a wrap lol.

giphy-55ALSO!!!!!!!!! It’s September!!! Which means it’s my birthday month!!! I turn 30 on the 20th. I’ll be going to Vegas and the Grand Canyon (team virgo all day every day!! earth sign gang!!!). I have a lot going on, many of my loved ones also celebrate their birthday this month. Therefore, I know that audiobooks will be my best friend cause I won’t be getting much reading done. It’s alright though! I refuse to be hard on myself because life is worth living and I love being a happy bitch.

Okay but now that I’ve given you a little life update, let’s get to the books because that’s what y’all are here for!

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Currently Reading

21853621In love we find out who we want to be. In war we find out who we are.

France, 1939
In the quiet village of Carriveau, Vianne Mauriac says goodbye to her husband, Antoine, as he heads for the Front. She doesn’t believe that the Nazis will invade France…but invade they do, in droves of marching soldiers, in caravans of trucks and tanks, in planes that fill the skies and drop bombs upon the innocent. When France is overrun, Vianne is forced to take an enemy into her house, and suddenly her every move is watched; her life and her child’s life is at constant risk. Without food or money or hope, as danger escalates around her, she must make one terrible choice after another.

Vianne’s sister, Isabelle, is a rebellious eighteen-year-old girl, searching for purpose with all the reckless passion of youth. While thousands of Parisians march into the unknown terrors of war, she meets the compelling and mysterious Gäetan, a partisan who believes the French can fight the Nazis from within France, and she falls in love as only the young can…completely. When he betrays her, Isabelle races headlong into danger and joins the Resistance, never looking back or giving a thought to the real–and deadly–consequences.

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Currently listening via audiobook and reading along with paperback. I’m close to the 200 page mark and loving it! I can definitely see why this is a favorite. It’s gripping! Every time I put it down, I look forward to picking it back up.

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September TBR

So many books, so little time! I have a little TBR pile that’s sitting on my bedside. However, it’ll be getting side eyed this month. Therefore I chose three books that I’m sure I can get too; one hardcover book, one audiobook, and one ebook (two of them mostly for my plane rides to and from vegas/nyc).

Hardcover Book (Historical Fiction):

25813942For fans of Before We Were Yours and Where the Crawdads Sing, a magnificent novel about four orphans on a life-changing odyssey during the Great Depression, from the New York Timesbestselling author of Ordinary Grace.

1932, Minnesota—the Lincoln School is a pitiless place where hundreds of Native American children, forcibly separated from their parents, are sent to be educated. It is also home to an orphan named Odie O’Banion, a lively boy whose exploits earn him the superintendent’s wrath. Forced to flee, he and his brother Albert, their best friend Mose, and a brokenhearted little girl named Emmy steal away in a canoe, heading for the mighty Mississippi and a place to call their own.

Over the course of one unforgettable summer, these four orphans will journey into the unknown and cross paths with others who are adrift, from struggling farmers and traveling faith healers to displaced families and lost souls of all kinds. With the feel of a modern classic, This Tender Land is an en­thralling, big-hearted epic that shows how the magnificent American landscape connects us all, haunts our dreams, and makes us whole.

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Audiobook/Hardcover (Thriller):

36626748._SY475_Two Truths and a Lie. The girls played it all the time in their tiny cabin at Camp Nightingale. Vivian, Natalie, Allison, and first-time camper Emma Davis, the youngest of the group. The games ended when Emma sleepily watched the others sneak out of the cabin in the dead of night. The last she—or anyone—saw of them was Vivian closing the cabin door behind her, hushing Emma with a finger pressed to her lips.

Now a rising star in the New York art scene, Emma turns her past into paintings—massive canvases filled with dark leaves and gnarled branches that cover ghostly shapes in white dresses. The paintings catch the attention of Francesca Harris-White, the socialite and wealthy owner of Camp Nightingale. When Francesca implores her to return to the newly reopened camp as a painting instructor, Emma sees an opportunity to try to find out what really happened to her friends.

Yet it’s immediately clear that all is not right at Camp Nightingale. Already haunted by memories from fifteen years ago, Emma discovers a security camera pointed directly at her cabin, mounting mistrust from Francesca and, most disturbing of all, cryptic clues Vivian left behind about the camp’s twisted origins. As she digs deeper, Emma finds herself sorting through lies from the past while facing threats from both man and nature in the present.

And the closer she gets to the truth about Camp Nightingale, the more she realizes it may come at a deadly price.

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Ebook (Suspenseful Romance):

36602208._SY475_“Must be slim, able to stand for long periods of time, and be impervious to the cold.”
The headline caught my attention.
“Hours are negotiable, pay is minimal, clothing absolutely forbidden.”
The second line piqued my curiosity.
“Able to hold your bladder and tongue, refrain from opinions or suggestions, and be the perfect living canvas.”
The third made me scowl.
“Other attributes required: non-ticklish, contortionist, and obedient. Must also enjoy being studied while naked in a crowd.”
The fourth made me shudder.
“Call or email ‘YOUR SKIN, HIS CANVAS’ if interested in applying.”
The final made my heart race.
I should’ve kept scrolling past the advertisement.
I should’ve applied for the boring receptionist job at minimum wage.
I should’ve clicked on any other job where I got to keep my clothes on.
But I didn’t.
I applied.
My interview is tomorrow…

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That’s all for today! Any fun things you got going on in September? What books do you plan on reading? Let me know in the comments xo

Instagram: @chicnerdreads
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The Reading Rush Readathon TBR (very last minute)

GUESS WHO THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD IDEA TO TAKE PART OF HER FIRST READATHON EVER AT THE LAST MINUTE?! THAT’S RIGHT. THIS WOMAN RIGHT HERE….i’m probably going to regret this tomorrow lol but…

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As stated, this is my first ever readathon. The only reason why I’m even participating is because I have a few days off of work this week and I have the weekend to myself. I’m also in the mood to read all the books that are mentioned. If you’re participating in The Reading Rush, you can also add me as a friend on the website by clicking here. Before getting into the challenges, please note that I’m doubling up for two of them.


CHALLENGES

BOOK WITH PURPLE ON THE COVER
BOOK WITH A NON-HUMAN MAIN CHARACTER

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Muse of Nightmares (Stranger the Dreamer #2) by Laini Taylor
Because purple and because gods aren’t human lol.

 

READ A BOOK IN THE SAME SPOT THE ENTIRE TIME

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Sabrina & Corina: Stories by Kali Fajardo-Anstine
This book is super short and I always read in bed anyways so this will be a piece of cake!

 

READ A BOOK YOU MEANT TO READ LAST YEAR

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Crown of Lies (Truth and Lies Duet #1) by Pepper Winters
I’ve been wanting to read a dark romance and Pepper Winters knows how to write them.  Plus I’ll be able to read this one quickly due to her writing style.

 

READ AN AUTHOR’S FIRST BOOK

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Wilder Girls by Rory Power
I keep hearing such amazing things about this book and I’m so happy that I got to fit it in within the readathon!

 

PICK A BOOK THAT HAS FIVE OR MORE WORDS IN THE TITLE

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Things You Save In A Fire by Katherine Center
This is another book that I’ve been wanting to read and I’m glad I got to incorporate it!

 

READ AND WATCH A BOOK TO MOVIE ADAPTATION

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The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters
For this challenge, I wanted to pick something out of my comfort zone and also a non-famous book to movie. Therefore here we are. I listened to the sample of the audio and it peaked my interest. Let’s see how this goes!


And that’s all for this very last minute readathon/blog post! I’ll be updating my reads on twitter. If you want to check that out, please click the link below!

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Instagram: @chicnerdreads
Twitter: @chicnerdreads

books i would like to read this year

It’s been so long since I’ve spoken about books on this page. I had briefly spoken about why I’ve been in a long reading slump on Twitter. However, I wanted to share it here and please be advised that word vomit will now commence: I’m no longer in love with YA (young adult). For a very long time I didn’t want to accept it. I didn’t want to accept that I had fallen out of love with a genre that made me fall in love with reading in the first place. This is not to say that I’ve completely cut off YA. However, it’s to say that my reading taste has changed. I forced myself for over a year trying to read YA and found myself constantly bored. Alongside this huge year long reading slump, being an author and dedicating time to my books/deadlines has become a priority. Also life but life always happens right? And yeah, letting go of YA has been very freeing. I accepted that letting go of a particular genre does not mean I’m letting go of the book community and that’s okay.

Any-who, I know I’m super late but these are books that I would like to read this year. I’m so excited to get to these. I’m not sure if I’ll post reviews for them because I’m still slowly figuring out what I want to do with this blog and I’m also not sure if I’ll get to all these books but I think I can do this. *crosses fingers*

The books are not in order of what I want to read, I did try to group them by genre though. The titles of the books will link you straight to Goodreads.

 

  • The Simple Wild by K.A. Tucker
    Genre: New Adult Romance
    City girl Calla Fletcher attempts to reconnect with her estranged father, and unwittingly finds herself torn between her desire to return to the bustle of Toronto and a budding relationship with a rugged Alaskan pilot. (full synopsis on goodreads)
  • Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren
    Genre: Romance, Fiction
    After a decade apart, childhood sweethearts reconnect by chance in New York Times bestselling author Christina Lauren’s touching, romantic novel Love and Other Words…how many words will it take for them to figure out where it all went wrong? The story of the heart can never be unwritten. (full synopsis on goodreads)
  • Until It Fades by K.A. Tucker
    Genre: New Adult Romance
    And then one foggy night, on a lonely road back from another failed attempt at a relationship, Catherine saves a man’s life. It isn’t until after the police have arrived that Catherine realizes exactly who it is she has saved: Brett Madden, hockey icon and media darling. Catherine has already had her fifteen minutes of fame and the last thing she wants is to have her past dragged back into the spotlight, only this time on a national stage. So she hides her identity. It works. For a time. (full synopsis on goodreads)
  • Crown of Lies (Truth and Lies Duet #1) by Pepper Winters
    Genre: Dark Romance
    THREE YEARS
    Since I ran away for the night, danced in New York streets, and almost got killed in an alley by two thieves. Until he showed up and saved me.
    THREE DAYS
    Since I threw a drink at the man my father expected me to marry, then found myself slammed against a wall with Penn Everett’s seductive voice whispering a proposal I couldn’t refuse.
    (full synopsis on goodreads)

 

  • Into the Water by Paula Hawkins
    Genre: Mystery, Fiction, Thriller
    In the last days before her death, Nel called her sister. Jules didn’t pick up the phone, ignoring her plea for help. Now Nel is dead. They say she jumped. And Jules has been dragged back to the one place she hoped she had escaped for good, to care for the teenage girl her sister left behind. But Jules is afraid. So afraid. Of her long-buried memories, of the old Mill House, of knowing that Nel would never have jumped. And most of all she’s afraid of the water, and the place they call the Drowning Pool . . .
  • Ink and Bone by Lisa Unger
    Genre: Mystery, Fiction, Thriller
    In this explosive psychological thriller by New York Times bestselling author Lisa Unger, a young woman’s mysterious gift forces her into the middle of a dangerous investigation of a little girl’s disappearance. (full synopsis on goodreads)
  • Sadie by Courtney Summers
    Genre: YA Mystery
    Sadie hasn’t had an easy life. Growing up on her own, she’s been raising her sister Mattie in an isolated small town, trying her best to provide a normal life and keep their heads above water. But when Mattie is found dead, Sadie’s entire world crumbles. After a somewhat botched police investigation, Sadie is determined to bring her sister’s killer to justice and hits the road following a few meager clues to find him. When West McCray―a radio personality working on a segment about small, forgotten towns in America―overhears Sadie’s story at a local gas station, he becomes obsessed with finding the missing girl. He starts his own podcast as he tracks Sadie’s journey, trying to figure out what happened, hoping to find her before it’s too late. (full synopsis on goodreads)

 

  • The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
    Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance
    Aging and reclusive Hollywood movie icon Evelyn Hugo is finally ready to tell the truth about her glamorous and scandalous life. But when she chooses unknown magazine reporter Monique Grant for the job, no one is more astounded than Monique herself. Why her? Why now? (full synopsis on goodreads)
  • Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
    Genre: Historical Fiction, Music
    Everyone knows Daisy Jones & The Six, but nobody knows the reason behind their split at the absolute height of their popularity . . . until now.
    Book is told in interview format. (full synopsis on goodreads)
  • Dead Mountain: The Untold True Story of the Dyatolv Pass Incident by Donnie Eicher
    Genre: Nonfiction, History, Mystery
    In February 1959, a group of nine experienced hikers in the Russian Ural Mountains died mysteriously on an elevation known as Dead Mountain. Eerie aspects of the incident—unexplained violent injuries, signs that they cut open and fled the tent without proper clothing or shoes, a strange final photograph taken by one of the hikers, and elevated levels of radiation found on some of their clothes—have led to decades of speculation over what really happened. This gripping work of literary nonfiction delves into the mystery through unprecedented access to the hikers’ own journals and photographs, rarely seen government records, dozens of interviews, and the author’s retracing of the hikers’ fateful journey in the Russian winter. A fascinating portrait of the young hikers in the Soviet era, and a skillful interweaving of the hikers narrative, the investigators’ efforts, and the author’s investigations, here for the first time is the real story of what happened that night on Dead Mountain.

 

  • The Girl in the Tower (Winternight Trilogy #2) by Katherine Arden
    Genre: Fantasy, Historical Fiction
    The magical adventure begun in The Bear and the Nightingale continues as brave Vasya, now a young woman, is forced to choose between marriage or life in a convent and instead flees her home—but soon finds herself called upon to help defend the city of Moscow when it comes under siege. Orphaned and cast out as a witch by her village, Vasya’s options are few: resign herself to life in a convent, or allow her older sister to make her a match with a Moscovite prince. Both doom her to life in a tower, cut off from the vast world she longs to explore. So instead she chooses adventure, disguising herself as a boy and riding her horse into the woods. When a battle with some bandits who have been terrorizing the countryside earns her the admiration of the Grand Prince of Moscow, she must carefully guard the secret of her gender to remain in his good graces—even as she realizes his kingdom is under threat from mysterious forces only she will be able to stop.
  • King of Scars (Nikolai #1) by Leigh Bardugo
    Genre: YA Fantasy
    Nikolai Lantsov has always had a gift for the impossible. No one knows what he endured in his country’s bloody civil war—and he intends to keep it that way. Now, as enemies gather at his weakened borders, the young king must find a way to refill Ravka’s coffers, forge new alliances, and stop a rising threat to the once-great Grisha Army. Yet with every day a dark magic within him grows stronger, threatening to destroy all he has built. With the help of a young monk and a legendary Grisha Squaller, Nikolai will journey to the places in Ravka where the deepest magic survives to vanquish the terrible legacy inside him. He will risk everything to save his country and himself. But some secrets aren’t meant to stay buried—and some wounds aren’t meant to heal.
  • Muse of Nightmares (Strange the Dreamer #2) by Laini Taylor
    Genre: YA Fantasy
    In the wake of tragedy, neither Lazlo nor Sarai are who they were before. One a god, the other a ghost, they struggle to grasp the new boundaries of their selves as dark-minded Minya holds them hostage, intent on vengeance against Weep. Lazlo faces an unthinkable choice—save the woman he loves, or everyone else?—while Sarai feels more helpless than ever. But is she? Sometimes, only the direst need can teach us our own depths, and Sarai, the Muse of Nightmares, has not yet discovered what she’s capable of. (full synopsis on goodreads)

And that is all for this post! Any of these books you’ve read or interest you? I think I’m most excited to read Taylor Jenkins Reid and K.A. Tucker. Fun Fact: It’s my first time reading Taylor Jenkins Reid! I cannot wait to read her books, all I’ve heard is praise. Hope you all have an amazing day/evening/night on whatever side of the planet you’re on! xo


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twitter: @chicnerdreads

February Wrap-Up 2017

Super late with this February Wrap-Up but hi everyone!! I hope you are all doing well. As many of you know, I was on a little blog hiatus since I’ve been working on my poetry book. Which by the way, the release date has moved up to April 4th, 2017. I will have a separate post talking all about that sometime very soon. I love sharing this process with you. And thanks to everyone who’s been riding with me.

February was pretty much a life changer for me and my bestie/twin Lilly. Many of you also know her as Lair of Books. It’s all so great because we both didn’t expect our lives to kind of change drastically for the good. She won a “lotto” and got this amazing apartment here in NYC and I had the honor of helping her one day throughout the move. Funny because I was reorganizing her bookshelves (YES SHE LET ME TOUCH HER SHELVES!!!!) while she sat and read/edited my book. That moment was kind of life changing because we were both experiencing our own brand new happiness in a shared time and space. And I’m so happy that we both got to enjoy this bliss together, regardless of all the stress it came with.

I didn’t really read that much in February. I read a total of 5 books.
2 Dark New Adult
3 Poetry Books (I read those in one sitting)

What I Read:

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Pennies (Dollar #1) by Pepper Winters ★★★★★ 
Genre: Dark New Adult
The themes of this book would usually drive me to the opposite direction because this one has a ton of trigger warnings but after reading enough non-spoiler reviews, I gave it a chance. And I am so happy that I did because it was soooooo good. I have a mini-review here.

 

 

 


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Dollars (Dollar #2) by Pepper Winters ★★★★★ 
Genre: Dark New Adult
I needed the second book to this series after reading Pennies. I devoured this one and it never suffered from second book syndrome. I cannot wait for the rest of the series to release. I need to know what happens next. I also wrote a mini-review for Dollars here.

 

 

 

 

 


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Uncaged Wallflower by Jennae Cecelia ★★★★
Genre: Poetry
Full of positivity and motivation, this collection is definitely a pick-me-upper. I have a review here that includes some poems from the book.

 

 

 

 

 


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The Chaos of Longing by K.Y. Robinson ★★★★★ Genre: Poetry
I NEED ALL OF YOU TO PICK THIS ONE UP RIGHT NOW!! I can’t stop gushing about it but seriously this collection is so raw and beautiful. Definitely a high-fave in the poetry spectrum. I will boast about it for days. If you want to check out some of the poems, I have a full review here.

 

 

 

 

 


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It Starts Like This by Shelby Leigh ★★★★★ 
Genre: Poetry
An amazing debut collection. Shelby wrote a poem every single day in 2015 and this collection shows some of her favorites. If you want to know more and read some of the poems, you can check out my review here.

 

 

 

 


 

Poetry:
Since I was on a blog hiatus, I only posted one poem and that is:
oh hi, i wrote a thing


 

ICYMI:

The cover reveal to my poetry book ‘love, and you’ was posted February 20th!!! I still cannot believe this is happening! Less than a month away, my first book will be out to the world…ahhhhhhh!!!!!!

love, and you has a Goodreads page!

I also received my first physical proof copy in the mail and it was surreal. I cried.

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I want to thank everyone who’s been supporting me through this journey. You all make this so effortless. Thank you all.


how has everything been on your end? i hope you are all doing well! let’s chat in the comments =)


Instagram: @chicnerdreads
Twitter: @ChicNerdReads
Goodreads: Gretchen (ChicNerdReads)

Two Mini Reviews: Pennies and Dollars by Pepper Winters (spoiler free)

Hey everyone! So I’m back! I hope you all are well. Today I am bringing two mini reviews from the same author in the same series!

This series isn’t a happy dandy love story. This is about sex slavery and it has a lot of Trigger Warnings for rape, sexual assault, psychological abuse, physical abuse, sex slavery, emotional abuse. Although the books do not go into explicit detail about the rape, we go through it all with the main character’s experience.


Title: Pennies (Book 1)
Series: Dollar
Author: Pepper Winters
Genre: Dark New Adult
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Format: eBook
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

25296512-2Synopsis from Goodreads:

Tasmin was killed on her 18th birthday. She had everything planned out. A psychology degree, a mother who pushed her to greatness, and a future anyone would die for. But then her murderer saved her life, only to sell her into a totally different existence. 

Elder went from penniless to stinking rich with one twist of fate. His lifetime of crime and shadows of thievery are behind him but no matter the power he now wields, it’s not enough. He has an agenda to fulfill and he won’t stop until it’s complete. 

But then they meet. 

A beaten girl and a richly dressed thief. Money is what guided their separate fates. Money is what brought them together. And money is what ultimately destroys them. 

She was poor. 
He was rich. 
Together…they were bankrupt.

Review:

I feel like the synopsis is way too nice for how dark this book is. Tasmin is just your average girl ready to start her life with college when at her mothers party she get’s stolen and that’s when the down spiral starts. She’s kidnapped and sold to the highest bidder at an auction. This first book is all about Tasnim (Pimlico is her new name once she gets sold) with her master for two years. Pepper Winters takes us through the physical, mental, and emotional torment of the main character. And many times my eyes got teary, and many times it was hard to swallow. However, I couldn’t put the book down because Tasnim (Pimlico) was so strong and she never gave that awful man the one thing he wanted, her voice.

We meet Elder, the “savior” which I thought was a blatant asshole. Funny thing was that before the book starts, the author wrote the readers a note about the triggers and explaining to us what to expect which I’m thankful for. But she also ask us the readers if we were ready to fall in love with Elder. I have read two books out of this 5 book series and I DO NOT LOVE HIM YET!!! Elder is an asshole and a thief. And he takes what he wants when he wants, no questions asked. I completely understand his character but when we meet him I was like “what is happening?” Which was why I couldn’t put the book down.

Elder and Tasnim (Pimlico) meet through a business deal with her master, she meets him and he’s intrigued by her. Her master even offers her to him but instead Elder decides to play a game with this man. A very dangerous game. And things are about to get a lot worse.

Pepper Winters slightly explores Elder and we see that he has a secret past but she teases us with it. Which has me really intrigued to ask “who is Elder?”

I feel like the author tackled this really well. Writing about sex slavery must be hard and going through the motions with the main character, Pepper Winters excelled wonderfully. The writing was easy to get through and very few characters were mentioned who were all messed up.


if you haven’t read this, then please do not read on.


Title: Dollars (Book #2)
Series: Dollar
Author: Pepper Winters
Genre: Dark New Adult
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Format: eBook
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

30341765Synopsis from Goodreads:

“I should never have asked for a night with you. This would never have happened if I’d had more willpower.” 

A thief met a possession and did what he did best.
Now, he has to live with the consequences. 
Including the girl he claimed. 

Pimlico was stolen and sold all before her twenty-first birthday. 
Two years with a master who almost killed her is over. 
She has a new master now. 
A master who demands everything, expects everything, and requires ultimate access to her mind. 

Elder broke countless rules when he took the girl who wasn’t his. 
She confuses and bewitches him, but his fascination won’t save her from his desires. 

He wants to know her.
She wants to forget. 
Together…they’re doomed.

Review:

Still not in love with savior Elder here, nope not at all. Yes, Pimlico was saved by Elder but he’s very controlling as well. In this book we see two different sides. Elder his usual controlling self but he’s trying really hard to be good to Pimlico. And we also see Pimlico very cautious about everything.

I appreciate that Pepper Winters doesn’t give it to us easy in this book when it comes to Pimlico. We still see her struggle every single day and second, even with her freedom. She doesn’t have that freedom mentality, she tip toes with everything. Especially with Elder because she doesn’t know what he wants half the time since he’s such a prick. We see some of the same Master-Slave tendencies in this book. After 2 years of so much abuse, she’s mentally not okay and we see that it will be a long time before she has some type of stability.

This book was much more easier to read, I say this in the sense of graphic scenes. We don’t go through the violence, rape, and physical torment like in book one. Yes, Pim relives some of the memories in her mind in Dollars. However, it’s not as much like in Pennies.

I really liked this book because both characters go through all of it together but grow. Elder wants Pimlico to simply get over everything but he is also struggling with himself to be kinder and think of her. Pimlico is struggling with herself and Elder. In the end, Pepper leaves us with this total cliff hanger that had me looking for answers all over the place!!! I look forward to the other books in the series.


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Twitter: @ChicNerdReads
Goodreads: Gretchen (ChicNerdReads)

December and January Book Haul

Many months ago, I had stated that I was only going to do seasonal book hauls because I don’t buy much books. Well my friends, that was a mothereffin lie. I have so many physical books/ebooks to show you. I can’t believe I acquired 22 books in only two months. I need to stop!!!

*the title of each book will lead you to the Goodreads page

Physical Fiction Books:

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Physical Poetry Books:

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  • Uncaged Wallflower by Jennae Cecelia
    Uncaged Wallflower is for those who feel trapped in the thoughts their minds produce, unable to express them with the rest of the world out of fear of critique or disagreement. For the people who need an extra dose of positivity in their day. This is not a poetry book for you to read and relate to in a sorrow filled way. It is for you to read and say yes, I can be better, and I will.
  • Bright Minds Empty Souls by Jennae Cecelia: 
    Bright Minds Empty Souls is for the hopeless romantics and those who need a friend to comfort their late night thoughts. It’s a book made with love about falling in and out of love with yourself, and others. Enjoy over 60 poems from Jennae’s second edition of, Bright Minds Empty Souls.
  • The Chaos of Longing by K.Y. Robinson
    The Chaos of Longing is a prose and poetry collection draped in raw honesty, ache, and eroticism. The collection explores trauma, love, heartbreak, and the realizations from it all. 
    The book is divided into four sections. “Inception” briefly examines formative years and its effects on how one loves. “Longing” reflects on love and sexuality. “Chaos” explores toxic relationships, unrequited love, and heartache. After chaos, there is order with self-love and healing poems in “epiphany”.
    Some content may be triggering.
  • Stuff I’ve Been Feeling Lately by Alicia Cook
    In Alicia Cook’s second poetic effort, designed in the style of an old mixtape, she sets her thoughts to a nostalgic tune. There is no Table of Contents. Instead, there is a “Track List,” making it easy to refer to them to your friends with a, “Hey did you read track seven?!” There are no chapters. Instead, the book is divided into two parts, or as one would say in the 90’s, two “sides.” Side A holds poetry that touches on all aspects of the human condition like life, death, love, moving on, evolving, growing up, hometowns, family dynamic, life after trauma, and make-ups and breakups. Side B holds the “remixes” of these poems, in the form of blackout poetry, also known as “found poetry.” Side B gives the material a fresh twist by creating new poetry out of Side A. There is also a very special surprise at the end of each track. Alicia decided to self publish this effort after leaving her publishing house. She views this book as her “independence” and official separation from that venture.
  • Rest in the Mourning by R.H. Sin
    The calm before and after the storm. Rest in the Mourning is a steady and profound stream of conscious thoughts and emotion. Documenting unhealthy relationships and why the heart ends up in the hands of those deemed unworthy. It speaks to the heart’s ability to hold on to relationships that no longer deserve our energy as well as what happens when we are ready to let go. Rest in the Mourning is about self-care and self-love.
  • Whiskey Words and a Shovel II by R.H. Sin:
    Real and raw, the voice of R. H. Sin delivers gritty, impassioned truths on matters of loving, living, and leaving in his second book of poetry.  Sin’s first book is a bestseller and continues to delight his one million followers.
    R.H. Sin’s second volume continues the passion and vigor of his previous publication. His stanzas inspire strength through the pure emotional energy and the vulnerability of his poems. Relationships, love, pain, and fortitude are powerfully rendered in his poetry, and his message of perseverance in the face of emotional turmoil cuts to the heart of modern-day life.
  • Broken Flowers by R.M. Drake
    “And you will go on / searching for the best of you / and you will never find it, / but that is the point.” This stunning collection of poems asks readers to keep on seeking – the journey is the destination. In this fifth installment from Robert M. Drake, the poet meditates on the subtle beauty of brokenness.
    I have a non spoiler book review here.

E-Books:


thoughts???? let’s chat in the comments! any of these on your TBR or on your read shelf?


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