I heard so much about this book that I needed! I first bought it on ebook and then audio, you know, for completeness!!!

Title: Daisy Jones and the Six

Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid

Everyone knows Daisy Jones & The Six: The band’s album Aurora came to define the rock ‘n’ roll era of the late seventies, and an entire generation of girls wanted to grow up to be Daisy. But no one knows the reason behind the group’s split on the night of their final concert at Chicago Stadium on July 12, 1979 . . . until now.

Daisy is a girl coming of age in L.A. in the late sixties, sneaking into clubs on the Sunset Strip, sleeping with rock stars, and dreaming of singing at the Whisky a Go Go. The sex and drugs are thrilling, but it’s the rock ‘n’ roll she loves most. By the time she’s twenty, her voice is getting noticed, and she has the kind of heedless beauty that makes people do crazy things.

Also getting noticed is The Six, a band led by the brooding Billy Dunne. On the eve of their first tour, his girlfriend Camila finds out she’s pregnant, and with the pressure of impending fatherhood and fame, Billy goes a little wild on the road.

Daisy and Billy cross paths when a producer realizes that the key to supercharged success is to put the two together. What happens next will become the stuff of legend.

The making of that legend is chronicled in this riveting and unforgettable novel, written as an oral history of one of the biggest bands of the seventies. Taylor Jenkins Reid is a talented writer who takes her work to a new level with Daisy Jones & The Six, brilliantly capturing a place and time in an utterly distinctive voice.

I have never read a book written in this format before and I didn’t know how I was going to get on with it so my blogger friend Sophie (Beware of the Reader) suggested audio……and it was superb.

This was also my first book by this author. I am loving these new experiences!

The beginning and the end of Daisy Jones. The rise and the fall.

The sex, drugs and rock n roll of the 70’s.

This was unique.

Its gritty and raw.

The writing is just genius.

The narrators are superb.

You need this in your life.

February is the month of love, well apparently….and who am I to disagree?!!!

So I decided to get involved! But only with books 😂

I’ll be posting some romancey book stuff closer to Valentines but thought I would only read romance books in February to get in the spirit!

I have quite a few romance books on my tbr so I picked some off to read!

Moti on the Water by Leylah Attar

The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren

Syler McKnight by Cora Brent

 

 

Until December by Aurora Rose Reynolds

Gypsy King by Devney Perry

Riven Knight by Devney Perry

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Are you getting in the spirit of luuuurve?!!

Doing anything special for Valentines?

January seems like the worst month of the year doesn’t it?!

The Christmas excitement is over, it’s cold, it’s a long month and the early December pay has ran out.

So I thought, let’s have some laughter…..and I think we all agree that there is nothing better than books!

Welcome to Closing the Chapter! I hope you had a great reading month?

January is nearly done!

Can you believe I had the mother of all slumps…..in January! Curse to all that is slumpy!

But Henry Cavill helped me out!!!

I started watching The Witcher and was immediately hooked (but 2021 for the 2nd series, come on Netflix!!) I also played a lot of Roblox Adopt Me, that game is addicting (but I have quite a few fully grown neon pets to show for it!!!)

Anyway on to books! I found audio was my total saviour! All books ‘read’ in January were audio!

🎧

Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo

See my review here.

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King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo

See my review here.

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Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Look out for my review soon!

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DNF

Call Down the Hawk by Maggie Stiefvater- I just cannot get on with this authors writing style. It makes me feel so guilty though.

The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco – I really wanted to love this but just couldn’t get into it.

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What did you read in January?

Top 5 Tuesday is brought to you by Shanah at the Bionic Bookworm, see her original post here.

Theme = Anticipated books for 2020

So many. Oh so many that my bank account is quivering with fear!

But these are my most anticipated:

Crescent City by Sarah J Maas

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How to Love Your Elf by Kerrelyn Sparks

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Aurora Burning Jay Kristoff

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Empire of the Vampire Jay Kristoff

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Bridge of Souls by Victoria Schwab

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What are your ‘must have’ books releasing in 2020?

I don’t normally feature cover reveals but for this, I couldn’t resist!

Lookie……👀……aaaaaah…….

Title: Frozen Stiff Drink

Series: Braxton Campus Mysteries #6

Author: James J Cudney

A winter blizzard barrels toward Wharton County with a vengeance. Madam Zenya predicted the raging storm would change the course of Kellan’s life, but the famed seer never could’ve prepared him for all the collateral damage. Nana D disappears after visiting a patient at Willow Trees, leaving behind a trail of confusion. When the patient turns up dead, and second body is discovered beneath the snowbanks, Kellan must face his worst fears. What tragedy has befallen his beloved grandmother?

Kellan’s brother Hampton learns essential life lessons the hard way after his father-in-law accuses him of embezzlement. While trying to prove his innocence, Hampton digs himself a deeper hole that might lead to prison. Sheriff Montague wants to save him, but she receives the shock of her life as the past hurtles forward and complicates her future.

Between locating Nana D and solving the scandalous murder of another prominent Braxton citizen, Kellan and April’s worlds explode with more turmoil than they can handle. Too bad neither one of them knows what to do about the psychic’s latest premonition. The suspicious deaths happening around town aren’t ending anytime soon.

About the Author

James is my given name, but most folks call me Jay. I live in New York City, grew up on Long Island, and graduated from Moravian College. I spent fifteen years building a technology career in the retail, sports, media, and entertainment industries. I enjoyed my job, but a passion for books and stories had been missing for far too long. I’m a voracious reader in my favorite genres (thriller, suspense, contemporary, mystery, and historical fiction), as books transport me to a different world where I can immerse myself in so many fantastic cultures and places. I’m an avid genealogist who hopes to visit all the German, Scottish, Irish, and British villages my ancestors emigrated from in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Writing has been a part of my life as much as my heart, my mind, and my body. I decided to pursue my passion by dusting off the creativity inside my head and drafting outlines for several novels. I quickly realized I was back in my element growing happier and more excited with life each day. My goal in writing is to connect with readers who want to be part of great stories and who enjoy interacting with authors. To get a strong picture of who I am, check out my author website or my blog. It’s full of humor and eccentricity, sharing connections with everyone I follow—all in the hope of building a network of friends across the world.

When I completed the first book, Watching Glass Shatter, I knew I’d stumbled upon my passion again, suddenly dreaming up characters, plots, and settings all day long. I chose my second novel, Father Figure, through a poll on my blog where I let everyone vote for their favorite plot and character summaries. It is with my third book, Academic Curveball, the first in the Braxton Campus Mysteries, where I immersed myself in a college campus full of so much activity, I could hardly stop thinking about new murder scenes or character relationships to finish writing the current story. Come join in the fun!

The places to find Jay…….

Websites & Blog

Website: https://jamesjcudney.com/

Blog: https://thisismytruthnow.com

Social Media Links

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/James-J.-Cudney/e/B076B6PB3M/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jamescudney4

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JamesJCudneyIVAuthor/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BraxtonCampusMysteries/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/jamescudney4/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamescudney4/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/jamescudney4

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamescudney4

@jamescudney4 @Shalini_G26 @NextChapterPB #NextChapterPub

After Crooked Kingdom ate my heart up and spat it out, I needed to read this immediately for some reassurances that everything would be ok…..is that weird?!!

 

Title: King of Scars

Series: Nikolai Duology 1 (Grishaverse 6)

Author: Leigh Bardugo

 

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.

This was everything I dreamed about!

And my review is entitled: ‘4 reasons I am giddy about this book’!!

Nikolai and Zoya – so wanted these 2 together. I hated Zoya in the beginning of the Grishaverse trilogy but slowly warmed up to her. In this book I loved her!

Nina and Nikolai – yes I know what I said above but my gawd I also wanted Nina with Nikolai! She absolutely broke my heart in this book. She deserves this. As you can tell I am still apoplectic at the injustice of what happened in Crooked Kingdom!

Nikolai – I mean come on. He is simply the best character out of all these books, even better than The Darkling. Yes. I went there.

Nikolai’s personality – witty, charming, intelligent, vulnerable and he is a King! What more could you want?

Yes I know my 4 giddy reasons all contain Nikolai and I do not care. I love him. In my opinion Alina should’ve shot Mal and married Nikolai!!!!!

But can we just talk about that ending? No. No I cant. I actually cant talk about it as my jaw is still on the floor.

January seems like the worst month of the year doesn’t it?!

The Christmas excitement is over, it’s cold, it’s a long month and the early December pay has ran out.

So I thought, let’s have some laughter…..and I think we all agree that there is nothing better than books!

Top 5 Tuesday is brought to you by Shanah at the Bionic Bookworm, see her original post here.

I don’t think I am a ‘critical’ reader by any means but I know what I like and I know what I love.

Over the past year I think I’ve been more picky about what rating I give a book so this topic was perfect for me!

Theme = Top 5 Reasons I Rate a Book 5 Stars

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Pacing 🏃‍♀️

I’m one of those who wants it not too fast but not too slow. I want it all!!!!!

Writing Style ✒

If I don’t like the authors/books writing style it’s going to have an effect on what I think of the book.

Plot 📖

It needs to be interesting, make sense and have no holes! If there are holes, it totally takes my concentration away as I’m thinking about it!

Feels 😿😹

How the story makes me feel. I want all those feels! Well not in real life, just in the world that I am currently inhabiting!

Recommend 🏆

If I want to plaster the book all over social media, if I want to discuss with a book friend who has read and if I push the book on my book friends then it’s a winner for me!

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What about you? What makes you rate a book 5 stars?