April & May Reading Challenge Updates

So it looks like I skipped updating my reading challenges for April. So this post will have April and May progress reports.

I'm finally nearing the end of my ARC TBR list and I couldn't be happier! Not that I don't enjoy reading these books. I just accepted too many too close together (many with only a week between deadlines). This would be ok if I had gotten around to reading some of these earlier. I'm looking forward to reading some books I've had for a while. I picked up Slammed by Colleen Hoover for $1.50 yesterday and would like to get to it sooner rather than later. Plus I've got several books I'd purchased or got free earlier this year that I'd like to read. On to the progress reports.

April Progress

I crossed off two more in April and 1 more in May.

 Debut Novel - Edge of Chaos by Molly E. Lee

Book You Bought - Edge of Chaos by Molly E. Lee

 

May Progress

 Setting begins with B - Game of Fear by Glede Browne Kabongo

 

Completed two in April and one in May for this challenge as well.

 

April Progress

 A - The Arrangement by Mary Smith

E - Edge of Chaos by Molly E. Lee

May Progress

G - Game of Fear by Glede Browne Kabongo

Goodreads Group - 2016 Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge

April Progress

None

 

May Progress

 A Book Set in Europe - Bet on Me by Mia Hodell

A Book about a culture you're unfamiliar with - Cross the Stars by Venessa Kimball

 

 There were a few challenges that I didn't have any progress for in April and May. But I did read six books in April and five books in May.

 

Review: Winters Heat by Cristin Harber

Winters Heat (Titan #1) by Cristin Harber

Release Date: September 25, 2013

Genres: Romantic Suspense

Pages:278

Source: E-Book

My Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Goodreads Description:

After putting her life on the line to protect classified intelligence, military psychologist Mia Kensington is on a cross-country road trip from hell with an intrusive save-the-day hero. Uninterested in his white knight act, she’d rather take her chances without the ruggedly handsome, cold-blooded operative who boasts an alpha complex and too many guns.

Colby Winters, an elite member of The Titan Group, has a single objective on his black ops mission: recover a document important to national security. It was supposed to be an easy in-and-out operation. But now, by any means necessary becomes a survival mantra when he faces off with a stunning woman he can’t leave behind.

When Titan’s safe houses are compromised, Colby stashes Mia at his home, exposing his secret—he’s the adoptive father of an orphaned baby girl. Too soon, danger arrives and Mia lands in the hands of a sadistic cartel king with a taste for torture. As hours bleed into fear-drenched days, Colby races across the globe and through a firestorm of bullets to save the woman he can’t live without.

Notes about the book:

This is the first book in a multi-book series. I haven't read any of the other books yet. So I'm not sure how well they work as standalones. But the other books in the series have minor characters from Winters Heat as the main characters. So I think they might be able to be read as standalones.

This books is not meant for anyone under 18 as it does contain hot & steamy sex scenes.

Book Quote:

“You’re going to wish you didn’t bring that out to play today. Never should have threatened the lady. Never should have gotten in my way. Never, ever should have fucked up my job.”

My Review

I enjoyed this book immensely. There was so much action that I actually commented in one of my Goodreads statuses that I couldn't believe I was only halfway through the book. The first half of the book went by quickly. Toward the end though the twists and turns just seemed a little too far fetched. I think the author should have stopped at least one action scene sooner.

The characters were very likable though. Who doesn't love a tough and sexy ex-military man? Mia grows on you as well. The books starts out from Colby Winters (who goes by just Winters) POV and he was the character that appealed to me more. Mia did surprise me with her sexuality. At first I took her to be a bit of a prude, but that was just her exterior shell.

I have to say that from the synopsis I had a different idea about Mia's role in the whole "op" than what her role actually was. I think I would have liked my idea better than I actually liked the book's storyline. But once I got past the start of the book and her reasoning for being there, the action took off and I was pulled in.

But as I said above after one too many action scenes, I kind of got tired of all the action and wished for the happy ending. To tell you the truth, the happy ending drug on a bit too much as well. I did enjoy the epilogue though.

Overall, this was an enjoyable book filled with lots of steamy sex scenes.

2016 Challenge Update Post - January

 

January Progress

I've crossed off two of the boxes for this challenge.

You Didn't Want to Put it Down - Hopeless by Colleen Hoover

First in a Series - Winters Heat by Cristin Harber

January Progress

H - Hopeless by Colleen Hoover

W - Winters Heat by Cristin Harber

Holiday Bookish Bingo

January Progress

	B	I	N	G	O
	Romance	Snow On Cover	Has Been Translated	Holiday Themed	Epistolary
	Multi POV	Series Finale	Fantasy	Pink Cover	2015 Release You Missed
	Time Travel	A Friend's Fav	FREE	Thriller	One Word Title
	Award Winner	Black Author	White Cover	Book was a Gift	Retelling
	2016 Debut	Graphic Novel	Start A New Series	Royalty	Blue Cover
		KEY
		read	reading

Romance - Without A Doubt by Lindsay Paige

Multi POV - The 5th Wave by Rick Yancy (still reading this one)

Start A New Series - Winters Heat by Cristin Harber

One Word Title - Hopeless by Colleen Hoover

A Friend's Fav - Tragic by J.A. Huss (still reading)

Goodreads Group - 2016 Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge

January Progress

A Book That is Becoming a Movie This Year - The 5th Wave (still reading)

A Book With a Blue Cover - Hopeless by Colleen Hoover

A Book About a Road Trip - Winters Heat by Cristin Harber

A Book Recommended by Someone You Just Met - Tragic by J.A. Huss

NEW CHALLENGES I’VE DECIDED TO JOIN

This is a challenge to get us reading from our To Be Read piles. One of the rules is that the books had to have been purchased/downloaded before January 1, 2016. It runs from Jan 1 to Dec 31, 2016. It is hosted by My Reader’s Block. Signup can be found here.

MY GOAL: Mount Blanc, 24 books

January Progress

The 5th Wave by Rick Yancy, rec'd as Christmas Gift (still reading)

Tragic by J.A. Huss, downloaded July 31, 2015 (still reading) 

Winters Heat by Cristin Harber, downloaded Dec 27, 2015 - READ Jan 8, 2016

 This challenge is to encourage bloggers to talk more. It is hosted by Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction and Shannon @ It Starts At Midnight. Signup and details can be found here.  My goal is to achieve Discussion Dabbler (1-12 Discussion Posts). I'll have my first discussion post later today.