Book Haul 2026—February

Books I acquired in February. Unless stated, all books were free when I downloaded them


BookBub

Murder in the Crypt by Irina Shapiro

Muddy Waters by Eric Chance Stone

Under Southern Stars by Cari Blake

Sacrifices by Rose B. Mashal

White Horse Black Nights by Evie Marceau

CORA by A.L. Hawke

Reclaiming Mni Sota by Colin Mustful

Naoise’s First Year by Martina O’Leary

Tree of Redemption by Jim Davidson

Snowfall in Virginia by Jim Davidson

The Aztec Necklace by Jim Davidson

Galaxy of Heroes by Gus Flory

Rise: Birth of a Revolution by Mark Moore

Touched by A.J. Aalto

A Tail of Village Murder by Lucy Emblem

Big Horn by Pamela Fagan Hutchins

Crave Me by Jenn Plummer

Lilies at Dawn by Vivien Thorne

Maybe Yes by Ella Miles

The Divine and the Cursed by J.E. Reed

Heart of Her Wolves by Tara West

The Shortest Way Home by Juliette Fay

Krimson Run by Julia Huni

Darrienia by K.J. Simmill

The Scandalous Letters of V and J by Felicia Davin

The Fairkind by Randolph Kuczer

A Feast of Phantoms by Kat Ross

Clumsy in Love by Jamie Arras

Forgiveness River by Liliana Hart

His Other Wife by Ava Strong

The Slayer Rule by Richard DeGranpre

Crossbones by Douglas Pratt

Of Body and Bone by J.T. Bishop

Out of My League by Brea Brown

Bride of the Briar Beast by Brandon Rohrbaugh

An Alien Pirate for February by Lindy Moonhill

The Costume Party by L.E. Young

Theory Markspurn by L.C. Mitchell

Synthetic Eden by Alexander Titus

Ranger of Kings by C.J.R. Isley

Arcane by Sever Bronny

Haunted Ends by Elizabeth Price

Academy of the Forgotten by Eva Chase

Wunderkind by ZZ Adams

A Recursive Singularity by Andrew Kraft

Back from the Dead by Andre Spiteri

Nailed by Joseph Flynn

What Happens in the Ruins by Kelsey McKnight

Full Throttle by GiGi Meier

The Rosewood Diary by Teri Blake

Soul Tie by R.L. Mosz

Unraveling Brigid’s Veil by Christy Nichols

Awakening Horde by M. Zaugg

Miami Ice by Aven Ellis

A Deadly Dunk by Cindy Bell

Slade by Vella Day

The Vanishing of Dr. Winter by L.B. Hathaway

The Desert Saint by A.M. Pascarella

Machinations of a Murder by Peter Zander-Howell

Solar Flare Outage by Tom Hawke

The Quiet Hideaway by William Stone

Blood & Bone by Paula Dombrowiak

Inferno Games: Purgatory by Elise Knight

Bloods of the Sands by S.C. Grayson

Justice for Danielle by Aubree Valentine

Hunted by K.M. Shea

Unspoken by Jann Alexander

The Neverborn by B.B. Brighton

The Making of Us by Diane Hawley Nagatomo

They Will Be Coming for Us by Kim Catanzarite

Bitterwood by James Maxey

Alpha Female by L.J. Breedlove

Pardon My French Press by J.P. Sterling

Lies and Lattes by Christine Zane Thomas

Marvels, Mochas, and Murder by Christine Zane Thomas

Murder and Mahjong by Annabel Chase

Ruthless Oath by Ella Jade

Bite the Bullet by Jim Woods

Defending the Gulf Coast by Andi Lodge

Dark Wish by Clarissa Wild

Bound by Deception by Jayne Castel

No Hero by Mallory Kane

Luna by Letty Frame

When We Talk by Carrie Crafton

The Game by Terry Schott

Forged in Fire by Melody Rose

The Fae Conspiracy by Kevin Knabe

1st Murder by Megan Matthews

Foul Murder at Fable’s Mansion by April Patterson Clemens

Bells, Tails & Murder by Kathy Manos Penn

A Crown of Ruin by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Bear Trap by Bob Asher

Midnight for Justice by Charlotte Stuart

Serpents by Logan Fox

Survival of Alayster by Jay Roshni

Cold War by Keira Andrews

Slivers of Memory by AJ Dasher

Guardian of Fate by L.J. Kentowski

The Reluctant Coroner by Paul Austin Ardoin

Don’t Hurt Me by Julia Derek

Curse of the Sun and Stars by Zara Storm

Apple Farm Secrets by B.Z. Lenhart

Ellie Dwyer’s Great Escape by Diane Winger

In the Blood of the Greeks by Mary D. Brooks

Demon Guard by Samantha Britt

Full Moon Saloon by Aimee Easterling

Part-Time Monster Hunter by Nicholas Woode-Smith

The One With The Secret Crushes by Alexis Anne

Isolation by Darin Miller

Her Vampire Prince by Ines Johnson

Die for You by Amarie Avant

Fallen Snow by Jolie Vines

Don’t Lie to Me by Alicia Darke

The Farrier’s Daughter by Leigh Ann Edwards

Splintered Mind by W.R. Gingell

No One Else Could Heal Her by Hiyodori

Charmed by Magic by S.K. Young

Apprentice of the Dead by Laura Greenwood

Murder at Maisie’s by Lyla Blue

Mated to the Cyborg General by Aurelia Skye

Raven by Scarlett Finn

Steal Away by BV Lawson

On the Rocks by Mia Gold

Shattered Secrets by Lilian Harris

Between Desire and Denial by Shain Rose

Ridorkulous by Mary Frame

Bad Princess by N.E. Henderson

Demon’s Bride by Leigh Miller

The Darkest King by Juliette N. Banks

Across the Sea by Annie Seaton

Once Upon a Ren Faire by A.C. Castillo

The Problem With Black Magic by Karen L. Mead

Not That Impressed by Ranee S. Clark

Camellias, Clues, and Cold Cases by Lisa Pevey

Shadow Thief by Eva Chase

Amidst the Darkness by Laura Rise

Terminal Silence by Dan Klasing

Get Out by Kate Bold

Sinful Honor by Kate Bammer

Her Brave Wolf by Kestra Pingree

The Darker Ages by Aron Lewes

Ghostly Gossip by Nellie H. Steele

The Bandalore by D.K. Girl

Playing with Fire by Jordan Bloom

The Scent of Happiness by Jordan Bloom


From My TBR

The Mechanic by Tom Fowler

The Longest Night by Carter Woods

The Deadbeat Next Door by Katharine Sadler

Rock Bottom by Jade C. Jamison

Puck Drop by Maggie Alabaster

Airplane Games by Cat Wynn

Ride with the Devil by Carin Hart

Breeze Spells and Bridegrooms by Sarah Wallace

Never Fall for Your Fake Fiance by Kate O’Keeffe

Cabal of the Westford Knight by David S. Brody

Rebellious by Gillian Archer

Dark Illusion by Dana V. Moison

Buttons and Blackmail by Ramey James

Soul in the Game by Lily Cahill

Crank by Caitlyn Dare

Delicious Death by Byrd Nash

The Baker and the Broken Heart by Jesse Leigh Murray

Whispers, Whiskey, and Wishes by Rowan Dillon

Murphy’s Law by Sandy James

Pity Party by Whitney Dineen

Pranks, Poitin, and Pucas by Rowan Dillon

A Shift in Shadows by Maddox Grey


Found on other blogs

Diners, Dives, & Drive-Bys by David Korson (found on Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – Great Escape Book Tours)


Books I bought

Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed (bought on Amazon for $1.99)


Books I found on other sites

A Christmas Gone Perfectly Wrong by Cecilia Grant (found on Goodreads Newsletter: Swoony Stories: 144 Romance Recommendations for Valentine’s Day)


Book Mail

Missing by E.A. Jackson (won on Goodreads giveaway, paperback)

Rough Ride (True Brothers MC: Book 4) by Gillian Archer

Rough Ride (True Brothers MC, #4)

4 Stars

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group, Loveswept

Date of publication: July 24, 2018

Genre: Romance

Series: True Brothers MC

Ruthless – Book 1

Rebellious – Book 2 (review here)

Resilient – Book 3 (review here)

Rough Ride – Book 4

Where you can find Rough Ride: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

Hang on tight. When it comes to love, this loyal soldier plays rough.

Amber: 
Two years ago I would’ve made a play for a guy like “Bam” in a heartbeat. That was before my father died in a puddle of blood in the middle of a parking lot before I swore off his fellow bikers and their stupid “business.” But I still need answers about what happened to my dad, which is why I’m poking around at a nightclub owned by the Russian mafia. And that’s where I run into Bam, who carries me out of the club in his ridiculously strong arms like I was True Brothers property.

Bam: 
Motorcycle club princess Amber Bennett is the last person I’d expect to see at a club like Howl. She’s flirting with some dangerous people, and it’s my duty to step in and protect her before she gets in over her head. Like I don’t have enough on my mind without cleaning up Amber’s drama. Besides, she’s the definition of off-limits. If only she weren’t so f***ing hot. And determined to take care of everything herself. And oddly vulnerable. Because when we cross the line, I’m forced to choose between my true family — or my true feelings.

Look for all of Gillian Archer’s smoldering True Brothers MC romances:
RUTHLESS | REBELLIOUS | RESILIENT | ROUGH RIDE

My review:

I was excited to read Rough Ride. I have read the True Brother’s MC series from book 2. This series has captivated me. I love reading about bad boys who find their true love with good girls. I have loved reading this series and Rough Ride was no exception.

What I liked about this book was how relatable Amber and Bam were. I also liked the chemistry between Amber and Bam. Even when they were in denial about their feelings for each other, it was still there. I also liked that both of them were not afraid to stand up to people. Bam stood up to his MC family for his relationship with Amber. And Amber stood up to the son of the head of the region’s Russian mafia.

There were also things I didn’t like about the book. I didn’t like how Tank acted for 90% of the book. I get that he felt guilty about what happened with Stitch but still. He acted like a jerk when he began to suspect that Bam had feelings for Amber. If I didn’t know better, I would have thought Tank had feelings for her. I also didn’t like Bam’s mother. She was a vile woman. That whole scene in the casino turned my stomach. The last thing I didn’t like about the book was how Amber’s mother acted the entire book. I get that she was destroyed when Stitch was murdered. That would have destroyed me too. But she wallowed in it. Kept drinking and forced Amber to take over paying the mortgage and all the house bills. She redeemed herself halfway through the book, but the damage was still done. I couldn’t look at her like when Brittany was introduced in Rebellious.

I liked the plot of Rough Ride. It takes place a year after Stitch was murdered. We find Bam is a full member of the book, despite what happened in Resilient. Amber struggles to take care of her mother and keep the bills paid while going to school. She also needs closure with her father’s death. So she decides to go to the Russian Mafia-owned club and demand answers. She gets them, and she gets the unwanted attention of Ruslan, the son of the head of the region’s Russian Mafia. When the Brothers discover that Ruslan is stalking Amber, Bam is put on duty to watch her and keep her safe. Which Amber resents and fights against. But soon, they start to develop feelings for each other. Can their love survive? Or is it destined to be a failed love story?

Ok, let’s talk about the cover. While I like it and think the model is hot, he does not look like what I expected Bam to look like. Bam was described by Amber as looking like a Viking. I was expecting a cover model who looked like a biker Viking.

I liked how Bam and Amber’s romance was slow going. Bam didn’t want to be attracted to her. She was off-limits to him, and he was fighting his attraction to her. But once he kissed her, the romance took off. Of course, it wasn’t easy-going.

The chemistry between Bam and Amber was insane. The author took her time having them do the dirty, but when they did, it was insane. As was every other sex scene that they had together. I do have one question, which wasn’t answered in the book. Was Bam pierced like Reb and Tank? The author didn’t mention it, and inquiring minds want to know…lol.

The end of the Rough Ride had me in tears. I agreed with Amber about why she did what she did. But, I also agreed with Maverick. She shouldn’t have run. I loved the epilogue. Loved, loved, loved it!!!

What I liked about Rough Ride:

A) How relatable Amber and Bam were

B) The chemistry between Amber and Bam

C) How they weren’t afraid not to stand up to people

What I disliked about Rough Ride:

A) Tank and how he acted for 90% of the book.

B) Bam’s mother. What a vile, vile woman

C) Amber’s mother.

I would give Rough Ride an Adult rating. There is explicit sex. There is violence. There is language. I would suggest that no one under 21 read this book.

I would reread Rough Ride. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank Random House Publishing Group, Loveswept, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Rough Ride.

All opinions stated in this review of Rough Ride are mine.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Reluctantly Royal (HRH: Book 1) by Gillian Archer

Reluctantly Royal (HRH, #1)

4 Stars

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group, Loveswept

Date of publication: January 16, 2016

Genre: Romance, Humor

Number of pages: 250

POV: 1st person

Series: HRH

Reluctantly Royal – Book 1

Where you can find Reluctantly Royal: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

A bad-boy prince is tamed by a vivacious American beauty in this charming love story.

Officially, the world knows me as His Royal Highness Prince Lucien of Monaco, but you can call me Luc. A long time ago, I vowed never to let my heritage stand in the way of a good time. Now the party’s over.

With the death of my father and my twin brother, I’ve lost a part of my soul—and my freedom. My heartless older brother tells me that not only do I have to settle down, but I also need to marry a girl with the right bloodlines. AKA, a princess. Yeah, I’ll get right on that . . . after one last trip to Vegas.

That’s where I meet Hannah. Not only is she gorgeous and down-to-earth, but she also reminds me what it’s like to live completely in the moment. Plus she has no idea who I really am. Hanging out with the locals, I feel like I can just be myself again. Besides, our chemistry is undeniable—especially after we take things to the next level.

What happens in Vegas is special, and I don’t want it to stay there. But I’ve been keeping a secret that will tear us apart. The last thing I expect, though? Hannah’s been keeping a secret of her own . . . one that might just bring us together.

Trigger Warning: None

Continue reading “Reluctantly Royal (HRH: Book 1) by Gillian Archer”

Resilient (True Brothers MC: Book 3) by Gillian Archer

Resilient (True Brothers MC, #3)

Title: Resilient

Author: Gillian Archer

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Loveswept

Date of publication: July 11th, 2017

Genre: Romance, Women’s Fiction

Number of pages: Unknown

POV:

Series: True Brothers MC

Ruthless – Book 1

Rebellious – Book 2 (review here)

Resilient – Book 3

Where you can find Resilient: Amazon

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

Every loner needs a family—and a heart to call home. The bad-boy bikers of the True Brothers MC make good as a strong, silent type shows the right woman that he can speak the language of love.

With her lowlife father in prison for manslaughter, Nicole Walker keeps her distance from the biker scene—until she meets the stud running security at her best friend’s wedding. “Tank” is big, mean, and trouble from every direction. Yet Nicole can’t take her eyes off his chiseled body, or deny the pure electricity she feels when he returns her gaze. Guys like Tank are supposed to be a one-way ride to heartbreak. So why, after a scorching night in his bed, does Nicole only want more?
 
From his tour in the Marines to his sister’s disastrous marriage, Tank has seen the worst that life has to offer. Ever since his father’s death, Tank’s been fiercely protective of his family—and the True Brothers have always had his back. But nothing could prepare him for a woman like Nicole, who’s determined to break down the walls around his heart. When violence strikes, placing Nicole in harm’s way, Tank digs deep to find the courage to keep her safe—and the strength to love without limits.

My review:

Trigger alert: Child abuse, spousal abuse

I was looking forward to reading  Resilient ever since I read Rebellious.  I fell in love with the men of the True Brothers MC and couldn’t wait to read more about them. With Resilient, I got a treat. I got Tank, who fascinated me in Rebellious, and Nicole’s story. And I will say, it was a sexy read with plenty of drama.

Continue reading “Resilient (True Brothers MC: Book 3) by Gillian Archer”

Rebellious (True Brothers MC: Book 2) by Gillian Archer

Rebellious (True Brothers MC, #2)

Publisher: Loveswept

Date of publication: September 13th, 2016

Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Adult Fiction, Erotica, Sociology, Abuse, Romantic Suspense, Mystery, Crime, Catergory Romance, Action

Series: True Brothers MC series

Ruthless – Book 1

Rebellious – Book 2

Resilient—Book 3 (review here)

Rough Ride—Book 4 (review here)

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | Indigo | Kobo

Goodreads Synopsis:

Every rebel needs a cause—and a woman to believe in. Discover why Heidi McLaughlin raves that “the sexy, alluring bad boys of the True Brothers MC will make your mouth water” in this smoldering novel from the author of Ruthless.

The black-leather-clad biker who just roared up on his Harley doesn’t resemble any single father Emily Clark has ever known. But as she watches “Reb” bonding with his son, Emily realizes there’s a lot more to this bad boy than his alpha-male attitude or his sinful good looks. And when Reb takes an interest in her, there’s no way she can resist his surprisingly tender touch. The one thing Emily won’t give up is her hard-won independence.

As president of the True Brothers MC, Reb owes a sacred debt of loyalty to the club, but his first priority is making sure that his son grows up right. Pursuing an unexpected affair with Emily is a close second. Then a violent stalker threatens her life, and this unconventional guardian angel really turns up the heat. Nobody messes with Reb, or anyone under his protection. Trouble is, how’s he supposed to defend Emily when she insists on going it alone? He’s willing to put his life on the line for her. Now, maybe, he needs to open his heart.


I devoured this book!!! I went to bed early last night and decided to read Rebellious. I finished it in under 2 hours. I was that engrossed by it.

I was “eh” about Emily’s character. It was her obsession with Reb’s penis and its piercing. Now having a piercing at the top of the penis is awesome, and I am glad that the author highlighted it.  But to have Emily obsess over it got on my nerves. Then she spills it to all the MC ladies at Jessica’s bridal shower. WTH.

On the subject of Emily, the storyline of her stalker sucked. I don’t even know why it was there except to show how vulnerable/innocent/unworldly she was and how protective/crazy Reb is. I figured out who was damaging her car and who vandalized Reb’s house halfway through the book. It didn’t take away from the book, but it could have been left out.

I liked Reb. He was hot, tattooed, a devoted father, and extremely protective of his family. He happens to dabble in criminal activity on the side. The author didn’t attempt to make it like they were just a bunch of guys getting together and riding motorcycles. Plus, as Emily pointed out on many occasions, he was hung and fantastic in bed.

I do like that there is zero instalove in this book. Zero. Zilch. Nada. There was lust but no Instalove. I mean, about a month into their relationship (another thing I liked, is the book had months/dates at the beginning of each chapter), “I love you” was said, but there were no immediate plans for marriage or kids. Just two people enjoying each other’s company and bodies.

The ending was what I expected but it still was good. Everyone got what was coming to them.

I would recommend Rebellious to anyone over 21. There is explicit sex, graphic violence, and language.


If you enjoyed reading Rebellious, you will enjoy reading these books: