My 2018 in books review

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It sounds so simple, this many pages read, and this many books done, but it doesn’t take into account what happened while reading those books. That book was read because I needed a good cry. That book was because I was having a bad day. That book was when I just needed to be lost and away from the world. That book was because I was in a great mood. That book surprised me and made me feel hope. That book broke my heart and shattered me. That book had my heart racing as I flipped page after page, not wanting it to end, but needing to know how this all came together. That book made me laugh. That book made me happy. That book, all those books, made me feel. Isn’t that why we read? To feel, to escape, enhance, or give us, feelings.
There were many books out in this amazing year. So many books re-released with the shutdown of Kindle worlds, giving those of us outside the US a chance to read books we didn’t have access to before. A copyright caused us to get so many new stories with tongue in cheek titles. I finally caught up with Candace Blevin’s UF Only Human series. Pam Godwin gave us dark cowboys and Stacy Gail gave us troubled, sweet cowboys. Annika Martin and Skye Warren released Hostage, Cora Reilly had two new books out, Tara Sivec gave us modern Disney princesses, Helena Hunting wrapped up her Pucked series, Elle Kennedy started her Briar U series, Julie Ann Walker finished the BKI series. I fully embraced audio books and spent the summer catching up on my Lorelei James backlog of Blacktop Cowboys and Need You series. I did it just in time because Tessa Bailey and Alexa Riley brought us free audio books weekly with, sing it with me, Read Me Romance, Read, Read, Me Romance!
I got to attend Romancing the Capital again this year and introduce Kimi to all the wonderfulness that it is. Seeing old author friends, and making new ones, is always a joy, and fills the soul with happiness. I got to meet Molly O’Keefe, Evangeline Anderson, and Mina Carter this year, after enjoying their books forever! Connecting with like-minded readers and authours, is always a joy, that I didn’t know I was missing, until I had experienced it. Eve does an amazing job each year, keeping a wonderful balance of returning and new authours, and I hope it continues for many years. I even remembered to take pictures this year 😊
One thing that truly impacted my reading last year was the ultra-amazing Lexi Blake! She re-released her Bliss and Siren series she wrote under her pen name Sophie Oak, and I missed those books so much, that myself, like so many others, cried happy tears when we could get them again. They had some added content, updated content, but the heart of the stories, stayed the same. When I got back into reading several years ago, Bliss was one of my first finds, and while I love the McKay-Taggart world Lexi created, Bliss always felt like my reading home, it is my happy place. And in the Siren series, well, Jack Barnes makes me swoon with every scene he appears in! To see those who never experienced them the first time around fall in love with them as much as the rest of us, makes you love them even more. Completely looking forward to them all being out again, and for the stories that have been waiting all this time, to get their chance to be told
The end of the year always brings, what was your favourite book of the year? I always pause when asked, because, I love so many books I read every year. In the end, I chose the one that stayed with me, made me think of it, long after I finished it. And this year, like last year, it was the book that gutted me emotionally, and brought the ugly tears. In fact, the author realized so many people were so affected by the book, a group was formed by the author for people who had read the book to support each other. That book was Sergio, and I tear up as I even type the name, by Natasha Knight. My review is below, and I suggest you read the preceding two books, Salvatore and Dominic, before you decide to read it. It isn’t a typical love story
Sergio by Natasha Knight
This book, this story, I knew it was going to have me sobbing, but I needed to know. I needed to know how Sergio and Natalie fell in love. I needed to know what they had to overcome. I needed to know how utterly perfect together they became. I needed to know how the attraction between them flashed when they met, how it burned so bright, how it grabbed them so tight, and how it grew, and how strong it became, and how it was so much more
I needed to know what Sergio thought, who he was, what made him tick. I needed to know how Natalie reacted to him, his family, where she came from. I needed to know what they fought about, what they agreed on, and where they compromised
I needed to know more than just where they ended up. I needed to get to know them from before
Their story is so beautifully done, every tear drop is a testament to the love that they shared, and the joy they shared together.

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