Waiting On Wednesday (297) No Limits by Ellie Marney



Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we are eagerly anticipating.

I've been participating in Waiting on Wednesday for over 5 years because Wednesday is my favorite day of the week! I love sharing and discovering new books.


Expected publication: August 14th 2017 by Ellie Marney

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Boozer, brawler, ladies’ man – nineteen-year-old Harris Derwent is not a good guy.

His one attempt to play the hero – helping out his old flame, Rachel Watts – has landed him in hospital. Now injured, broke, and unemployed, he’s stuck back in the country, at his father’s mercy. Harris needs to pay off his dad’s debts, and fast. But working as a runner for a drug cartel is a dangerous path – especially if Harris agrees to narc…

Eighteen-year-old Amita Blunt is the perfect police sergeant’s daughter – practical, trustworthy, and oh-so responsible. Getting involved in Harris’s case was never part of the plan. But working at the hospital, she’s invisible – which makes her the ideal contact for a boy feeding information back to the police…

Harris and Amie’s connection is sizzling hot – but if the cartel finds out about them, things could get downright explosive. Backed into a corner, with everything at stake, it’s time for Harris and Amie to find out if love really has no limits…

I didn't read this author's Every series, which is apparently where the character of Harris was introduced. I saw this book on someone else's WoW and thought it sounded intriguing. Is it crazy that I want to read this? It could be very good, or very bad. I guess I'll have to find out for myself.

What are you waiting on this week?


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Arc Review: Barrel Proof (Agents Irish and Whiskey #3) by Layla Reyne


Barrel Proof (Agents Irish and Whiskey #3) by Layla Reyne
Publication Date: August 7, 2017
Page Count: 189
Published by: Carina Press
Source: eArc provided by publisher
Genre: M/M, Law Enforcement, Contemporary, Romance

Synopsis from Goodreads:

FBI agents Aidan "Irish" Talley and Jameson "Whiskey" Walker can't get a moment's peace. Their hunt for the terrorist Renaud seems to be nearing an end, until a fire allows him to slip through their fingers—and puts Jamie's life in danger. When Jamie is nearly killed, Aidan learns how many forms loss can take.

Aidan says I love you just moments before learning that Jamie's been keeping a devastating secret about Aidan's late husband. How quickly trust and love can go up in flames. When Aidan requests a solo undercover assignment, Jamie hopes Aidan will find a way to forgive him.

But the explosions are far from over. Aidan's cover lands him in the heart of the terrorist's conspiracy, and Jamie will have to put his life, his career and his freedom on the line to save the man who has become his entire world. Partners, always is a promise he intends to keep.


You can read my reviews for Books 1 and 2 HERE.

I enjoyed Barrel Proof quite a lot! It had SO many ups and downs that it made my heart hurt at times while reading. Angst overload! I just wanted Aidan and Jamie to be together and be happy. Is that too much to ask?

The story itself was quite fast paced. Aidan and Jamie's relationship took a bit of a backseat to the action, and believe me, there was a LOT of high stakes drama taking place. The guys were put into perilous situations on numerous occasions, and I couldn't help but worry about their ability to come out unscathed.

Overall, this was SUCH an enjoyable conclusion to a really great series. The plot line was wrapped up, and that ending is everything! Definitely put a smile on my face. I enjoyed the great writing and character development throughout the series. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author.

This is the 3rd book in the trilogy, so it shouldn't be read as a standalone.

My only drawback in this series was that there were too many characters. Everyone had a full name, a shortened name, a nickname, and an abbreviated professional name. Very confusing at times, even though I previously read books 1 and 2, then did a marathon of all 3 books in 6 days. I really struggled with who's who!

4.5 stars
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Review and Excerpt: Trust by Kylie Scott

Published July 18th 2017 by Kylie Scott
Young Adult Contemporary
eArc provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review


Being young is all about the experiences: the first time you skip school, the first time you fall in love…the first time someone holds a gun to your head.

After being held hostage during a robbery at the local convenience store, seventeen year old Edie finds her attitude about life shattered. Unwilling to put up with the snobbery and bullying at her private school, she enrolls at the local public high school, crossing paths with John. The boy who risked his life to save hers.

While Edie’s beginning to run wild, however, John’s just starting to settle down. After years of partying and dealing drugs with his older brother, he’s going straight—getting to class on time, and thinking about the future.

An unlikely bond grows between the two as John keeps Edie out of trouble and helps her broaden her horizons. But when he helps her out with another first—losing her virginity—their friendship gets complicated.

Meanwhile, Edie and John are pulled back into the dangerous world they narrowly escaped. They were lucky to survive the first time, but this time they have more to lose—each other.

Amazon US | Amazon Aus | Amazon UK | iBooks US | iBooks Aus | Kobo | Nook




TRUST by Kylie Scott (Official Book Trailer) from FILM 14 on Vimeo.

Excerpt:

“You were going to give it up to Duncan Dickerson?” he sneered. “Are you serious?”
I halted, staring at him. This was not good. “How do you know about that?”
“Anders overheard you and Hang talking.”
“Bastard.”
“Well?” he demanded, acting all authoritarian. Idiot.
“To be fair, I didn’t know his last name was Dickerson,” I said. “That’s unfortunate. Though, I wasn’t actually planning on marrying him, so . . .”
“Not funny.”
I shrugged.
“You barely know the guy.”
“Um, yeah. None of your concern. We’re not talking about this.” How mortifying! My face burned bright. People should just gather around and cook s’mores. “I appreciate that we’re friends. You mean a lot to me. But this is going to have to fall under definitely none of your damn business, so go away please.”
“We’re talking about it.” He advanced a step.
“No we are not.” And I retreated.
“You were going to let a complete stranger touch you.” Advance.
Retreat. “People do it all the time. You do it all the time.”
“But you don’t,” he said, taking the final step, backing me up against the side of his car and getting all in my face. “Edie, this is your first time we’re talking about. Isn’t it?”
“Yes, and it’s going to be messy and painful and probably horribly embarrassing and I just want it over and done with.” I tried to meet his eyes but failed, settling for a spot on his right shoulder. “You’re not a girl; you wouldn’t understand. Also, last time I checked, you’re not the gatekeeper of my hymen, John Cole. So back the fuck off.”
He said nothing.
Deep, calming breaths. “Look, someday I’ll meet someone I really like and we’ll have a deep and meaningful relationship and go at it like bunnies. But I don’t want to be the dumb virgin in that scenario.”
He slowly shook his head.
“Also, I do not want to die a virgin.”
“What? What the hell are you talking about?”
“Hey, you and I both know death can occur at any time.”
“This is crazy.”
“I’m seeing a therapist!” I told his shoulder. “I don’t know if you noticed, but I’m a little bit messed up these days. It’s hard for me to trust people. That’s not going to change anytime soon.”
He screwed up his face at me. “Wha—”
“I’m just trying to be practical.”
“Well, you’re being ridiculous. None of this makes sense.”
“It does to me.”
Again, he said nothing.
In fact, he said nothing for so long that I finally looked him in the eye. The anger had left him, replaced by an emotion I didn’t recognize. Worst of all, he still smelled like summer. A little sweat and the open night air, everything I loved. Liked. I meant liked.
“What?” I said, finally.
He let loose a breath. “I’ll do it.”



I was really anticipating reading Trust, but I was hesitant when I began because I really didn't know what to expect. I've read this author's previous books, but this was her first YA. I should NOT have feared reading this because it turned out to be quite enjoyable! It did take me a little while to really get into the story, but I think that was just me and not the book. I went on to read the last 70% in one sitting because it was SO good!

Edie and John share common ground over a traumatic, almost fatal, event. They form a bond that keeps drawing them back to each other. Edie and John were unsure about showing their feelings for each other, especially in public. But as they continued to spend time together and grow closer, they began to care less about what others thought of them. They both had to sort out their emotional and mental well being as they worked at getting over what happened to them. As friendship turned to love, the author didn't gloss over the sexy times. (Nothing graphic since it IS YA, but not unexpected for me since I've read this author's adult books.) Respect and responsibility are definite musts, so I was glad to see it taken seriously.

I liked that Edie's mother was involved in her life. Nothing puts me off YA more than invisible parents. Edie found a great friend in Hang, and Anders was really starting to grow on me! Can Hang and Anders get their own book, please?

I haven't been reading much YA recently, so I'm really glad I had the chance to read Trust. This was definitely an emotional read with likable characters and really great writing. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author.

4 Stars

kyliescottimageKylie is a New York Times and USA Today best-selling author. She was voted Australian Romance Writer of the year, 2013 & 2014, by the Australian Romance Writer’s Association and her books have been translated into eleven different languages. She is a long time fan of romance, rock music, and B-grade horror films. Based in Queensland, Australia with her two children and husband, she reads, writes and never dithers around on the internet. You can learn more about Kylie from http://www.kylie-scott.com/

FACEBOOK | TWITTER | FACEBOOK FAN GROUP | INSTAGRAM | GOODREADS | NEWSLETTER

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Waiting On Wednesday (296) Barrel Proof (Agents Irish and Whiskey #3) by Layla Reyne



Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we are eagerly anticipating.

I've been participating in Waiting on Wednesday for over 5 years because Wednesday is my favorite day of the week! I love sharing and discovering new books.


Expected publication: August 7th 2017 by Carina Press

Synopsis from Goodreads:

FBI agents Aidan "Irish" Talley and Jameson "Whiskey" Walker can't get a moment's peace. Their hunt for the terrorist Renaud seems to be nearing an end, until a fire allows him to slip through their fingers—and puts Jamie's life in danger. When Jamie is nearly killed, Aidan learns how many forms loss can take.

Aidan says I love you just moments before learning that Jamie's been keeping a devastating secret about Aidan's late husband. How quickly trust and love can go up in flames. When Aidan requests a solo undercover assignment, Jamie hopes Aidan will find a way to forgive him.

But the explosions are far from over. Aidan's cover lands him in the heart of the terrorist's conspiracy, and Jamie will have to put his life, his career and his freedom on the line to save the man who has become his entire world. Partners, always is a promise he intends to keep.

This is such a great series! I have an arc of this, so I'll be posting my review soon.

What are you waiting on this week?

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Release Day - TRUST By Kylie Scott


TRUST
By Kylie Scott
Genre – Mature YA
Release Date: July 18, 2017

Synopsis:

Being young is all about the experiences: the first time you skip school, the first time you fall in love…the first time someone holds a gun to your head.

After being held hostage during a robbery at the local convenience store, seventeen year old Edie finds her attitude about life shattered. Unwilling to put up with the snobbery and bullying at her private school, she enrolls at the local public high school, crossing paths with John. The boy who risked his life to save hers.

While Edie’s beginning to run wild, however, John’s just starting to settle down. After years of partying and dealing drugs with his older brother, he’s going straight—getting to class on time, and thinking about the future.

An unlikely bond grows between the two as John keeps Edie out of trouble and helps her broaden her horizons. But when he helps her out with another first—losing her virginity—their friendship gets complicated.

Meanwhile, Edie and John are pulled back into the dangerous world they narrowly escaped. They were lucky to survive the first time, but this time they have more to lose—each other.

Amazon US | Amazon Aus | Amazon UK | iBooks US | iBooks Aus | Kobo | Nook







kyliescottimageKylie is a New York Times and USA Today best-selling author. She was voted Australian Romance Writer of the year, 2013 & 2014, by the Australian Romance Writer’s Association and her books have been translated into eleven different languages. She is a long time fan of romance, rock music, and B-grade horror films. Based in Queensland, Australia with her two children and husband, she reads, writes and never dithers around on the internet. You can learn more about Kylie from http://www.kylie-scott.com/

FACEBOOK | TWITTER | FACEBOOK FAN GROUP | INSTAGRAM | GOODREADS | NEWSLETTER

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Reviews: Single Malt and Cask Strength (Agents Irish and Whiskey) by Layla Reyne

Single Malt (Agents Irish and Whiskey #1) by Layla Reyne
Publication Date: February 27, 2017
Page Count: 194
Published by: Carina Press
Source: Purchased
Genre: M/M, Law Enforcement, FBI, Contemporary, Romance

Synopsis from Goodreads:

The heart’s a resilient beast.

Eight months after the car crash that changed everything, FBI agent Aidan Talley is back at work. New department, new case and a new partner. Smart, athletic and handsome, Jameson Walker is twelve years his junior. Even if Aidan was ready to move on—and he's not—Jamie is off-limits.

Jamie's lusted after Aidan for three years, and the chance to work with San Francisco's top agent directly is too good to pass up. Aidan is prickly—to put it mildly—but a growing cyber threat soon proves Jamie's skills invaluable.

Jamie's talents paint a target on his back, and Aidan is determined to protect him. But with hack after hack threatening a high-security biocontainment facility, time is running out to thwart a deadly terrorist attack. They'll have to filter out distractions, on the case and in their partnership, to identify the real enemy, solve the case and save thousands of lives, including their own.


What a great start to this series! I love a bit of romance with my action, and this book had the perfect amount of both. The FBI case was fast paced, and I found it very entertaining.

I really love both protagonists. Jamie is such a sweetheart, loyal and brave and a real stand up guy. Aidan comes off as straightforward and no nonsense. Together, though, they have great chemistry and lots of  awesome banter. I loved the slow build up and seeing these guys work together and grow closer. Their age gap worked for me, and I just knew they would make a great pairing, both professionally and personally!

My only negative was the overload of technobabble - or tech speak - that had me lost right along with Aidan. I was around when computers were invented, so I consider myself pretty savvy, but I will admit that I was lost with the jargon at times.

4.5 stars




Cask Strength (Agents Irish and Whiskey #2) by Layla Reyne
Publication Date: May 1, 2017
Page Count: 205
Published by: Carina Press
Source: Purchased
Genre: M/M, Law Enforcement, FBI, Contemporary, Romance

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Professionally, the FBI team of Aidan "Irish" Talley and Jameson "Whiskey" Walker is as good as it gets, closing cases faster than any team at the Bureau. Personally, it’s a different story. Aidan’s feelings for Jamie scare the hell out of him: he won’t risk losing another love no matter how heart-tripping the intimacy between them. And loss is a grim reality with the terrorist Renaud still on their trail, leaving a pile of bodies in his wake.

Going undercover on a new case gets them out of town and off the killer's radar. They're assigned to investigate an identity theft ring involving a college basketball team in Jamie's home state, where Jamie's past makes him perfect for the role of coach. But returning to the court brings more than old memories.

As secrets and shocking betrayals abound, none may be more dangerous than the one Jamie’s been keeping: a secret about the death of Aidan’s husband that could blow his partner's world apart and destroy forever the fragile bonds of trust and love building between them.


I spent the first part of this book SO angry at Aidan. Then I was angry at Jamie for taking such crap from Aidan, even though deep down he wasn't okay with things. The story line was much simpler to understand, even though new characters were added (just to muddle my mind with who's that again?) The plot was a little slower and not as intense as the first book, and I felt the FBI case took a backseat to the relationship drama. I love me some angst, and this book definitely brought it!

Cask strength had a great pace and enough tension to keep it interesting. I am completely invested in Aidan and Jamie's relationship, and I can't wait to see what happens between them in the next book.

4.5 stars


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Waiting On Wednesday (295) Love in a Sandstorm (Pine Harbor Book 6) by Zoe York



Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we are eagerly anticipating.

I've been participating in Waiting on Wednesday for over 5 years because Wednesday is my favorite day of the week! I love sharing and discovering new books.


Expected publication: July 25th 2017

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Captain Sean Foster came back from war broken from the inside out. And he doesn't care about being fixed. Not even by a woman who followed him halfway around the world due to some misguided loyalty.

Jenna Kowalczyk had two weeks with a man who stole her heart. They promised each other forever, but one brutal explosion proved that promise to be paper-thin.

She should leave him in the past. That's what he wants her to do. But from the second the determined midwife shows up in Pine Harbour, she knows she's staying--no matter how much heartache is in store for her.

What do we have here? A series that I'm NOT behind on. That's something different for me! I've been diligent about reading each book as it's released so I don't let another series to go by the wayside. I've really enjoyed reading this series so far, and I'm looking forward to reading this book.

What are you waiting on this week?
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Review: Salvaged (Saints of Denver #4) by Jay Crownover

Salvaged (Saints of Denver, #4)Salvaged (Saints of Denver #4) by Jay Crownover

Publication Date: June 20, 2017
Page Count: 368
Published by: William Morrow
Source: eArc from Publisher for review
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Hudson Wheeler is a nice guy. Everyone knows it, including his fiancée who left him with a canceled wedding and a baby on the way. He’s tired of finishing last and is ready to start living in the moment with nights soaked in whiskey, fast cars, and even faster girls. He’s set to start living on the edge, but when he meets Poppy Cruz, her sad eyes in the most gorgeous face he’s ever seen hook him in right away. Wheeler can see Poppy’s pain and all he wants to do is take care of her and make her smile, whatever it takes.

Poppy can’t remember a time when she didn’t see strangers as the enemy. After a lifetime of being hurt from the men who swore to protect her, Poppy’s determined to keep herself safe by keeping everyone else at arm’s length. Wheeler’s sexy grin and rough hands from hours restoring classic cars shouldn’t captivate her, but every time she’s with him, she can’t help being pulled closer to him. Though she’s terrified to trust again, Poppy soon realizes it might hurt even more to shut Wheeler out—and the intense feelings pulsing through her are making it near impossible to resist him.

The only thing Poppy is sure of is that her heart is in need of some serious repair, and the more time she spends with Wheeler, the more she’s convinced he’s the only man with the tools to fix it.


I always enjoy a good love story! This pairing is definitely my favorite in this series. What a perfect combination of opposites. Crownover did a great job at balancing the emotional highs and lows in this story.

I may have a bit of a crush on Wheeler, so I don't think he could he could do anything wrong in my eyes. Even though he wasn't exactly in the best place in his life, he decided to go after what he wanted. I appreciated how special he thought Poppy was. He pursued her with a determination that I admired, especially since I knew that he had Poppy's best interests at heart. Wheeler had a lot going on in his life, but he was able to sort through it with Poppy's fresh perspective.

I love how Poppy changed and grew stronger after being treated with kindness and love from the other characters in this series. She just needed to accept that she deserved to be happy and go for it. I liked seeing her open up with Wheeler and become comfortable with how wonderful he was. I really enjoyed Wheeler and Poppy together, and they certainly earned their HEA.

I'm so glad the author gave us Wheeler's story. He was first mentioned in Built. He drew my interest in Charged. But it was his small role in Riveted that won me over big time. Salvaged was perfect in every way! It was funny, sweet, heartbreaking, and ultimately one of the most endearing books Jay Crownover has written. (If this is truly the end of the series, I'll be sad to see it go.)

4.5 stars

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Waiting On Wednesday (294) Lucky in Love by Kasie West



Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we are eagerly anticipating.

I've been participating in Waiting on Wednesday for over 5 years because Wednesday is my favorite day of the week! I love sharing and discovering new books.

Expected publication: July 25th 2017 by Scholastic

Synopsis from Goodreads:

In this new contemporary from YA star Kasie West, a girl who wins the lottery learns that money can cause more problems than it solves, especially when love comes into the picture.

Maddie doesn't believe in luck. She's all about hard work and planning ahead. But one night, on a whim, she buys a lottery ticket. And then, to her astonishment --

She wins!

In a flash, Maddie's life is unrecognizable. No more stressing about college scholarships. Suddenly, she's talking about renting a yacht. And being in the spotlight at school is fun... until rumors start flying, and random people ask her for loans. Now, Maddie isn't sure who she can trust.

Except for Seth Nguyen, her funny, charming coworker at the local zoo. Seth doesn't seem aware of Maddie's big news. And, for some reason, she doesn't want to tell him. But what will happen if he learns her secret?

With tons of humor and heart, Kasie West delivers a million-dollar tale of winning, losing, and falling in love.

It's a Kasie West book. What more can I say?

What are you waiting on this week?
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Review: Him and Us by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy

Published July 28th 2015 by Rennie Road Books
Genre: M/M, Sports, Romance

Synopsis from Goodreads:
They don’t play for the same team. Or do they?

Jamie Canning has never been able to figure out how he lost his closest friend. Four years ago, his tattooed, wise-cracking, rule-breaking roommate cut him off without an explanation. So what if things got a little weird on the last night of hockey camp the summer they were eighteen? It was just a little drunken foolishness. Nobody died.

Ryan Wesley’s biggest regret is coaxing his very straight friend into a bet that pushed the boundaries of their relationship. Now, with their college teams set to face off at the national championship, he’ll finally get a chance to apologize. But all it takes is one look at his longtime crush, and the ache is stronger than ever.

Jamie has waited a long time for answers, but walks away with only more questions—can one night of sex ruin a friendship? If not, how about six more weeks of it? When Wesley turns up to coach alongside Jamie for one more hot summer at camp, Jamie has a few things to discover about his old friend... and a big one to learn about himself.


Published March 8th 2016 by Rennie Road Books
Genre: M/M, Sports, Romance

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Can your favorite hockey players finish their first season together undefeated?

Five months in, NHL forward Ryan Wesley is having a record-breaking rookie season. He’s living his dream of playing pro hockey and coming home every night to the man he loves—Jamie Canning, his longtime best friend turned boyfriend. There’s just one problem: the most important relationship of his life is one he needs to keep hidden, or else face a media storm that will eclipse his success on the ice.

Jamie loves Wes. He really, truly does. But hiding sucks. It’s not the life Jamie envisioned for himself, and the strain of keeping their secret is taking its toll. It doesn’t help that his new job isn’t going as smoothly as he’d hoped, but he knows he can power through it as long as he has Wes. At least apartment 10B is their retreat, where they can always be themselves.

Or can they?

When Wes’s nosiest teammate moves in upstairs, the threads of their carefully woven lie begin to unravel. With the outside world determined to take its best shot at them, can Wes and Jamie develop major-league relationship skills on the fly?

 photo MyThoughtsBanner2_zps1bk1ovpj.png

I really love Jamie and Wes! They're soooo good together. It took me forever to get around to reading these books. Mainly because I was afraid they wouldn't hold up to the hype. I'm glad I was wrong, because these books were truly fantastic!

There was so much to love about both of these books. Him was more of a discovery and exploration of Wes and Jamie's attraction. They were both going through a transitional period in their lives and their careers, and they had to work out how to be together. Us had more angst and drama and gave me all the feelings!!! The boys had a few relationship and communication issues to work through, but by the end I can firmly say that Wes and Jamie are definitely one of my favorite M/M couples.

I haven't read anything by either of these authors before, but I will definitely be checking them out in the future.

 photo 4 star WfW_zpsohgdf5sv.png
4 Stars



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Monthly Recap: June 2017



So another month has come and gone. I managed to get a lot of reading done, even though some of these are novellas and not full length books. I read 19 books in total this month, 18 of them are M/M. I have a bad track record with series, or rather, finishing series. I lose interest quickly. I've been finding a lot of M/M series that I am reading and enjoying, and it's so nice not to have to wait for the next book in the series. I can just read the whole series in a row and be in my happy place.

AND I completed my 2017 Goodreads Challenge already. How awesome is that???

2017 Reading Challenge

2017 Reading Challenge
Waiting For Wentworth has
completed her goal of reading
60 books in
2017!
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Books Read June 2017:
















Arcs, Purchases, and Freebies

eArc via Edelweiss courtesy of Scholastic


Kindle Edition purchased on Amazon


Kindle Edition purchased on Amazon


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