July brought in another big crop of reading for your girl. In fact, I read 15 books in total. However, that was because of a couple of reasons. I have so many books sitting on my TBR (To Be Read ) list that I didn't know what road to travel down once I devoured a book that I had been itching to read once it came out. So, I asked my friends if I should tackle one authors entire catalog or complete the multiple series I've started. It was a unanimous decision to complete the series. And that's what I started out doing after I finished Té Russ' Lust at First Sight. I finished Rilzy Adams' "Falling Like a Johnson" series, which I'd read the first book of back in June. Then, I read Love Scammed, the friend story to Ate, also by Rilzy. Then, I went to Kianna Alexander's "The Southern Gentlemen" series. I read book 1 of that series way back in March. In between books 2 & 3, I was gifted a copy of the audiobook version of Nikki Michelle's "Scandalous".
Everything was going well and I was checking these series off the list. But, of course, I completely deviated from the plan to complete the other series I'd started. There is a specific book I am "dying" to read. However, I felt like, in order to thoroughly appreciate the book, I needed to read the ones from that town that came before it. Although the book was a standalone, it was recommended to read a specific book to be familial to certain characters that were mentioned in said book. Well, that specific book was in a series and I discovered that the main characters in that series were related to characters in a series that was earlier released. So, guess what I did... I started with the first series: Nobles of Sweet Rapids, also written by Té Russ. I read that 4 book series and the novella that featured recurring side characters from that series. And that's how I closed out my month. I'm probably going to by the next series and the sole book for the occasion and read them for August so I can wrap it up with a pretty little bow.
The only author that I was new to was Nikki Michelle. Although it was quick read... or listen, I definitely enjoyed Emmanuel Ingram being smutty in this very non-romantic, decadent, debauchery-filled literature. I believe the sample for the e-book was already in my Kindle app and I just hadn't purchased yet; only because I literally have over 1,000 books in there I'm trying to get through. But once I started listening to the audiobook, (and I am not an avid audiobook fan) I loved every minute of it. It was so worth the listen.
Kianna Alexander one I discovered a long time ago and I kept reading and rereading the sample of the 1st book of "The Southern Gentlemen" series before I bit the bullet and bought the e-book. In March, I enjoyed reading about the first couple in the series but I didn't jump right away into book 2. I'm not sure why but I knew I'd be back to revisit. And once I did in July, I really enjoyed the storylines of the other two. I will say, though, it took me longer to read them than I would have like. And if I'm being honest, I think the writing style is what caused it. Kianna is an excellent author from what I've read so far, but I tell she does Kimani and Harlequin Romance novels. They are more on the safe side of romance, where the smut that was done in Nikki Michelle's Scandalous is replaced with making and falling in love... and quickly.
Rilzy Adams and Té Russ dominated my July reading list, OBVIOUSLY. They are the reason I even thought to ask about series vs. catalog diving. I could literally read their entire catalogs and enjoy just about every last one of them. And I eventually plan to. Just like I do with Danielle Allen, CCJ, Love Belvin, and Alexandra Warren amongst a few more authors I've discovered. They truly make me feel like these characters are people I would know in real life, or something that could happen to me and/or my friends. Both the "Falling Like a Johnson" and the "Nobles of Sweet Rapids" series made me feel all the emotions. The love, the hatred, the loss, the friendship, the family. I wanted to straight drag certain characters down jagged, concrete stairs on their faces and then turned around to boohoo cry over tragedies... IN A BOOK! I laughed, I cried, I rooting for all the love that was given in every last one of them. And the sex scenes were on fire too. I was here for all of it. So, I can't wait to dive into more of their work.
If you are interested in reading any or all of the titles I read for July, the book covers below will have the links for your pleasure.