Welcome to Litsy!

Finished my second book of the day with a bubble bar from Lush (courtesy of my husband - the theme of today is that he spoils me 🥰) #hour17 #readathon #deweysreadathon @DeweysReadathon

I needed a pick-me-up and this book delivered. Loved the banter, both between the couple and the side characters. I also loved the focus on female friendships 💞

Okay story but it was too slow paced. I need a good romance book 😒

I‘ve been meaning to read more romances, and Alyssa Cole has been at the top of my list for awhile. Inspired by Bridgerton, I finally got that kickstarted. An easy, perfectly formulated romance, this book did not disappoint.

Here's a full picture of my #BookCupidSwap thanks again @robinb

#BookCupidSwap Good Morning! Thank you so much to @Robin6 for my sweet box I love both books. The Music Shop and A Princess in Theory. Can't wait to read them. Thank you so much! @candority

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 Well this book was an absolute joy. If you‘re looking for 🔥🔥 as opposed to slow burn this book has it. The storyline was very compelling and the characters I got attached to quickly. I will definitely be reading the next in this series. #read2021 #booked2021 #mustacheoncover

“Dear Ms. Smith, I hope that my letter finds you well. I, Likotsi Adelele, assistant to His Royal Highness, have sought you out high and low over the last few months, at the behest of the most exalted—and most curious—Prince Thabiso.”
#FirstLineFridays

So excited about my new dip powder manicure kit! One more thing to do while I listen to my audiobooks.

Solid start to a companion series

Alyssa Cole is now an auto-buy author for me. I fell in love with her romances when I read this novel set it what feels like a less-superpowered Black Panther universe. The main characters are flawed, but you're rooting for them; the side-characters are fleshed out (so that when the sequels focus on their stories, you're excited!); and there is just enough royal intrigue to keep you interested beyond the sexy parts. ❤️

#IntegrateYourShelf

First book of 2020: A Princess in Theory

Last book of 2020: Riot Baby

First Book of 2021: Word by Word

#Goodbye2020 @ShyBookOwl

This book was awesome! I laughed and some parts really hit me in the feels. I couldn‘t put it down.

Ledi gets an email claiming she‘s betrothed to an African prince. Between work and grad school she doesn‘t have time for that nonsense. Thabiso knew his betrothed was out there after her parents ran from their country. He hides his identity to get to know Ledi, until it all comes out and Ledi is shocked that she may actually be a princess.

🌟🌟🌟🌟

I missed the first day of #20Series20Days, so here‘s a two for one! Contemporary romances are what I‘ve been using to signal to my brain that it‘s okay to relax lately. These two series by Black women are a great way to integrate my reading while still enjoying the story.
THE RELUCTANT ROYALS by Alyssa Cole
Jasmine Guillory‘s series; first book tagged in comments

I immediately loved Ledi, the badass STEM smarty whose prickliness was a reasonable response to trauma and injustice. Thabiso was more difficult, with his extreme privilege, but I came around to him as well. There is good consent content, but it is somewhat cancelled out by the drawn out false identity situation. I loved some of the side characters, especially Likotsi and Regina, so I'll likely have to read their novellas. 👩🏽‍🤝‍👨🏾

Perhaps a bit too close to home 😬

I've been at my mom's for a few days helping my sister officially move back home (and cleaning my own old stuff out of the basement...) but I managed to get some early morning reading time in! This was a fun contemporary romance with a fairy tale spin, and I really liked our smart and tough epidemiologist protagonist Ledi. I didn't feel like it held my attention consistently, but I'm trying not to blame the books for that these days.

Cute romantic read. Just what I needed today.
Strong female lead which was great - love to read about women that can hold their own!

😁 True story

Good morning Littens! With everything happening in the world especially the U.S. I hope you all are safe and curled up with a good book to escape all the craziness.

I was so disappointed I had to bail on this one, but I just COULD NOT get into it at all. I really enjoyed Duke By Default, and more recently Can‘t Escape Love, so I had high hopes for this one. I‘m keeping my fingers crossed for A Prince On Paper 🤞

First, I loved that this started with a play on the “Nigerian prince” emails that were quite popular several years ago. Second, I really enjoyed this, I recommend the audio. Third, I pictured the guy as the dude from Black Panther.

My second foray into romance & it was good! Definitely the nice little escape I needed, except for the epidemic part, LOLSOB. I was able to skip past sex scenes, tho did appreciate clear consent on the page. Loved that Ledi is a scientist but she did act a bit daft/gullible at times. And there was a weird creepy curveball at the end that felt unnecessary & kind of silly. But it was breezy & fun and I‘ll certainly read more from the series! 3/5 ⭐️

(I‘ve had to laugh-cry-scream-internally 50 times while reading this because of course I pick up a romance novel as a fun escape from reality and the main character is a scientist studying infectious diseases and now is asked to help with a viral epidemic. HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA wtf 😣)

Apparently, oh-sure-I‘ll-do-that Ledi had been incinerated by the flames of her frustration and I-wish-a-motherfucker-would Ledi had risen from the ashes.

Okay...I‘ve always said I had no interest in romance books, mainly b/c being ace, I‘m rather averse to reading sex scenes. BUT I really liked The Lady‘s Guide to Celestial Mechanics in Feb (feels like 6 years ago) & found it‘s easy to just skip past the steamy parts. Doubt someone‘s gonna yell out a key plot point while they‘re banging. And I need some fun, lighthearted stuff right now, as do we all. Heard great things about this one! #nowreading

I liked this. I definitely got some if Coming to America had a romance book daughter this would be it. Prince Thabiso is in America to do some business but also demand answers from a young woman who was betrothed to him but whose family fled the kingdom when she was a baby. Then he discovers she has no idea about her past but is a thriving epidemiology grad student. Enter romantic ruse. Cute stuff. The ending was a little sudden but I enjoyed it.

I loved this book! It was funny and light. I think my favorite element was that all the awkward, embarrassing moments happened to the male MC, not the woman, and TBH, that probably made it funnier to me. Read it in one day and it was the perfect pick-me-up. This was my first Alyssa Cole, but it will not be my last!

“son of a two legged antelope” 🤣🤣 I think I‘ve found my new favorite swear-phrase

A light romantic read that was a perfect background listen during weekend activities. Book 27/100

(Somehow my current book cover always matches the section I am knitting, on this never ending blanket).

#yarnandbooks

Two books into #fancifulfebruary

The tagged was a bit like a steamier Hallmark movie—predictable, yet fun. I did like that the MC was a scientist.

I‘m working on books 3 & 4. Hope to have them finished by the end of the week. The one I‘m having the hardest time with—authors name starts with F. 😂

#newyearwhodis @Caterina @monalyisha

This was a really cute fun romance and I appreciated the main character, the world and the gorgeous casual representation so much. I think I enjoyed it as much as I could enjoy a romance novel, I see why people love it! Unfortunately romance isn‘t the genre for me so while I can‘t say I loved it, I‘m glad I read it cause it‘s always good to widen what you have a go at and read what other people love.

I know, I know, I'm late to the Alyssa Cole train. But after reading Royal Holiday and having this one on my three for so long, I decided to finally give it a listen. And boy am I happy I did! Such a cute story-- exactly the kind of royal romance I was hoping for after Royal Holiday, and the audiobook was great. I stayed up way too late several nights in a row listening to it while I crocheted.

4 enthusiastic stars / ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Really pleased with this audio crocheting--and this book--even if it has kept me up too late

#7days7covers #covercrush

@wanderinglynn I see your no makeup, no filter selfie and raise you one no makeup, no filter, sweaty from going for my morning run #selfie! 😂 I never wear makeup or use filters, so I figured it made it more of an actual challenge if I was also sweaty and unshowered. 😂 20 min 1.62 mi #audiorun today! Now I'm going for a walk with my mom and my dog. 👍 #BFC #BFCr2 #BookFitnessChallenge #BookNerdHerd #photochallenge

Full disclosure: I don't read Romance novels.

Then why'd I read A Princess in Theory? One, I'd seen readers rave about Cole's works, so I've had her on my to-read list for a couple years now. And two, this book in particular fit a challenge I'm doing on GR: A retelling of a certain tale type you would NOT normally read... I selected Cinderella.

Thankfully, Ledi is easy to like, respect & root for. And the pop culture references are fun to spot.

Happy 4th of July! Perfect #beachread
#july4th #beachread #romantsy

#dealalert for the first book in Alyssa Cole's Reluctant Royals series! #romantsy

3.75 stars. I thoroughly enjoyed this story! Scenes that were steamy enough to put the book in the freezer afterwards, plus well developed characters and a plot with substance. I really liked the little plot twist at the end. #audiobook #romance

YES!!!! This book reminded me of that Julia Stiles movie "The Prince and Me" but, like, if the prince were from Wakanda and the backstory is infinitely more swoonworthy. It's really fantastic! ? #romance #romantsy

I almost spit out my tea 😂🍆 #romance #romantsy

Happy Independent Bookstore Day!!!! I did my proper book nerd duty and picked up some stuff from the Moon Palace Bookstore here in Minneapolis. And also grabbed all the paper goodies for the celebration!

#indiebookstoreday #local #mpls #twincities