The purpose of Thrifty Thursday is to read a book which was free (at some point).
This is a collection of freebies I have read which are in the romance genre .
Chirp freebie on May 11, 2024 (currently $5.99 at Chirp and on sale at Audible for $6.58 as of writing this post)
Overall rating 3.75 with 155 ratings and 33 reviews
Heart of Fire by Sedona Venez Narrator: Ava Lucas, Aaron Shedlock
Series: Shameless Desires #1
Published by Self-Published on May 31, 2023
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Length: 3 hours, 19 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: Purchased
Goodreads
Amazon, Audible, Libro.fm, Apple
A friendship torn apart by fire…
Lukas was my best friend, the first kid to greet me when I moved from NYC to Vermont. We never got past friendship, but when he disappeared shortly after his mother’s tragic death in a fire, I always wondered if we could have been more.
Back in New York City, working the beat, I got the wind knocked out of my sails—and found out what happened to the boy I’d known. Even when we tell ourselves it’s just catching up between friends, I can’t deny that Lukas feels like home, even more than the place I grew up.
But I can’t be the carefree girl I once was. I can’t trust myself to know what I want, or how to get it anymore. I can’t trust anyone, even my grandmother, to understand my scars. What happened to me as a cop haunts me, makes me question whether I chose the right career—but when a crime spree starts in my hometown, I can’t help but jump in. And when Lukas shows me his scars, I know he can handle mine.
With a career with the NYPD beckoning me back to the city, and obligations pulling me back home, how can I know whether things with Lukas can even work, no matter how much we care about each other?
I’m choosing to read some freebie audiobooks for #JIAM. Heart of Fire looked good because it was short, had diversity in the characters, and they have careers of a cop and firefighter.
I enjoyed listening but there isn’t a very big plot or character development. The love is second chance but it was still very fast. The sex happened early as did their commitment. I didn’t engage very much emotionally because everything happened so quickly and was not quite believable.
Narration:
These are experienced and talented narrators. The chapters alternated in point of view between Kendra (narrated by Ava Lucas) and Lukas (narrated by Aaron Shedlock). I was comfortable with the voices and there were only a few others than the main couple. I listened at my usual 1.5x speed.
Listen to a clip: HERE
Chirp freebie on May 11, 2024 (currently $9.99 at Chirp and $8.78 for Audible members in a sale as of writing this post)
Overall rating 4.02 with 715 ratings and 118 reviews
Oracle by Carissa Andrews Narrator: Carissa Andrews
Series: Diana Hawthorne Supernatural Mysteries #1
on June 21, 2018
Genres: Fantasy Romance
Length: 6 hours, 11 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: Purchased
Goodreads
Amazon, Audible, Libro.fm, Barnes & Noble, Apple
Even psychics have their blind spots.
Everyday I deal with personal prophecies and dish out guidance to the poor souls knocking at my door. I answer questions about their love lives, their hidden desires, and all the other incessant queries they can't seem to answer for themselves. And everyday, I do it with a smile on my face when I really just want to roll my eyes or tell them to get off their ass and make a move. Any freakin' move.
Have I mentioned, people annoy the crap outta me?
Don't look so surprised. You'd be annoyed, too, if you were 2 millennia old and had to deal with the same questions day in and day out—when all you really want to do, is unlock the big gaping hole in your own damn memories.
I really liked this premise because Diana has psychic skills. She reads people’s feelings and thoughts, getting a picture of where they are and have been. She also can sometimes see the future. She gets involved in a child abduction case, which she is able to help solve. The PI who is a friend of the family is suspicious of her.
Diana struggles a bit because she finds the PI Blake attractive and she can’t read him at all. That never happens and it frustrates her. She is used to skeptics though. She goes on working with him to chase down some child traffickers. So they get to know each other a bit more.
I enjoyed the psychic parts and the investigation to catch the traffickers. They were a bit TSTL with just going up against guys with guns without a plan or weapons of their own. I even liked the growing relationship between Blake and Diana as they got to know each other. I didn’t really like the quirky over the top sort of stuff like Diana’s assistant at her store. The mythology of Diana’s history and past was ok, but mostly told instead of shown, which sort of drained away the emotional aspect and not that interesting. I’ll be more interested to see what she can do with her powers going forward. Also, how she and Blake work out their relationship. I’d read more in this series to see if things are more the type of story I like or not, though.
Narration:
The author was the narrator. The point of view and thought stream are all the main character Diana so that felt comfortable. I often like the author narrating because the author would know the emotions and pronunciations in their own work. I listened at my usual 1.5x speed.
Listen to a clip: HERE
Definition of Freebies for the challenge:
- Kindle or other platform freebies where you purchase it for $0
- Freebies through author newsletters that anyone can sign up and get for free
- Giveaways won or gifts received
These do NOT include Audible Plus, Kindle Unlimited, Prime Free Reading, Prime First Reads, or library books.
FYI – My Thrifty Thursday post with my reviews and the linkups and giveaway will normally post on the 3rd Thursday of the month. Sometimes though, due to blog tours, mood reading, and other personal problems, it will be moved around. There WILL be one each month on some Thursday. You can post your reviews any Thursday though on your own site. The linkup will be open until the next month’s post is published. You can easily find all the Thrifty Thursday posts under the Features tab on my top menu.
(Reminder – If I get more than 10 linkups in a month, I will randomly pick one to select a prize from a list I send them which may include gift cards or giveaway books I have. (Open International))
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Giveaway:
The prize will be an $30 Amazon Gift card or $30 gift certificate at of Better World Books or $30 (2 months at Audible). Open International. Runs January 1, 2024 to January 6, 2025.
You can sign up for the 2024 Thrifty Thursday Challenge HERE
I read all types of books but my favorites are urban fantasy and romantic suspense.I like some romance and some action / adventure / mystery in everything.I like sex in my books but please, only between TWO people.Intimate conversation is equally important to the sex in a book.It lets me see the characters.The other thing I enjoy is humor.
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- Love You A Latke by Amanda Elliot @AmandaPanitch @BerkleyPub @BerkleyRomance #HoHoHoRAT2024 - December 5, 2024
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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 24-COYER
Oracle sounds good. I like when the author narrates too.
I’m a really big fan of mind skills. Which isn’t quite the same as magic, although sometimes magic users have abilities which look like mind skills.
I think I would enjoy Oracle. I’m not so sure about Heart of Fire, though.
They were both good, and fine listens. There are just so many great options and these are more average but still fun.
Oracle sounds like a story I might enjoy despite some TSTL stuff. It’s interesting that the author also narrated the story.
I tend to enjoy it when the author narrates. They certainly know the emotional tone for the characters.
Great idea to hit up your audio freebies for this month. I was slow on my freebies this month, but I did get to one at least. 🙂
I never know what I will be able to fit in. The ebooks have been very slow instead of half my reading. I just fall asleep instead of reading at night.
Love how you get the most out of your freebies, Anne💜
Well there’s no point in getting the freebies if I am not going to read some of them, right?
Audio freebies! I just starting finding some. Now I have to find time to listen to them!
I’ve been surprised how many I have found. There were a bunch last November and then May 11 they had a big freebie deal.
Short story romances can be hard to balance between being QUICK and having some depth.
How exactly true!
One of these days I will join in! Of course I tend to usually listen through the library or Audible, so don’t have a ton to join in with.
There have been a lot more audio freebies recently. That may be because I am on some authors’ lists as audiobook reviewing though.