15 bookish facts about me

1. I’ve never read the first Harry Potter book. The reason for this cringe-worthy fact is that my little brother was reading it at the time, and since I (with a teenager’s nonexistent patience) absolutely couldn’t wait… I started reading book 2 instead. It’s a testament to J.K. Rowling’s talent that I didn’t feel like I was missing out.
2. I started reading for real when I was about 14 years old, and it was…
3. when I borrowed the Belgariad series by David Eddings from a friend that I got a real taste for fantasy.
4. The longest book series I’ve read is the Legend of the Ice People series by Margit Sandemo. It consists of 47 books.
5. My bookshelves are too few which have forced me to unhaul some books and store others in plastic crates above my closet.
6. I love romances, but the best ones are always books with another plot and the romance is more of a subplot, like in fantasy or crime.
7. I have no idea how many books I own, much less how many I’ve read since I started reading.
8. I prefer paperbacks to hardbacks; they’re smaller, cheaper and the feel of them is just right for me.
9. I’m unable to name just one favorite author or book since I have several, but my absolute favorite genre is fantasy in all its forms.
10. My remedy for reading slumps are books that are easy to read, fast paced and still have some action in them, which usually means Nora Roberts for me.
11. I prefer to read a book in its original language, if that language is either English or Swedish. There’s too much nuances that tends to disappear.
12. The series that made me switch from Swedish translations to English was the Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind. I’d just read the latest release in Swedish and couldn’t wait for the next and when I realized that two translated books equaled one in English, I decided to do a re-read. The sheer amount of details and atmosphere lost was enough to almost make me cry. Now I read almost exclusively in English, if the original language isn’t Swedish.
13. I don’t own any pop funkos, even though I think they’re adorable. I don’t even have any bookish merch, other than my mug from clouds.
14. I love cluttered bookshelves, but I’m too lazy to clean so I try to keep them uncluttered.
15. I always have a book with me, whether in my bag or on my phone.

Once A Soldier by Mary Jo Putney (ARC)

This is one of my guilty pleasures… Romance novels. Because who doesn’t like some steamy storyline once in a while? It’s a pretty undemanding genre that allows for some shifty timelines and cheeky sappy dialogue. Perfect reads for both warm summer days and cold winter nights.

I read all manner of romance, but my favorite are the ones that are stamped mystery/paranormal/crime/thriller/fantasy/sci-fi (well, you get my point) as they most often have a story built around the relationship(s) that intrigues me and keeps me on my toes but still give me steamy scenes and that tingly lovey-dovey feel. Nora Roberts is one author who does this combination beautifully. Now I’ve found another author who does this really well.

Once a Soldier is a historical romance (bonus points) that takes place at the end of Napoleons reign. Will Masterson take one last mission before he intends to retire from the war to manage his estate and title. A mission that takes him to the little mountain kingdom of San Gabriel where he meets Athena Markham, the foreigner who acts as a governess to the princess of said kingdom. Together they must find a way to keep San Gabriel’s enemies from invading, whilst also coming to terms with their mutual attraction.

I received this copy from the publisher (Kensington Books) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. To see the pretty cover for this book, check it out on Goodreads or Amazon.