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What Manda Reads

Book Reviews, author highlights, and the bookish life; that's what you will find .

10/06/2026

I’m currently obsessed with this unforgettable romantasy!

Thank you and for the ebook and print copies! Dhampira will be released June 16, 2026.

I started reading Dhampira immediately after unpacking from my Disney trip. Next thing I knew, hours had passed and I’d read half the book! If I hadn’t been up since 3:30 a.m. I would have kept reading, but sleep couldn’t be denied. 😴

Tropes
🩸 Why Choose
🩸 Vampire Court Romance
🩸 Arranged Marriage
🩸 Forced Proximity
🩸 Captive at Court
🩸 Morally Gray Heroes
🩸 Hidden Heritage
🩸 Court Intrigue
🩸 Vampire x Dhampir
🩸 Touch Her and Die
🩸 Political Fantasy Romance
🩸 Daywalker FMC

Full review to come!

Dhampira
By Amy Pennza
ACE, an imprint of Penguin Random House
June 16, 2026

❓Which of these tropes call to you?

Can’t stop reading this book | Vampire romance | dark romantasy | must read romantasy | slow burn romance | moms who read romance | always reading romance | reading is magic | currently reading | what I’m reading this week | June release

02/06/2026

📚 Plot Twist: I actually read books I already owned in May.

🧐 How many books do you have waiting patiently for you to get to them?

My shelves are absolutely bursting with books I haven’t read yet. In May, I read 7 books shopped from my shelves! Yay me! 🥳

I attended Wild and Windy Chicago Book Event and added over 30 books to my shelves. Also, Yay me! 🥳

It’s a never ending cycle. I’ve just accepted that my number of TBR titles will never go down because I’m constantly buying new books. 🤷🏼‍♀️

Thank you for the copies of There’s Something Fishy About My Boyfriend by Gloria Duke (May 12, 2026) and Plays Well With Others by Lauren Blakely (April 28, 2026).

Thank you for the free audiobook copy of Non Pucking Stop by B. Celeste (May 19, 2026).

All three make great beach reads! 🏖️

Keywords:
Reading from my shelves | what I read this month | audiobook recs | romance reader | unending TBR | reader life | Simon Maverick Mavens | Libra.fm | spicy romance books | must read romance books | beach reads

26/05/2026

✨ Currently obsessed with the magic system, the tension, and every terrible decision these characters make. ✨

Thank you .audio for the free audiobook. A Curse of Beasts & Magic is available now.

I’m long been obsessed with The Night Huntress series, so when I saw that Jeaniene Frost was releasing the first book in an all new paranormal romance series, I pre-ordered that gorgeous hardbound so fast!

But I’m currently deep in my audiobook era, so I also jumped at the opportunity to request an ALC of A Curse of Beasts & Magic from Macmillan Audio Early Listeners. 🎧

Narrated by Tavia Gilbert, who also performed The Night Huntress audiobooks, I knew this audiobook would be one that was hard to put down. And wow, was I right! 🤯

I’m almost done listening, so review coming soon! I can confidently say, you don’t want to miss this one!

A Curse of Beasts & Magic
Beautiful and Beastly Book 1
By Jeaniene Frost
Narrated by Tavia Gilbert
May 26, 2026

Keywords: paranormal romance audiobook new release | Beauty and the Beast retelling | fairytale retelling | Beauty is the Beast | romance audiobook | dangerous love | release day | paranormal romance |

18/05/2026

What did I wait so long??!! 🤯

This is a beautifully written witchy read that captivated me from start to finish. From its enchanting and quirky characters, a found family willing to do anything for the three orphaned witches they are raising, plus a slow burn romance, I was enthralled!

Alone may have been how witches survived in times of persecution, but loneliness and isolation isn’t truly living. Mika Moon didn’t intend to change the witchy community, but sometimes questioning the way things have always been done leads you somewhere you didn’t know you could go.

The audiobook was so well done and I would definitely recommend choosing the audio edition. Samara MacLaren performed the book with emotion, perfect pacing, and created distinct character voices to bring these unforgettable characters to life!

Easily a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read for both story and narration.

❓What is a book you loved that you wish you had read sooner?

Keywords: Cozy fantasy | magical realism | reading from my shelves | my shelf May | Audiobook lover | Read and listen | Immersive reads | even better on audiobook | must read romance | reading with my ears and eyes | reading my tbr | shopping my shelves |

15/05/2026

Let’s Talk Tropes!!! Tropes, tropes, tropes, so many tropes! Today we are all sharing our favorite book tropes and recommendations!

Apparently my reading personality is “older man, emotional damage, five stars.”

Check out age gap romances so good I had to add them to my shelf.

✨ Chasing the Wild & Braving the Storm by Elliott Rose

✨ Latte Darling & Mountain Daddy by S. J. Tilly

✨ The Professor, The Student, & The Final Exam by Skye Warren

✨ Silver Foxed & Whirlwind by Kayla Grosse

✨ In Pieces, Out of Sight, & The Daddy Issues Omnibus by Cleo White

✨ Heartless by Elsie Silver

✨ Keep Her Safe by Q.B. Tyler

✨ Mr Bentley & Crash by Mackenzy Fox

✨ Treading Water by B. Sobjakken

Check out our more friends sharing their favorite tropes:

QOTD: What is your favorite trope?

Want more trope and book recommendations? Head to to find even more tropes and books reccs!

Want to join us on future collabs? Join .stack.collabsandmore

13/05/2026

12/05/2026

🧜🏼‍♂️ Happy Release Day! 🧜🏼‍♂️

In minutes this book infused my mood with light and laughter. Coincidence? As Xander says, “No, that’s magic”.

✨ Magic indeed! ✨

What I loved:

🌊 Instant chemistry, but a slow burn

🧜🏼‍♂️ Danger on both business and personal fronts: as treasure hunters stalk Xander, & a real estate developer threatens the small businesses owned by Hannah and her friends.

🐚 Hannah’s close friends accept Xander and show up for them both.

🌊 Vicariously experiencing the iconic Jersey Shore

🧜🏼‍♂️ Dad jokes become their thing

🤔 What I’m Curious About:

* Why doesn’t Hannah remember Jack Lee and his family staying at the B&B for two weeks during the summers of her childhood when Jack recalls it all so clearly? Will he take over The Sunny Side?

* Who will the next book in the series be about? Jack?

There’s Something Fishy About My Boyfriend is a perfect beach or vacation read, so get it on your summer TBR!

Thank you for the book. There’s Something Fishy About My Boyfriend is out now!

❓What beach reads are on your summer TBR?

Keywords: Beach Reads | Summer Book Recs | Summer Reads | Romance Book Review | Release Day | Books are Magic | Review Time | Soul Mates | Fated Mates |

12/05/2026

POV: When it turns out your married PR client isn’t the pl***oy hockey player he appears…

Nothing is as it seems.

Thank you for the audiobook. Non Pucking Stop is available May 19, 2026.

I’m at 45% and totally invested in these characters! Moskins and Winter are so perfect for each other, and the pacing of them sharing their wounds and secrets has been perfection. Moskins’ wife Emily is also such a caring, loyal, and lovable character. I can’t wait to see what happens with her character through the rest of this book.

I had the opportunity to meet at Wild and Windy Chicago over the weekend and had a copy of this book signed. Squee!!!

Non Pucking Stop
On Ice book 2
By B. Celeste
Narrated by Amanda Stribling & Matthew Wi******er
May 19, 2026

❓What was the last book you bought?

Current Audiobook | Currently Listening | Wild and Windy Book Events | Book Signings | Hockey Romance | Romance Audiobooks | Audiobooks are books | Always Reading | Sports Romance | Maverick Mavens |

08/05/2026

Books & Beverages: one keeps us up all night, one helps us survive it. We like our beverages like we like our books: tall, dark, and full of character!

🦩Meeting authors, picking up pre-orders, and buying even more books, Wild & Windy Chicago has been amazing so far and as an extra treat, the venue has a Starbucks!

📷 Just sharing a few pics with and .

Full report to come! 🦩

Let’s raise a glass and enjoy some books and bevs together!

QOTD: Who is an author you want to meet?

Want to join in on some more fun? Join us .stack.collabsandmore

Book Event | Spicy Romance Reader | Book Signing | Chicago |

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