#author: ashley winstead

[haveyoureadthispoll]

While in college in upstate New York, Shay Evans and her best friends met a captivating man who seduced them with a web of lies about the way the world works, bringing them under his thrall. By senior year, Shay and her friend Laurel were the only ones who managed to escape. Now, eight years later, Shay's built a new life in a tiny Texas suburb. But when she hears the horrifying news of Laurel's death—delivered, of all ways, by her favorite true-crime podcast crusader—she begins to suspect that the past she thought she buried is still very much alive, and the predators more dangerous than ever. Recruiting the help of the podcast host, Shay goes back to the place she vowed never to return to in search of answers. As she follows the threads of her friend's life, she's pulled into a dark, seductive world, where wealth and privilege shield brutal philosophies that feel all too familiar. When Shay's obsession with uncovering the truth becomes so consuming she can no longer separate her desire for justice from darker desires newly reawakened, she must confront the depths of her own complicity and conditioning. But in a world built for men to rule it—both inside the cult and outside of it—is justice even possible, and if so, how far will Shay go to get it?

[authorunpublished]

Book Review: The Boyfriend Candidate

Title: The Boyfriend Candidate Author: Ashley Winstead Genre: Contemporary, Romance Rating: 5 Stars Description/Synopsis: As a shy school librarian, Alexis Stone is comfortable keeping out of the spotlight. But when she’s dumped for being too meek—in bed!—the humiliation is a wake-up call. She decides she needs to change, and what better way to kick-start her new more adventurous life than with…

[eddiebabygirldiaz]

3,4,16 for book asks 😽

BELOVED BOOK BUDDIE :)

3. what were your too five books of the year?

the pairing by casey mcquiston

funny story by emily henry

dark heir by c.s. pacat

in my dreams i hold a knife by ashley winstead

delicious monsters by liselle sambury

4. did you discover any new authors that you love this year?

taul bauer, s. t. gibson, cat sebastian, sierra simone, h. e. edgmon, tigest girma, and ofc chloe michelle howarth

16. what is the most over-hyped book you read this year?

honestly probably the entire zodiac academy series or powerless by lauren roberts

end of the year book asks

[helianthus-tarot]

Upon seeing ur posts relating to books, here I am! Im a bookworm but i dont read much books since i cant afford lots of books 🥲. I'll just dump whatever books i can rec, alright? Make sure to check Goodread before you buy them 🥰

These are some recs of books i've read since 2020 to today. Feel free to pick whichever fits ur challenge! (☆ mark is a memoir)

Doctor Faustus by Christian Marlowe (this is a classic btw, not sure if you'll like it 😬)

I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki by Baek Sehee ☆

Deaf Utopia by Nyle DiMarco ☆

Look Closer by David Ellis

Seeing Voices by Oliver Sacks

In My Dreams I Hold a Knife by Ashley Winstead

Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 by Cho Nam-joo

A Father's Story by Lionel Dahmer ☆

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

The Girl with Seven Names by Hyeonseo Lee ☆

I'm Afraid of Men by Vivek Shraya ☆

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

Threading My Prayer Rug: One Woman's Journey from Pakistani Muslim to American Muslim by Sabeeha Rehman ☆

Crying in the H Mart by Michelle Zauner ☆

True Biz by Sara Nović

One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston

They Called Me a Lioness by Ahed Tamimi ☆

Familiar Things by Hwang Sokyong

Almond by Sohn Wonpyung

Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto

Ghosted by Jenn Ashworth

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

That's a long list, you read a lot and books by authors from different backgrounds too it seems! Thanks for the recommendations 🤍🤍🤍

Recommend a book! ❤️

[lightsbookreviews]

authors tag

💕 

Elena Armas

Natasha Anders

Hannah Bonam-Young

Carian Cole

Mazey Eddings

Nichole Greene

Hannah Grace

Noah Hawley

Ali Hazelwood

Emily Henry

Ana Huang

Avery Keelan

Elle Kennedy

Rina Kent

Christina Lauren

Veronica Lancet

Becka Mack

Alex Michaelides

Meghan March

Eden O'Neill

Kennedy Ryan

Bryan Reardon

L.J. Shen

Sierra Simone

Gemma Weir

Brighton Walsh

Ashley Winstead

Julia Wolf

Mariana Zapata

[ijustkindalikebooks]

Review: The Boyfriend Candidate by Ashley Winstead.

As a shy school librarian, Alexis Stone is comfortable keeping out of the spotlight. But when she’s dumped for being too meek—in bed!—the humiliation is a wake-up call. She decides she needs to change, and what better way to kick-start her new more adventurous life than with her first one-night stand? Enter Logan, the gorgeous, foul-mouthed stranger she meets at a hotel bar. Logan is audacious and filterless, making him Alexis’s opposite—and boy, do opposites attract! Just as she’s about to fulfill her hookup wish, the hotel catches fire in a freak lightning storm—and in their rush to escape, Logan is discovered carrying her into the street, where people are waiting with cameras. Cameras Logan promptly—and shockingly—flees. Alexis is bewildered until breaking news hits: pictures of her and Logan escaping the fire are all over the internet. It turns out Logan is none other than Logan Arthur, the hotshot politician challenging the Texas governor’s seat. The salacious images are poised to sink his career—and jeopardize Alexis’s job—until a solution is proposed: to squash the scandal, he and Alexis could pretend to be in a relationship until election day…in two months. What could possibly go wrong?

For me, if you combine Politics and pretty much any fictional genre, I will be there and when I read the description of this book, I knew I would love this and I really did, I mean a librarian as well? Sign me up, as soon as possible.

When you begin this book, don't really expect to stop reading it. This plot has such a great pace and you will be flipping pages as this couple's chemistry goes off the charts. I really appreciate the characters throughout this book, they feel really fleshed out and well written throughout - it does feel like it's part of a universe almost (I only found out reading reviews here after writing this that this book is part of a series? With characters here in a different book).

Plot wise, I really respect the things this book touches upon in this book, romance yes, but also family relationships, how you feel about yourself and grief and loss. I think this book really handles all these really important moments so well and it definitely makes me want to read more from this author.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the copy for honest review, I am so glad I requested it!

[bookcoversonly]

Title: In My Dreams I Hold a Knife | Author: Ashley Winstead | Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark (2021)

[halflingkima]

First Chapter Test

Of all of these.

Crossbones by Kimberly Vale: The tightness of the worldbuilding without sacrificing of high-stakes action hooked me immediately. I love the mood, the vibe, where it seems we're going. The complete swerve of info-dumping is laudable. I'm engaged in this world immediately and can't wait to see where it leads. (5/5)

A Strange and Stubborn Endurance by Foz Meadows: I have tried this in audio a few times, and feel as though something's been going over my head. Reading it physically appears to be much more engaging. I think because it's written in first person, it carries that Fantasy Speak which I suppose is easier to parse in my own head – i can fill in gaps if i think i've missed something instead of rewinding 80 times. So far, it sounds amazing! The worldbuilding is complex and i've quickly imprinted on Vel as a character voice. My only worry is the Fantasy Speak (and in turn their terms, politics, etc.) slowing me down a bit. (4/5)

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness: I have started this a number of times and it is dry. Like. Too dry to even fall asleep to (as it doesn't engage my own thoughts). But it's such a long one (and kinda older? I think?) that I feel like I've got to give it more time to let itself be known. She does get to the ~special manuscript~ very quickly, but we start as an academic in a library, which is really only engaging when you're doing it yourself, imo. Lotta info-dumping about her heritage that I don't care to retain yet. Something about alchemy. (1/5)

The City & The City by China Mieville: There's an intro of a murder scene that reads like almost every police procedural, but it's sprinkled with subtle worldbuilding that adds a layer of interest. The beat of seeing into the other city at the end was off-putting. I'm engaged enough to keep reading, but the tone and delivery put me in mind of straightfoward magical realism, which may or may not ultimately work for me. (4/5)

In My Dreams I Hold a Knife by Ashley Winstead: The tone of this is engaging, as one expects of a thriller. I do not like our narrator. So far, I doubt I'll be able to refrain from comparing this to If We Were Villains the whole time, which i doubt will be a favorable comparison. However. If the driving force of the thriller-tone persists, I may enjoy it. Short(er) chapters are working in its favor. (2/5)

The Killing Moon by NK Jemisin: Engaging, as all her writing seems to be. Falls victim to the front-loading of the fantasy genre – lots of unfamiliar terms and practices, that we spend to time to explain. The weaving of the introduction and action are seamless, though. The next chapter appears to be an interlude, which I enjoyed in the fifth season. Longish chapters, maybe? Or I might have to adjust my ebook font. (3/5)

Fire Season by KD Casey: Either a real short chapter, or I spend through it. The leads have met nearly immediately, which is a great sign for a romance. They also seem to have chemistry already, which is impressive. There's little character nods already. I'm once again reminded why I liked the previous book in the series – this author's got a great gravitas of style. there's an anxiety pushing this chapter forward – a last-minute trade, from minors to majors on top of that – so I nearly sped-read. But. Intriguing. (5/5)

[quirkycatsfatstacks]

Review: Midnight Is the Darkest Hour by Ashley Winstead

Author: Ashley WinsteadPublisher: SourcebooksReleased: October 3, 2023Received: Own (Aardvark) Find it on Goodreads | Aardvark | More Aardvark Book Summary: Ruth Collier never really fit in with her small and tight hometown. While most of her classmates were happy to follow the church path (and worship Ruth’s father), Ruth was more inclined to be her own person. Her love of books was just one…

[thenerdcantina]

Midnight is the Darkest Hour by Ashley Winstead: Book Review

Ruth Cornier is a preacher’s daughter in Bottom Springs, Louisiana. But her father isn’t just a leader of the religious community in her small town. The residents and parishoners believe he is the authority of God and follow him without question. Hence, Ruth is under a lot of pressure to be a “good” girl (despite being 23 years old) and live up to expectations. However, one night from her past…

[haveyoureadthispoll]

Beware of the dark. You might like what you find... Ruth Collier has always felt like an outsider, even as her father rains fire and brimstone from the church pulpit. In Bottom Springs, his word is as good as law. But there are things the townspeople fear more than God, like the Low Man, a vampiric figure said to kill sinners in their beds on moonless nights. When a skull is found deep in the swamp, a hunt for the Low Man begins. Suspicion turns to Everett – Ruth's oldest friend, with a dark past. As Ruth and Everett grow closer, Ruth begins to unearth the town's secrets, determined to discover the truth. But as the line between good and evil grows ever thin, how far will Ruth go to save the person she loves most?

[gailycovercrit]

Cover Critique — The Boyfriend Candidate, by Ashley Winstead.

Reading Status — Have not read. No interest in reading.

We wanted to go over this one because it's entirely outside our zone of genre preference, but it is technically competent enough to draw some respect.

Story Suitability — I can tell what genre the book is at a glance (contemporary romance,) I can tell that it's wlm, I can feel the "US politics" theming at play here, and I know what the main characters look like. Without reading the book and knowing if the art matches the character descriptions, I can't get a full read on it, but it seems to suit the story fine.

Text Display — The use of fonts is pretty solid here. There are at least two fonts in play here. Firstly, there's the basic serif. A thinner weight of it is used in the quote, and a bolder weight is used for the titling, distinguishing the two. Then we have the display font for "boyfriend," bringing in a nice pop of interest right in the title zone. I like the tilt.

I might(?) move the "the" in the title down a little bit. And I would definitely change the pink behind "boyfriend" from that near barbie-pink to something rosier that would match the red accents everywhere else.

The pink is my biggest gripe here. Why does that color show up only once in the whole cover? The text shadow is a fine point of interest even without deviating from the base palette, and using pink specifically feels a bit too on the nose for a book that obviously has a pinkmarket demographic. If you want the pink to stay, then there should be pink accents in other places too.

Illustration — Decent. The color choice are good, and I like the texture in the details and around the edge of the solid coloring. The downside of this is that the density of detail concentrated in the faces makes the flat coloring feel empty in other parts of the body.

I'm not sure if I like the linelessness around the edge of the characters? It is pretty conventional for its genre though.

As for anatomy, the man's right arm is a little awkward (too short, even for foreshortening), and the woman's left wrist looks a little broken. But it takes some looking to notice that.

Overall, it's not my thing. But it is serviceable!

Layout — I'm not the only one who's noticed a recent trend in contemporary romance covers looking like they were put together in Canva. A lot of books lately are content to space a title out across a monocolor background and paste little sticker-looking pieces of artwork around it. It's a bland trend, if I'm being honest. But that's just how art works under late-stage capitalism baby!

Relievingly, this cover tries a little harder than that. There's an actual structure to the elements.

You're likely to look at the art first, since it takes up the most space and has the most detail. Then the size of the title draws you in. Then you're likely to glance up at the quote, which is right by the title and has a dark color that distinguishes it from the background. Then if you're invested, you'll probably check out the author name.

It's a simple vertical layout, but simple can be effective. And it's certainly more coherent than just dotting elements on like magnets on a fridge.

Personally, I might think about giving the background a subtle gradient to make it feel less flat, and to draw attention down to the couple. But that's a matter of personal taste. It's fine as-is, especially with the star details helpfully adding texture to the blank space around the illustration.

Verdict — Better than a basic Canva cover!

[bookmark-lit]

Blog Tour: The Boyfriend Candidate

Review I had only read IN MY DREAMS I HOLD A KNIFE before starting this book and really loved it, so naturally I’ve added all of Ashley Winstead’s books to my TBR regardless of genre. I love when authors are able to write both excellent romances and excellent thrillers… not much more I could ask for! 😉 Needless to say, I was excited for the opportunity to read THE BOYFRIEND CANDIDATE! The story…

[romcombc]

Review for The Boyfriend Candidate

New to the world of Ashley Winstead, I was optimistic when I saw the review by Lynn Painter (one of my favorite authors) and was thrilled that it not only delivered, but overflowed with laughs, aww moments, and a ton of heart. The Boyfriend Candidate takes you behind the scenes of the insanity of the political life – from slimy politicians, to back room deals, to debates, to scandals, and all the insanity in between that it takes to create the perfect optics in the name of winning.

Alexis is the primary example of what happens when good girls try to go bad, and fail at it spectacularly! Celebrating the anniversary of her split from her ex (but still hearing and feeling the impact of his criticisms), Alexis is determined to prove once and for all that she can be desirable, spontaneous, passionate, and wild. Well she can fake it til she makes. Entering the Fleur, dressed to kill, she snags the attention of the last fish she would want – an overly loud and aggressive man who can’t seem to take no for an answer. Lucky for her, this fish was perfect bait for the gorgeous specimen that decided to come to her rescue. After buying him a drink to show her gratitude, Alexis and Logan hit it off and agree after a passionate kiss in the lobby that the night is not over. Apparently mother nature had a different opinion as a lightening strike causes a fire, requiring immediate evacuation of the hotel. A stair mishap and a rush exit, Logan finds himself partially dressed carrying Alexis out of the hotel. Unfortunately his heroic endeavor is caught on camera. Unbeknownst to Alexis, her dashing knight is no other than gubernatorial candidate Logan Arthur. Quickly thrown into the limelight on the brink of a scandal, Logan’s team orchestrates a counter attack – present Logan and Alexis as a couple, casting the intimate moment caught on camera as a mere invasion of privacy between two people in a committed relationship. Still determined to break free of the “Old Alexis” shackles, Alexis agrees to play pretend as long as they are willing to make a deal. As the two are forced to date, the lines between fictional and reality (with a little dash of fantasy) start to blur, leaving two people who are already in over their heads drowning in a sea of unknowns and what ifs.

I can’t express enough how much I enjoyed this book. Throw in a love triangle, a zany political crew, topped with a grumpy vs. sunshine aura and you have a wonderful romance that keeps you thinking, smiling, and hoping that no matter what, everything will work out in the end.

Thank you NetGalley and HTP Books for allowing me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Available now!

Check out the spoiler-free review in the Facebook Group - The Romantic Comedy Book Club (https://facebook.com/groups/romcombc) or the full review on the main website: https://romcombc.com/book/the-boyfriend-candidate/

[storyxonline]

Spotlight & Giveaway: The Boyfriend Candidate by Ashley Winstead | Harlequin Junkie | Blogging about Books

Today it is my pleasure to Welcome author Ashley Winstead to HJ! Hi Ashley and welcome to HJ! We’re so excited to chat with you about your new release, The Boyfriend Candidate!  Thanks for having me!  Please summarize the book for the readers here: Alexis Stone is a shy librarian who’s always preferred her passionate adventures to happen within the pages of her favorite romance books. But when an…

[thebellekeys]

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feeling kinda cute cus Ashley commented ☺️