My {maybe} ghost encounter

I’ve posted this story on here before but a lot of you are new followers so I thought I would post it again in time for Halloween.

Lady Walking GIF from Lady GIFs

I MAY have had a real life ghost encounter. You be the judge.

When I was very young (around 7 or 8 years old) I used to play out in my yard along a very long rose bush hedge that separated our yard from my neighbors yard. I knew them a little – they would let me play under their huge Weeping Willow tree and sometimes invited me in for lemonade.

One day while I was playing on my side of the rose bushes an elderly woman in a long white dress came up to me and started talking. She asked me what game I was playing, talked about the roses, her family and about the people who lived in the neighborhood. She said it was nice to meet me and left.

I did tell my mother about the woman but she said she hadn’t seen anything (she always watched me play through the kitchen window) and she probably thought I was making it up. I was an only child so I did tend to have a bit of an active imagination - creating imaginary friends. lol

A few weeks had passed when my neighbors (two sisters) invited me in for a drink after a day of playing under the willow tree. While in their house I saw a picture on the mantle of the woman I had talked to and told them about our conversation. Well – they completely freaked out! They kept asking if I was sure it was her. I was positive because I didn’t know anyone else that old at the time other than my grandmother. 

It turned out the woman was their mother who had died the year before. The things the older woman had told me were things that only she would know about their family. Not something a 12 year old would know on her own.

My neighbor’s brought me home and had a heated discussion with my mother. I have no idea what they said but they never talked to me again. They still let me play in their yard but never offered me a drink or invited me again and I had no clue why or if I had done something wrong. My mother wouldn’t discuss it with me.

I’m still not sure I actually saw a ghost and nothing like that ever happened to me again but that’s what happened and you can interpret that story as you wish!

monday musings: TBR reading progress

Back in January I posted about my goal to tackle my physical TBR pile. It’s been growing since I attended my first BEA (book Expo) in 2011.

Over the past few years I’ve managed to wrangle my Kindle books, ARC’s and Netgalley under control but this pile – not so much. It just keeps getting bigger.

This is the before pic of ALL of my books laid out in my kitchen. Total of 139 books.

To be honest, I have not been doing a great job working my way through them because I am such a mood reader!

I know! 139 books and nothing I want to read but it’s true! I had only read about 10 books of these books since January despite averaging 20-ish reads per month.

But starting in September I really started to focus on this pile. I sorted, went through Goodreads reviews and passed on books that no longer interested me and cracked down on the reading.

Here’s the after!


I’m down to 85 books (I read several more after taking this shot). My goal is to get down to 50 but I don’t think this is too bad. It’s progress and I feel like such a HUGE weight has been lifted off me.

Most of these books were from book cons I attended over the years and I was far less picky and thought I could read ALL the books. Even though I wasn’t necessarily obligated to read them all – I felt like broke a code or something. The arc’s were given out for the intent to review or give publicity to said arc’s.

I feel actual joy about reading again. I can’t even believe how much it changed my attitude about both reading and blogging – just having that pressure removed.

So all in all – I want to get this down more but I’m VERY happy with my progress so far!

friday fast 5

I spent last weekend reading all the children's books and books pretending to be children's books (you'll see lol) from my TBR shelf, so I thought I would write some mini’s for my Friday Fast 5 this week.

1.

Ben Fox: Squirrel Zombie Specialist at Your Service

by Daisy Whitney

Source: Publisher via BEA14

Published: October 14th 2014 - 128 pages

Goodreads

My thoughts:

Super cute story of 10 year old Ben Fox, who loves his super playful dog, Captain Sparkles, but not his sister’s grumpy Siamese cat, named Percy.

Turns out Percy is raising an army of zombie squirrels in the backyard and in 3 days they will be able to use the portal (the new dog door) to start the Animal Zombie Apocalypse.

Ben Fox: Squirrel Zombie Specialist at Your Service touches on disability - Ben has Cerebral Palsy and wears leg braces - sibling relationships, bullying, science, responsibility and diabolical cats.

Charming, funny and would make a cute Halloween read for kids, ages 7-12.

2.

Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World’s Most Famous Bear

by Lindsay Mattick, Illustrations by Sophie Blackwell

Published: October 20, 2015 – 54 pages

Source: Purchased

Goodreads

My thoughts:

This is the true story of Harry Colebourn, the veterinarian who bought a tiny bear that would go on to be the inspiration for A.A. Milne's Winnie-the-Pooh.

I loved how the author wove the story of Harry, who rescues Winnie just before going off to war, to care for the horses, leading to the tale of the Christopher Robin and the Winnie-the-Pooh we all know, then coming full circle tying it to her family heritage (she is Colebourn's great-granddaughter) as she tells the tale to her son Cole.. 

"Sometimes," I said, "you have to let one story end so that the next one can begin.”

The photographs and diary entries of Winnie and Harry's time together at the end of the book were also a nice touch as I already had my hand on my phone ready to Google to verify the story lol

I wasn’t too thrilled with Winnie spending her entire life in a London zoo, giving rides to children. It sounds awful - but I had to kind of let that go and just roll with it.

Finding Winnie was so sweet and the illustrations are just gorgeous.

3.

The Thing Beneath the Bed (The Adventures of the Princess and Mr. Wiffle #1)

by Patrick Rothfuss, Illustrations by  Nate Taylor

Published: June 21, 2010 – 72 pages

Source: Freebie with another book purchase from Subterranean Press

Goodreads

My thoughts:

There are multiple warning that despite looking like a children's book this is NOT a children's book and I gotta say - this is not a children's book. lol At first I was thinking this isn't so bad. A cute little story of a girl and her bear, having adventures, being afraid of things you can’t see under the bed.

There are a few scary elements but nothing that doesn't turn itself around and inspire an awwww -

that's cute. But then things take an unfortunate turn and yeah...not a children's book. lol

There are three separate endings. You can read each one and be satisfied but then the next story builds on the previous and has it’s own ending.

It's too short to hold the interest of most adults IMO but probably a fun coffee table book to have lying around to lure in unsuspected people into a bit of fun reading with a diabolical twist.

4.

There’s  a Hair in My Dirt: A Worm’s Story

by Gary Larson

Published: April 15, 1998 – 65 pages

Source: Gift

Goodreads

My thoughts:

My sister-in-law bought this book for me and I give it a re-read every once in awhile. If you’ve read and enjoy the Far Side comics by Gary Larson, you’ll enjoy this one.

A young worm finds a hair in his dirt and besides being grossed out, starts to have a little worm existential crisis about the meaning of his life. The dad worm tells him a tale of girl named Harriet who loves nature but doesn’t always respect the natural balance.

There’s a Hair in My Dirt has kind of quirky, sarcastic humor and maybe isn’t the best book for real young kids since there’s swearing, death and mention of sex. This is more satire than sweet but it does a great job of explaining eco-systems and our place in them without ever being preachy.

“…loving nature is not the same as understanding it. And Harriet not only misunderstood the things she saw – vilifying some creatures while romanticizing other – but also her own connection between them”

“That’s the fateful key that Harriet missed, the key to understanding the natural world.”

5.

?

This is awkward…It’s Friday Fast 5 but I only read 4 books. So here’s your chance to recommend your favorite children’s book (or slightly adult book masquerading as a children’s book).

review: tender with a twist (rainbow cove #2) by annabeth albert

One kinky wood carver. One younger chef looking to try new things. A series of lessons that bring both men more than they bargained for…

Curtis Hunt has made a name for himself as a chainsaw wood carver, winning national competitions and operating a small business in Rainbow Cove, Oregon. As winter whittles away his tourist traffic, his goal is just to survive the season and try to not get lost in grief for his dead lover. It’s been two years, but he’s sure he’ll never be over the love of a lifetime. However, his body has a certain restlessness that he doesn’t quite know how to calm.

Logan Rosner knows a thing or two about restlessness. It’s what drove him to Rainbow Cove to be a chef at a bar and grill run by his friends. And it’s what drives him to a single sizzling encounter with the local legendary lumberjack. Both men get far more than they expected and learn that first impressions aren’t always accurate…

But when Logan proposes a series of sexy lessons, Curtis must decide how much he’s willing to risk. He knows he can’t afford to get attached to Logan’s good cooking, his easy smiles, or his caretaking, but he keeps going back for more, even as deeper emotions become involved. Soon, Curtis must decide whether to risk his heart again or risk losing Logan for good.

Tender with a Twist is a 75,000 word stand-alone gay romance with a May/December theme, featuring a second chance at love, opposites attract, loads of sexy times with mild BDSM elements, and one emotionally-charged, guaranteed happy ending with no cliffhangers. ~ Goodreads

Source: Kindle Unlimited (it will be available on KU for the first 90 days of publication)

Review:
I’m such a fan of Annabeth Albert’s romances. She’s an auto-buy author for me but I have to be honest and say I haven’t enjoy the last few books I’ve read by her. Specifically– the last 2 in the Out of Uniform series and when I saw that Tender with a Twist had BDSM elements (pain, D/s)– not my thing at all so I was wary. 

The only reason I grabbed it is because it was on KU and I figured I could just bail if I wasn’t enjoying it. I’m SO glad I gave it a try because I adored this one.

Curtis and Logan agree to a BDSM arrangement where Logan can safely explore his dominate side. He's a smaller man that likes to dominate larger men and that hasn't gone well for him in the past. While Curtis can give into the submission he craves and had with his former lover who died a few years ago. No strings attached.

Yes, there’s kink, and I don’t usually enjoy reading about it but there are so many layers to their relationship so that this isn’t all about the bedroom scenes but they do in fact play a roll in revealing more about the characters so I actually ended up loving that aspect of the story.

There’s a tenderness between the two, even during their D/s scenes, that helps Mr. Crankypants Woodcarver, Curtis, heal under Logan’s bright personality and tender care.

Another thing I loved about this book is that while Logan and Curtis’s friends and family love them dearly – they weren’t always kind in the ways they chose to support the men. Logan's parents made me SO angry and Curtis's friends barbs about moving on especially with a younger man, cut deeply - even though all of it was meant to protect them and came from a place of love.

Why did I like that? Because I think it’s real. I love supportive friends and family in books but let’s face it – in real life advice doesn’t always come from an objective place. People have their own baggage and motivations when they try to *help*. 

While Curtis and Logan were affected by well meaning comments and advice that threatened to derail their blossoming relationship, they learn how to navigate it and do what felt right for them and I loved watching as the two men learned to find their own voices but still leave room to heal their relationships with the others. I think that kind of thing is a helpful example in how to navigate toxic  family and friendships.

This story was filled with love and emotion and was surprisingly low on the angst. I loved the first book in the series, Trust with a Chaser, as well. You can read each as stand alone but I do recommend the series.

Dallas Fire &rescue: ghost fire by G.g. andrew

When tenacious writer Laney Stonewater ropes firefighter Lucas Moore into staying overnight at the supposedly haunted Cattleman’s Crossing Inn, both of them will get more than they bargained for. The inn was the site of a blaze that killed a man 20 years ago and left Lucas with a strange burn mark on his arm and memories he’d rather forget. Along with a psychic, the victim’s widow, and an amateur ghost hunter, Laney and Lucas set out to learn if Cattleman’s Crossing went up in flames due to a simple mistake…or something much more sinister.

As the night grows darker–and the inn grows warmer, stranger, and more surreal–Laney and Lucas discover they’ve got a connection that burns as hot as any blaze and could have staying power beyond the haunted walls of the inn.

But first they must survive the night. ~ Goodreads

Source: e-arc provided in exchange for an honest review

Review:

G.G. Andrew’s always has a new *spooky-ish* romance just in time for the Halloween season and this year it’s Ghost Fire.

Laney Stonewater is writing a story about the 20th anniversary of the Cattleman’s Crossing Inn fire.
Her plan is to reunite the survivors – the victim’s widow and a firefighter Lucas Moore, who was a child at the time - for a night at the haunted inn on the anniversary of the fire, to share their memories, along with a ghost hunter and psychic. Even though she doesn’t believe in ghosts or that the inn is haunted this could be the story that gives Laney her big break.

Lucas has been haunted by the fire since he was a child and never wants to go back to the inn again but his protective instincts for Laney compel him to since she’s staying at the inn whether he goes or not.

This is a fun little story. Despite there being a lot of skepticism from Laney’s side and resistance from Lucas, they have a quite a bit of chemistry and they just work as a couple even though it’s rather fast. For a quick novella, they are given quite a bit of background and romantic tension with a believable HFN ending.

The night at the inn isn’t over the top scary but it was spooky with a few unexpected twists, making this a another fun Halloween read by Andrew’s.

*I also recommend G.G. Andrew’s Crazy, Sexy, Ghoulish trilogy. The first book – Crazy, Sexy Ghoulish is a freebie on Amazon.  It's is more fun romcom than scary.

If you are interested in more Halloween reads – check out this Tricks or Treats Halloween 
Giveaway



There are 15 steamy Halloween reads to choose from although you do need to sign up for author newsletters.

I’ve only read one (Inn Love – it was cute) so I can’t speak to the quality and I believe they are all M/M but I’m not 100% sure about that.

tell me something tuesday

Tell Me Something Tuesday is hosted by Rainy Day Ramblings and discusses a wide range of topics from books to blogging.

For the month of October she has fun Halloween themed questions so go check out her blog for upcoming topics.

Question:

Would you rather time travel or teleport?

The ability to time travel sounds really cool but eh – watching people fuck up humanity over and over would wear thin and I know we’re not perfect in this time but I’d rather be here now with all our modern conveniences. Unless I could alter it - but that causes a whole host of other problems, which is why we have the saying “With great power comes great responsibility” hehe.

Now teleportation sounds cool. Just zip, zip to wherever you want to go and you could visit the whole world (and eat all the food!) very easily!

I’m just hoping you don’t feel scrambled when it’s happening though because I would have to waste most of my travel time recovering from nausea lol

This kind of circles back to last weeks question – What would your paranormal gift be? I picked invisibility because I didn’t want to repeat my answer knowing teleportation was this weeks topic but it was a tie so between the two  and I want to be an invisible teleporter! lol

What about you? Would you rather witness great moments in history or travel at the speed of light?

unpopular opinion book tag

UNPOPULAR BOOK TAG

I was tagged (an embarrassingly long time ago!) by Boricuan Bookwarms. You can check out her answers here and let me know your picks below. 

A Popular Book or Series You Didn’t Like

On the Jellicoe Road – I’m surprised that I didn’t enjoy this one. It sounds like a story I would like and it has RAVE reviews but I was bored and baffled for the whole book.

The Hating Game – I love a good hate to love romance and verbal sparring but these two (especially Lucy) were so immature and annoying to me.

Outlander – I KNOW. Epic love story! Jamie! Well, I didn’t like it so there! lol To be fair – I’m not a huge fan of historical fiction and I like lighter historical romance – but while I loved the beginning and the premise, the whole thing quickly wore out it’s welcome with me. I’m also the one female weirdo in the world that doesn’t get turned on by a Scottish accent. It annoys me. 



Popular Book or Series that Everyone Hates But You Love

Grave Mercy – I don’t know that people HATE it. It was a popular series - but I loved it while most of my friends thought it was boring and a few even dnf’d it.



Love Triangle Where the MC Ended Up with the Person You Didn’t Want them to End Up With



The Sookie Stackhouse series. I knew Sookie wasn’t going to end up with my choice - Highlight for SPOILER: Eric so I bailed after book number 10.

Most have ended up with who I picked but I get so mad at everyone – mostly with trilogies resolving the triangle in the last 30 pages – that it’s unrewarding no matter who it is at that point. I’ve stopped reading books with love triangles.

Popular Book Genre You Hardly Reach For

Other than non-fiction – probably erotica and thrillers, sci-fi historical fiction. Although I am willing to give them a try if a blurb catches my attention. I won’t rule any genre out completely.

A Popular or Beloved Character that You Didn’t Like



Etienne St. Clair from Anna and the French Kiss.

I thought he was wishy washy and let Anna down every single time she needed him until the bitter end. I know he had his own issues and if I hadn’t been told how amazing he was or how romantic this book was supposed to be beforehand, I probably wouldn’t have expected so much and thus been disappointed in him.

A Popular Author that You Can’t Seem to Get Into

Melinda Marchetta, John green, Melissa de la Cruz. I’m totally over J.R. Ward and Charlaine Harris. I used to love both of them but when I pick up their books now I can’t make it through more than a few pages.

A Popular Book Trope that You’re Tired of Seeing

Love triangles but I just won’t read them anymore. I’m not the type of reader that’s drawn to certain tropes or that avoids them.

Like second chance or best friend romances for example. I won’t pick up a book just because it says “friends to lovers!” I enjoy them but there has to be something else that grabs my attention like the setting, characters etc.

I just don’t like when ANYTHING is done to death. Variety is the spice of life! Let’s have a little bit of everything! Write a different twist on a tired trope.

A Popular Series that You Have No Interest in Reading

All of them?? lol

That’s not entirely true of course, but I’m just trying to keep my head above water with my reading so while I make note of books that I’m interested in, I’m not OMG I’m gonna die if I can’t.

Show/Movie Adaptation that You Liked Better Than the Book



Me Earl and the Dying Girl.

The protagonist, Greg, was a heartless, self absorbed jerk. His friend Earl and the dying girl were better but the book isn’t really centered around them. The movies balanced it out better and I liked it.

*I forgot to mention this - but consider yourself tagged if you want to join in! If you do, leave a link so I can read what your picks are.

review: ms. marvel, vol 1: no normal

Collects Ms. Marvel (2014) #1-5, All-New Marvel Now! Point One (Ms. Marvel story).

Marvel Comics presents the all-new Ms. Marvel, the groundbreaking heroine that has become an international sensation! Kamala Khan is an ordinary girl from Jersey City - until she is suddenly empowered with extraordinary gifts. But who truly is the all-new Ms. Marvel? Teenager? Muslim? Inhuman? Find out as she takes the Marvel Universe by storm! As Kamala discovers the dangers of her newfound powers, she unlocks a secret behind them as well. Is Kamala ready to wield these immense new gifts? Or will the weight of the legacy before her be too much to handle? Kamala has no idea either. But she's comin' for you, New York! ~ Goodreads

Source: Amazon Kindle Unlimited




Review: 

A few things to keep in mind before you read this review…I’m not a comic book/graphic novel/manga reader (this is only my 3rd one), and I’m not a huge super hero movie fan so my knowledge of the Marvel universe and such is limited. As a fan of those things – you could have a very different opinion.

While there's nothing groundbreaking with Ms. Marvel as far as super hero origin stories – a strange event (in this case an ominous fog) leads to new powers, a sidekick/potential love interest who knows her secret/helps with costume, how to balance family and being a secret super hero - the writing is wonderful, warm and funny. I was giggling so often and that was so unexpected.

I could totally relate to young Kamala and her wanting to break free of parental constraints and desire to be someone different in order to be popular. She initially desires to be the stereotypical female superhero - white, long blond hair, revealing costume - what she considers the standard for beauty - but then settles into the best version of Kamala as Ms. Marvel instead of a mini Captain Marvel clone.

A+ for diversity - Kamala is a Muslim American, gender swapping the roles where she saves the boy and I adore Kamala's family including her smothering mother, dad who struggles to see her side of things and slacker brother.

It was super easy for this novice comic book reader to follow the story and I loved the art work – although whenever a panel shows a faraway view the characters look more cartoonish and less defined and while it's an artistic choice - it was unnecessary and odd. A few times I didn't even recognize the characters.

I was a little lost as to references to the Marvel universe (I had never even heard of Captain Marvel lol) but it wasn't too big of a deal. Ms. Marvel can stand alone and was a great entry point for me.

Ms. Marvel really took me by surprise with how relatable and heartfelt the story and characters were. Volume 1 ends with the introduction to the Big Bad and I quickly downloaded volume 2.

If you have Kindle Prime or Unlimited Volume’s 1&2 are both available with your subscription.

tell me something tuesday

Tell Me Something Tuesday is hosted by Rainy Day Ramblings and discusses a wide range of topics from books to blogging.

For the month of October she has fun Halloween themed questions so go check out her blog for upcoming topics.

Question:
If you could have any paranormal gift what would it be?

I was struggling to think up all the possible paranormal gifts that I could have and found a website to help me at least narrow it down.

I know I wouldn’t want to be an empath or precog. Those seem awful. Feeling everyone’s emotions or seeing the future must be physically and emotionally draining.

Regeneration is interesting for obvious reasons and shapeshifting would be kind of cool but I think I would get bored with it and not have much use for it in my life.

I’m very tempted by mind control lol But would I use it for good or end up thinking I know better than everyone else and become a super villain?? Yes, I think I would.

The other gift that tempts me is invisibility. I could use it to travel around yet not have to talk to everyone and remain my anti social self. I could check up on people who I think are lying and call them out. I think I have super villain tendencies. 😈

I talked to Kevin about this question and he wants mind control AND telekinesis. Se he can bend everyone to his will and toss them out of the way lol

This seems like one of those questions that I’ll come up with way better answers once I post – so I’d love to hear what your paranormal gift would be. Or name a few that I might not have thought of.

*Note: Teleportation is a gift I would like but that's part of next weeks TMST question so I decided to leave it out of this post.

monday minis: The Great Hibernation & Pashmina

The most important tradition in tiny St. Polonius-on-the-Fjord is the annual Tasting of the Sacred Bear Liver. Each citizen over twelve must eat one bite of liver to prevent the recurrence of the Great Hibernation, when the town founder's fell asleep for months.

This year is Jean Huddy's first time to taste the liver. It doesn't go well. A few hours later, all the adults fall asleep. And no one can wake them.
The kids are left to run things, and they're having a blast. That is, until the town bullies take over the mayor's office and the police force.

Jean suspects that this "hibernation" was actually engineered by someone in town. She starts to investigate, and inspires other kids to join her in a secret plan to save St. Polonius. ~ Goodreads (Mid-Grade)

Source: ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review

My thoughts: I adore Dairman’s mid-grade All Four Stars trilogy about a pint sized chef becoming an undercover food critic so I was excited to dive in her latest mid-grade, stand alone novel.

Combining folklore, tradition, science, and of course…food, Dairman has crafted an exciting mystery after all the adults fall into a coma like sleep after the annual Tasting of the Sacred Bear Liver festival.

The children are left to keep the town running, assuming their parents positions in society. Some let the power go to their head, others want to make their parents proud and a few want to forge a new path and break free of expectations.

This got a little darker than I was expecting at times. A little Lord of the Flies-ish – albeit at a mid-grade level so nothing too dark and there are also references to killing and eating endangered species. All can be used as a starting point for important conversations, but something to keep in mind for sensitive readers.

One thing I love about Dairman’s writing is that she never talks down to children and she seemlessly weaves new vocabulary, cultures and ideas throughout.



Pashmina tells the story of an Indian-American girl who struggles to fit in at high school, then discovers more about her family's history with the help of her mother's magical pashmina. ~ Goodreads (YA)

My thoughts: This was my first graphic novel and what a sweet little story. An Indian American girl named Priyanka lives in the US with her mother, who left India at Priyanka’s age and is reluctant to tell Pri about her Indian heritage or her father. Pri’s imagination of a vibrant India vs her mother’s not so happy memories lead them to clash quite often.

Pri discovers a pashmina in her mom's belongings that allows her to magically travel to India and experience it as Pri imagines it to be.

The illustrations are  beautiful and switch from color panels for Pri in the real world to monotone – grays for the fantasy world, although there are whimsical animals that act as her guide. This seems like an odd choice, since Priyanka’s idea of India is bursting with color and life but it works, especially after she realizes her dream of visiting India in real life.

When Pri finally does make it to India and finds out the truth about the country and her mom's difficult past, the story takes a wonderful turn that explores culture, feminism and familial bonds.

If I have any negatives they would be that there were abrupt turns in the story at times without adequate transitions. Maybe this is a common thing with graphic novels and I need to learn the how they flow a bit more or a genuine issue – I haven’t read enough graphic novels to make that call and the story read a little young, almost mid-grade, at times but that's a very minor issue.

friday fast 5!

1.

Love, Simon

I don’t usually get too excited about book to movie adaptations but I’m cautiously optimistic abut the big screen version of Simon Vs the Homosapien Agenda by Becky Albertalli.

It was a super cute book that already had a screenplay vibe and should translate quite nicely.

“Everyone deserves a great love story. But for Simon it's complicated: no-one knows he's gay and he doesn't know who the anonymous classmate is that he's fallen for online. Resolving both issues proves hilarious, scary and life-changing.”

2.

Fierce Reads Fall Tour Interview & Giveaway

My blogging buddy (& one of my favorite people 😍 Brooke - from Brooke Reports, was lucky enough to interview the Fierce Reads authors of Moxie, Last Seen Leaving, Wild Beauty, You Bring the Distant Near, during one of their stops. Brooke did such a great job asking really fun questions.

Check out her post & enter the giveaway for a Fierce Reads Fall Tour Prize Pack!

3.

Florida Fall!

We’re finally getting a few cooler mornings and less humidity so I was able to get out and take a nice long walk at my favorite local park.

4.

Fonzi got his first Starbucks Pup Cup (a cup of whipped cream)

He loves going to Starbucks and getting tons of attention but for some reason he’s never gotten the pup cup. The barista gave him a HUGE cup! I did not let him have it all and he was not thrilled but graciously shared with Indy and Figment when he got home.

5.

Sofi Tukker – Best Friend

feat. Nervo, The Knocks & Alisa Ueno

This song is a little kooky but catchy!

My 2017 playlist for songs featured on the blog

ICYMI on the blog this week:

Tell Me Somethng Tuesday: Team Wolf or Vamp?
Fall Theme Tag

Happy TGIF everyone!

And as always - what should I be be reading, watching, listening to this weekend?

Fall Theme tag

I first saw this fall themed tag on Running on Words and Wine and it’s hosted by The Blended Blog.

*I’m really enjoying these tags – let me know if there are any other fun ones going on around the blogosphere. Booki-ish or not.

1.  Favorite Fall Sweet Treat: Anything with apples! Especially apple pie or crumbles.
2. Red, Yellow, or Green Apples: I love the tartness of granny smiths but I like most apples except red delicious. Bleh – boring! Those are Kevin’s favorite though lol
3. Favorite Fall Sport to Play: Olympic style sitting and napping? that’s a sport right?
4. Best Drink for Fall: Pumpkin Spice Latte. SO cliche, I KNOW! But I like it – don’t judge!
5. Favorite Fall Activity: Walking. We just start to get a few ever so slightly cooler days. It’s FL – so by cooler I mean 80’s instead of 90’s - but I’ll take it. I know it may not seem it to FL non-residents but there are subtle changes. Like the different flowers that bloom, the abundance of butterflies and some leaves do indeed fall here.
6. Must Have Fall Purchase: Nothing special but I do like to shop for Halloween decor. Small, silly things.
7. Pumpkins – Pick your own or store-bought: Store bought, mainly because we don’t have many pumpkin patches. Plus I like the really weird, warty, misshapen pumpkins I can find at the store. I do not like perfect pumpkins lol
8. Real or Fake Pumpkin: Real but I have to buy them very close to Halloween or else they won’t last with our heat and humidity.
9. Favorite Halloween Costume: I don’t dress up but I used to dress up my dogs. I loved them all but one of my favorites was when they were pirates. Not sure if I’m going to do anything this year. They’re both getting older and I only like doing it if they’re having fun.
10. College Football or NFL: Neither *ducks and hides*
11. Fall or Halloween Decor: Halloween! I used to go all out. One year I got too creepy and kids were crying – afraid to come to my door lol I haven’t done as much the past few years as we’ve had other things going on but we’ll see this year.
12. Raking Leaves or No Leaves to Rake: Our leaves fall more in the winter and spring here – we rake and then use the chipper and use the them as mulch.
13. Favorite Soup: Split pea soup for fall. For summer I love fresh made minestrone. But really – I just love soup!
14. Favorite Fall Candle Scent: Not really a candle person. *ducks and hides again*
15. Love or Hate Pumpkin Spice: I love it in my latte but I don’t go crazy for pumpkin spice EVERYTHING
16. Short Booties or Tall Boots: I have a few of both but booties are more practical for FL heat. I wish I lived somewhere colder so I could buy ALL the boots and sweaters though.
17. Favorite Halloween Candy: Nothing in particular but I always steal a few Snickers, Reece’s, Milky Way’s and Mounds from the candy bowl each year.
18. PSL, Yes or No: Yep. Then Peppermint Mocha for the Christmas season!
19. Hayride or Corn Maze: Neither – I would sneeze to death at either one lol
20. Favorite Fall TV Show: I’m not a loyal TV watcher but I’m watching Bob’s Burgers, Blackish, You’re the Worst, Big Bang Theory right now.

What are your fall faves? Feel free to join in on your blog and link to The Blender Blog if you do.

Tell me something Tuesday: vampire or werewolf

Tell Me Something Tuesday is hosted by Rainy Day Ramblings and discusses a wide range of topics from books to blogging.

For the month of October she has fun Halloween themed questions so go check out her blog for upcoming topics!

Question: Would you want to be a werewolf or a vampire?

When I first started reading paranormal, I would have said vampires. They’re immortal and have a savage beauty. Just think of all the things you can see living through generations of history in the making!

But then the more I read I just felt sad for them. Everyone around them dies and yet they go on. And really how many time scan you watch humans fuck up over and over again? What seems like a long time for us regarding history is just a blink of an eye to vampires and probably just illicit's an eye roll at how dumb we are.

I think you could be a cold, heartless vampire and live a life of debauchery and that would be fun if you want that but I wouldn’t want to be that kind of vampire so I think it would end up being a boring and sad life. Then there’s the whole can’t go out in the sun thing and not being able to eat real food *sobs*. So to being a vampire.

I would pick werewolf! You can heal faster, and although not immortal, you live a much longer life span than the average human.

You can live in both worlds – city life or a cabin in the woods, eat normal food, shift and play like a dog!

Aside from the whole agonizing bone crunching shift thing it sounds pretty awesome to me.

Which would you rather be?

friday fast 5

1.

A Christmas Zombie Musical!

ANNA AND THE APOCALYPSE 

This looks hilarious and early reviews call it a cross between Shaun of the Dead and Glee.

2.

Ms. Marvel, Vol. 1: No Normal

I’m trying to use more of my Amazon Prime benefits and read graphic novels – Ms. marvel is on Kindle Unlimited so two birds – one stone and all that.

Goodreads

3.

Welcome back!

One my fave blogger peeps, previously known from her blog, Books, Sweets & Other Treats, had taken some time off to do the whole family thing and is back with an all new blog called:

“Do You Dog-ear?”

Catchy – right? L and I had a lot of fun times navigating ALA, BEA (a few times). L is of the person from the now infamous BEA biting incident lol 

Missed you and glad to have you back L! 💖

Go check her blog out! 

4.

More book-ish progress

I cleared out my physical arc's - still not caught up on the reviews though for them though - but I achieved another milestone.

0 books to to review on Netgalley!

Now, my big challenge is still that physical TBR pile. I. Can. Do. It!

5.

Sir Sly – Run

Have to sneak in a little music for your weekend….

ICYMI this week on the blog:

Monday Mini's: Wolf by Wolf Duology by Ryan Graudin

Tell Me Something Tuesday: Best Horror Books

Review: His Convenient Husband by Robin Covington

October Pick Your Book Giveaway!

Happy TGIF!

What should I be reading, watching, listening to this weekend?

review: his convenient husband (love and sports #1) by robin covington

NFL football player Isaiah Blackwell lost his husband three years ago and is raising their teen son alone. He lives his life as quietly as his job allows, playing ball to support his family but trying not to draw unwanted attention. His quiet life is shaken up when a mutual friend introduces him to Victor, a visiting principal ballet dancer who is everything Isaiah is not.

Brash and loud, Victor Aleksandrov has applied for political asylum to avoid returning to Russia, where gay men are targeted and persecuted. He’s been outspoken about gay rights in his home country, and if he doesn’t get asylum, going back to Russia is a death sentence.

Their one-night stand turns into a tentative friendship, a relationship they both agree is temporary... until Victor’s denied asylum. Isaiah can’t offer Victor a happily ever after, but he can propose something that’ll keep Victor in the US and safe... marriage He just doesn’t expect his new husband to dance away with his heart. ~ Goodreads

Source: Arc provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review - Release Date: 10/9/17

Review:

I adored this super angsty story which surprised the hell out of me because me + angst = RUUUUUUNNNNN!!!! lol

Isaiah, an NFL football player, and Victor, an openly gay Russian ballet dancer, spend one steamy night together but Isaiah is still pining over his husband three years after his death. He had the real deal and lost it. He's afraid that going through that kind of loss again would break him and his son Evan is his #1 priority. No relationships for him.

When Victor, who has been an outspoken advocate about his country's treatment and torture of gays, doesn’t get approved for asylum, Isaiah makes an impulsive decision to get married so Victor can stay in the US rather than face danger and possible death going back home. It’s just an arrangement – they will just be friends and then go their different ways once the asylum comes through.. And really, surprisingly, despite their one night together and obvious desire for each other, that’s what happens for most of the book.

Despite their differences, Victor and  Isaiah had a wonderful chemistry and friendship that developed during the course of the book. It wasn't all based on sex (although there are sexy times).

I really loved Isaiah's son, Evan, and his relationship with Victor and how that woke Isaiah up to the struggle Evan was going though as a bisexual/bi racial teen who bends gender norms. It was something that Isaiah thought he shielded Evan from by placing him in an elite, *progressive* school. Evan was so damn huggable, brave, open and honest.

Victor is just the sweetest man and had given up any chance at love or family when he became a ward of the Russian government in exchange for a career in the ballet. Marrying Isaiah to get asylum gives him a glimpse at what he could have if only Isaiah will take the chance.

Soooo...like I said - this book is SUPER angsty but I felt like I understood where both men were coming from even when they lashed out. And boy does Isaiah lash out. Some readers might have a hard time with him but I got it.

I would have given this one 5 stars (I don't rate here but I gave it 4 stars on Goodreads) if it weren't for a few nitpicks.

1) There were a few scenes at the beginning that just cut off – SPOILER – highlight for spoiler -The men's first night together, their impromptu Vegas marriage, Victor’s night at the club was never resolved - Isaiah still thinks he cheated.

2) The end is a clear HEA but I wish we could have seen them together - happy as a family a bit more.

Despite those few quibbles I LOVED this. It was very emotional and I was so rooting for them to make it in the end.

I'm definitely looking into this author's other books because anyone who can make me like angsty romance is a winner in my book.

tell me something tuesday: best horror books

Tell Me Something Tuesday is hosted by Rainy Day Ramblings and discusses a wide range of topics from books to blogging.

Question: Best Horror Books

I haven’t read any horror books since way back in high school when I went on a Stephen King bender – reading IT, Pet Sematary, The Stand and probably a few more that I don’t recall.

I was dating Kevin at the time and I remember bringing Pet Sematary with me whenever we went out with his friends. I sat in the backseat so I could keep reading and not be disturbed. lol It’s one of the few books that has ever scared me. I went into it thinking that it would be cool to revive your animals but definitely changed my mind on that!

I don’t scare easily so it’s hard for a horror book (or movie) to really grab my attention. My brain is too damn practical and I know it’s not real – especially when it comes to paranormal things. I do find them interesting – just not scary.

I’m terrified by things that are real – like serial killers/kidnappings/torture and I have so many nightmares that I can’t read those kinds of books. Like – I wasn’t afraid of Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs but the dude luring women into vans and skinning them freaked me the F out.

I do have quite a few spooky stories sitting on my shelf waiting to be read. I hope to get to at least a few of them this month.

The one I’m really curious to see my reaction is The Hatching. I’m not afraid of spiders/bugs so I wonder if I’ll be creeped out as much as everyone else was. Not being afraid is not the same as being ok with them crawling inside me and laying eggs though. lol


What are you favorite horror stories? Or do you have any spooky reads on your October reading pile?

monday minis: wolf by wolf duology by ryan graudin

Wolf by Wolf #1

Her story begins on a train.

The year is 1956, and the Axis powers of the Third Reich and Imperial Japan rule. To commemorate their Great Victory, Hitler and Emperor Hirohito host the Axis Tour: an annual motorcycle race across their conjoined continents. The victor is awarded an audience with the highly reclusive Adolf Hitler at the Victor’s Ball in Tokyo.

Yael, a former death camp prisoner, has witnessed too much suffering, and the five wolves tattooed on her arm are a constant reminder of the loved ones she lost. The resistance has given Yael one goal: Win the race and kill Hitler. A survivor of painful human experimentation, Yael has the power to skinshift and must complete her mission by impersonating last year’s only female racer, Adele Wolfe. This deception becomes more difficult when Felix, Adele twin’s brother, and Luka, her former love interest, enter the race and watch Yael’s every move.

But as Yael grows closer to the other competitors, can she bring herself to be as ruthless as she needs to be to avoid discovery and complete her mission? ~ Goodreads

Source: ARC’s provided via BEA in exchange for an honest review

My thoughts: I’ve had this duology on my shelf for years. *hangs head in shame* but I finally got to it!

Wolf by Wolf is wildly inventive. Alternative history WWII, mixed with a high stakes motorcycle race, skin shifters and an assassination plot keep readers constantly on their toes.

I enjoyed it but once you get past the dynamic setting – it’s still the same old – young kick ass girl, Yael, out to seek revenge only to get derailed by the hot, arrogant boy with depth behind those eyes and a softening towards people she shouldn't be getting soft towards. (Note: see more about the romance aspect in the review for book #2 – I changed my mind about it lol)

Yael wears the 5 tattoos of wolves on her arm as a constant reminder of her past and of her mission to avenge the 5 lives taken from her by Hitler. The story flashes back and forth between the stories of how she lost those she loved and then to her current situation of the bike race which she has to win in order to get close enough to assassinate Hitler.. The things that were done to her and the horror's she's been through were heartbreaking.

I don’t know if it’s my age or a result of how much I read but I’m growing really weary of books that mix too many things – especially important things like genocide – into one plot. It’s very hard for me to shift from torture... to race!, cute boy! assassination! even thought he author did an excellent job of weaving those together.

I would have much rather this book focused on Yael, a skin shifter that can assume anyone’s face, and Felix, whose twin sister Adele, Yael is masquerading as now. That’s a pretty complex situation in itself combined with the motorcycle race that she must win to face Hitler in person so adding a romance? Even thought it was a subtle romance...eh. But I think most people will really enjoy this book.



Blood for Blood (Wolf by Wolf #2)

*Spoiler if you haven’t read book #1 this might be a spoiler – highlight if you would like to see the blurb


Highlight -> For the resistance in the Third Reich, the war may be over, but the fight has just begun. Death camp survivor Yael, who has the power to skinshift, is on the run: the world has just seen her shoot and kill Hitler. But the truth of what happened is far more complicated, and its consequences are deadly. Yael and her unlikely comrades dive into enemy territory to try to turn the tide against Hitler’s army, and there is no alternative but to see their mission through to the end, whatever the cost.

But in the midst of the chaos, Yael’s past and future collide when she comes face to face with a ghost from her past, and a spark with a fellow rider begins to grow into something more. Dark secrets reveal dark truths and one question hangs over them all—how far can you go for the ones you? ~ Goodreads

Source: ARC’s provided via BEA in exchange for an honest review

My thoughts: I’ll try to stay spoiler free here – I saw that a lot of readers were disappointed in Blood by Blood but I actually liked it more than Wolf by Wolf. The adrenaline rush of the motorcycle race is gone so it is less action packed than it’s predecessor but the moral and ethical decisions the characters are forced to make more than made up for it in my opinion. In fact, I live for that stuff so I was a happy camper reading this one.

I also enjoyed the romance between Yael and Luka more here. This is no longer about passing appreciative glances and flirting. It’s now about life and death, pulling back the veil on atrocities and deciding what you’re willing to put on the line for those you love. Their relationship and choices matched the severity of the subject matter whereas I didn’t feel that was the case in Wolf by Wolf.

In Blood by Blood, characters are flawed, blood is spilled and a HEA, might not be how we traditionally define it but everything that happened felt true to me and the situation and felt hopeful. I can see why some were not happy though.

october pick your book giveaway

The winner can choose any ONE book, up to $15 value, as long as it is released during the month of October, 2017.

Need a little inspiration?

Most Popular Books Published in October 2017 list

YA Releases of October 2017 list

New and Upcoming Book Releases October 2017

Rules & stuff!

The winner will be announced on November 1st on this post in the rafflecopter form - and notified by email. Winner has 48 hours to respond or I will pick another winner. (read my full * My Giveaway Policy here)

International entries OK as long as The Book Depository ships to your country.

To enter – fill out the Rafflecopter form and answer the question – What book book are you most looking forward to in October in the comments. (you can change your mind if you win)

Extra Entries:

All *optional* and NOT required. Do as few or as many as you would like. (links in sidebar)

+1 follow me on Bloglovin

+1 follow me on Twitter - @teamsheltie

+1 follow me on Instagram – @teamsheltie

+1 Tweet about the giveaway

Thanks for stopping by and good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway