Friday, June 18, 2021
Latest Book in our #COYER #readalong!
Wednesday, June 16, 2021
I'm Anti Invasive Anything! Gardening and Post Cancer Treatment Life #PTSD #BCSM
Today I was in my garden, which is tiny but the plants are thriving; so much so that my cucumber plant is now encroaching on my flowering red bell pepper plant. This morning I was checking the garden plants for nefarious invaders and I found cabbage worms! Picture me looking at my cauliflower plant above, seeing all the holes, and frowning. Then I look closely at the leaves and bam! A green worm! On my leaf! First of all, this is why I don’t plant cruciferous vegetables, and second of all, how dare invasive disease attack my garden!
Cue my outsized stress reaction to the garden pests. Yes, cancer trauma here we go again. First I put on some gloves, then I went inside and got a plastic knife, and then I eradicated the worms. I serial-killed five of them, and I think there were either eggs or poop down on the budding leaves so I scrapped that off the plant. I’m glad I only have one plant. I don’t know that I will be planting cauliflower in the future, I don’t like murdering bugs almost as much as I don’t like, cue my waving my hands around, another reason to have some PTSD.
After I killed the worms I found, I did a google search to find out if there was anything I could do to not have cabbage worms. First I learned that it’s supposed to be too early in the season for the worms and second I learned that if I put down diatomaceous earth that might help.
Tricky how trauma can creep up on a person. Imagine what it will be like for people of this earth over the next decade given all the trauma the pandemic inflicted. We are going to see so many different ways people try and cope--and plenty of that will be bad. It's a fine time as any to try to be kind because you don't know what people are dealing with when you run into them.
Last thought for this post, later this afternoon, after I had reflected on invasive disease in my garden is just too on the nose a metaphor for the stress of cancer treatment,
I decided if I find more worms I'm going to scoop them up and then put them out for the plentiful birds in my backyard to eat!How the Garden Started...
Tuesday, June 15, 2021
Psychological Thriller #TheNewHusband This dude is Sus!
The first time we meet Simon, he is the hero who found the family dog after the family has been rocked by a tragedy. Strike one I say!
Sunday, June 13, 2021
Two! Two! Reviews in One Post! Happy Monday!
I wanted to get back to give a proper review of One Perfect Lie by Lisa Scottoline. I listened to this while running, shopping at Aldi, and doing dishes. It was an audiobook that kept me doing chores so I could listen longer, so a real win, win for the cleanliness of my cozy abode!
The book had unexpected but earned twists and I really enjoyed how the story concluded. I was completely wrong about where it ended up. There are multiple POV characters in addition to Chris Brennen. This is a suspenseful thriller, but it isn't a graphic psychological thriller, so I would recommend this book as one to read if you are new to thrillers or if you like TV shows like 911 on the Fox Network.
3.5 stars for this book- it's got some good twists!
And now for something completely different. This is a romance, so there will be a happy ending, it's just how are we going to get there? Well, this time it's going to be through a reality TV show. Yes, this book is like an alternative Bachelorette. In this book, unlike the show, for once the Bachelorette isn't a size 2. Bea is a successful plus-size fashion blogger whose scathing critique of the fictional show "Main Squeeze" goes viral and she winds up being the next main squeeze.
I used to watch the Bachelor franchise but gave it up a few years ago when I realized it was always going to be a parade of thin young women and men who were on the show more often than not to up their social media profiles so they could translate that into endorsement deals. This fiction version of the show will ring true to watchers of the actual show, and also gives the show true romance.
I borrowed this book from my library's Libby App because I need distractions while I train for the marathon. This book was a good distraction! A must listen if you are part of #BachelorNation
3.5 stars for this book as well!
Tomorrow we head back to the DMV for Youngest Child's second attempt at passing the road test. Please send good vibes!
Saturday, June 12, 2021
#TheSundayPost The Weekend Before Father's Day-
Thursday, June 10, 2021
Sharing Sheltering Spirits - A Lola Blog Tour!
Sheltering Spirits (A Mallory McGrath Mystery #1)
by Lori Allison
Genre: Paranormal Cozy Mystery
Age category: Adult
Release Date: 6 October 2020
Blurb:
Orphaned at a young age, all Mallory McGrath wants is a place to call home, the companionship of friends who have become her family and to keep her Basset Hound, Elmer, from wrecking everything she owns.
A simple life.
And things are going her way until a sudden encounter with the bumper of a car driven by the intriguing new coroner in town leaves her with a head injury that unlocks a strange new talent.
Now Mallory is dealing with ghostly roommates, a dead body on her property and finding herself under suspicion of murdering the town’s matriarch. Not to mention the angry poltergeist trashing her attic!
To save all she holds dear, Mallory must catch a killer who has her in his sights … and to make sure her supply of peanut butter doesn’t run out.
Links:
- Goodreads
- Bookbub
- Amazon
About the Author:
Lori Allison has had a life-long love affair with books, both as a reader and a writer. Lori is the mother of 3 grown children and has a Bachelor of Science in Education from the University of New Mexico. She managed the construction company her family owned for 17 years before retiring to pursue writing full time.
Lori lives in a small town in New Mexico with her husband, Jeffery, and their three dogs.
Author links:
- Website
- Goodreads
- Amazon
Wednesday, June 9, 2021
#AudioBook Challenge! A Thriller with an Unreliable Narrator for a Humid week in June!
We have some thunderstormy, cloudy, humidity-filled weather this week, and I was looking for something to listen to as I go about my day. I saw that this was available via the Libby App from my library system so I borrowed it. It's on the shorter side, which worked for me. I listen to it at 1.65 speed. I found the reader to be engaging, his name is George Newbern.
If you don't like audiobooks, I would still consider picking this one up, it's a good travel book if you have a vacation planned and are going to be sitting in an airport or in a car, or on a train, this will make the time fly.
This was my first time reading a book by Lisa Scottoline. It turns out she has had over 30 books published so I was really late to learn about this author!
Monday, June 7, 2021
A Southern Cozy Book To Start the Week- Reading Between The Crimes by Kate Young - #NetGalley
This is a cozy that will grab your attention if you like small southern towns, a book that has book themes, and a very punny title!
It has been a few months since we spent time with Lyla, our MC and in that time she has become more confident in her role as a Private Investigator in training. The Jane Does' book club has grown and the main member has become a very close-knit group. This month the book club has read and discussed Crooked House by Agatha Christie. This month someone was murdered at Lyla's parent's house. Similarities between the book and real-life occur and that makes for some very fun reading. I like the conceit author Kate Young is using in this series that we have the book club reading a book and then we have eerie coincidences between the book being discussed and what is going on in Sweet Mountain, GA.
The main issue I had with book one in this series, On Borrowed Crime, was that Lyla's parents and her ex-boyfriend treated her like she was a teenager instead of a woman in her thirties who knows her own mind. It made me think twice about whether I wanted to read further in this series or just read something else. As you can see, I decided to give the second book a go, and happily, in this book Lyla's decisions are respected.
The book takes place in the fall around Halloween, but it doesn't have a strong Halloween flavor. It will be out on September 7th, the day after Labor Day, a perfect cozy to kick off the fall season. Grab a PSL (Pumpkin Spiced Latte) and kick back and enjoy this fun second book in the Jane Doe Book Club Mystery series.
4.50 stars I recommend this cozy and am looking forward to the next book in this series. It's really picking up steam!
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review! All the opinions are mine!
Saturday, June 5, 2021
#TheSundayPost A Little This, A Little That
Thursday, June 3, 2021
Some Historical Romance To Kick Off The Weekend!
If you follow my blog, you've likely noticed that I don't read much historical romance. At the same time, if you follow my blog, you know I really enjoy Alyssa Cole's writing. So it was only a matter of time before I started reading her historical romance. This book takes place during the Civil War, and is the story of Elle Burns who is a former slave and is now a spy for the Loyalty League. Yes, this is fiction, but there were people who were freed people who went back into slavery to spy for the Union. The bravery is astounding.