Sunday, May 8, 2022

A Surprise Re-Read



This was a surprise re-read in that I didn't realize I had already read it when I checked it out of the library.  A couple of chapters in I knew I had read it before. Well actually, I listened to the audio, which was very engaging.  

This time I read the words, it was a fast read.  Lots of action and I enjoy the mythology and the catholic hocus pocus of it all. The world-building is very engaging and Harry has that right amount of self-deprecation and confidence all at one time. He knows he can't help himself when he perceives a damsel is in distress even though it comes back to bite him in the ass several times over. 

Looks like I got distracted after listening to book 5 of this series back in 2018 when I read it the first time. I'm hoping this time around I don't have to wait too long to get Blood Rites or I fear I will again get distracted for a few more years! 

My 2018 Review:

I listen to this series on audio, I don't read any of the books--James Marsters is perfection as Harry Dresden. This is book #5 of this enjoyable series that I tend to pick up, listen to a book and then a few months pass and then I pick it back up. There is enough reiteration of who the main players in the series are to help you remember if you don't binge read the series. I am going to make more of an effort to get through this series in a more timely manner. I have to say I don't really care about the romance aspect of the book, but if Harry is happy I'm happy. Whenever Harry talks about his cat Mister, I think anew that Mister is the perfect name for a cat. And speaking of perfect character names, I hope the next book has more Murphy- the perfectly named police detective- in it.

Love that this book takes place in Chicago. Nice that Harry and modern tech don't get along as this is handy for plot building. The pacing of this book was good, I personally wouldn't mind if there had been a bit more downtime - like maybe 2 fewer battles, but that's just me. I'm going to go see if my library has book #6 before I get distracted by another book on my TBR pile.

Saturday, May 7, 2022

#TheSundayPost Second Sunday in May, Second Exciting Event

 


The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted here @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly, or for a monthly wrap-up. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme 


Happy Mother's Day to everyone who mom's in any sort of way. 

Big Hugs to everyone who feels sad on this day. 


Yesterday was another exciting event in a month of big stuff a-happening at our house. My oldest son graduated from College! Man what an achievement!  He went to a community college for two years and finished with an Associates Degree, and then he transferred to a local university and Saturday he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Applied Graphic Design! Not only did he finish in 4 years but he managed to keep a 3.5 GPA or above the whole time and 'only' has $12 in student loans.

Next up....finding a job!  We really want our kids to have as good a start to their adulthood as possible so we are more than happy for him to live here for a while so he can pay off the student loans and save money. 

How was your week? Did anything fun happen?

This week I am reviewing a Dresden Files book, The Moonstone Cove Trilogy by Elizabeth Hunter and The Coloring Crook by Krista Davis








Thursday, May 5, 2022

Romancing Mister Bridgerton, Penelope and Colin!

 Tbh, I would like this book to be the next season of Bridgerton on Netflix.  Benedict (of the TV show) is very meh to me, that being said, I look forward to how the TV show will portray his book, it could be amazing.  I assume that for sure, Bridgerton will include the lake scene!  




Anyway now back to Penelope and Colin, this book has a 10-year flash forward and Penelope is a spinster and she is fine with it and Colin has been successfully avoiding marriage for years. We get both Penelope's and Colin's POVs in this book. This book is an excellent portrayal of the Friends to Lovers trope. 

I loved the amount of Lady Danbury in this book and I have a good feeling we will see lots of her when this book is on the screen. There is a major plot point that has been changed from the book to the show already at the end of Season 2 on the screen involving who figures out who is Lady Whistledown. 

Overall I would say that it is uncommon in a book for a male character to admit they are jealous of a female character and furthermore to admit that their jealousy was fueling anger toward the female lead. Thank goodness we get to read a story here where the male character does come to grips with jealousy and anger, a nice change of pace. 

4 starts for Romancing Mister Bridgerton

Tuesday, May 3, 2022

Allow Me To Retort: A Black Guy's Guide to The Constitution

 

I used my Audible subscription to purchase this audiobook. I went with the audio because when it comes to nonfiction, I prefer to listen to vrs. read, I think running and listening helps me to remember more of the book. In this case, it was an obvious choice because Eli Mystal narrates his own book. 

What makes this book stand out is that it is, as the subtitle says, A Black Guy's Guide to the Constitution, instead of a book told from a white man or woman we get the perspective of someone who descends from slaves and I think that is probably the most important perspective to view our constitution based of knowing that many of the Framers were slaveholders. 

The book is not overly long and Elie Mystal excels in his ability to explain lawyer lingo and concepts in simple terms that anyone can easily understand and relate to as they listen (or read). 

I recommend this book to everyone who lives in America. 

Sunday, May 1, 2022

Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton

 This was the April book pick for my book club.  The theme for this month's book was a book that takes place outside the United States.  Previous to reading this book, I knew very little about Cuba's history. Now having read Next Year in Havana, I know a little bit more about the long, rich history of Cuba. I appreciate this method of learning history! 




This book is obviously well researched and it flows between the two timelines seamlessly.  You will notice that Marisol is very much like her grandmother Elisa and the Cuban men they fall in love with are also very similar.  I enjoyed the mirror story of their love. 

I don't want to spoil anything in the story so I will say that this is a lovely book, you feel immersed in Cuba, I think there is enough romance and mystery to make it appealing to those who love reading romance and/or mystery books. Plus if you enjoy it, there is a follow-up book featuring Elisa's sister Beatriz.  

This is a good 4-star book to take on a vacation or if you need a virtual vacation! 

The Sunday Post Hooray for May!

 


The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted here @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly, or for a monthly wrap-up. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme 

Well, it's all cloudy and chilly today, even though it's May. I am very ready for late spring weather instead of the two months of March we have had instead! Fortunately, it was relatively warm for Prom on Friday.

The kids went to a very popular place to take prom pictures, you can see some of the crowd on the bridge across the water behind our Anna. 
This week I'm doing some text banking for a local candidate and going to see Pod Save America live (it's a podcast) Then this weekend we'll be watching our oldest graduate from college!!! Exciting times!
How will you be spending this first week of May? 

Here are books I'll be reviewing this week: 





 

Thursday, April 28, 2022

COYER and Books Of My Heart #READALONG!


This was a nice break in the action of the Night Huntress series, in the last installment I was very annoyed with Cat and Bones and ready to read something else.  Pretty clever, Jeaniene Frost, way to keep me reading.



This book is the story of Cat's friend Denise. From her introduction into the series a few books ago, I have wanted to read more about her. I loved her relationship with her husband, Randy, and was very sad that he died in the big Vampire battle.  Now it's about a year later and Denise is still in mourning. She understandable suffering from PTSD and is trying to distance herself from the supernatural world her friend Cat is an intricate part of.  

This being an Urban Fantasy series, Denise is quickly pulled into the world as she is cursed by a demon. This book does have action but most of the story is focused on Denise and her grieving process and Spade's struggle with his attraction to Denise fighting against his desire not to love and lose a human again. We learn a little more about the Night Huntress World and how it works, we do see Cat and Bones towards the end, but this is solidly Denise and Spade's book.

I'm a fan of Denise so I was happy for her to find Spade. Spade--for me--- is just an OK character, he is--and again this is just to me--a pretty typical hot Vampire. In other words, I don't find him as interesting to read as I do Vlad--or even Ian. 


Here is the publisher's blurb for this book: 

"The night is not safe for mortals.

Denise MacGregor knows all too well what lurks in the shadows – her best friend is half-vampire Cat Crawfield – and she has already lost more than the average human could bear. But her family’s dark past is wrapped in secrets and shrouded in darkness – and a demon shapeshifter has marked Denise as prey. Now her survival depends on an immortal who craves a taste of her.

He is Spade, a powerful, mysterious vampire who has walked the earth for centuries and is now duty-bound to protect this endangered, alluring human – even if it means destroying his own kind. Denise may arouse his deepest hungers, but Spade knows he must fight his urge to have her as they face the demon nightmare together…

Because once the first drop of crimson falls, they will both be lost."

4 Starts to First Drop of Crimson

Join the Read Along at https://booksofmyheart.net/2021/12/05/read-along-giveaway-night-huntress-world-by-jeaniene-frost/


Wednesday, April 27, 2022

Spring Means Gardening, and You Don't Need a Yard to Do It!

 Today I am sharing a review of a book from the publishing company Pelargonium Press called Apartment Kitchen Gardening by James Jacques. 

Here is the blurb from the publisher: 

Do you like the idea of growing your own fresh, healthy food at home?


Our latest book by James Jacques explains exactly how to do that, even if 
you don’t have a garden or yard of your own, and even if you’ve never grown 
anything before. It’s also great if you already grow food and want to learn 
exciting ways to grow even more. The book is called Apartment Kitchen 
Gardening and it explains how to grow a wide range of veg, fruit, and herbs, 
from oregano to oranges to oyster mushrooms, inside your home. It even 
covers some fascinating, unusual edibles like ‘beef and onion plant’ and 
saffron.

You can order the book here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09TWX7B28/

If you have a Kindle Unlimited it's free to you, if not, it's only $4.99

I live in a townhome and I have a small backyard and I have a little raised garden bed, but recently I bought a bunch of fresh herbs to make some new recipes and I came to the conclusion that I must figure out how to have fresh herbs in my house year-round!  Thankfully  Apartment Kitchen Gardening covers exactly how to manage that! You can even use leftover grocery store herbs to start your own plants! 

"Regrow Herbs!

Herbs are a fantastic addition to any kitchen windowsill.

Many herbs grow well in water – all you need is a glass, pot,

or even an old plastic bottle and a herb plant from the store.

You can then take cuttings from the parent plant and stand

them in your container with some water." -Apartment Kitchen Gardening

This book is a concise guide that includes all the most important information you need to start a garden in any living space, it covers indoor gardening, patio/balcony gardening as well windowsill, and other container gardens.  I really appreciated that James Jacques' writes with frugality and conservation in mind. The book is filled with tips on how to use what you already have to garden and a few fun upcycling projects as well. 

The book is a fast read and a nice reference that will inspire anyone who has wanted to grow some of their own food wherever they reside. 

Thanks to the publisher for a complimentary copy of the book to review!  All the opinions are my own and the link to Amazon is not an affiliate link.  

Saturday, April 23, 2022

The Sunday Post, And Now For Something Different

 


The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted here @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly, or for a monthly wrap-up. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme 

Once I week I usually participate in an online journaling group. This week we had a fun prompt and I liked my responses so I'm going to share it here: 

The prompt was to imagine that the seasons are people, how would you describe them:

Spring has a plan and she has goals. She spent her lunch hour shopping online for a cute pair of sandals and a new dress--floral of course.  She's on a diet but she can't stick to it because life is just too full of good flavors. She's been at her job for 10 years now and she loves it, but she longs for something more.

Summer walks by and the scent of sunblock and a hint of chlorine follows in her wake. She has tickets for all the best outdoor concerts.  She is on her way to meet up with friends on a rooftop and her mouth waters at the thought of an ice-cold beer. Her curly hair is extra curly thanks to the humidity and she revels in it. She hardly puts effort into it but her container garden is flourishing.  All her friends know she is the one to ask what herbs go in what dish and it's her playlists they sync to the Bluetooth speaker. 

Fall is in her 4s and she is cool with that. She loves a good sweater and her favorite boots were pricey but she's had them for 10 years now and they still look amazing. She works exactly as long as she paid to and not a minute more. her job is not her life. Her life is experiences. She is counting down the days to the big girls' trip she is taking to Scotland. Maybe she'll find a handsome lad in a kilt to take her on a tour of a castle or two. 

Winter wears her grey hair in a short bob and stopped wearing makeup the day she retired from her last job. She doesn't smile much, but when she does her whole face lights up. She complains often about an ache in her bones when the temps dip below zero. But for those she lets into her home they only speak of the twinkle in her eyes, like sparks from a fire crackling making the whole house cozy during the long winter nights. 

*****

How was your week? I hope you had a nice one!  This week I'll be sharing my thoughts on a Harry Dresden book, a book on apartment gardening, and Romancing Mister Bridgerton!


Thursday, April 21, 2022

#ThreeTaintedTeas #NetGalley


Three Tainted Teas is the third book in Lynn Cahoon's Kitchen Witch Mystery series.  I enjoy a nice witchy cozy and in this addition to the series, shifters are added to the world of Magic Springs, so I think this books series is now officially a paranormal cozy series. While there are plenty of cozies that have a witch and her cat and a coven or two.  Not too many cozies expand into a more fulsome paranormal world.  I enjoy paranormal so I was pleased with the additional magical creatures in this book. 

I enjoy that Mia views all of the different magical folk as all the same species at the end of the day. This is a good perspective, she also adheres to a strong set of core beliefs that cause her to think before using her magical skills..unlike some of the spells first ask questions later witches and warlocks around her. 

In this book, weddings are on everyone's minds including Trent and Mia. Trent seems ready to make a larger commitment to Mia and I for one, can't wait for her to catch up to his view of their potential future! Mia is a planner and an organizer and while some readers might find it a little boring to read about her planning the day-to-day, this reader finds it very relaxing to read. Plus all the yummy food talk, it's a nice balance.  Murdery stuff/party planning/food talk! 

4 Starts to #ThreeTaintedTeas Thank you #NetGalley for the ARC! 

You can get this book on Tuesday April 26th! 

Here is the publisher's description for your reference: 

New York Times bestselling author Lynn Cahoon returns with the third installment of her enchanting Kitchen Witch Mysteries starring aspiring witch and culinary entrepreneur Mia Malone, who must dispel a deadly plot to wreck her clients’ wedding!
 


Aspiring witch and culinary entrepreneur, Mia Malone, must dispel a deadly plot to wreck her clients’ wedding in this charming continuation of New York Times bestselling author Lynn Cahoon’s Kitchen Witch Mystery series.
 
Business is bubbling at Mia’s catering service and cooking school, Mia’s Morsels, but toil and trouble are not far behind. Mia just accepted her toughest gig yet: last-minute wedding planner for Magic Springs’ own Romeo and Juliet. Though the small town is fairly accepting of magic, two families have been locked in a vicious feud spanning generations. Unfortunately for both families, they’re about to become in-laws! Amethyst and Tok are excited to wed in a few weeks and somehow Mia must ensure the event is flawless.
 
But when she goes to pick up paperwork from the couple’s previous wedding planner, Mia discovers the woman murdered in an apparent attempt to stop the contentious union. Now, not only is Mia a prime suspect, as the new planner she may also be the killer’s next target. Backed by her squad, her charms—literal and figurative—and a protective amulet from her Grans, it’s up to Mia to save the star-crossed couple’s wedding, her professional reputation…and maybe even her life!