WWW Wednesday: March 31st 2021

IMG_1384-0

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words.

The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?


Personal:

So, I still have that flipping bladder infection. Cue in long, frustrated scream. If this new round of antibiotics don’t work, then off I go to a specialist. I am not very happy and very frustrated.

My garden is doing well. Nothing has sprouted yet (knock on wood). My bird feeders, though, are a whole different story. I am getting a ton of birds….and squirrels. I ended up getting a squirrels feeder, hoping that it would keep them out of my feeders. Nope. Instead, I have a heavily pregnant squirrel using my deck feeder as her personal buffet. I have named her Mama and can’t wait to see the babies!! I also have an opossum visiting. I caught it on camera sitting on my back deck. I think it was debating on going after the suet feeder….lol. I don’t mind them. They keep the ticks and bugs down in the yard. Plus, they eat mice and rats, which make them my best friends (I have a mice/rat phobia).

I made the decision last week to send Miss R back to school 4 days a week. I had noticed that she wasn’t as into her virtual lessons as she was. Plus, it seemed that she was missing out when there was a substitute. So, after talking with BK, I decided to send her back after Easter break. After getting the OK from the teacher/principal, I told her. It was like someone flipped a switch. She has been so excited to do her schoolwork and all she talks about is going back to school.

I made the non refundable deposit for Miss B’s driving school. It took me and the instructor about a week of going back and forth before we finally connected. So, for a week in July, she will be going to driving school, 9-5. Then she will start driving (6 hours on the road). She is super nervous but also excited.

I am still watching The Magicians. I was a little iffy about it for the first couple of episodes but I have gotten into it. Unfortunately, Miss B has decided to watch Criminal Minds by herself. She says its because she wants to “absorb the episodes.” Don’t ask me to translate….lol. BK and I have started watching The Irregulars. I really like it even though I got freaked out by the first episode.

I made Slow-Cooker Sesame Chicken with Cashews this past week. It was alright. The kids weren’t crazy about it. It tasted fine but the chicken was dry. So, I will not be making this again.

Blog

I changed my theme for the blog. I had Rosalie originally but changed to Independent Publisher 2. I am liking this theme a whole lot better than the Rosalie one. There were a lot more options for customization.

I started going through my posts again. I am slowly, but surely, updating links/covers/blurbs or just taking posts down for books that aren’t even on Goodreads/Amazon anymore. Its tedious, but needs to be done.

I am not sure if I like the new changes that WordPress pushed through earlier this week. I am used to having the admin page open up to a different window, not having it all on one page. But, I will get used to it. I don’t have a choice.

Reading

I didn’t do so great reading since last week’s WWW. I think I read 2 books between Thursday and yesterday? I was stuck on a book that I got from the library. I thought that I was going to love it. Instead, I was “eh” about it and it took me 3 days to finish. So disappointing when that happens.


What I Recently Finished Reading:

Book Cover
When headstrong West Indian heiress Patience Jordan questioned her English husband’s mysterious suicide, she lost everything: her newborn son, Lionel, her fortune—and her freedom. Falsely imprisoned, she risks her life to be near her child—until The Widow’s Grace gets her hired as her own son’s nanny. But working for his unsuspecting new guardian, Busick Strathmore, Duke of Repington, has perils of its own. Especially when Patience discovers his military strictness belies an ex-rake of unswerving honor—and unexpected passion . . .

A wounded military hero, Busick is determined to resolve his dead cousin’s dangerous financial dealings for Lionel’s sake. But his investigation is a minor skirmish compared to dealing with the forthright, courageous, and alluring Patience. Somehow, she’s breaking his rules, and sweeping past his defenses. Soon, between formidable enemies and obstacles, they form a fragile trust—but will it be enough to save the future they long to dare together?

I was so disappointed by this book. I had seen a couple of reviews by people that had loved it and thought to myself “Well, this seems like something I would like to read.” It is a favorite genre with a twist. Plus, having a POC as a main character for that era was brilliant. Then I read the book and cringed. I couldn’t get into the romance between Patience and Busick. The plotline bored me. I called the ending. It was a relief when the book ended.


What I am currently reading:

Book Cover
It’s 1927 when Olive McCormick moves from Minneapolis to New York City determined to become a star in the Ziegfeld Follies. Extremely talented as a singer and dancer, it takes every bit of perseverance to finally make it on stage. And once she does, all the glamour and excitement is everything she imagined and more–even worth all the sacrifices she has had to make along the way.

Then she meets Archie Carmichael. Handsome, wealthy–the only man she’s ever met who seems to accept her modern ways–her independent nature and passion for success. But once she accepts his proposal of marriage he starts to change his tune, and Olive must decide if she is willing to reveal a devastating secret and sacrifice the life she loves for the man she loves.

Words can’t begin to describe how much I am enjoying this book. Olive McCormick (aka Olive Shines) is unusual for the era that book is set in. She is a strong woman who is living her life the way she wants. I am about 20% into the book and so much has happened. I can’t wait to see what the rest of the book will be like!!


What books I think I’ll read next:

I was pretty set with the books I had on the list for next week. It was going to be a repeat of last week’s books. Then, last night, a library book came off hold, unexpectedly. So, I had to tweak things a little bit. The library book is first and then the books from my TBR.

Book Cover
After the first season of her true crime podcast became an overnight sensation and set an innocent man free, Rachel Krall is now a household name―and the last hope for thousands of people seeking justice. But she’s used to being recognized for her voice, not her face. Which makes it all the more unsettling when she finds a note on her car windshield, addressed to her, begging for help.

The small town of Neapolis is being torn apart by a devastating rape trial. The town’s golden boy, a swimmer destined for Olympic greatness, has been accused of raping a high school student, the beloved granddaughter of the police chief. Under pressure to make Season Three a success, Rachel throws herself into interviewing and investigating―but the mysterious letters keep showing up in unexpected places. Someone is following her, and she won’t stop until Rachel finds out what happened to her sister twenty-five years ago. Officially, Jenny Stills tragically drowned, but the letters insists she was murdered―and when Rachel starts asking questions, nobody seems to want to answer. The past and present start to collide as Rachel uncovers startling connections between the two cases that will change the course of the trial and the lives of everyone involved.

Electrifying and propulsive, The Night Swim asks: What is the price of a reputation? Can a small town ever right the wrongs of its past? And what really happened to Jenny?
Book Cover
A lightless tower maze…

…Four powerless teens. Or are they?

Each child in Valkryion has one chance to prove their magical prowess or they must face the most feared abomination ever created: the Depths.

A group of teens find themselves cast into the lightless labyrinth meant to channel the hidden potential in their Signets and lynths.

The one rule for those downcast is simple – descend further into the Depths to try to escape while mastering the environment to defeat all that stands in their path. With descent comes more challenges and enemies intended to either make the teens more powerful or snap them from existence.

Rules are meant to be broken, but can the teens break free from contained chaos?

Magic. Awe. Discovery. Wonder.

Enter the Depths NOW.
Book Cover
How far will a man go to protect his family? Mason Seaforth is about to find out.

Mason Seaforth, a mild-mannered accountant. wakes up the morning of his 20th wedding anniversary to find that his wife, Sami has disappeared. A search of Sami’s computer uncovers a past she has buried for more than 20 years.

Together with their strong-willed friend, Marcie Kane, Mason leads an investigation that takes them from the home he and Sami share in Gulfport, Florida to a casino in Gatineau, Quebec. As he and Marcie close in on Sami’s whereabouts, so do Aaron Marshall and his enforcer, Greg Johnson, AKA, “The Force” – deadly serious men willing to kill the entire Seaforth family to protect Sami’s secrets.

Action-packed crime thriller with suspenseful storytelling and a surpising twist.

Mason is thrust into a race against Marshall and Johnson, thrown into a life that is meant for other people. He must put his quiet job on hold and quickly learn how to handle a Glock 17. Each decision he needs to make is deadlier than the last, and one wrong move could result in the death of his family.
Book Cover
It’s been 20 long years since a night of horror where Detective Jess Antler’s 10-year-old brother Billy was abducted. Despite Jess seeing the intruder face to face, neither he or her brother were ever found. After enduring a terrifying adolescence at the hands of her abusive Aunt, Jess has learnt to push away her feelings about her brother, and her drive to find him.

As everyone says, Billy’s never coming back. It’s time to move on.

However after uncovering Billy’s secret diary, Jess begins to unravel the mystery further and discovers shocking truths about her family and what Billy was really mixed up in.
Book Cover
Cursed with the ability to weave thread into gold, Brie has learned to trust no one. Her parents keep her around so they can gamble their money away and now her boyfriend’s only staying because he’s got a collection of game systems to grow.

When Brie grabs the attention of Stilt, the new guy in town, it changes everything. Brie is a Legend—a character in a fairytale—and she belongs in a realm of magic called Fable. But when she crosses over to the new world with Stilt, she soon learns that the cruel ruler of the realm has taken an interest in her ability-and it could cost Brie her life.

Stilt promises that he can help her escape, but in return, he asks for something that she might not be able to give. Can Brie put her trust in Stilt or will she die at the hands of greed?

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? a place to meet up and share what you have been, and are about to be reading over the week. It’s a great post to organize yourself. It’s an opportunity to visit and comment and er… add to your groaning TBR pile! So welcome in everyone. This meme started on J Kaye’s blog and then was hosted by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at The Book Date.

Jen Vincent, Teach Mentor Texts, and Kellee of Unleashing Readers decided to give It’s Monday! a kidlit focus. If you read and review books in children’s literature – picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels or anything in those genres – join them.


What I am Reading Now:

Book Cover
When headstrong West Indian heiress Patience Jordan questioned her English husband’s mysterious suicide, she lost everything: her newborn son, Lionel, her fortune—and her freedom. Falsely imprisoned, she risks her life to be near her child—until The Widow’s Grace gets her hired as her own son’s nanny. But working for his unsuspecting new guardian, Busick Strathmore, Duke of Repington, has perils of its own. Especially when Patience discovers his military strictness belies an ex-rake of unswerving honor—and unexpected passion . . .

A wounded military hero, Busick is determined to resolve his dead cousin’s dangerous financial dealings for Lionel’s sake. But his investigation is a minor skirmish compared to dealing with the forthright, courageous, and alluring Patience. Somehow, she’s breaking his rules, and sweeping past his defenses. Soon, between formidable enemies and obstacles, they form a fragile trust—but will it be enough to save the future they long to dare together?

I am about halfway through A Duke, the Lady, and a Baby and I am not sure about how I feel about. I am loving the story but the characters, I am “eh” about. The romance I am a little “eh” about too. I am hoping that the second half of the book makes me settle on if I like it or dislike it. I don’t like being up in the air about a genre that I usually love.


What I plan on reading this week:

On last week’s WWW, I made an ambitious goal to read five books by next Wednesday. Well, it didn’t quite happen. Without getting into it, my weekend was very full. Plus, we had some severe thunderstorms come through the area (at night). Miss R is terrified of them and ended sleeping in my bed Saturday and Sunday night. And since I read at night, it didn’t happen. I am hoping to read at least three of these books this week.

Book Cover
It’s 1927 when Olive McCormick moves from Minneapolis to New York City determined to become a star in the Ziegfeld Follies. Extremely talented as a singer and dancer, it takes every bit of perseverance to finally make it on stage. And once she does, all the glamour and excitement is everything she imagined and more–even worth all the sacrifices she has had to make along the way.

Then she meets Archie Carmichael. Handsome, wealthy–the only man she’s ever met who seems to accept her modern ways–her independent nature and passion for success. But once she accepts his proposal of marriage he starts to change his tune, and Olive must decide if she is willing to reveal a devastating secret and sacrifice the life she loves for the man she loves.
Book Cover
A lightless tower maze…

…Four powerless teens. Or are they?

Each child in Valkryion has one chance to prove their magical prowess or they must face the most feared abomination ever created: the Depths.

A group of teens find themselves cast into the lightless labyrinth meant to channel the hidden potential in their Signets and lynths.

The one rule for those downcast is simple – descend further into the Depths to try to escape while mastering the environment to defeat all that stands in their path. With descent comes more challenges and enemies intended to either make the teens more powerful or snap them from existence.

Rules are meant to be broken, but can the teens break free from contained chaos?

Magic. Awe. Discovery. Wonder.

Enter the Depths NOW.
Book Cover
How far will a man go to protect his family? Mason Seaforth is about to find out.

Mason Seaforth, a mild-mannered accountant. wakes up the morning of his 20th wedding anniversary to find that his wife, Sami has disappeared. A search of Sami’s computer uncovers a past she has buried for more than 20 years.

Together with their strong-willed friend, Marcie Kane, Mason leads an investigation that takes them from the home he and Sami share in Gulfport, Florida to a casino in Gatineau, Quebec. As he and Marcie close in on Sami’s whereabouts, so do Aaron Marshall and his enforcer, Greg Johnson, AKA, “The Force” – deadly serious men willing to kill the entire Seaforth family to protect Sami’s secrets.


Action-packed crime thriller with suspenseful storytelling and a surpising twist.

Mason is thrust into a race against Marshall and Johnson, thrown into a life that is meant for other people. He must put his quiet job on hold and quickly learn how to handle a Glock 17. Each decision he needs to make is deadlier than the last, and one wrong move could result in the death of his family.
Book Cover
It’s been 20 long years since a night of horror where Detective Jess Antler’s 10-year-old brother Billy was abducted. Despite Jess seeing the intruder face to face, neither he or her brother were ever found. After enduring a terrifying adolescence at the hands of her abusive Aunt, Jess has learnt to push away her feelings about her brother, and her drive to find him.

As everyone says, Billy’s never coming back. It’s time to move on.

However after uncovering Billy’s secret diary, Jess begins to unravel the mystery further and discovers shocking truths about her family and what Billy was really mixed up in.
Book Cover
Cursed with the ability to weave thread into gold, Brie has learned to trust no one. Her parents keep her around so they can gamble their money away and now her boyfriend’s only staying because he’s got a collection of game systems to grow.

When Brie grabs the attention of Stilt, the new guy in town, it changes everything. Brie is a Legend—a character in a fairytale—and she belongs in a realm of magic called Fable. But when she crosses over to the new world with Stilt, she soon learns that the cruel ruler of the realm has taken an interest in her ability-and it could cost Brie her life.

Stilt promises that he can help her escape, but in return, he asks for something that she might not be able to give. Can Brie put her trust in Stilt or will she die at the hands of greed?

So here are my books that I am reading/plan on reading this week. Have you read any of these books? Let me know!!!

#SixforSunday—Books I wished I read in 2020

SixforSundays is a meme hosted by A Little But A LotEvery month there is a theme and that is broken down on Sundays into categories.

This week’s theme is:

Books I Wished I Read in 2020


I have a huge list of books that I wanted to read in 2020 but didn’t. All of these are on my Goodreads shelf called library (if you want to check it out) and I can get all of these from the library (or at least put them on hold). So here’s my list. Enjoy!!

What books did you want to read in 2020 but didn’t get to? Let me know!!


  1. Cold-Hearted Rake by Lisa Kleypas
  2. White Hot Kiss by Jennifer L. Armentrout
  3. Well Met by Jen DeLuca
  4. A Duke, the Lady, and a Baby by Vanessa Riley
  5. The Year We Fell Down by Sarina Bowen
  6. My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell