It has been a while since I have done a monthly wrap-up. Usually, I am pressed for time (between thekids, their activities, and other life issues), and I choose not to do one. But I am making a change starting with this month. I will do a monthly wrap-up (even if it is only a couple of things).
So, here is what I read/posted in the month of September.
As always, let me know if you have read any of these books and (if you did) what you thought of them.
First Love: The Art of Making Doughnuts by Linda Budzinski, Melissa Maygrove, Sylvia Nay, Katie Klein, Michael di Gesu, Templeton Moss, S.E. White, Denise Covey, Sammi, Spizziri (review here)
Last Place Seen by Alessandra Harris (review here)
I saw this meme on It’s All About Booksand thought, I like this!! So, I decided to do it once a month also. Many thanks to Yvonne for originally posting this!!
This post is what it says: Places I travel to in books each month. Books are wonderful and take you to places you would never get a chance to go. That includes places of fantasy too!!
So….enjoy!! Please let me know if you have read these books or traveled to these areas (other than the fantasy….lol).
Here’s where I traveled in September:
United States:
Jackson County, somewhere in the Midwest or South/Portland, Oregon/Chicago, Illinois/ Louisiana/ Midwest
San Jose/Napa, California
Danville Heights/Sandry Lake, Unknown state
Denver, Colorado/Chicago, Illinois/Morganton, North Carolina
Denver, Colorado/NYC, New York
Denver, Colorado
Emerald Springs, Historical West (maybe Montana??)
Paradise is no more. She’s a stranger in her new home…
… as she sails the choppy waters of teen life. Teresa longs for picture-perfect love, but in the real world you often have to say “No”, even if it breaks your heart.
From tropical Mozambique to drab, 1970s Lisbon, from the golden beaches of Durban to five-star holidays in verdant, mountainous Madeira, and even the Moroccan kasbah, follow Teresa as she stumbles and falls and picks herself up again.
Will Teresa’s grandparents let her out of their sight for a minute? Can she forge her own path in a country that struggles to emerge from fear and taboo? Will she find true love, or is she forever fated to navigate an ocean of boys who demand more than she is willing to give?
First Line:
I detested my first kiss.
Love Secrets Lies by Teresa Vale
When I first got the email from the author requesting that I review her book, I almost said no. As a rule, I do not review anything that resembles even resembles a biography or an autobiography. But the sweetness of the request email and the blurb that I read on Amazon sold me on reading the book. I am glad I did because this was a fantastic book.
Love Secrets Lies is the story of Teresa and her journey to adulthood. Teresa was forced out of Mozambique as a young teenager when that country became politically unstable. She, her brother, her grandparents, and her parents fled to Portugal.Teresa and her brother settled in Libson with her grandparents while her father and mother (divorced) went to North Portugal and England. Teresa is a headstrong, opinionated young lady growing up in 1970s Portugal. Can Teresa overcome the obstacles of her childhood (mainly her very strict grandparents) and become the woman she wants to be?
I loved Teresa. She was a vibrantly written character who made me laugh during the book. I have a seventeen-year-old daughter, and I could see her getting into some of the shenanigans that Teresa got into. The whole kissing scene had me in tears laughing because, well, it was relatable. How many of us enjoyed our first kiss? And how many of us had the experience that Teresa had? I did find her a little tiring during certain scenes (the political scenes I skimmed over). But other than that, I loved her joy in life. It exuded from the book.
I liked seeing what it is like for a teenage girl growing up in the 70s and outside of the USA. It was very refreshing. Plus, I got to experience the 70s through her, which was a trip in itself.
Teresa had several romances throughout the book. The author didn’t hold back with them. She showed the good, the bad, and the ugly. And oh man, did the ugly get nasty towards the end. Teresa went through a terrifying situation that could have turned out bad if a certain someone didn’t step up for her.
Sexually, this is a very clean book. There are a few kissing scenes, one where Teresa and her boyfriend do heavy petting, and one very memorable scene where Teresa’s boyfriend uses a pillow as a cover for his privates (and as a supposed sexy gesture??). The author never details what Teresa is doing, but there is enough said that I could figure it out. I knew she wasn’t having sex (the author often stressed her virginity in the book).
The only thing I didn’t like about this book was how bratty and immature Teresa sometimes came across. But, saying that, she was a teenager living under stringent rules. So I kept an open mind while reading.
I also want to mention the locations that this book took me to. South Africa, different areas of Portugal, and Mozambique are among the few places that the author mentioned in the book. The author vividly described every site to the point where I could picture it in my head.
The end of Love Secrets Lies was a bit of a cliffhanger, and I am looking forward to reading book 2!!
I would recommend Love Secrets Lies to anyone over 16. There is mild language, violence, and mild and non-graphic sexual situations. There is also underage drinking and smoking.
What are you currently reading? What did you recently finish reading? What do you think you’ll read next?
Personal:
The bus saga continues. It hasn’t shown up at all since last week. But, there is light at the end of the tunnel here. I emailed the transportation director, expressed my frustration, and asked for insight. She told me that a new driver had been hired (Yay!!) and the route will return to normal shortly.
We have settled into our school schedule very nicely. Miss R is a little put off because (drum roll please) she will have math and reading homework Monday-Thursday. She will also have a project a month. This month’s project is called About Me, which is pretty self-explanatory. We have already sketched out (on posterboard) what she is going to include. Tonight, we start work on it.
The horse show gave Miss R a huge boost in confidence, which she needed. She was trotting with one hand and doing a great job controlling her horse (who was being naughty) at her last lesson. She could almost do everything to tack and untack the horse by herself.
I don’t know if I mentioned it, but we had adopted (or so we thought) another kitten from the local shelter. I say we thought because I skipped his neutering appointment yesterday (we were going to go through our vet). BK was listed as the contact; they called and gave him an earful. They said we were fostering (never explained when we got him) and that we were supposed to go through their vet, not ours. They were pretty rude about it. So, I had to cancel Tony’s appointment today, and we’re taking him in next week for his neutering. Then he will be ours. I was pretty upset. They never explained that it was a foster-to-adopt situation (which we would have been fine with), sent us home with zero instructions (again, they didn’t tell us), and sent us home with a very sick kitten (he was onantibiotics for a URI for over a week).
I haven’t worked on updating posts since last week. I was pretty tired. I didn’t even play my PlanetZoo game and fell asleep during LivePD on Friday. That’s how tired I was. I am planning on getting to it at some point this week. I’m just not sure when.
So that’s the major things for this past week. How was your week?
As always, let me know if you have read or are planning to read any of these books!!
What I Recently Finished Reading:
Paradise is no more. She’s a stranger in her new home…
… as she sails the choppy waters of teen life. Teresa longs for picture-perfect love, but in the real world you often have to say “No”, even if it breaks your heart.
From tropical Mozambique to drab, 1970s Lisbon, from the golden beaches of Durban to five-star holidays in verdant, mountainous Madeira, and even the Moroccan kasbah, follow Teresa as she stumbles and falls and picks herself up again.
Will Teresa’s grandparents let her out of their sight for a minute? Can she forge her own path in a country that struggles to emerge from fear and taboo? Will she find true love, or is she forever fated to navigate an ocean of boys who demand more than she is willing to give?
What I am currently reading:
In the aftermath of her husband’s life-altering mistake, Tiana Williams grapples with lingering resentment while working full-time and raising their toddler. But when Jay becomes a person of interest in the kidnapping of ten-year-old Zoe Miller, Tiana is torn between trusting her husband and believing the growing pile of evidence. After she gets dragged further into the mystery and discovers her connection to the missing girl, the shaky ground beneath her crumbles.
With the odds stacked against him, Jay does everything in his power to prove his innocence. Racing against the clock, he must uncover the truth about Zoe’s kidnapping before he loses everything he loves—including his freedom.
During a sweltering heat wave and a raging California wildfire, Tiana and Jay will stop at nothing to find Zoe, even if it means tearing apart their marriage and risking their own lives in the process
What books I think I’ll read next:
Welcome or unwelcome. Fate has arrived. “A captivating and poetic tale of mystery, fantasy, and reality tied together by action!” 5-stars, Lars Jackson, Amazon Customer A suspenseful incident in a forbidden preserve heightens the senses of five friends. Sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell become super-gifts that forever change the world. But furious battles confront the boys as they try to understand their sensory super powers in a race to save mankind. With light beings and mysterious strangers complicating their plight, can the boys defeat the evil Druth before it’s too late? Get prepared for the twisting and grinding of this award-winning, action-adventure story — an edge-of-your-seat narrative for young and mature readers alike.
A tale of unspeakable murder, a doomed alliance, and retribution from the beyond Sometimes the tide sweeps us into a fog where dark forces are at work…suddenly good and evil become blurred. Powerless and defenseless, we swim toward it, and wonder if we’re going mad.
Eva is born in the wrong era. In 1800s America, women are required to obey their husbands without question and to submit to their presumed superiority. But Eva wants more. Willful and ambitious, she considers herself equal to men. But the times are unrelenting, and it is her curse to remain unheard.
Rafe is a misogynist. Born of a demented mother who shattered his childhood and family, he is forever tormented by a scathing mistrust of women.
The tide brings them together at Owl Manor, a place shrouded in darkness, forsaken by the sun. A place where owls breathe in the very fabric of the walls, and shadows wander the passages. Where good and evil blur.
Will Eva make the right choice?
Owl Manor – the Dawning, the first in a trilogy of Gothic suspense novels, is inspired by authors such as Daphne du Maurier (Jamaica Inn), Carlos Ruiz Zafon (Shadow of the Wind), Shirley Jackson (The Haunting of Hill House).
14 years ago, Owl Manor trembled with echoes of madness, mysterious deaths and marauding owls.
In 1870, Abigail fled the horror of Owl Manor with her fiancé, Peter. But she carried with her the terrible notion that she is unworthy of love, instilled by her reluctant mother. If her own mother could not love her, how would anyone else?
She trusts no one and keeps herself buried in a crypt of churning emotions, away from the world. Deep inside, her soul screams at the thought of dying alone and unloved.
Now she is back. Abandoned at the altar, and with nowhere to go, she returns to Owl Manor. Thus begin the nightmares of violent rage and destruction, ghostly images.
What really happened 14 years ago?
Enter Victor, the complete opposite of Peter, yet frighteningly familiar at times.
And the owls circle the sky once again.
Inspired by authors such as Edgar Allan Poe (The Raven), Daphne du Maurier (Jamaica Inn), Carlos Ruiz Zafon (Shadow of the Wind), Owl Manor – Abigail is the second in the Owl Manor trilogy of Gothic suspense novels, and follows Owl Manor – the Dawning.
For a quarter of a century, the horrors at Owl Manor have been buried under dust and decay, forgotten and unheard.
Then Dolores hears the whispers.
Dolores, a young artist, feels the pain all around her. It is the subject of her paintings. Strangely, once the pain is on her canvas, it diminishes.
A fated encounter takes her and her two best friends to Owl Manor in the Rocky Mountains. Ignoring the rumors of a gruesome past and ghosts, they take up residence. What’s the worst that could happen?
But it is the past that has summoned Dolores.
The owls begin to circle the sky again. The whispers get louder, seeping into each of their souls. And Dolores, besieged by the pain of brutal murders in the manor’s history, has no choice but to paint.
For the lives of those close to her hang in the balance.
Inspired by authors like Edgar Allan Poe (The Raven), Daphne du Maurier (Jamaica Inn), and Shirley Jackson (The Haunting of Hill House), Owl Manor – the Final Stroke is the third and final book in the Owl Manor trilogy of Gothic Suspense novels. It follows Owl Manor – the Dawning and Owl Manor – Abigail.
August seemed to fly by. It was busy for me, though, even if it was just getting the kids ready for back to school. We are on the 4th day, and everything seems to be going well (keeping my fingers crossed!!). I am enjoying the downtime.
So, here’s this month’s TBR list. Let me know if you have read any of them!!
I normally don’t read or review anthologies. But this is a new publisher, and I accepted the invite before reading the full blurb. I am sure that I am going to like it (romance is always a hit with me)
I have reviewed this author in the past, and I have enjoyed her books. I am looking forward to reading this book based on the synopsis (you have to go to Amazon to read it; it’s not on Goodreads).
A new to me author who was very sweet in her request email. I can’t wait to read this!!
I am curious about this book. It is different (the five senses used to save the world??).
The author emailed me, asking if I could review book 3 but added I could review the first two books too. And since I don’t like just reading one book in a series, I requested all 3. I am very interested in reading them all.
What are you currently reading? What did you recently finish reading? What do you think you’ll read next?
Personal:
Miss R went to her 1st horse show on Sunday. It was a very casual show (no dress code for riders) and it was also a fundraiser. A barn mom got seriously hurt in an accident and her insurance wouldn’t cover the surgery. So, the barn held the show. Miss R showed in leadline walk and leadline walk/trot. She came in 1st place for the walk and 3rd in the walk/trot. She also participated in the games (lipstick race, red light green light, and egg on a spoon). She got 1st place for red light green light and 3rd for the other two.
The kids went back to school on Monday. Miss R loves her teacher. Mr. Z and Miss B are enjoying their classes, for the most part. Mr. Z is not liking intermediate orchestra and wants to drop it. We’re making him stick with it. Mainly because we told him NOT to take orchestra when he was signing up for classes. Also because the school isn’t allowing the kids to drop classes.
Speaking of back to school, but we have a bus driver shortage in our school district and most drivers have double routes. I drive Miss R to school and pick up, so it doesn’t affect her. But Mr. Z and Miss B it does. Their bus is supposed to pick them up at 7:34am. So, I sent them down to the bus stop at around 7:20/25 each morning. They have waited until 8am each day and the bus hasn’t shown. I ended up driving them to school (which is no biggie because their high school is a 5 min drive from the elementary school). It is the afternoon I had an issue with. Monday, the bus didn’t show up until 5pm and they didn’t get home until 6pm (the school lets out at 4, with the bus picking up around 15 mins later and Miss B usually got home around 5pm). Yesterday, it didn’t show at all. I had already picked them up at that point. Mr. Z has friends on the bus and they couldn’t get home. So, the irritation is real but I am being patient and I am hoping everything gets ironed out soon.
I have been making progress on updating my posts. But I decided to take a small break when school started (I have to get used to be up at 6:15am). I am hoping to get back to updating by next week (once I am used to this schedule)
So that’s the major things for this past week. How was your week?
As always, let me know if you have read or are planning to read any of these books!!
What I Recently Finished Reading:
From the brilliant imagination of Kerrelyn Sparks comes a bold new fantasy romance series in which passion and magic collide. Behold the Embraced…
As one of the Embraced—one born with magical powers—the beautiful, innocent Luciana escaped certain death after her father hid her away on the Isle of Moon. Now, nineteen years later, her father has returned with a frightening request. He will be executed unless Luciana returns to the mainland and marries a man feared throughout the land: a terrifying brute known as the Beast.
Luciana accepts her fate and agrees to wed the Beast—Lord Leo—in order to save her father. Soon she learns that her betrothed is also one of the Embraced. With the ability to wield lightning, Leo’s immense power strikes fear into the hearts of men. . .and his mere touch can put an end to a woman’s life. But Luciana cannot deny the passion that burns between them. How can she resist the man who scorches her soul and makes her feel intoxicated with desire—even if surrendering to him could destroy them both?
What I am currently reading:
In Darkest Flame by Donna Grant, the Dark Kings have fought for centuries to preserve their dragon magic. But one of the most powerful warriors of his kind will be put to the ultimate test. Is he strong enough to resist his greatest temptations? Or will he be forced to surrender—body and soul?
HER BEAUTY IS A WEAPON.
Denae Lacroix is a beautiful MI5 agent on a deadly mission. Sent to the Scottish Highlands to spy on the mysterious Dreagan Industries, she discovers too late that she’s been set up—as human bait. She is an irresistible lure for a man who has not seen or touched a woman for centuries. He is a man with a destiny—and a desire—that could destroy them both…
HIS PASSION IS A CURSE…
It’s been twelve hundred years since Kellan has walked among humans—and there’s no denying the erotically charged attraction he feels for Denae. But as a Dragon King, he is sworn to protect his secrets. Yet the closer he gets to this smart, ravishing woman, the more her life is in danger. All it takes is one reckless kiss to unleash a flood of desire, the fury of dragons… and the fiercest enemy of all.
What books I think I’ll read next:
The sweetness of first love…
Could a fiercely independent cop’s heart be stolen by the guy who makes her favorite doughnuts? Will a maid who used deceit to snare a mail-order husband get a dose of her own medicine? Can her handsome neighbor rescue a modern-day “princess” from a tenacious ex-boyfriend? Can two strangers in a rideshare be honest enough to fall in love for real? Can you remember your first love? How about your second? Third? Fourth?
Featuring the talents of Linda Budzinski, Melissa Maygrove, Michael Di Gesu, Sylvia Ney, Katie Klein, Kim Elliott, Templeton Moss, S.E. White, Denise Covey, and Sammi Spizziri. Hand-picked by a panel of agents and authors, these ten tales will touch your heart and rekindle lost feelings. Prepare to return to that first love…
In the aftermath of her husband’s life-altering mistake, Tiana Williams grapples with lingering resentment while working full-time and raising their toddler. But when Jay becomes a person of interest in the kidnapping of ten-year-old Zoe Miller, Tiana is torn between trusting her husband and believing the growing pile of evidence. After she gets dragged further into the mystery and discovers her connection to the missing girl, the shaky ground beneath her crumbles.
With the odds stacked against him, Jay does everything in his power to prove his innocence. Racing against the clock, he must uncover the truth about Zoe’s kidnapping before he loses everything he loves—including his freedom.
During a sweltering heat wave and a raging California wildfire, Tiana and Jay will stop at nothing to find Zoe, even if it means tearing apart their marriage and risking their own lives in the process.
Paradise is no more. She’s a stranger in her new home…
… as she sails the choppy waters of teen life. Teresa longs for picture-perfect love, but in the real world you often have to say “No”, even if it breaks your heart.
From tropical Mozambique to drab, 1970s Lisbon, from the golden beaches of Durban to five-star holidays in verdant, mountainous Madeira, and even the Moroccan kasbah, follow Teresa as she stumbles and falls and picks herself up again.
Will Teresa’s grandparents let her out of their sight for a minute? Can she forge her own path in a country that struggles to emerge from fear and taboo? Will she find true love, or is she forever fated to navigate an ocean of boys who demand more than she is willing to give?
Welcome or unwelcome. Fate has arrived. “A captivating and poetic tale of mystery, fantasy, and reality tied together by action!” 5-stars, Lars Jackson, Amazon Customer A suspenseful incident in a forbidden preserve heightens the senses of five friends. Sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell become super-gifts that forever change the world. But furious battles confront the boys as they try to understand their sensory super powers in a race to save mankind. With light beings and mysterious strangers complicating their plight, can the boys defeat the evil Druth before it’s too late? Get prepared for the twisting and grinding of this award-winning, action-adventure story — an edge-of-your-seat narrative for young and mature readers alike.
