Their back! Julian and Rome are taking their show on the road. This time it is to lovely old England in search of Camelot. While there the Knight and Dragon will be trying to solve the mystery of the Talismans, the mystery of their shadowy stalker and the mystery of sibling rivalry. Prepare to meet some new faces and, of course, some new Darkbrands as the two further their adventures across the pond.
Rome hadn’t even set foot on the plane and Julian was already making plenty of complaining comments
Riders of Fire and Ice by Brett Salter
I was pretty psyched to read Riders of Fire and Ice. I had enjoyed The Search for Synergy a lot and couldn’t wait to see what would occur with Rome and Julian in this book. Plus, the author introduced Julian’s younger sister, and I couldn’t wait to see how she was. I wasn’t disappointed at all by anything in this book!!
Riders of Fire and Ice is the second book in The Talisman series. Readers cannot read this book as a standalone. You need to read The Search forSynergy to understand everything that is going on. But, if you are a rebel and decide not to do it, the author did include a short recap of book one at the beginning of this book. But still, read book 1. It is worth it!!
Riders of Fire and Ice was a fast-paced book with a well-written storyline. There was zero lag, which I was surprised by and delighted in.
Rome is one of my favorite characters. He delights in hackeysack and is starting to get interested in girls (the whole I love you line to his crush hadme in tears laughing). But, he is also brave and was willing to put his life on the line when he and Julian fought the Minotaur. And his view on Julian’s younger sister, Camela, was spot on.
Julian was my other favorite character in this book. He was focused on looking for portals and battling the Darkfiends that came out of them. He was also brave and delighted in each piece of armor that was revealed to him. I loved his relationship with Camela, though. I have two teenagers, close in age, and they fight similarly to how Camela and Julian did. Talk about true to life.
Again, the fight scenes were terrific. That whole battle with the Minotaur was incredible. I loved how allies were revealed, and I loved who they were. I wasn’t surprised at how came to Julian and Rome’s defense. Some hints were leading up to it that I caught onto. There was a lesser battle with Mr. Jones that was also fantastic. Mainly because it wasn’t about brawn. Instead, Mr. Jones got to show off his abilities.
The end of Riders of Fire and Ice was interesting. I am curious how things will be in book 3 with everything the author revealed about the talismans.
I would recommend Riders of Fire and Ice for anyone over the age of 10 (in the Tween range). There is mild violence.
t’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.
Happy Monday (well, as happy as a Monday can be…lol) everyone and I hope you all had a great weekend!!
This weekend was kind of laid-back for us. It was super hot on Friday. The temp was 96 with the real feel temp being 106. Miss R did have her horseback riding lessons but the lesson was shortened and the instructor asked for it to be earlier in the day (when it was more cooler).
Saturday, we hit Sam’s Club. Our pandemic supply of toilet paper and paper towels had finally been demolished (before the pandemic hit, I accidentally bought two things each of toilet paper and paper towels) and we needed more. Of course, once you’re there, you can’t just buy what you came for. We ended up with baguettes, a huge thing of grill spice, an 80 pack of water on top of the tp/paper towels. Then we came home and hibernated (aka watchedthe Olympics all day).
Sunday was a bit cooler. Miss B had her final 2 hours of driving (she drove highway and did fantastic!!). She completed the course and now we are waiting for September to roll around to get her permit (the DMV here isscheduling Teen 1 testing a month out). Then, she’s driving. Other than that, we relaxed.
We take Mama Cat (or Sarah, the rescue named her) to the vet tomorrow. It has been very stressful. I worried because of the heat (we opened our outdoor storage to help her cool down) and I currently worry because I’m afraid she’ll disappear. I also took out the cat carrier and found out that she is very food orientated. She likes treats and went right into the carrier when I placed treats in it. So, hopefully (knock on wood), I will have no issues with crating her tomorrow. After she is spayed and gotten shots, she is going to a friend of mine for temporary fostering. Then, when I get the email from the rescue, I take her to the transport and she goes off to her new life!!!
I finished 5 books last week which is really good for me. I am hoping to read 5 more this week also.
I have been writing books reviews like a madwoman. But, you guys have only seen two of them….lol. Even with me busting my butt writing, I am still behind 3 reviews….sigh.
What I am Reading Now:
Their back! Julian and Rome are taking their show on the road. This time it is to lovely old England in search of Camelot. While there the Knight and Dragon will be trying to solve the mystery of the Talismans, the mystery of their shadowy stalker and the mystery of sibling rivalry. Prepare to meet some new faces and, of course, some new Darkbrands as the two further their adventures across the pond.
What I plan on reading this week:
Hospital orderly Owen Cloud falls in love, and to him it seems someone has turned up the volume on the Buzz of Being. Everything is as is always was, only more. Three women he meets help him advance through three phases of love–passion, friendship, and finally generosity of heart.
Flirting with evil will be the ruination of her soul.
Goodness is much easier to corrupt than it is to hold on to. And for Natasha, a woman reeling from the pain of losing a loved one, evil is all the more tempting. Luck or misfortune spirits Natasha away to the foreign Court of Velaris in a quest for a suitor but instead secures her a place among Velarian royalty. Craving revenge, Natasha makes use of this opportunity to enact her plans as she navigates the lush court where aristocracy is a double-edged blade. But when she befriends her soon-to-be husband Mikhail, the Beloved Prince, Natasha makes a deadly mistake. She captures the attention of the debonair Darkling Prince; a villainous man meant to ascend the Velarian throne.
Enamored, the Darkling Prince charms Natasha, and soon the two feel a forbidden emotion captivate their stoic, scabrous hearts. But with the existence of a violent rebel group capable of cataclysmic damage, there is little time for love. With war brewing amidst the enigmatic kingdom, the royals must become all the more cunning and devious if they wish to triumph over their adversaries. What draws the insidious line between right and wrong when it comes to a battle of survival? For Natasha, nothing is too far, too light, too bloody, too evil.
Soon, the only reflection Natasha sees in her mirror’s beveled glass is that of an Evil Queen. Often, the cost of survival is more frightening than the beasts of death. But that’s what gives the Queen of Shadow’s beauty an edge: she wears her darkness adorned about her throat like the grandest of all diamonds, ebony, and bloodred in shade.
If you play with fire…
One of the most notorious cowboys in Cold River, Jensen Kittredge always has willing women with sweet smiles vying for a place in his bed. So when the prissy high school librarian sidles up to him in the most disreputable bar in town with a scowl on her face, he has no idea what to make of it. Much less the attraction he feels toward the bespectacled creature who wants something from him… but not that. Yet.
Someone gets burned…
Harriett Barnett doesn’t care for dens of iniquity– or the insolent cowboy she certainly shouldn’t find attractive. But one of her students needs her help, and if she needs to corral the infamous Jensen to save him, she will. Trouble is, the town’s favorite Kittredge brother is a lot more than she bargained for. Harriett’s happy little life is orderly and neat, just how she likes it–until Jensen blows it all apart with his particular brand of addictive passion. Can a modern-day schoolmarm really tame the wildest cowboy in town? Or is Harriet headed for a terrible fall?
Millie Mosbach and her brother David escaped to the United States just before Kristallnacht, leaving their parents and little sister in Berlin. Now they are both back in their former hometown, haunted by ghosts and hoping against hope to find their family. Millie works in the office responsible for rooting out the most dedicated Nazis from publishing. Like most of their German-born American colleagues, the siblings suffer from rage at Germany and guilt at their own good fortune. Only Millie’s boss, Major Harry Sutton, seems strangely eager to be fair to the Germans. Living and working in bombed-out Berlin, a latter day Wild West where the desperate prey on the unsuspecting; spies ply their trade; black markets thrive, and forbidden fraternization is rampant, Millie must come to terms with a past decision made in a moment of crisis, and with the enigmatic sometimes infuriating Major Sutton who is mysteriously understanding of her demons. Atmospheric and page-turning, The Living and the Lost is a story of survival, love, and forgiveness, of others and of self.
Running the Spark House, a hotel/event space that has been in her family for years, has been Avery Spark’s lifelong dream. After years of working hard and making personal sacrifices, Avery and her two younger sisters have turned the Spark House into the premier destination in Colorado Springs. Avery is living her best life—she works with her sisters and loves every minute of it, she has a great group of friends, and she lives in a fantastic condo with her best friend Declan. She might not have any love in her life, but she’s happy.
But everything comes to a screeching halt when Avery is in a car accident, leaving her immobile for weeks. After nearly losing Avery, Declan insists that he will be the one to take care of her while she recovers. However, as Declan becomes Avery’s caretaker, lines begin to blur.
Avery and Declan have been best friends since college and always had an attraction to one another, but when she ended up dating his best friend, Sam, they successfully stamped down any feelings they may have ever had for one another. Now, as Declan and Avery spend more time together, they each begin to wonder what would’ve happened if she’d dated him instead of Sam. What starts as a friend helping out another friend turns into foreplay and, before they realize it, they recognize how deeply they care for one another. But when things get serious their past threatens to destroy everything they have built.
What are you currently reading? What did you recently finish reading? What do you think you’ll read next?
Personal:
Well, these last few weeks have been a rollercoaster for me. I know I haven’t been posting a lot but that is because I have a ton going on. And the next three upcoming weeks are going to be just as busy.
The kids are doing fine. They all had dentist appointments a couple of weeks ago. Miss B and Miss R have cavities. Miss R also has to go in for cleanings every three months instead of every six months. The reason: Her gums are growing over her braces. Of course, insurance only covers the every 6 months visits. The other visits are being paid out of pocket. Mr. Z had no cavities and has taken delight in rubbing them in his sisters’ faces.
Miss B is taking her actual driving lessons this week. They were supposed to be 4-8, 4-8, and 8-12. But, I got a text yesterday cancelling her 4-8 (it rescheduled for Sunday 1-5) and this morning, I got a text asking if we could move her lesson to 12-4. She’s super nervous but I told her just to listen to the instructor and pay attention.
I know I have mentioned taking Jesper in. What I haven’t mentioned is that we also took his brother in (and we’rekeeping him). Jesper is a tuxedo and he’s going to be a big boy (huge paws and he’s already 4.4 pounds at 10 weeksold). His brother, who we named Loki, is a long-haired dark grey tabby, who is also going to be a big boy (bigger pawsthan Jesper and 3.8 pounds at 10 weeks old). His mom left him under our house for 5 days. I was afraid he was going to get eaten (coyotes, owls, snakes, and hawks are huge here). So, we ended up trapping him under the house. He’s a little timid (the kids scare him but he loves BK and me). They both had a vet visit on Tuesday and they are 100% healthy. No fleas and most importantly, no worms. They had their first kitten shots and go back in 3 weeks.
Their mom is still around. She showed up on Friday (we trapped Loki on Thursday) and hasn’t left our back deck. I was lost with what to do with her until I talked to my vet. Now, I am working with a local dog rescue (go figure….lol). They have a rescue who will pay for her spay and first vet visit. After she recovers, she’s going up to New Jersey to find a home. I should have mentioned that I believe that she is a Lynx Point Siamese that someone dumped (along with the kittens)…smh. She is one of the friendliest cats that I have ever met and she is gorgeous. I have a friend who will be keeping her in the house until the transport can take her up to New Jersey.
So, that’s what I have been doing these past weeks and why I haven’t been posting my daily stuff. Hopefully, once I get Mama (that’s what I call her) taken care of, I can relax a bit and post more.
Reading
I have been reading a ton, despite being busy. I am averaging finishing 4-5 books a week. Plus, I am reading paperbacks (which I have to add to my Goodreads Currently Reading). I am reading Siege and Storm (BK bought the entire series and the Six of Crows series) and The Night She Disappeared (won that in a giveaway).
Blog
I haven’t done anything with the blog besides changing my theme. I do plan on editing past posts but I think I am going to do that after my kids go back to school (August 23rd!!)
Watching
Right now, it is all about the Olympics. BK and I watch it at night from 8pm to about 930/10pm and I watch a recap in the morning. Before the Olympics, we were watching Westworld and I started watching Cold Case when BK traveled.
What I Recently Finished Reading:
I have one rule: Never mix business with pleasure. I was never much good at following rules.
Alright, so my new partner isn’t the worst. It doesn’t hurt that Logan is big, tall, and smokin’ hot. I started out hating him, but this human hunk is starting to grow on me…when we’re not fighting like cats and dogs. Even our co-worker thinks there’s something going on between us. Is there something between us? Humans like him and faeries like me don’t usually click, but we’re on a case in Arizona and things are getting pretty freakin’ hot. I’m so tempted to break the rules on dating people at work, but there’s a catch —
I’m under review.
Well…that’s not completely true. The entire Occult Crimes Division is under review, as in me, my partner, my boss, Jake from IT…everybody. Evidently, hunting ghosts is kind of expensive, and now the accountants are asking questions. If Logan and I can’t prove to these hard-asses how vital our work is to the FBI, the OCD will cease to exist.
No pressure or anything. I just have to save my entire department from impending doom.
During the eye of a hurricane, evil strikes.
Six strangers get stuck on an island during a roaring hurricane. They have nothing in common, but five of them will have to join forces to survive the night. Meanwhile, the sixth wants nothing more than to kill every single one of them.
Join Annette, Chad, Heather, Spencer, and Kate on the worst night of their lives. Can they survive or will the killer maniacally laugh while eviscerating them? Filled with gore, terror, and the little moments between humans that can make or break their budding friendships.
What I am currently reading:
A young woman’s escalating obsession with a seemingly perfect man leads her down a dangerous path in this novel of suspense brimming with envy, desire, and deception.
Eyes aren’t the windows to the soul. Emails are.
Cassie Woodson is adrift. After suffering an epic tumble down the corporate ladder, Cassie finds the only way she can pay her bills is to take a thankless temp job reviewing correspondence for a large-scale fraud suit. The daily drudgery amplifies all that her life is lacking–love, friends, stability–and leaves her with too much time on her hands, which she spends fixating on the mistakes that brought her to this point.
While sorting through a relentless deluge of emails, something catches her eye: the tender (and totally private) exchanges between a partner at the firm, Forest Watts, and his enchanting wife, Annabelle. Cassie knows she shouldn’t read them. But it’s just one look. And once that door opens, she finds she can’t look away.
Every day, twenty floors below Forest’s corner office, Cassie dissects their emails from her dingy workstation. A few clicks of her mouse and she can see every adoring word they write to each other. By peeking into their apparently perfect life, Cassie finds renewed purpose and happiness, reveling in their penchant for vintage wines, morning juice presses, and lavish dinner parties thrown in their stately Westchester home. There are no secrets from her. Or so she thinks.
Her admiration quickly escalates into all-out mimicry, because she wants this life more than anything. Maybe if she plays make-believe long enough, it will become real for her. But when Cassie orchestrates a “chance” meeting with Forest in the real world and sees something that throws the state of his marriage into question, the fantasy she’s been carefully cultivating shatters. Suddenly, she doesn’t simply admire Annabelle–she wants to take her place. And she’s armed with the tools to make that happen.
What books I think I’ll read next:
As a child, it was just a game. As an adult, it was a living nightmare.
‘This time it’s different. She’s gone too far now. She really has.’
When teenage friends Lizzie and Alice decide to head off for a walk in the countryside, they are blissfully unaware that this will be their final day together – and that only Lizzie will come back alive.
Lizzie has no memory of what happened in the moments before Alice died, she only knows that it must have been a tragic accident. But as she tries to cope with her grief, she is shocked to find herself alienated from Alice’s friends and relatives. They are convinced she somehow had a part to play in her friend’s death.
Twelve years later, unpacking boxes in the new home she shares with her fiancé, Lizzie is horrified to find long-buried memories suddenly surfacing. Is the trauma of the accident finally catching up with her, or could someone be trying to threaten her new-found happiness?
Twelve years is a long time to wait, when you’re planning the perfect revenge . . .
Tara Park doesn’t do serious relationships. Neither does she hop into bed with virtual strangers. Especially when that particular stranger is her best friend’s new brother-in-law. It isn’t an easy decision, though. Seth Kim is temptation personified. His unreasonably handsome looks and charming personality makes him easy on the eyes and good for her ego.
When a friendly game of Truth or Dare leads to an uncomplicated four-date arrangement with Seth, Tara can’t say she minds. But their dates, while sweet and sexy, have a tendency to hit roadblocks. Thankfully, their non-dates and chance meetings get frequent and heated.
Seth is leaving for a new job in Paris in a month and a no-strings attached fling seemed like a nice little distraction for both… But soon Seth realizes that Tara Park doesn’t come in a “nice & little” package–she’s funny and bold, sweet and sexy, and everything he ever wanted and never expected to find. Neither of them are ready for something serious and both have past relationship baggage they’ve been ignoring, but with a shot at forever on the line will they follow their hearts and take a chance on happily-ever-after?
Their back! Julian and Rome are taking their show on the road. This time it is to lovely old England in search of Camelot. While there the Knight and Dragon will be trying to solve the mystery of the Talismans, the mystery of their shadowy stalker and the mystery of sibling rivalry. Prepare to meet some new faces and, of course, some new Darkbrands as the two further their adventures across the pond.
What are you currently reading? What did you recently finish reading? What do you think you’ll read next?
What I Recently Finished Reading:
Tessa James has worked and planned tirelessly to open her own millinery shop. All she needs now is a loan from the lord who sired and abandoned her. The only problem is, she doesn’t even know his name. What’s a woman to do to find him but enter the aristocratic world by becoming a governess?
Guy Whitby, the new Duke of Carlin, has returned to London after years abroad to discover that his young daughter Sophy has become a wild-child known for scaring away every governess who’s crossed his doorstep. When Tessa James applies for the job, he hires her in desperation despite his misgivings that she’s too bold and beautiful–and that she might be fibbing about her qualifications.
Their blooming attraction leads them on a completely unexpected path to love that neither wants to deny. But when an old enemy threatens Guy’s family, their forbidden romance goes up in flames. Can they still learn to love and trust each other as forces try to tear them apart?
This was an OK Regency romance. The female main character was way too independent for the era and the male main character was way too trusting. But, the romance was sweet and I loved how Tessa was with Sophy.
What I am currently reading:
Got a faerie problem? I’m your girl. Magic gone awry? Not a problem. But when kids go missing and the search comes up dry, my boss decides I need a partner. The pain in the ass kind. Now I have a problem.
As a field agent in the FBI’s ultra-elite Occult Crimes Division…aka the OCD, it’s my job to investigate cases of the magical variety. I’m the best at it, but it seems my employer doesn’t share my confidence when he pairs me up with the bureau’s newest golden boy. Turns out he’s the biggest tool I’ve ever met.
Logan Hawthorne. Arrogant. Attractive as hell. Oh yeah–and human.
I don’t have time to teach this smug & straight-laced suit about the shadow realm of faerie that exists below our feet. I’ve got a list of missing kids a mile long and no time to waste in finding the creature who’s snatching them.
Now if only there was an explanation for this talking cat..
I started Wiretaps & Whiskers last night and so far, I am liking it. But, again, I am only a couple of chapters in, so my liking it could change.
What books I think I’ll read next:
The order I will be reading these books are indie author ARC, NetGalley ARC, NetGalley ARC, NetGalley ARC, indie author ARC, indie author ARC.
I have one rule: Never mix business with pleasure. I was never much good at following rules.
Alright, so my new partner isn’t the worst. It doesn’t hurt that Logan is big, tall, and smokin’ hot. I started out hating him, but this human hunk is starting to grow on me…when we’re not fighting like cats and dogs. Even our co-worker thinks there’s something going on between us. Is there something between us? Humans like him and faeries like me don’t usually click, but we’re on a case in Arizona and things are getting pretty freakin’ hot. I’m so tempted to break the rules on dating people at work, but there’s a catch —
I’m under review.
Well…that’s not completely true. The entire Occult Crimes Division is under review, as in me, my partner, my boss, Jake from IT…everybody. Evidently, hunting ghosts is kind of expensive, and now the accountants are asking questions. If Logan and I can’t prove to these hard-asses how vital our work is to the FBI, the OCD will cease to exist.
No pressure or anything. I just have to save my entire department from impending doom.
Eyes aren’t the windows to the soul. Emails are.
Cassie Woodson is adrift. After suffering an epic tumble down the corporate ladder, Cassie finds the only way she can pay her bills is to take a thankless temp job reviewing correspondence for a large-scale fraud suit. The daily drudgery amplifies all that her life is lacking–love, friends, stability–and leaves her with too much time on her hands, which she spends fixating on the mistakes that brought her to this point.
While sorting through a relentless deluge of emails, something catches her eye: the tender (and totally private) exchanges between a partner at the firm, Forest Watts, and his enchanting wife, Annabelle. Cassie knows she shouldn’t read them. But it’s just one look. And once that door opens, she finds she can’t look away.
Every day, twenty floors below Forest’s corner office, Cassie dissects their emails from her dingy workstation. A few clicks of her mouse and she can see every adoring word they write to each other. By peeking into their apparently perfect life, Cassie finds renewed purpose and happiness, reveling in their penchant for vintage wines, morning juice presses, and lavish dinner parties thrown in their stately Westchester home. There are no secrets from her. Or so she thinks.
Her admiration quickly escalates into all-out mimicry, because she wants this life more than anything. Maybe if she plays make-believe long enough, it will become real for her. But when Cassie orchestrates a “chance” meeting with Forest in the real world and sees something that throws the state of his marriage into question, the fantasy she’s been carefully cultivating shatters. Suddenly, she doesn’t simply admire Annabelle–she wants to take her place. And she’s armed with the tools to make that happen.
Tara Park doesn’t do serious relationships. Neither does she hop into bed with virtual strangers. Especially when that particular stranger is her best friend’s new brother-in-law. It isn’t an easy decision, though. Seth Kim is temptation personified. His unreasonably handsome looks and charming personality makes him easy on the eyes and good for her ego.
When a friendly game of Truth or Dare leads to an uncomplicated four-date arrangement with Seth, Tara can’t say she minds. But their dates, while sweet and sexy, have a tendency to hit roadblocks. Thankfully, their non-dates and chance meetings get frequent and heated.
Seth is leaving for a new job in Paris in a month and a no-strings attached fling seemed like a nice little distraction for both… But soon Seth realizes that Tara Park doesn’t come in a “nice & little” package–she’s funny and bold, sweet and sexy, and everything he ever wanted and never expected to find. Neither of them are ready for something serious and both have past relationship baggage they’ve been ignoring, but with a shot at forever on the line will they follow their hearts and take a chance on happily-ever-after?
As a child, it was just a game. As an adult, it was a living nightmare.
‘This time it’s different. She’s gone too far now. She really has.’
When teenage friends Lizzie and Alice decide to head off for a walk in the countryside, they are blissfully unaware that this will be their final day together – and that only Lizzie will come back alive.
Lizzie has no memory of what happened in the moments before Alice died, she only knows that it must have been a tragic accident. But as she tries to cope with her grief, she is shocked to find herself alienated from Alice’s friends and relatives. They are convinced she somehow had a part to play in her friend’s death.
Twelve years later, unpacking boxes in the new home she shares with her fiancé, Lizzie is horrified to find long-buried memories suddenly surfacing. Is the trauma of the accident finally catching up with her, or could someone be trying to threaten her new-found happiness?
Twelve years is a long time to wait, when you’re planning the perfect revenge . . .
During the eye of a hurricane, evil strikes.
Six strangers get stuck on an island during a roaring hurricane. They have nothing in common, but five of them will have to join forces to survive the night. Meanwhile, the sixth wants nothing more than to kill every single one of them.
Join Annette, Chad, Heather, Spencer, and Kate on the worst night of their lives. Can they survive or will the killer maniacally laugh while eviscerating them? Filled with gore, terror, and the little moments between humans that can make or break their budding friendships.
Their back! Julian and Rome are taking their show on the road. This time it is to lovely old England in search of Camelot. While there the Knight and Dragon will be trying to solve the mystery of the Talismans, the mystery of their shadowy stalker and the mystery of sibling rivalry. Prepare to meet some new faces and, of course, some new Darkbrands as the two further their adventures across the pond.
