Wednesday, July 11, 2018

Wednesday Reads and Bunches of Stuff

I’m writing again! Okay, I wrote for two days in a row (hopefully three if I continue this morning), but hey, that’s better than NOT writing. I’m so relieved.

The old house is almost empty and then the second wave of work begins. Gotta get a new roof (of course!), so that should happen soon. Inside the house needs a thorough cleaning, which can happen while we’re gone. Because…

Friday we leave on our vacation! Sixteen blissful days of driving and cruising (to Alaska!). I am so looking forward to this trip. I’ll be on the ship for my birthday, too! I hope we get a bigger dining table this time. Last time the cruise line sat us at a table for two. What fun is that? We’re always together. We want a big table or booth so we can meet more people. Yes, those words came from my fingers. Me, meet people? Yep. As long as I’m with Hubby, that is. J

When we get back, we’ll continue with working on the inside of the old house. It will need to be painted and new carpet & tile will have to be installed (realtor said it would be easier to sell to someone who gets a FHA or VA loan). Then it can go on the market!!

But also, after we get home, we have to concentrate on getting the new house in order. We’re having a house warming party on August 11th! At least we now have a driveway and grass (yay!).

Here’s what I finished reading this week:

Book #22

Dates read: May 29 – June 18 (took awhile for it to show up on Goodreads)
Title: Tokyo Stars
Year of publication: 2018
Author: Gage Lively
Genre: Contemporary (m/m) romance
Series: N/A
# of Pages: 200
Paper or plastic: Word document
How obtained: Proofread
Blurb from Goodreads: Rocked by the sudden loss of his parents in a car accident, Seiichi Seigo is hanging by a thread, racing between jobs and his first year in college at a Tokyo University. He’s barely got time to sleep or eat. When he slams into a stunning, (and rude) green-eyed, half-European man on campus, it’s just one more straw in the pile ready to break Seiichi. Arriving home to find an eviction notice on his door doesn’t help either.
    Luckily, his best friend, Yukio, has a solution: Seiichi can take over the job Yukio was going to do. Be the personal, live-in assistant to Yukio’s older half-brother, prodigy movie director, Kei Karasawa.
    But Seiichi’s troubles aren’t over. He can’t seem to shake the memory of his meeting with the green-eyed man on campus. He even had a steamy dream about him.
    When he discovers his new employer and the man in his dream are one and the same, he’s stunned.
    Thrust into close contact with the sexy, powerful Kei, Seiichi finds himself desperately attracted and falling for a man who seems to be dating one of the most beautiful actresses in the world and gives every appearance of hating Seiichi.
    But appearances can be deceiving...
My thoughts: I proofread this book (via’s Hubby’s business) and wasn’t sure what to expect. And then I found out the author is a friend (she’s using a pen name I wasn’t familiar with). You don’t know how relieved I was when I discovered what a good book this is! Hot, too. If you like M/M romances, read this one. You won’t be disappointed (and hopefully you won’t find any typos because I read this story several times!!!).

Book #23

Dates read: June 24 – July 6
Title: Scoring With the Wrong Twin
Year of publication: 2018
Author: Naima Simone
Genre: Contemporary romance
Series: WAGS #1 (WAGS stands for Wife and Girlfriend Series)
# of Pages: 179
Paper or plastic: Nook e-book
How obtained: Purchased
Blurb from Goodreads: Shy, awkward Sophia Cruz has a hard time telling her vivacious identical twin “no.” But when her sister begs her to swap places for a modeling shoot, she caves… again. Then Zephirin Black walks onto the set. The brooding, aloof, and gorgeous tight end for the Washington Warriors. But she can keep it professional… She has to. Because the adorkable Cruz twin has no luck with guys once they compare her to her sister.
    After a bad break-up, Zeph hasn’t been big on second chances — and even less with trust. But he finds himself giving please-call-me-by-my-middle-name-Sophia both. The woman he’d dismissed as a spoiled cover model is different from the first time he met her. Quirkier. Funnier. Definitely sexier. What started as one night turns into another... and another… and another…
    Still, Sophia can’t go on keeping her secret from him. But telling Zeph the truth will mean losing him for good.
My thoughts: This book is HOT! And emotionally satisfying. If you love contemporary romance, I highly recommend this one. Granted, I’m not always a fan of contemporary, but I do like sports, and the hero is a football player… Just felt I needed a change of scenery (from the paranormal) and I picked the right book for that.

So… Would you believe I haven’t even started packing for our trip? Am I a glutton for punishment or what? How soon do you start packing for a long vacation? And do you pack a lot of clothes or hope to hit the laundry once or twice? In our case, we get free laundry on the cruise, so I don’t have to pack as much. Yay!

Happy Reading!

Stacy

6 comments:

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Enjoy your birthday cruise! During that time, just put all thoughts of the houses out of your mind. Focus on fun. Won't do any good to worry about the work while you can't do anything about it.

JeffO said...

So much to do and so little time! I would probably start packing the day before, so don't go by what I say. Have a great time on your trip!

Stacy McKitrick said...

Alex - I plan on just thinking about the trip during the trip. And getting some reading and writing done, too. Fun stuff!

Jeff - I wouldn't be surprised if we waited until the morning we LEFT before we packed (because we're crazy like that and not in any super hurry to catch a flight). At least I do make a list of WHAT to pack, so it's just a matter of gathering the stuff and putting it in the suitcase.

Jennette Marie Powell said...

Have fun on your cruise! I loved Alaska when we went. I don't pack until right before we leave - or the night before, if it's early. And yay for getting the old house emptied, and getting with it on the writing!

Stacy McKitrick said...

Jennette - Well... the old house isn't completely empty, but it is almost there. Tonight, maybe? We'll see. :)

Maria Zannini said...

Moving is so exhausting. Good timing going on vacation after the move.

Can't wait to hear more about the Alaska cruise. It's on my bucket list.