Finished Reading “If It Bleeds” and Home For Awhile

Our trip to Tennessee was mostly nice. We did have some rain to contend with (and got wet in the process during one National Park stop). But I learned a few things and it was real pretty. Plus, no cicadas! There is a huge outbreak in Cincinnati (not here, thank goodness), so I worried. I hate those things!

But we’re home for awhile now. My next trip is in July (for Literary Love Savannah Book Convention). I really need to get my stuff together for that trip. At least I have paperbacks of Alien Desires. I was so worried…

Here’s what I read since my last update:

Book 14

Dates read: June 12 – 22, 2025
Title: If It Bleeds
Year of publication: 2020
Author: Stephen King
Genre: Horror shorts
Series:  N/A
# of Pages: 430
Paper or plastic: Hard cover
How obtained: Purchased from B&N
Blurb from Goodreads: In If It Bleeds, King gives readers four brilliant new stories sure to prove as iconic as their predecessors. Once again, King’s remarkable range is on full display. In the title story, reader favorite Holly Gibney (from Bill Hodges Trilogy and The Outsider) must face her fears and possibly another outsider—this time on her own. In “Mr. Harrigan’s Phone,” an intergenerational friendship has a disturbing after life. “The Life of Chuck” explores, beautifully, how each of us contains multitudes. And in “Rat,” a struggling writer must contend with the darker side of ambition.
Recommend: Yes
My thoughts: I love Stephen King. I’ve read just about everything he’s written. I loved Holly’s story in this one and found “Mr. Harrigan’s Phone” and “Rat” interesting. But “The Life of Chuck”? Hmmm… I found out while reading that short that it was released as a move. Last Friday! I don’t get it. The story OR why it was turned into a movie. Someone will have to tell me what I missed.

I used to post pictures on my blog, back when it was easier to download them. Now, they just stay on my iPhone until I get around to downloading them. And then there are so many, I don’t want to bother with sorting them out! Yeah, I know. I’m lazy.

Or maybe I just find better things to do with my time.

But if you miss seeing my pictures, you can always follow me on Facebook. I post them there all the time!

Happy Reading!

Stacy

Finished Reading “Halloween Murder: Trick or Treat Murder” and I’m Home

I’m finally home. But not for long. Hubby and I leave again on Saturday for a mini trip to Chattanooga, TN. He’s always wanted to visit the city and there are some National Parks around (and on the way), so we actually found some time where we were free and are taking advantage.

Never a dull moment for us, huh?

On our drive back from Baltimore, we stopped at three National Parks (Flight 93, Johnstown Flood, and Allegany Railroad). But it was raining so bad at times, we weren’t able to enjoy them like we wanted (he got the stamps in his book, though), so we’ll probably revisit them someday. But man, when I say it was raining… Let’s just say that after our last stop we headed home and got an alert on our phones that we were driving in a Tornado WARNING area. Yikes! Luckily, we avoided that and made it home safely.

Here’s what I read since my last update:

Book 13

Dates read: June 6 – 11, 2025
Title: Halloween Murder: Trick or Treat Murder
Year of publication: 1996
Author: Leslie Meier
Genre: Mystery
Series:  Lucy Stone #3
# of Pages: 206
Paper or plastic: Nook
How obtained: Freebie from B&N
Blurb from Goodreads: While Lucy Stone is whipping up orange-frosted cupcakes for her town’s annual Halloween festival, an arsonist is on the loose in Tinker’s Cove. When arson turns into murder, a little digging in all the wrong places puts Lucy too close to a shocking discovery that could send all her best-laid plans up in smoke . . ..
Recommend: Maybe
My thoughts: This book dragged on for me. Too much detail in it that I didn’t care about. Not a lot about the murder mystery. Halloween Murder is a compilation of two Lucy Stone stories. I’m not bothering to read the second one. Just not what I enjoy reading. But, if you like what they call cozy mysteries, you might have a better time with it.

So… the weather has finally been great for walking. I wasn’t able to do any walking on the cruise (too cold and I forgot my blood pressure medicine), and really looked forward to getting back into some walking. So what happens? First few days home it rained. I had doctor appointments on all the perfect days! Aaaargh! Hopefully I’ll get some walking in at Chattanooga. Provided it doesn’t rain!

Happy Reading!

Stacy

Finished Reading “Girl Missing” and “Ghostly Protector” is a Finalist!

I got some wonderful news while on this cruise (yes, I’m still on it—we arrive back in Baltimore on Sunday). Ghostly Protector is a finalist in the National Excellence in Romance Fiction Awards! Winners will be announced in July. You can find all the finalists listed here: NERFA Finalists & Winners - National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award. I am extremely stoked! And extremely happy!!

Here’s what I read since my last update:

Book 12

Dates read: June 4 – 5, 2025

Title: Girl Missing (previously published as Peggy Sue Got Murdered)
Year of publication: 1994/2014
Author: Tess Gerritsen
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Series:  N/A
# of Pages: 185
Paper or plastic: Nook
How obtained: Purchased from B&N
Blurb from book: A beautiful young woman’s corpse is found dumped in a garbage-strewn alley. Now laid out in the office of medical examiner Kat Novak is an unidentified body that betrays no secrets—except for a matchbook clutched in one stiff hand, seven numbers scrawled inside. When a second victim is discovered, Kat begins to fear that a serial killer is stalking the streets, using a deadly drug to do his dirty work. The police are skeptical. The mayor won’t listen. One of the town’s most prominent citizens, with a missing daughter of his own, is also Kat’s chief suspect. As the death toll rises, Kat races to expose a deadly predator who is close enough to touch her.
Recommend: Yes
My thoughts: A real quick read for me. Kind of needed one after the monster books I have been reading lately. Gotta get my reading stats up! I enjoyed this book (I like most of her books, what can I say?), even though the romance was a bit on the thin side. But she did say this was more suspense than romance and kind of bridge between her two genres (she writes mostly suspense thrillers now). If you’re looking for a quick suspense, give this one a try.

Weather in both Canadian stops (Corner Brook & Sydney) was EXCELLENT! Kind of worried as we kept sailing through fog everywhere. Now we’re back on the Atlantic Ocean in overcast weather. I hear it’s been warm on the east coast. Right now, I kind of have my doubts.

Happy Reading!

Stacy

Finished Reading “Season of Gifts” and Cruising, What Else?

Yes, I’m on another cruise. The second of this year and not the last, either. This one took us to Greenland. We almost thought it might not happen. Ice was in the way (and growing!) of the two ports we had planned to stop at. But the people of Carnival found a solution: two nights in Nuuk instead. The weather was cold (in the 30s), but the views were awesome. I’m so glad we were able to visit this unique island.

I did have high hopes to write and exercise on this cruise. Boy, were they dashed quickly. Besides forgetting to pack some of my blood pressure meds (ooops), I had vertigo for a good portion of this cruise, and then caught someone’s crud. The cold temps didn’t help any, either. So no walking (at least, not yet…the cruise isn’t over and we will be back in warmer temps soon, I hope) and the writing has been spotty. But I do have the laptop out today and hope to get back to The Alien’s Change of Heart. Provided posting this doesn’t frustrate me (internet isn’t all that great).

Here’s what I read since my last update:

Book 11

Dates read: May 10 – June 3, 2025
Title: Season of Gifts
Year of publication: 2025
Author: M.Q. Barber
Genre: Erotic Romance
Series:  Neighborly Affection #8
# of Pages: 665
Paper or plastic: Nook
How obtained: Purchased from B&N
Blurb from book: Married in November, divorced in December?
    As newlyweds Henry, Alice, and Jay settle into their life together, an avalanche of trouble threatens to bury their dreams of a merry Christmas.
    Forced to confront echoes of his childhood, Henry leaves Alice and Jay to fend for themselves. Their dominant has never let them down before, but now he’s distracted, anxious, and forgetting the things that matter. Will his distance be the crack that fractures their marriage?
    Jay’s first holiday season after a bitter break with his family isn’t turning out the way he hoped. He’s trying to keep spirits high, but with his spouses stretched thin, the days grow bleak. When work obligations drive Alice toward her own long-overdue family confrontation, gut wrenching emotions split the triad further apart.
    Can they find their way back to one another, or will they be out in the cold forever?
Recommend: Yes (but read the series in order)
My thoughts: This is the final book in the series (or so she says). I enjoyed revisiting these characters, who I fell in love with when I started reading this series nearly 10 years ago! Yes, there’s lots of sex, but it’s more than that. It’s an emotional roller coaster, too. A very fitting end for a wonderful series.

It's no fun being sick when you’re away from home. Not that it’s fun at home, either. But the vertigo really made me queasy, and the coughing fits caused tremendous cramps in my stomach. I just wanted it to all end. Thankfully, it is ending. Just taking its ever-loving time, that’s all.

Tomorrow we dock in Connor Brook, Newfoundland. We’re taking an ATV excursion there. Looks to be fun. I just hope it’s not too cold (although I think the forecast is showing temps in the high 60s to low 70s). Might want to dress in layers anyway.

Happy Reading!

Stacy

Finished Reading “It Will Only Hurt for a Moment” and Enjoying Myrtle Beach

Hubby and I are spending a week in Myrtle Beach. He got a gift card for an AirBnB and we decided to use it here. We’re right on the beach! Pretty nice. Unfortunately, it might rain every day we’re here. So far we’ve gotten lucky. Fingers crossed it stays that way (but the radar is showing a huge storm coming our way).

Still… I love the beach. Don’t like the sand, but love the waves and the air and everything else about it. Yeah, I’m weird. But then, you knew that already, right?

Here’s what I read since my last update:

Book 10

Dates read: April 27 – May 9, 2025
Title: It Will Only Hurt for a Moment
Year of publication: 2024
Author: Delilah S. Dawson
Genre: Horror
Series:  N/A
# of Pages: 351
Paper or plastic: Hard cover
How obtained: Purchased from B&N
Blurb from Goodreads: Sarah Carpenter is starting over.
    She’s on the run—leaving behind her unsupportive, narcissistic ex-boyfriend and alcoholic, abusive mother—and headed for a new beginning at Tranquil Falls, a secluded artists’ colony on the grounds of a closed hotel. There, with no cell signal or internet to distract her, she hopes to rediscover her love for pottery and put the broken pieces of her life back together.
    But when Sarah uncovers the body of a young woman while digging a hole for a pit kiln, things start to fall apart. Her fellow artists begin to act in troubling ways. The eccentric fiber artist knits an endless scarf. The musician plays the same carousel song over and over until his fingers bleed. The calligrapher grins with ink-stained teeth. Not to mention the haunting dreams Sarah has night after night.
    When she discovers glass shards in her clay, Sarah wonders if someone is out to get her—or if she’s losing her grip on reality out here in the wilds, where the pounding of the waterfall never, ever fades. As she investigates the beautiful valley and the crumbling resort looming over them all, she unearths a chilling past that refuses to remain buried...
Recommend: Yes
My thoughts: Interesting horror story. Even has a haunted/abandoned hotel that was creepy. But I felt some things were not exactly wrapped up, especially since it seemed to be written in an omniscient POV. But we are only with Sarah the whole story, so…maybe not.

I kind of thought I might get some writing done on this trip, but I’m beginning to think not. But I am getting some reading and crocheting done. Oh, and walking. Can’t forget the walking!

Happy Reading!

Stacy