Wednesday Reads and I’m On the Road Again

On the road again… I can hear the song in my head, can’t you? And yes, I am on the road again. This time we’re headed to Atlanta and … DRAGON CON!! And this year they decided to actually start the activities on Thursday instead of Friday. Used to be minor stuff was set up for us early-birds, but more and more people show up early, that they decided to extend the fun! Whoo hoo!

I will do my best to take pictures this year, but my brain has to be working that way for me to automatically pull out my phone. It still hasn’t gotten on board with that. With anything picture-wise.

I go to my family reunion. Do I take pictures? Of course not!

I go to book conventions. Do I take pictures? Of course not!

It’s only after the events that I think, “Why didn’t I take any pictures?”

I think I’m hopeless.

Here’s what I read this week:

Book #40

Dates read: August 19-24
Title: Blood Truth
Year of publication: 2019
Author: J.R. Ward
Genre: Paranormal romance
Series:  Black Dagger Legacy #4
# of Pages: 400
Paper or plastic: Hardback
How obtained: Purchased
Blurb from book: As a trainee in the Black Dagger Brotherhood’s program, Boone has triumphed as a soldier and now fights side by side with the Brothers. Following his sire’s unexpected death, he is taken off rotation against his protests—and finds himself working with Butch O’Neal, former homicide cop, to catch a serial killer: someone is targeting females of the species at a live-action role-play club. When the Brotherhood is called in to help, Boone insists on being a part of the effort—and the last thing he expects is to meet an enticing, mysterious female … who changes his life forever.
    Ever since her sister was murdered at the club, Helania has been committed to finding the killer, no matter the danger she faces. When she crosses paths with Boone, she doesn’t know whether to trust him—and then she has no choice. As she herself becomes a target, and someone close to the Brotherhood is identified as the prime suspect, the two must work together to solve the mystery before it’s too late. Will a madman come between the lovers, or will true love and goodness triumph over a very mortal evil?
My thoughts: I love this series. Love this world. Love the characters! I just can’t get enough.

So… Does your brain go bye-bye whenever you should be doing something and you don’t? Or is that just me?

Happy Reading!

Stacy

Wednesday Reads and I Started Walking … Again

I don’t know how many times I’ve STARTED my walking regime. I was doing okay in May and June and then … Ooops. Yeah, it’s been hot, but still, I need to walk. It’s in my best interest to walk. And I hate being out of shape.

So yeah, I started … again. Just this past Monday. And I’m back to posting about it on Facebook. I’m hoping THAT will keep me motivated to walk. At least Monday-Friday. I won’t promise anything on the weekends, but that doesn’t mean I won’t TRY.

Now, can it be a little cooler outside? Maybe less humid? That would be nice.

Here’s what I read this week:

Book #38

Dates read: August 9-13
Title: The Forbidden Door
Year of publication: 2018
Author: Dean Koontz
Genre: Suspense thriller
Series:  Jane Hawk #4
# of Pages: 434
Paper or plastic: Hardback
How obtained: Purchased
Blurb from book: She was one of the FBI’s top agents until she became the nation’s most-wanted fugitive, a happily married woman before becoming a devastated widow. Now Jane Hawk may be all that stand between a free nation and its enslavement by a powerful secret society’s terrifying mind-control technology. She couldn’t save her husband, or the others whose lives have been destroyed but equipped with superior tactical and survival skills—and the fury born of a broken heart and a hunger for justice—Jane has struck major blows against the insidious cabal.
    But Jane’s enemies are about to hit back hard. If their best operatives can’t outrun her, they mean to bring her to them, using her five-year-old son as bait. Jane knows there’s no underestimating their capabilities, but she must battle her way back across the country to the remote shelter where her boy is safely hidden … for now. As she moves resolutely forward, new threats begin to emerge: a growing number of brain-altered victims driven hopelessly, violently insane. With the madness spreading like a virus, the war between Jane and her enemies will become a fight for all their lives—against the lethal terror unleashed from behind the forbidden door.
My thoughts: The best decision I made was waiting until Book 5 was out before reading Book 4. Man, what a ride. I can’t wait to see how it all turns out.

Book #39

Dates read: August 14-18
Title: The Night Window
Year of publication: 2019
Author: Dean Koontz
Genre: Suspense thriller
Series:  Jane Hawk #5
# of Pages: 417
Paper or plastic: Hardback
How obtained: Purchased
Blurb from book: A visionary young filmmaker hunted for sport across a vast Colorado ranch by the celebrated billionaire at the heart of a monstrous cabal…
    A brilliant computer hacker slipping through top-secret databases as whisper ahead of security trackers, gathering the facts to fight the all-powerful perpetrators of mass murder…
    A pair of brutal operators, methodically shadowing their targets with every cutting-edge tool in the arsenal of today’s surveillance state…
    A sequence of quiet heroes—everyday citizens—stepping up, stepping forward, intent on countering the advancing darkness…
    A Vegas mob boss teamed with a homicidal sociopath, circling a beloved boy and his protectors, aiming to secure him as leverage against his fugitive mother…
    And that fugitive mother herself, ex-agent Jane Hawk, closing in on the malevolent architects of ruin she has stalked as they stalk her, prepared to sacrifice herself to finally bring them down.
My thoughts: Whoo boy, what a finale. A very tense, suspenseful series. Horrific, too. Scary how easily I could see it happen. **shiver**

Every time I think I’m getting caught up in my reading, I’m still 17 books behind in my goal. STILL! I guess it’s better than 18, huh? I did get a lot of reading done during our trip to and from NJ this past weekend (the reunion was a blast, by the way!). But I’m also crocheting some coasters to give away at next year’s Literary Love convention (yep, I signed up for next year already, that’s how much fun I had). Figure it doesn’t cost me anything to make as I’m using up old yarn and I’m using up old yarn! That’s always a bonus. The coasters are turning out pretty neat, too. I’ll try and get some pictures taken later on (when I have a bunch to show). I’ve only got seven done so far.

So… Do you like to craft stuff? What’s your favorite? And do you start and stop your exercise routine? If not, how do you keep with it (provided you exercise, that is)?

Happy Reading!

Stacy
P.S. So far I haven't needed to push the button on my heart monitor and I've been wearing it a week! And it's still on (I think I'm more surprised at that). It comes off on Monday. Boy, will I be glad to get rid of it.

Wednesday Reads and I'm Wearing a Heart Monitor

You know, you tell your cardiologist that you might have felt some fluttering in your chest since you last saw her six months ago and the next thing you know, you’re wearing a heart monitor.

This thing is itchy. I wasn’t expecting that. But then it’s taped on, so why wouldn’t it itch, right? And it’s bigger than I thought. I’m supposed to wear it for 14 days (if it stays on that long—I’ve been warned it might come off before then) and push the device if I feel anything … different. Considering the differences I feel every now and then are not all that frequent, I’m wondering if I’ll push it at all. But we shall see.

Here’s what I finished reading this week:

Book #37

Dates read: August 5-8
Title: The Fractured
Year of publication: 2018
Author: Brett Battles
Genre: Suspense thriller
Series:  Jonathan Quinn #12
# of Pages: 351
Paper or plastic: Trade paperback
How obtained: Purchased
Blurb from book: Jonathan Quinn has had better years… But now most of the trouble is behind him, if not forgotten.
    There is one issue that remains unresolved—the break between him and his partner, Nate. Quinn has come to accept the only potential path to healing the wound is via the passage of time.
    The secret world has other ideas.
    Quinn and his girlfriend, Orlando, are hired for a new mission, but they must include on their team the operative who is one of the few to have ever seen the face of the job’s target. This operative is unknown to the client, but not to Quinn and Orlando.
    Now, to stop a plan that could slaughter tens of thousands of people, they must turn to the one person who wants nothing to do with them.
    If they can even find him in time.
My thoughts: It’s always a joy to return to Quinn’s world. And I hated putting this book down (but of course, you know, I have other things I have to do, like…write). If you’re looking for a good suspense thriller series, start this one at the beginning. You won’t be disappointed. It’s one of my favorite series.

My only qualm with Brett Battles is that his books show up on Amazon first and I have to wait for the paperback to appear on Barnes & Noble. I was notified last month that his latest Quinn book (The Damaged) was released when I realized I never got the one before that (The Fractured). I’m sure I had forgotten about it after searching a few times. So I made sure to save the latest e-mail to remind me to search B&N for the newest book until it shows up and I can purchase it. And it’s a good thing I don’t normally read on my Nook, or I’d never be able to read this series again. That’s how much I refuse to buy books from Amazon. Even when the books are written by one of my favorite authors.

Last weekend we went to Nashville to watch Daughter play Footy on Saturday. Both the women and men lost to the Nashville teams, and it was a stinkin’ hot day, but we had fun. Hubby and I got to sit in the shade at least (no sunburn for us!) and root for Columbus. What we don’t do for our kids, huh?

So… Did you know Dragon Con is only 15 days away? Fun fun! Maybe one of these days I can go as a guest. But I think I need to either sell more books or write more books before my application gets notice. And since I can only control the writing portion, I guess I better get to it, huh?

Happy Reading!

Stacy

Wednesday Reads and Weekend Trips

When August rolls around, it seems our weekend trips pick up. We can thank Daughter’s footy team for part of it, I suppose. An unanticipated trip (well, unanticipated on our part, she knew about it and said she put it on our calendar) is because of an away game.

This weekend we’ll be in Nashville watching her play. Thank goodness it’s only a five-hour drive, so we don’t have to leave until Saturday morning (her game is at 3). The following weekend is my family reunion in New Jersey (a longer trip, so we’ll leave on Friday). I’m looking forward to seeing all my cousins again (the ones on my father’s side—he had four sisters and one brother, so lots of cousins!).

We get a little reprieve as the weekend after that is free, but then on the 28^th we leave for Dragon Con! This will be my tenth year!! I see some photo opportunities this year (David Tennant for one) and lots of fun ahead.

What a busy month. Sure hope I get some extra reading done (like, maybe in the car when I’m not the one driving). I’m so far behind on my reading goal.

Here’s what I finished reading this week:

Book #36

Dates read: July 26-August 4
Title: Shadow Game
Year of publication: 2003
Author: Christine Feehan
Genre: Paranormal romance
Series:  GhostWalkers #1
# of Pages: 323
Paper or plastic: Mass market paperback
How obtained: Purchased
Blurb from book: The classified experiment is the brainchild of renowned scientist Peter Whitney and his brilliant daughter, Lily. Created to enhance the psychic abilities of an elite squadron, it can transform their natural mental powers into a unique military weapon. But something has gone wrong. In the isolated underground labs, the men have been dying—victims of bizarre accidents. Captain Ryland Miller knows he is next. When Dr Whitney himself is murdered, Ryland has only one person left to trust: the beautiful Lily. Possessed of an uncanny sixth sense herself, Lily shares Ryland’s every new fear, every betrayal, every growing suspicion, and every passionate beat of the heart. Together, they will be drawn deeper into the labyrinth of her father’s past…and closer to a secret that someone would kill to keep hidden.
My thoughts: I almost did not finish this book a few times. It was torture for me to read. The story was interesting, but the head hopping was annoying. It was so bad that I couldn’t really get into either character. I don’t know if this will keep me from reading any more of her books, but I’m not going to bother with this particular series. Maybe her newer stuff isn’t so annoying? I don’t know. I hear such good stuff about her books, but it’ll be awhile before I chance another one.

So… What are you reading now? Anything good? I’m reading a good one now. Know how I can tell? I don’t want to put it down (and I was half-way through it in the first day of reading it).  

Happy Reading!

Stacy