Reading Update, Books, and St. Louis

I’ve been buying lots of books. It’s crazy. Will I ever read all the ones I currently own? Who knows. But I will be reading the ones I just purchased. I’m on a Heather Graham ghost ride right now, so will probably just binge her first. I just bought 5 of the 6 books I was missing from the Harrison Investigation series. I’ve read 1-4 and now own 6-10. Of course #5 is the hard one to find at a reasonable price! Good thing I don’t really need to read these in order.

The trip to St. Louis was fun, but hot and humid. My daughter’s Footy team won all their games (they ended up playing co-ed since there weren’t enough women to play their own game). We got hit with rain on Sunday before our trip to the zoo. Thankfully, it let up by the time we finished breakfast. Unfortunately, the rain didn’t take the humidity away. It was like a sauna walking through the zoo. I got my shirt wet from the rain and it was still damp when we got home! The humidity here felt dry compared to St. Louis. I will not complain about our humidity again. Maybe.

Here’s what I read since my last update:

Book #39

Dates read: July 16-22, 2021
Title: The Vision
Year of publication: 2006
Author: Heather Graham
Genre: Paranormal romantic suspense
Series: Harrison Investigations #4
# of Pages: 410
Paper or plastic: Mass market paperback
How obtained: Purchased.
Blurb from book: When Deep Down Salvage begins the hunt for the Marie Josephine off Key West, it seems like any other dive—until Genevieve Wallace sees the vision of a dead woman in the water.
    A dead woman who opens her eyes and looks directly at her…
    Terrified and confused, Gen is haunted by the memory. But no one, including her diving partner Thor Thompson, believes she saw what she knows she saw. Then a dead woman washes up on shore, and everyone assumes this is Genevieve’s “vision.” Genevieve knows better. This dead woman is definitely not the ghost she encountered but another victim of the same brutal killer.
    Sensing that the threat of death is coming closer, she and Thor are forced to acknowledge that some things can’t be explained but simply are. Somehow they have to link a violent past with a present-day mystery… because if they don’t, the power of death will possess them, too.
My thoughts: More suspenseful than romantic, but lots of spooky goodness and I had trouble putting this book down. I enjoyed visiting Key West again, too (if only in my memories).

This week I need to gather my stuff for LLS2021, since I leave for that book convention on August 3. I have been making a list, so I know what I need. But now I just have to make sure it’ll all fit in the car!!

So... Do you own more books than you feel you'll ever read? Maybe I just need to learn to read faster? Hmmm...

Happy Reading!

Stacy

Reading Update and a Hot Weekend Ahead

On Friday we’re driving to St Louis so that we can watch our daughter play Footy (Australian Rules Football). I checked the weather so I could plan accordingly. Saturday’s high…95 degrees! Yikes! I think we’ll be melting. Better make sure to take my 50SPF umbrellas with me (and plenty of water & sunscreen). They’re all going to be needed, I’m sure.

Here’s what I read since my last update:

Book #38

Dates read: July 7-16, 2021
Title: The Presence
Year of publication: 2004
Author: Heather Graham
Genre: Paranormal romantic suspense
Series: Harrison Investigations #2
# of Pages: 417
Paper or plastic: Mass market paperback
How obtained: Purchased.
Blurb from book: Toni Fraser has the ultimate moneymaking plan—buy an ancient, run-down Scottish castle and turn it into a tourist destination. Tony and her friends concoct the perfect story about the ghost of the imaginary laird Bruce MacNiall to draw thrill seekers to the castle. Suddenly when someone arrives claiming to actually be Laird MacNiall—a tall, dark, formidable Scot—the bodies of young women start to be found in the nearby town.
    But even stranger, how is it even possible this laird exists? Toni invented Bruce MacNiall for the performance…yet sinister, lifelike dreams suggest he’s connected to the recent deaths. Bruce claims he wants to help catch the murderer. But even if she wants to, can Tony trust him…when her visions seem to suggest the tempting laird might be the murderer?
My thoughts: More ghosts. More suspense. And romance. This one also includes a murder mystery. All good for this reader.

Last Sunday was my birthday. We went to see the Dragons play. Game was at 2pm. High was 81. And our seats were in the sun. Man, was it hot! After the fifth or sixth inning, we moved to seats that were in the shade (since there were a lot of open seats). I was able to enjoy the rest of the game more comfortable. And the Dragons won! After the game we had dinner with the kids at Giordano’s. It was a really fun day. Couldn’t ask for anything better. Well, except for maybe not as much sun. Good thing I brought the sunscreen (and it worked!).

So… How hot is too hot for you outside? I never thought 81 was super hot, but with the humidity, it really is unbearable. Unless you’re in the shade. I hope there is shade at the Footy game!

Happy Reading!

Stacy

Reading Update and Some GOOD News

On Friday, I got a biopsy on the nodules on my thyroid. On Tuesday, the doctor called with the results (I was expecting them in 1-2 weeks, so him calling early kind of made me nervous). BENIGN! Best news ever. And one less thing I have to worry about.

Here’s what I read since my last update:

Book #37

Dates read: June 30-July 6, 2021
Title: Haunted
Year of publication: 2003
Author: Heather Graham
Genre: Paranormal romantic suspense
Series: Harrison Investigations #1
# of Pages: 370
Paper or plastic: Mass market paperback
How obtained: Purchased.
Blurb from book: Matt Stone doesn’t believe in ghosts. But there are those who are convinced his home, a historic Virginia estate that dates back to the Revolutionary War, is haunted. Pressured to get at the truth about some strange happenings at Melody House, he agrees to let Harrison Investigations explore the house. But he isn’t ready for beautiful, intriguing Darcy Tremayne.
    As a paranormal investigator, Darcy has learned to believe in the unbelievable. And she’s given Matt fair warning: sometimes people don’t like the skeletons she finds. She never dreamed that warning would apply to herself. For she’s about to discover that Melody House holds much more than a simple mystery from the distant past. What it holds is a very real and lethal danger, one that will cast her into a struggle against the worlds of both the living and the dead.
My thoughts: I read book 3 (Ghost Walk) a long time ago and have been meaning to get to the rest of this series (it appears I don’t need to read them in order—I just want to). Wish I didn’t wait so long. I liked this story. Lots of suspense, ghosts, and romance. What’s not to like?

This past weekend Hubby, daughter, and I travelled to West Michigan (along Lake Michigan) to visit some friends. It was a nice little getaway to a place I’d never been to before. The weather was awesome (in the 70s with barely any humidity) and I got a lot of walking done (hit over 10K steps both Friday and Saturday). When we got back home on Sunday, it was still humid here. Heck, it’s been raining every day since we left!

So… Have you taken any weekend trips lately? How far are you willing to travel? It took us a little over 5 hours to get to our destination. Not a bad drive, either.

Happy Reading!

Stacy

Reading Update and More Tests

Today I’m getting an MRI on my left adrenal gland. Friday I’m getting a biopsy on the nodules on my thyroid. It’s a busy week. I sure hope the results come back good. But I won’t know for a couple of weeks. In the meantime, I’ll just keep doing what I’m doing. Which isn’t a heck of a lot.

I am still walking. I try to get out there before 8am if it’s humid (and it appears summer likes it to be that way). If I’m out there early, I walk a little over 2 miles. If it’s later, then I stick to about a mile. I’m not fond of sweating.

Here’s what I read since my last update:

Book #36

Dates read: June 25-30, 2021
Title: Moon Kissed
Year of publication: 2010
Author: Michele Hauf
Genre: Paranormal romance
Series: Beautiful Creatures
# of Pages: 291
Paper or plastic: Mass market paperback
How obtained: Purchased.
Blurb from Goodreads: Escaping from bloodthirsty vampires, Belladonna Reynolds ran straight into the arms of a werewolf. As a man Severo drew her in with his dark good looks; as a beast he astounded her with his insatiable sensual appetite. Whether afraid or aroused, Bella fled to his lair when threatened by an evil monster of the night....
    Severo tried to keep Bella--his mate--safe from the vampiress who held a malicious desire for revenge against him, but he alone wasn't enough. Now Bella had taken the form of his most cursed enemy. How could he desire the very thing he'd spent his life destroying? And even if he did, what would the werewolf do to Bella on the next full moon?
My thoughts: Interesting world, but I’m still not fond of alpha werewolves. Besides that, it was a nice romance and had lots of action, too.

So… how’s your reading goals coming along this year (if you set a goal, that is)? I’m ahead of my goal—yay! I haven’t been ahead of a goal in a long time. I’ll take what I can get.

Happy Reading!

Stacy