Read: Dead Silence. Slowly Back to Writing

Thought I would try something different in regards to my blog titles. Especially since I plan on posting after reading a book, so I wouldn’t have to put in several titles. We’ll see how that goes.

Here’s what I read since my last update:

Book 27

Dates read: May 17-23, 2023
Title: Dead Silence
Year of publication: 2022
Author: S. A. Barnes
Genre: Sci-Fi Horror
Series: N/A
# of Pages: 339
Paper or plastic: Trade paperback
How obtained: Purchased
Blurb from Book: Claire Kovalik is days away from being unemployed—made obsolete—when her beacon-repair crew picks up a strange distress signal. With nothing to lose and no desire to return to Earth, Claire and her team decide to investigate.
    What they find is shocking: the Aurora, a famous luxury spaceliner that vanished on its maiden tour of the solar system more than twenty years ago. A salvage claim like this could set Claire and her crew up for life. But a quick search of the ship reveals something isn’t right.
    Whispers in the dark. Flickers of movement. Messages scrawled in blood. Clair must fight to hold on to her sanity and find out what really happened on the Aurora before she and her crew meet the same ghastly fate.
My thoughts: When I started this book, didn’t realize it was in first person present tense. I can understand why it’s in first person, but not present tense. Still, it didn’t stop me from reading because this book sounded interesting. And it was! It was a great horror story. Set in space at that! Highly recommend.

I have been slowly getting back to work on Ghostly Protector. I’m getting a little excited about adding certain aspects to my story (certain aspects I can pound my head with for not realizing they were missing in the first place!), which is something I haven’t felt in a very long time. I also talked about my alien story with a friend and would like to get back to that one too. But I must finish Ghostly Protector first. I’m just glad I’m starting to feel excited about writing again!

Happy Reading!

Stacy

Reading Update and Got a New iPhone

So… I finally broke down and bought a new iPhone SE (3rd generation). So far I’m okay with it. It’s not all that different from my old SE (except it doesn’t reboot all the time and the battery seems to work a whole lot better!). I have to get use to the feel of it until my case comes in, which I hope makes it easier to pick up and hold. It just feels way too fragile now.

I also had to order some adapters so I can use my head phones (I like the ones I have when walking) and the aux jack in the car. I could probably hook up the phone via blue tooth in the RAV4 (it’s a 2017)—can’t on my Xterra (a 2010)—but I don’t want to confuse the RAV4 on which iPhone to link with. Better to just use the jack. I know how to use that!

Here’s what I read since my last update:

Book 26

Dates read: May 12-17, 2023
Title: Forever
Year of publication: 2023
Author: J. R. Ward
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Series: Lair of the Wolven #2
# of Pages: 433
Paper or plastic: Mass market paperback
How obtained: Purchased
Blurb from Book: For Lydia Susi, there is no sweet sorrow in saying goodbye to the man she loves. As a wolven hiding among humans, she became used to being alone—until destiny gave her the kind of love she didn’t dare hope for. But then came a devastating diagnosis that ended all her dreams. Grief is the only thing she sees in her future now.
    As an operative for a clandestine arm of the U.S. government, Daniel Joseph always expected to die an early death. He just assumed it would be out in the field…not in a hospital bed in an underground lab. With his time running out, he refuses a potentially lifesaving treatment to focus on making sure that Lydia finds her wolven clan.
    Following an attack on the lab’s compound, Daniel fears his former boss is coming after him and Lydia. Marshaling his strength, he must call on all his training to protect the female he loves…even if it means her moving on, without him.
My thoughts: Kind of wish I’d read book 1 again, because I was a little lost. My fault. Stuff doesn’t seem to stick in the brain like it used to. I hope book 3 comes out soon so I’m not lost reading that one. I like this series, and the way it ties into the Black Dagger Brotherhood books, but this book kind of ended on a cliff hanger. And I’m beginning to think that maybe the first one did too.

My brain is starting to get interested in writing again. I’m realizing several MORE things I need to fix in Ghostly Protector. Now I just have to open the document and get to it. Easier said than done, though. ***sigh***

Happy Reading!

Stacy

Reading Update and Stuff

Today was an absolutely gorgeous day. I even got to go walking this morning (first time since we returned from our cruise; first time at home this year, even). I think today was the first day I didn’t have something to do or someplace to go, too. It was kind of nice.

Today I also admitted defeat and ordered a new phone. My iPhone SE 1st generation was rebooting at least twice a day. So frustrating. And the battery (which I replaced a couple of years ago) would run down super fast! I just couldn’t rely on it any longer. At least I got my money’s worth. I’ve owned that thing since 2016.

I’ll be getting the iPhone SE 3rd generation, with lots of memory! Now I should be able to put all my music on that one and not worry about how many pictures I have on it, either. I expect to get it in the next couple of days.

Here’s what I read since my last update:

Book 25

Dates read: May 6-11, 2023
Title: Lassiter
Year of publication: 2023
Author: J. R. Ward
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Series: Black Dagger Brotherhood #21
# of Pages: 464
Paper or plastic: Hardcover
How obtained: Purchased
Blurb from Book: Lassiter, the fallen angel, is too good at the savior business. In his new role overseeing the fates of all vampires, he’s influenced outcomes he shouldn’t have—so the Creator is calling him home. But the angel has a reason to stay in Caldwell. He’s bonded with a mysterious female who seemed to appear from out of nowhere…and has powers that defy all reason.
    Rahvyn is well aware that she doesn’t belong in the present. And she never intended to stay, for her true place is in the past. Lassiter proves to be undeniable, however, and she lets herself fall for the angel—until a secret he’s been keeping is revealed and she fears that for him, it’s not about love, but duty.
    As the Omega’s son reestablishes the Lessening Society, and the Brotherhood must resume the deadly war, an unfathomable tragedy occurs. In the aftermath, Rahvyn has to decide whether to stay and help—or save herself from an immortal heartbreak she knows will crush her very soul…
My thoughts: So nice to get back into a world I love. And I’ve been waiting for Lassiter’s story for quite a while. I was not disappointed.

While I was ordering my new phone, our provider (AT&T) looked over our bill. And they found ways to lower our costs, too. Of course, part of that discount is to get paperless billing. That is really hard for me to give up. I realized today that our cable company hasn’t sent us a paper bill since March 2020! We auto pay and right now I have no idea what we’ve been auto paying for. If they’ve been sending us a bill, it has to be going to Hubby (where they’re probably lost in his e-mails). This is what I’m afraid will happen with the phone bill. I really HATE paperless billing.

Oh, and did you know AAA no longer has Tour Books? I went there last Saturday to get one on California only to find out it’s all on line instead. Ugh.

I really hate the digital age. Mainly because I know how fragile it is.

Happy Reading!

Stacy

Reading Update and I’m Home!

First off: Happy Star Wars Day. May the 4th be with you!

Yes, I’m finally home. Was supposed to get home at night on the 2nd, but because of a travel day from hell, didn’t get home until the afternoon of the 3rd. Had a good (and needed) night’s sleep last night and am almost back to normal.

Almost.

Had to reschedule the medical appointments from Wednesday to Thursday (around my scheduled treatment at that!), and then get some shopping done (not much food in the house), so I’ve been quite busy today.

Here’s what I read since my last update:

Book 23

Dates read: April 28-30, 2023
Title: Never Let Go
Year of publication: 2017
Author: Cynthia Eden
Genre: Romantic suspense
Series: Lazarus Rising #1
# of Pages: 217
Paper or plastic: Nook book
How obtained: Purchased
Blurb from Goodreads: He was more than just a man...
    Dr. Elizabeth Parker didn't like wild, dangerous men...yet she still found herself falling for sexy Navy SEAL Sawyer Cage. He was her exact opposite--a man she should definitely stay away from, a man who lived for the thrill of danger...but he was also the man she found herself wanting more than any other.
    But their secret relationship ended in heartbreak when Sawyer was killed on a mission. Grieving for him, the last thing Elizabeth ever expected was to find Sawyer listed as a test subject for the top secret government project she was heading--a project called Lazarus.
    For years, Elizabeth had worked feverishly to unlock the secrets of life and death, and with her Lazarus formula, she finally thought she'd made a breakthrough. Only she never expected to use Lazarus on her lover.
    But the choice is taken out of Elizabeth's hands...
    Sawyer is given the Lazarus formula, and he's transported to a remote government facility. At that facility, Sawyer wakes once more, only he's not the same man. He's stronger, he's faster, his reflexes and his senses are ten times better than an average man's. The government calls Sawyer a super soldier... Elizabeth still calls him...hers.
    Unfortunately, Sawyer has no memory of his life before Lazarus. All he knows is that something about the sexy doctor awakes a primal response in him. He wants her, and he'll do anything to possess her. Soul-deep, he feels that she was meant to be his.
    Death waits in the darkness.
    But something is wrong inside the Lazarus facility. The test subjects are holding back secrets, and danger seems to lurk in the air. The Lazarus subjects are super-human now, and some of those subjects have a very, very dark side. Twisted cravings drive them to the very edge of sanity. Can Sawyer keep Elizabeth safe from the madness around them...or will the growing darkness consume them both?
My thoughts: This book was interesting. Paranormal or not paranormal? Don’t know. Sci-Fi or not Sci-Fi? Can’t really tell. But it was suspenseful, and there is a romance, so I’ll leave it at that. I’ll probably get the next book in the series (if I get organized and go find it to put in my wish-list that is).

Book 24

Dates read: May 1-4, 2023
Title: Dark Water
Year of publication: 2002
Author: Sharon Sala
Genre: Romantic suspense
Series: N/A
# of Pages: 199
Paper or plastic: Nook book
How obtained: Got it free for my B&N membership
Blurb from Goodreads: Frank Whitman’s name was reviled in the tiny village of Marmet, Maine, after he stole a fortune from the local bank and skipped town on his wife and daughter Sarah. They were left behind to deal with years of shame and torment around the scandal. Now his body has been found at the bottom of Flagstaff Lake—throwing doubt on all that Sarah thought she knew. Has her father been innocent this entire time?
    Sarah’s new obsession is uncovering the true thief and killer—which is making some people nervous. What she finds will make her the next target. But her childhood crush, Tony DeMarco, comes out of the woodworks acting desperate to keep her safe. Is this the beginning of a rekindled love? Or does Tony have something to hide?
My thoughts: This author is popular. She has LOTS of books out there. This must have been one of her earlier ones and it’s written in a way I’m not fond of anymore: omniscient. Actually, it’s more just like a lot of head-hopping. And retelling. I’m shown what happens to a character, then that character tells another character what happened. Do I need to read it twice (sometimes three times)? Don’t think I’ll read another book of hers.

I read 12 books in April! And… I reached my goal of 24 for the year. I am shocked. And happy. I really didn’t think I’d reach that goal, but then I didn’t consider the long cruises being taken this year. Still have another in October!

Happy Reading!

Stacy

Reading Update and Still Cruising

The internet (wifi) on this cruise is frustrating me more than usual. Maybe because I’ve been on this ship for 20 some days. It’s pretty bad when you can’t even get Carnival’s app to come up (and you don’t need to purchase the internet plan to use it). But it’s only frustrating me a little. Hubby found out that he can’t log into his work. Partly because of how slow the system gets (and he purchased the highest tier plan) and partly because his work has made two-factor identification impossible on a slow system. At least Hubby doesn’t need to bother lugging around the work laptop on future cruises since he can’t use it.

Here’s what I read since my last update:

Book 21

Dates read: April 25-26, 2023
Title: Becoming Dragon
Year of publication: 2016
Author: Eve Langlais
Genre: Paranormal romance
Series: Dragon Point #1
# of Pages: 175
Paper or plastic: Nook book
How obtained: Purchased
Blurb from Goodreads: Dragon Point isn’t a place, but rather a society, a secret one. And humans aren’t invited.
    I’m a monster. That’s what Brandon thinks when he flees the medical institute that changed him. Living a normal life isn’t in the cards for him because, while he can hide his scaly skin, his wings are hard to miss. So he runs and lives in the shadows where monsters belong. What he didn’t expect to find were others just like him, and they call themselves dragons. Or so Aimi with the violet eyes tells him when she pins him to the ground.
    Seriously, though, dragons?
    He doesn’t want to believe, but the evidence is mounting. Not helping his resolve is the fact that the woman with the silver hair doesn’t fear the monster and wants to claim him.
    However, before he can think of his own happiness, he has to rescue his little sister. Uncle Theo kidnapped her, and Brandon will do anything to get her back, even if he must embrace the monster within to become the dragon.
My thoughts: I liked this. The humor was great, too. I just had a tiny problem with the beginning of this story, but overall I liked the characters.

Book 22

Dates read: April 26-28, 2023
Title: The Last Goodnight
Year of publication: 2021
Author: Kat Martin
Genre: Romantic suspense
Series: Blood Ties #1
# of Pages: 297
Paper or plastic: Nook book
How obtained: Got free for my B&N membership
Blurb from Goodreads: When Kade Logan said goodbye to his estranged wife eight years ago, he never thought it would be the last time he saw her alive. Now her car has been hauled out of a nearby lake and Kade is determined to track down the man who murdered her. Enter Eleanor Bowman, a talented private investigator who’s about to stir up a hornet’s nest on his Colorado ranch.
    With old scandals still buzzing about his late wife’s many affairs and new violence erupting, Kade is faced with the discovery of another beautiful woman’s body. Are the two killings linked? Who is the man who seduced, then murdered both victims? Ellie believes they are dangerously close to the truth.
    From corporate Denver high-rises to posh Vail mansions, Kade and Ellie sense the killer is closing in again, and this time Ellie is the target. Kade must risk everything to save the woman he’s coming to love—before she becomes the next one to die . . .
My thoughts: I had really hoped to have found a new series to read when I picked this book from my choices from B&N (they offer me a free ebook once a month because I’m a member), but Kade’s jealously got on my nerves. I enjoyed the story (the suspense), but the romance…not so much.

I tell you, the weather has definitely changed once we hit the Pacific Ocean. I’m surprised we had awesome weather in Cabo San Lucas (it was cold and overcast the day before and the day after and still is cold and overcast). That place is so cool, though. I don’t know how many times we were told Cabo is a desert with an ocean, but it sure is pretty to me. The breeze was definitely cooler on the pacific side than the gulf side. We had a fun day seeing the sights. It might even be fun to just fly down there and spend a few days, too. Don’t know if we’ll ever get around to that, but we wouldn’t object to doing it!

Happy Reading!

Stacy