The Sunday Post #289 | May 29, 2022

  

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Caffeinated Book Reviewer.
It's a chance to share news: a post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books, 
and share what's coming up on your blog in the week ahead.

T H E   W E E K   I N   R E V I E W

Hi friends, it's been a while! I've been on vacation the last week and was almost completely unplugged (loved it), and the week prior I was busy wrapping things up at the office in anticipation of the time off. The Husband and I enjoyed some much needed downtime and were happy as clams all week.😊


The Husband was honored at an event the week prior to vacation and I have to take a moment to brag on him. For those who don't know, Robert served 20 years in the U.S. Navy and after retirement started a new career in the finance world, retiring (again) after 23 years. Since then he has volunteered his time and expertise at the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society. Two days a week he works as a caseworker, providing financial assistance (both interest-free loans and grants) to active duty and retired servicemembers. He was honored for his volunteer leadership and was presented with The President's Volunteer Service Award, including a letter signed by President Biden. I simply could not be more proud of him and the selfless help he provides.


And in hockey news (come on, it's the Stanley Cup playoffs, you know I've gotta squeal and flail and my Tampa Lightning), the guys did it again! They made a clean sweep of Round Two and beat the Florida Panthers four games in a row. So exciting to watch - and yes I tuned in while on vacation! :) Another step closer to the Stanley Cup... looking for a threepeat!

I was tempted to play Queen's "We Are the Champions" for this week's 80's music fix, but I think I'll save that for when they win the Cup. :) Instead, how about we stick with Queen and tell it like it is... Another One Bites the Dust (buh-bye, Panthers). LOL 


O N   T H E   B L O G
 
Not a thing... been on vacation mode. 😎

W H A T   I   R E A D



Kindle: Stone (Pittsburgh Titans #2) by Sawyer Bennett - ⭐⭐⭐⭐.25
Hardcover: Heartstopper (Volume 4) by Alice Oseman - ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Audio: Just One Night (The Kingston Family #1) by Carly Phillips - ⭐⭐⭐.5
Kindle: Falling Embers (Tattered & Torn #2) by Catherine Cowles - ⭐⭐⭐⭐.25
Kindle: Love Hard (Hard Play #3) by Nalini Singh - ⭐⭐⭐⭐

C U R R E N T L Y   R E A D I N G 


Audio: Those Three Little Words (The Vancouver Agitators #2) by Meghan Quinn

N E W   A D D I T I O N S

Every trip to Orlando means a stop at one of my favorite Barnes & Noble locations. I'm not even sure what makes that one better than any others (maybe because I just tie it to vacation and good times) but I hit it up every time I'm there. I was so surprised to find several by Mariana Zapata on the shelf! I don't think I've ever seen her books in stores before. Naturally, I couldn't leave without a couple in hand. :)

    

From Lukov with Love
Kulti

T O T A L L Y   R A N D O M

MEMORIAL DAY: A time to honor, remember, and mourn U.S. military personnel who have died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. Thank you for your sacrifice to this nation.



HOW WAS YOUR WEEK?
I'D LOVE TO HEAR ABOUT IT!

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Top Ten Tuesday: Had to Have Them, But Haven't Read Them

 

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl.


This Week's Top Ten Tuesday Topic:
The Books I HAD to Have... But Have Not Read

Was this an easy prompt, or what? I mean, this is the life of every bookworm. 
We see the book, we need the book, we buy the book... and yeah, you know the rest.

I Want It I Got It 7rings GIFfrom I Want It I Got It GIFs
 .
  We all know that buying the book does not equate to actually reading the book.   
So here are ten books that I HAD to have - I may have even pre-ordered them or bought them on the day of release - but have yet to read. 


The Highland Fling by Meghan Quinn
Don't Kiss the Bride by Carian Cole
A Stormy and Sultry Sea by Katie McGarry
Whiteout by Adriana Anders
Dane's Storm by Mia Sheridan
A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas
The Revelation of Light and Dark by Sawyer Bennett
The Songbook of Benny Lament by Amy Harmon
Credence by Penelope Douglas
The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah


Have you read any of these books?

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The Sunday Post #288 | May 15, 2022

 

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Caffeinated Book Reviewer.
It's a chance to share news: a post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books, 
and share what's coming up on your blog in the week ahead.

T H E   W E E K   I N   R E V I E W

My mom gave us a scare this week. She had a TIA (transient ischemic attack) Thursday afternoon and even though the symptoms (very similar to stroke symptoms) passed quickly, we still had her transported to the hospital. After a 24 hour stay, numerous tests, and many consultations, she was released to go home. Every single person we dealt with at the hospital was kind and caring and just amazing, but it was still a pretty stressful - and exhausting - few days.

Feel free to skip this part if you have no interest in the NHL playoffs. 😉 The Tampa Lightning won Game 4 last Sunday, lost Game 5 on Tuesday, and that meant they had to win Game 6 on Thursday. They ended up winning in overtime (I thought I was going to have a heart attack from the suspense LOL) and it was *so* exciting. As I write this it is Saturday afternoon and Game 7 is tonight. This will determine who moves on to round two of the playoffs... and who just goes home. It will be an exciting night at my house! 😀
Update 11:55 pm: They did it! The Lightning won Game 7 and will advance to Round Two of the Stanley Cup playoffs! <insert screaming and flailing>

If this story of a woman's 92-year-old grandpa asking her over for a sleepover doesn't bring a tear to your eye... well, you might not have a heart. ;)


The Husband and I are headed out for a little getaway in about a week and I can't wait. I'm in desperate need of some R&R. It's been way too long. Hopefully this coming week will fly by!

This week's 80's music fix is Mary's Prayer (1987) by Danny Wilson. While it wasn't a huge hit, I always loved it. Enjoy!



O N   T H E   B L O G
 
Tuesday, May 10

Friday, May 13

W H A T   I   R E A D



Kindle: One Way Back to Me (Wilder Brothers #1) by Carrie Ann Ryan - ⭐⭐⭐.25
Audio: My Famous Frenemy (The Greene Family #6) by Piper Rayne - ⭐⭐⭐.5
Audio: A Greene Family Vacation (The Greene Family #6.5) by Piper Rayne - ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Kindle: Whisper of Sin (Psy-Changeling #0.75) by Nalini Singh - ⭐⭐⭐⭐.25

C U R R E N T L Y   R E A D I N G 

    

Kindle: Stone (Pittsburgh Titans #2) by Sawyer Bennett
Audio: Just One Night (The Kingston Family #1) by Carly Phillips

N E W   A D D I T I O N S

Not a thing.

T O T A L L Y   R A N D O M




HOW WAS YOUR WEEK?
I'D LOVE TO HEAR ABOUT IT!

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Short Take Reviews: The Psy-Changeling Edition

  

Hi friends. I'm using my Short Take Review banner for this post but I'm not even sure these can be considered reviews. More like my fast and furious thoughts on each Psy-Changeling book I've read so far. I've only read two of the full-length novels, but I've also made it a point to read the bonus material as I go and those have been so good! So here are my super-quick thoughts on each.
Psy-Changeling #1

I was sucked right into this world that Singh created. She did a great job of setting up the dichotomy between the Psy and the Changelings (humans don't come into play much). Sascha, a Cardinal Psy, constantly had to hide the fact that she actually experienced emotions, something that had been basically conditioned out of the Psy race. Her interactions with Lucas, an Alpha Changeling, threw those emotions into turmoil. I loved the push and pull between Sascha and Lucas. There was mutual distrust but also incredible chemistry. I admit I was confused by some of the intricacies of the Psy world, but I just went with it. The tension really amped up at the end as I tried to see a way out for Sascha. The connection between she and Lucas hit me right in the heart and as soon as I turned the last page I was ready for more.  Final thoughts: I can't believe I slept on this series for so long. 4 STARS

Psy-Changeling #2

This second book paired another Psy, who had to hide her emotions (even when she didn't recognize that's what they were), with a member of the DarkRiver pack. Faith's mental state was fragile and the dark and violent visions she was having put her in peril. Having been isolated for much of her life, she found the outside world completely overwhelming. As a Sentinel, Vaughn held a position of authority within the pack, and he was perhaps the wildest of the Changelings, with his inner jaguar being very close to the surface at all times. I loved how tactile Vaughn was and, even though Faith was so sensitive to touch and would often ask not to be touched, he just couldn't help himself. I'm finding that I'm much more invested in the Changeling aspect of the stories than the Psy (especially when there's too much info given about the PsyNet - oy, my head!). Overall, I loved Vaughn and Faith's story - maybe even more than the first book. 4 STARS


After reading the first two books, I delved into some of the bonus content (short stories and novellas) and each one delivered in a big way!

Psy-Changeling #0.5
*Included in the anthology Wild Invitation

Oh my heart! This story of how Tamsyn, the DarkRiver healer, and Nathan, a DarkRiver Sentinel, came together about broke me. Tamsyn had known she was meant for Nathan for several years but he refused to complete their mating bond, convinced that because of her age she needed to be free and experience life before being mated. I felt Tamsyn's hurt and heartbreak on every page and at one point had tears running down my face. In just 78 pages, Singh managed to destroy me... and I loved it. 4.5 STARS

Psy-Changeling #0.6
*Short story on Singh's website

This short story gave a little peek at Tamsyn and Nathan years down the road when they finally had cubs of their own. Super quick and super sweet. 4 STARS

Psy-Changeling #0.75
*Included in the anthology Burning Up

Loved it! This novella featured Emmett, a lethal DarkRiver leopard soldier, and Ria, a Chinese-American young woman with an overprotective family. After Emmett saves her from an attack, she finds herself under his protection. And while Ria may have been small in stature, she had serious backbone and spirit. I could sit here and wax rhapsodic about Emmett for pages. I adored him! He was incredibly protective, eminently sweet, and I was a puddle of mush reading every page.           4.5 STARS

Psy-Changeling #1.1
*Short story on Singh's website

This was another quickie that featured Lucas and Sascha babysitting Julian and Roman (Tamsyn and Nathan's cubs). I love the interactions these two have with the cubs - so adorable! - and it made for a sweet snippet with the original couple. 4 STARS


HAVE YOU READ THE PSY-CHANGELING SERIES?

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Top Ten Tuesday: These Are My People | Bookish Book Characters

 

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl.


This Week's Top Ten Tuesday Topic:
These Are My People - Bookish Book Characters

As a bookworm, is there anything better than reading about a fellow book person?
Whether a character is a reader, a writer, a bookstore owner, or some other bookish thing, I get positively giddy when I read about someone who loves books and reading as much as I do. It's like, instant connection! And I want to yell: you are my people!
 


Here are my picks for some of my favorite bookish characters.
    

My Beautiful Neighbor
Presley opens a bookstore (next door to the guy who is pursuing her).

When You Come Back to Me
Holden becomes a respected author (while pining for River).

Crowbones
Julian owns a bookstore (sometimes frequented by non-humans).

Obsidian
Kat is a book blogger (with a sexy alien next door).

The Becoming
Breen becomes a published author (in between battles and riding a dragon).

Make Me Stay
Presley loves to read (and gets sexy cowboy Colton to pose in her Bookstagram pics).

The Night She Disappeared
Sophie is a mystery writer (who finds herself involved in a real life mystery).

The Fault in Our Stars
Hazel loves books (so much that she travels to Amsterdam to meet her favorite author).

Kiss and Don't Tell
Winnie helped run her mother's bookstore (and then fell for a professional hockey player).

Fallen Jester
Cassandra becomes an author (and gets pregnant after one night with a former MC member).


Have you read any of these books?

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The Sunday Post #287 | May 8, 2022

 

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Caffeinated Book Reviewer.
It's a chance to share news: a post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books, 
and share what's coming up on your blog in the week ahead.

T H E   W E E K   I N   R E V I E W

Happy Mother's Day to those who celebrate it. For those of you who do not have a mom (or mom-figure) in your life right now, I'm sending you hugs. I know that Father's Day is a little sad for me since losing my dad. I should be seeing my mom for dinner tonight. I hope you have a great day no matter how you spend it.

Is it just me or was this the Longest. Week. Ever? Not a bad week, but looong. I worked from home on Thursday just to break up the week and have a change of pace. I was beyond happy when Friday finally rolled around. Sheesh!

The NHL playoffs started this week and it's been up and down. My team (the Tampa Lightning) have won one game and lost two. It's a best of seven series sooo... they really need to win tonight before they're in dire straits. 

In some "hey, that's pretty cool" news, the Broward County Public Library in Florida is allowing anyone to sign up for a library card, no matter where they live (although, I imagine it's limited to the U.S.). That means you would get access to their entire Hoopla catalog... so hooray for more free ebooks and audiobooks! Just go here and click on Apply Online for a Library Instant eCard.

Duran Duran was my band throughout the 80's. I was obsessed. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this week so for this week's 80's music fix we're going with The Reflex (1983). Enjoy!



O N   T H E   B L O G
 
Tuesday, May 3

Friday, May 6

W H A T   I   R E A D



Audio: Kiss and Don't Tell (Vancouver Agitators #1) by Meghan Quinn - ⭐⭐⭐⭐.25
Kindle: Visions of Heat (Psy-Changeling #2) by Nalini Singh - ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Kindle: A Night for Us (The Wilder Brother #0.5) by Carrie Ann Ryan - ⭐⭐⭐.5
Kindle: Roping the Cowboy (Circle B Ranch #0.5)by Kennedy Fox - ⭐⭐⭐.5

C U R R E N T L Y   R E A D I N G 

  

Audio: My Famous Frenemy (Greene Family #6) by Piper Rayne
Kindle: One Way Back to Me (The Wilder Brothers #1) by Carrie Ann Ryan

N E W   A D D I T I O N S

Not a thing.

T O T A L L Y   R A N D O M



HOW WAS YOUR WEEK?
I'D LOVE TO HEAR ABOUT IT!






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