Ruth Anne Benziger's Blog, page 6

Library Books (Last of the Year)

These will be the last I get to check out for the year. I hope to read these within time to end the year off with some good reads. That means pushing some off until later. I’m find with that.

Without further ado, here are what I picked.

[image error]A Christmas Prayer

Beloved, bestselling author of Amish fiction, Wanda E. Brunstetter takes readers on a journey in 1850 along the California Trail.
 
Only the brave—or foolhardy—would attempt a cross-country journey late in the season. Three wagons meet up in Independence, Missouri, in April 1850, and their owners decide to keep forging ahead despite many setbacks and delays. December finds them in the Sierra Nevada Mountains when a sudden snowstorm traps them, obscuring the trail.
 
Cynthia Cooper is traveling with her mother and the man she has promised to marry. But as Christmas is upon them and they are hunkered down in a small cabin, she is forced to reevaluate her reasons for planning to marry fellow-traveler Walter Prentice. When a widowed father heading to a California ranch and a gold prospector both show an interest in Cynthia, she weighs her dreams for marriage alongside her responsibility to care for her mother. Can love win over her timid heart?

A Simple Murder: A Kate Burkholder Short Story Collection

New York Times bestselling author Linda Castillo is known as a “master of the genre” (People) for her pulse-pounding mystery series set in Amish country. Now, together for the first time in print, A Simple Murder features six original short stories starring whip-smart chief of police, Kate Burkholder.

While on vacation with her partner John Tomasetti in LONG LOST, Kate discovers that the old house where they’re staying is haunted by a girl who disappeared decades before…

An abandoned baby is discovered on the Amish bishop’s front porch in A HIDDEN SECRET, and Kate is called in to investigate.

SEEDS OF DECEPTION unearths the secrets of Kate Burkholder’s own Amish past—and lays the groundwork for her future career in law enforcement.

In the midst of a power outage in Painters Mill, a teenage girl is attacked at an Amish party in ONLY THE LUCKY.

IN DARK COMPANY is the story of an injured woman with amnesia who seeks Kate’s help in trying to remember her attacker’s identity…and her own.

IN PLAIN SIGHT leads Kate to what she believes is a straightforward hit-and-run accident—but she soon uncovers a story of teenage passion that may have led to attempted murder.

The 19th Christmas

In this #1 New York Times bestseller, the Women’s Murder Club gets ready for a quiet Christmas—until a mysterious killer decides to terrorize the city. As the holidays approach, Detective Lindsay Boxer and her friends in the Women’s Murder Club have much to celebrate. Crime is down. The medical examiner’s office is quiet. Even the courts are showing some Christmas spirit. And the news cycle is so slow that journalist Cindy Thomas is on assignment to tell a story about the true meaning of the season for San Francisco. Then a fearsome criminal known only as “Loman” seizes control of the headlines. Solving crimes never happens on schedule, but as this criminal mastermind unleashes credible threats by the hour, the month of December is upended for the Women’s Murder Club. Avoiding tragedy is the only holiday miracle they seek.

[image error]

You can look forward to book reviews once I have finished reading them.

Until next time,

Ruth

Blogmas Day 20: Bookish Q&A Tag

I was searching online for a good Q&A that I could answer and tag others in. So, I stumbled across Deborah Kelty’s The “Book Habit and Currently Reading” Questionnaire from 2018. You can find the original post here.

I thought it would be fun to answer these questions. I’d love to have you all answer too.

Q1: What books do you remember reading that kick-started your bookworm habit?

I started reading when I was a child. The first books that I began reading were Judy Blume’s. I learned so much from her. I also enjoyed reading The Babysitter’s Club, Goosebumps, Poetry, and Literature. I enjoyed plays, comedy skits, and I read a lot about history.

Q2: What genre, or genres, would you normally choose? 

My go-to genre is romance. I love it and it’s always been my favorite. That is usually what I pick up. I love mystery, crime fiction, and fantasy too. I love books that intertwine more than one genre at a time.

Q3: Do you eat while you read and if yes, what exactly?

I used to snack on chips and sweets. Now, that I’m eating healthy, I enjoy some beef jerky or cheese.

Q4: Are there any scenes from your favorite novels that you remember vividly?

In, River’s End by Nora Roberts, I remember reading a scene where Olivia and Noah are by the water and she is retelling him about the horrible experience of watching her mother die when she was a child. His father had saved her and he told her that when he was a child, he remembered how it changed his father. How he stayed up at night and how he couldn’t stop thinking of that little girl. That scene was so well-written, it is stuck in my memory. It was the first Nora Roberts book I read and I still to this day cannot forget it.

Q5: Were there any least favorites?

I have read some books that I didn’t like, authors I don’t relate to, and some subject matter that I refuse to read. I won’t call anyone out because that isn’t my place, but there are some authors that I will not pick up.

Q6: So, as you’re a bookworm, what are you reading currently today? (Optional)

Right now, I’m on book two of the Miranda Chronicles. Miranda Ortega is a woman who was hired by a publisher to write a book about vampires. Turns out, she ended up living in a world with them, married one, and was thrust into their world. Book two starts after she gives birth to triplets and decides to raise them in her home state away from the vampire family she came to know. I’m looking forward to what happens next.

Q7: How’s it getting along for you? (Optional)

I just started for me. I haven’t gotten far enough to formulate an opinion, but I’ll get there. Look out for the review when it comes.

Q8: Have you then got a large bookshelf, or do you plan to?

I have several bookshelves in my house. They are all overflowing and I have nearly 5000 e-books through my kindle and google play libraries.

Q9: Do you have a liking to indie or traditional books?

Yes, many. I love to support other authors. Twitter is a good place to find authors that are indie to support. I love both types of books and have found many amazing reads.

Q10: And lastly, do you plan to promote reading in some way, or already are?

I do. I post reviews on goodreads, reedsy, and I post my book reviews here on blog. It’s fun to post and share what my thoughts are.

There is my Q&A! I hope you will join with me and answer the same questions!

I tag:

Iseult Murphy @IsueltMurphy

Kristen Kraves Books @KristenKravesBooks

Cassie @BooksWithCassie

Mani @ManisBookCorner

Until next time,

Ruth

Blogmas Day 19: Top Ten Authors of 2021

This year, I chose to stick to the same authors that I have read in the past. Since I didn’t do a lot of reading, I didn’t really branch out. Next year will be different. So, I’m taking this list based on the top 2021 authors on Goodreads. I only added the first on the list, but I’m sure there are so many more authors that could make this list.

Sally Rooney

Sally Rooney was born in 1991 and lives in Dublin, where she graduated from Trinity College. Her work has appeared in Granta, The Dublin Review, The White Review, The Stinging Fly, and the Winter Pages anthology.

Sally’s Books

Laura Dave

Laura Dave is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of several critically acclaimed novels including The Last Thing He Told Me, Eight Hundred Grapes and The First Husband. Her work has been published in thirty-two countries, and five of her novels, including The Last Thing he Told Me, have been optioned for film and television. She resides in Santa Monica, California.

Laura’s Books

Taylor Jenkins Reid

Taylor Jenkins Reid is the New York Times bestselling author of Malibu Rising, Daisy Jones & The Six, and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, as well as four other novels. Her newest novel, Malibu Rising, is out now. She lives in Los Angeles.

Taylor’s Books

Sarah J. Maas

Sarah J. Maas is the #1 New York Times and internationally bestselling author of the Crescent City, A Court of Thorns and Roses, and the Throne of Glass series. Her books have sold more than twelve million copies and are published in thirty-seven languages. A New York native, Sarah lives in Philadelphia with her husband, son, and dog.

Sarah’s Books

Emily Henry

Emily Henry writes stories about love and family for both teens and adults. She studied creative writing at Hope College and the now-defunct New York Center for Art & Media Studies.

Emily’s Books

Andy Weir

ANDY WEIR built a career as a software engineer until the success of his first published novel, THE MARTIAN, allowed him to live out his dream of writing fulltime. He is a lifelong space nerd and a devoted hobbyist of subjects such as relativistic physics, orbital mechanics, and the history of manned spaceflight. He also mixes a mean cocktail. He lives in California. Andy’s next book, ARTEMIS, is available now.

Andy’s Books

Grady Hendrix

Grady Hendrix is the author of the novels Horrorstör, about a haunted IKEA, and My Best Friend’s Exorcism, which is like Beaches meets The Exorcist, only it’s set in the Eighties. He’s also the author of We Sold Our Souls, The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires, and the upcoming (July 13!) Final Girl Support Group!

He’s also the jerk behind the Stoker award-winning Paperbacks from Hell, a history of the 70’s and 80’s horror paperback boom, which contains more information about Nazi leprechauns, killer babies, and evil cats than you probably need.

And he’s the screenwriter behind Mohawk, which is probably the only horror movie about the War of 1812 and Satanic Panic.

You can listen to free, amazing, and did I mention free podcasts of his fiction on Pseudopod. He also does a podcast called Super Scary Haunted Homeschool.

If you’re not already sick of him, you can learn all his secrets at his website.

Grady’s Books

Jenny Lawson

Known for her sardonic wit and her hysterically skewed outlook on life, Jenny Lawson has made millions of people question their own sanity, as they found themselves admitting that they, too, often wondered why Jesus wasn’t classified as a zombie, or laughed to the point of bladder failure when she accidentally forgot that she mailed herself a cobra. Her blog (www.thebloggess.com) is award-winning and extremely popular.

Jenny’s Books

John Green

John Green’s first novel, Looking for Alaska, won the 2006 Michael L. Printz Award presented by the American Library Association. His second novel, An Abundance of Katherines, was a 2007 Michael L. Printz Award Honor Book and a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. His next novel, Paper Towns, is a New York Times bestseller and won the Edgar Allen Poe Award for Best YA Mystery. In January 2012, his most recent novel, The Fault in Our Stars, was met with wide critical acclaim, unprecedented in Green’s career. The praise included rave reviews in Time Magazine and The New York Times, on NPR, and from award-winning author Markus Zusak. The book also topped the New York Times Children’s Paperback Bestseller list for several weeks. Green has also coauthored a book with David Levithan called Will Grayson, Will Grayson, published in 2010. The film rights for all his books, with the exception of Will Grayson Will Grayson, have been optioned to major Hollywood Studios.

In 2007, John and his brother Hank were the hosts of a popular internet blog, “Brotherhood 2.0,” where they discussed their lives, books and current events every day for a year except for weekends and holidays. They still keep a video blog, now called “The Vlog Brothers,” which can be found on the Nerdfighters website, or a direct link here.

John’s Books

Amanda Gorman

Amanda Gorman was the first Youth Poet Laureate of the United States. She is also an activist. Gorman’s work focuses on issues of oppression, feminism, race, and marginalization, as well as the African diaspora. In January 2021, she became the youngest poet to read at a presidential inauguration, reading her poem “The Hill We Climb” at the inauguration of Joe Biden.

Amanda’s Work

Those are the list and I’m looking forward to discovering a few that I had not before. Tell me, who is on your list of top ten authors?

Until next time,

Ruth

Book Review: Rare Blood (The Miranda Chronicles Book 1) by Susan Old

Miranda Ortega loves to surprise people who underestimate her…

…especially powerful, wealthy, brilliant vampire nobility.

Tristan Mordecai has no sense of personal boundaries.

Miranda feels control of her life slipping away as she is pulled into a nocturnal world of Lamborghini driving, Chanel-wearing, egomaniac assassins with a strict liquid diet.

What’s a young woman from the cornfields of Illinois to do?

My Thoughts

Rare Blood is written by Susan Old and tells the tale of Miranda Ortega. A writer who meets Tristan Mordecai and is introduced to a world of vampires who happened to be assassins.

Miranda is a southern girl who moved to the city to become a writer. When Tristan Mordecai tried to tell her he’s a vampire, she thinks he’s insane. As her publisher turned editor, he keeps her close until he reveals himself to her. Soon, he seduces her with his looks and charming personality. Miranda tried to steel his advances and rebels by trying to keep her distance. But not for too long.

Thrust into Tristan’s world and an international organization of vampire assassins, they set to use their power, wealth, and connections to thrive as one. It doesn’t take long before Miranda’s world changes forever and she’s more than ever entangled in the world of vampires. Anything she wants can be provided for her, but she’ll never be able to be free again.

Susan Old brings complexity, humor, and a unique take on the world of vampires. The characters were dynamic, interesting, and at times odd. The story was compelling and the story was dark with a somewhat stylistically appealing tone that I enjoyed. I felt the story propelled forward and brought new exciting life to vampires and the world of Miranda Ortega.

.SPOILERS.

DON’T READ FURTHER UNLESS YOU HAVE READ THE BOOK. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.

I really enjoyed the character dynamics, the fun things like Tristan owning a panther, and the development of the story. I wish there would have been some more action in between the lols of the book, but overall it was a really fun read. I want to know what is going to happen next. Old did an amazing job at researching houses and figuring out who goes where and what duties each had.

Hierarchy seemed to be important as you will read and what lengths people go to overtake roles. I was intrigued by Miranda having children with a vampire and where her lineage lies. That was really cool. I wonder what Lena meant by the children having some type of power. We shall see where that goes. I wonder if Lena sharing blood with wolves will evolve into something else. That has me so curious. I’m a little surprised and annoyed that Miranda came full circle in terms of how she feels about Mordecai. She hated him, loved him, married him, and seems to hate him again. So, I guess we shall see where the story goes.

Lastly, I’m curious as to what will happen with the kids and what their futures hold.

Blogmas Day 18: Festive Playlist

I don’t know about you, but Christmas music puts me in the festive mood. I like to change it up and listen to different types of music. I enjoy the hymns and the usual Christmas carols. Sometimes, I like to listen to different genre, different artists, and it’s fun to just listen to some instrumentals. So, I’m sharing with you my favorite playlists, songs, and artists.

Instrumental Music

When I read and write, I love to have music in the background or ambient noise. Here are a couple of ones that I enjoy having in the background.

Classic Christmas Playlists Amazing VoicesFor The Kids

If you have playlists to share, please don’t hesitate. I’d love to check them out.

Until next time,

Ruth

Blogmas Day 17: 2022 A-Z Book Tag

https://lbninthecorner.co.uk/2019/06/28/a-z-book-tag/

In 2022 I have decided that I want to read a lot more books. To help me with that, I found the A-Z book tag. I can’t find the original poster to give credit.

I want to do the challenge and I hope that you will see the books that I want to read. I’m open to suggestions too.

Enjoy!

A- The Awakening by Nora Roberts

B- Breakfast at the Beach House Hotel by Judith Keim

C- The Christmas Secret by Melissa McClone

D- Deep Blue Sea by Valerie Howard

E- Escape to Osprey Cove by Luisa Marietta Gold

F- From the Heart by Nora Roberts

G- Gateway on the moon by Mary Morris

H- The Hunting Wives by May Cobb

I- Inside the Robe by Judge Katherine Mader

J- Jewels of the Sun by Nora Roberts

K- The Kindest Lie by Nancy Johnson

L- Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner

M- Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid

N- No Place to Run by D M Macdonald

O- Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy

P- Pieces and Parts by Dawn Hosmer

Q- Q.W.E.R.T.Y. by Barbara Avon

R- The Reluctant Detective by Tom Fowler

S- The Survivors by Jane Harper

T- Tears of the Moon by Nora Roberts

U- Under Currents by Nora Roberts

V- The Vanished by Pejay Bradley

W- We are the Brennans by Tracey Lange

X- Xanadu by Jane Yolen

Y- You by Carline Kepnes

Z- Zen in the art of writing by Ray Bradbury

If you have other suggestions, let me know. This list is tentative and I may exchange some later on. But I went through all my kindle, google books, and shelves to add from my TBR list.

Until next time,

Ruth

Blogmas Day 16: EOY Book Review Summary

I didn’t read as many books as I wanted to this year, but I did manage some good ones. Here are the highlights.

Enjoy!

My Review of Hideaway by Nora Roberts

A family ranch in Big Sur country and a legacy of Hollywood royalty set the stage for Nora Roberts’ emotional new suspense novel, Hideaway.

Caitlyn Sullivan, a daughter of Hollywood royalty, was already a star at ten, but still loved to play hide-and-seek with her cousins at the family home in Big Sur. It was during one of those games that she disappeared.

Despite her glamorous background, Cate was a shrewd, scrappy survivor, and she managed to escape her abductors. Callan Cooper was shocked to find the bruised and terrified girl huddled in his ranch house kitchen—but when the teenager and his family heard her story they provided refuge and comfort, reuniting her with her loved ones.

Cate’s ordeal, though, was far from over. First came the discovery of a betrayal that would send someone she’d trusted to prison. Then there were years away in Ireland, sheltered and protected but with restlessness growing in her soul. Then, finally, she returned to Los Angeles, hoping to act again and get past the trauma that had derailed her life. What she didn’t yet know was that two seeds had been planted that long-ago night—one of a great love, and one of a terrible vengeance…

My review of Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood

Offred is a Handmaid in the Republic of Gilead. She may leave the home of the Commander and his wife once a day to walk to food markets whose signs are now pictures instead of words because women are no longer allowed to read. She must lie on her back once a month and pray that the Commander makes her pregnant, because in an age of declining births, Offred and the other Handmaids are valued only if their ovaries are viable. Offred can remember the years before, when she lived and made love with her husband, Luke; when she played with and protected her daughter; when she had a job, money of her own, and access to knowledge. But all of that is gone now . . .

Funny, unexpected, horrifying, and altogether convincing, The Handmaid’s Tale is at once scathing satire, dire warning, and tour de force.

My review of Breathless With Her by Carrie Ann Ryan

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Carrie Ann Ryan comes a sexy new contemporary series.

Devin Carr likes his life. He likes his job, his family, the outlook for his future. Then he meets her. Erin. As soon as he sees her, drunk and wearing a sequined dress as her world crashes down around her and she fights to put on a brave face, he knows what he’s been missing. Her.

When Erin Taborn finds her high school sweetheart and husband banging the former head cheerleader of their graduating class at their high school reunion, she tells herself she’ll be fine. She just needs to figure out what fine means. There’s only one problem. Devin. She didn’t plan on him. And for someone who thinks they have all their plans in place, that’s a problem.

One she’ll have to find an answer to if this whole friends-with-benefits thing is going to work.
If not, she’ll fail just like with everything else.

My review of The Testaments by Margaret Atwood

When the van door slammed on Offred’s future at the end of The Handmaid’s Tale, readers had no way of telling what lay ahead for her–freedom, prison or death.

With The Testaments, the wait is over.

Margaret Atwood’s sequel picks up the story more than fifteen years after Offred stepped into the unknown, with the explosive testaments of three female narrators from Gilead.

In this brilliant sequel to The Handmaid’s Tale, acclaimed author Margaret Atwood answers the questions that have tantalized readers for decades.

My review of FrostBlood by Elly Blake

Seventeen-year-old Ruby is a Fireblood who has concealed her powers of heat and flame from the cruel Frostblood ruling class her entire life. But when her mother is killed trying to protect her, and rebel Frostbloods demand her help to overthrow their bloodthirsty king, she agrees to come out of hiding, desperate to have her revenge.

Despite her unpredictable abilities, Ruby trains with the rebels and the infuriating – yet irresistible – Arcus, who seems to think of her as nothing more than a weapon. But before they can take action, Ruby is captured and forced to compete in the king’s tournaments that pit Fireblood prisoners against Frostblood champions. Now she has only one chance to destroy the maniacal ruler who has taken everything from her – and from the icy young man she has come to love.

My review of Legacy by Nora Roberts

The #1 New York Times bestselling author presents a new novel of a mother and a daughter, of ambition and romance, and of a traumatic past reawakened by a terrifying threat…

Adrian Rizzo was seven when she met her father for the first time. That was the day he nearly killed her—before her mother, Lina, stepped in.

Soon after, Adrian was dropped off at her grandparents’ house in Maryland, where she spent a long summer drinking lemonade, playing with dogs, making a new best friend—and developing the stirrings of a crush on her friend’s ten-year-old brother. Lina, meanwhile, traveled the country promoting her fitness brand and turning it into a billion-dollar business. There was no point in dwelling on the past.

A decade later, Adrian has created her own line of yoga and workout videos, following in Lina’s footsteps but intent on maintaining creative control. And she’s just as cool-headed and ambitious as her mother. They aren’t close, but they’re cordial—as long as neither crosses the other.

But while Lina dismisses the death threats that Adrian starts getting as a routine part of her daughter’s growing celebrity, Adrian can’t help but find the vicious rhymes unsettling. Year after year, they keep arriving—the postmarks changing, but the menacing tone the same. They continue after she returns to Maryland and becomes reacquainted with Raylan, her childhood crush, all grown up and as gorgeously green-eyed as ever. Sometimes it even seems like the terrifying messages are indeed routine, like nothing will come of them. Until the murders start, and the escalation begins…

My review of Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology by Leah Remini

The outspoken actress, talk show host, and reality television star offers up a no-holds-barred memoir, including an eye-opening insider account of her tumultuous and heart-wrenching thirty-year-plus association with the Church of Scientology.

Leah Remini has never been the type to hold her tongue. That willingness to speak her mind, stand her ground, and rattle the occasional cage has enabled this tough-talking girl from Brooklyn to forge an enduring and successful career in Hollywood. But being a troublemaker has come at a cost.

That was never more evident than in 2013, when Remini loudly and publicly broke with the Church of Scientology. Now, in this frank, funny, poignant memoir, the former King of Queens star opens up about that experience for the first time, revealing the in-depth details of her painful split with the church and its controversial practices.

Indoctrinated into the church as a child while living with her mother and sister in New York, Remini eventually moved to Los Angeles, where her dreams of becoming an actress and advancing Scientology’s causes grew increasingly intertwined. As an adult, she found the success she’d worked so hard for, and with it a prominent place in the hierarchy of celebrity Scientologists alongside people such as Tom Cruise, Scientology’s most high-profile adherent. Remini spent time directly with Cruise and was included among the guests at his 2006 wedding to Katie Holmes.

But when she began to raise questions about some of the church’s actions, she found herself a target. In the end, she was declared by the church to be a threat to their organization and therefore a “Suppressive Person,” and as a result, all of her fellow parishioners—including members of her own family—were told to disconnect from her. Forever.

Bold, brash, and bravely confessional, Troublemaker chronicles Leah Remini’s remarkable journey toward emotional and spiritual freedom, both for herself and for her family. This is a memoir designed to reveal the hard-won truths of a life lived honestly—from an author unafraid of the consequences.

My review of Whispers of a One-Eyed Raven by John W. Leys

Myths are stories without authors, composed before we wrote things down, when everything was recorded on the poet’s tongue and in the bard’s breath. They stem from a time when the border between dream and reality was barely drawn, when the wall between this world and the other was but a thin membrane, at best. Myths were our first attempts to make sense of the world around us, using inspiration and imagination, before the philosophers invented epistemology and the scientific method. They are stories that hold truths that linger in the darkened hallways and under the hollow hills, that enchant the imagination and stir the poet’s heart.

Whispers of a One-Eyed Raven is a collection of such stirrings. Join John W. Leys on journey in verse through the myths and legends of the Norse and Celts to a time that never existed and will never end.

My review of Year One by Nora Roberts

It began on New Year’s Eve.

The sickness came on suddenly, and spread quickly. The fear spread even faster. Within weeks, everything people counted on began to fail them. The electrical grid sputtered; law and government collapsed–and more than half of the world’s population was decimated.

Where there had been order, there was now chaos. And as the power of science and technology receded, magic rose up in its place. Some of it is good, like the witchcraft worked by Lana Bingham, practicing in the loft apartment she shares with her lover, Max. Some of it is unimaginably evil, and it can lurk anywhere, around a corner, in fetid tunnels beneath the river–or in the ones you know and love the most.

As word spreads that neither the immune nor the gifted are safe from the authorities who patrol the ravaged streets, and with nothing left to count on but each other, Lana and Max make their way out of a wrecked New York City. At the same time, other travelers are heading west too, into a new frontier. Chuck, a tech genius trying to hack his way through a world gone offline. Arlys, a journalist who has lost her audience but uses pen and paper to record the truth. Fred, her young colleague, possessed of burgeoning abilities and an optimism that seems out of place in this bleak landscape. And Rachel and Jonah, a resourceful doctor and a paramedic who fend off despair with their determination to keep a young mother and three infants in their care alive.

In a world of survivors where every stranger encountered could be either a savage or a savior, none of them knows exactly where they are heading, or why. But a purpose awaits them that will shape their lives and the lives of all those who remain.

The end has come. The beginning comes next.

You can find more of my reviews here: https://ruthannegarcia.com/category/book-reviews/

Until next time,

Ruth

WWW Wednesday

Happy Wednesday. I came across this post from multiple people I follow and decided to jump on the band wagon.

WWW Wednesday is hosted by Sam @ Taking on a World of Words! All you have to do is answers the following three questions:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

Currently Reading

I’m currently reading the Miranda Chronicles. If you enjoy vampires and writing, you will enjoy this. I’m almost done with book one and I will be moving on to the other two books in the series. Mordecai is a unique character. Miranda is a writer who is hired by Mordecai to write about vampires. Such a fun read.

Finished Reading Recently

The Chronicles of the One series was AMAZING. I really enjoyed this and was sad that I had to finish reading about these characters. It was so good. I recommend highly.

What I will read next

In a previous post, I posted on a whole bunch of books that I have on my tbr list. I hope that this will be the first. I’ve heard great things. So, we will see.

Thank you Sam for hosting this and I was happy to participate.

Until next time,

Ruth

Blogmas Day 15: My Favorite NR Books

As many of you know, or as you can tell by reading my blog, I love Nora Roberts. She is and has been my favorite author for years. I’m still reading through all her books, she has a lot. I have read a lot of them and of those I have re-read them many times.

So, today I wanted to share my favorite Nora Roberts books and tell you why they are my favorite. I hope that if you haven’t given her a read, that you will. She is an amazing writer who not only tells great stories, but is amazing at describing relationships with people. She really understands people and how they relate to one another. Friendships, romantic relationships, parents, enemies, and more. It’s all such a journey to take to read these amazing stories.

She’s also very good at dipping into many genre to tell a story. Crime, Drama, Mystery, Fantasy, Romance, all kids that make her so versatile and compelling.

Let’s start with the very first book I read and remains my favorite.

River’s End

Olivia’s parents were among Hollywood’s golden couples…until the night a monster came and took her mother away forever. A monster with the face of her father…

Sheltered from the truth, an older Olivia only dimly recalls her night of terror—but her recurring nightmares make her realize she must piece together the real story. Assisted by Noah Brady, the son of the police detective who found her cowering in her closet so many years before, she may have her chance. Noah wants to reconstruct the night that has become an infamous part of Hollywood history. He also wants to help Olivia and heal the longing in her lonely heart. But once the door to her past is opened, there’s no telling what’s waiting on the other side. For somewhere, not too far away, the monster walks again…

The Inn Boonsboro Trilogy

The historic hotel in Boonsboro has endured war and peace, changing hands, even rumored hauntings. Now it’s getting a major facelift from the Montgomery brothers and their eccentric mother. Beckett is the architect of the family, and his social life consists mostly of talking shop over pizza and beer. But there’s another project he’s got his eye on: the girl he’s been waiting to kiss since he was fifteen.

After losing her husband and returning to her hometown, Clare Brewster soon settles into her life as the mother of three young sons while running the town’s bookstore. Busy, with little time for romance, Clare is drawn across the street by Beckett’s transformation of the old inn, wanting to take a closer look . . . at the building and the man behind it.

With the grand opening inching closer, Beckett’s happy to give Clare a private tour – one room at a time. It’s no first date, but these stolen moments are the beginning of something new – and open the door to the extraordinary adventure of what comes next . . .

The O’Dwyer Trilogy

With indifferent parents, Iona Sheehan grew up craving devotion and acceptance. From her maternal grandmother, she learned where to find both: a land of lush forests, dazzling lakes, and centuries-old legends.

Ireland.

County Mayo, to be exact. Where her ancestors’ blood and magic have flowed through generations—and where her destiny awaits.

Iona arrives in Ireland with nothing but her Nan’s directions, an unfailingly optimistic attitude, and an innate talent with horses. Not far from the luxurious castle where she is spending a week, she finds her cousins, Branna and Connor O’Dwyer. And since family is family, they invite her into their home and their lives.

When Iona lands a job at the local stables, she meets the owner, Boyle McGrath. Cowboy, pirate, wild tribal horsemen, he’s three of her biggest fantasy weaknesses all in one big, bold package.

Iona realizes that here she can make a home for herself—and live her life as she wants, even if that means falling head over heels for Boyle. But nothing is as it seems. An ancient evil has wound its way around Iona’s family tree and must be defeated. Family and friends will fight with each other and for each other to keep the promise of hope—and love—alive…

The MacKade Brothers

THE TOWN WAS BUZZING OVER RAFE’s RETURN…

Some said there would be trouble. Bound to be. Trouble hung around Rafe MacKade like a bell around a bull’s neck. Oh, he was as handsome as ever, with those devil’s good looks the MacKades were gifted — or cursed — with. If a female had breath in her body, she couldn’t help but look twice at that loose-legged stride that seemed to dare anyone to get in the way.

And what about that newcomer, Regan Bishop? Pretty as a picture, but a little prim. Would she be impervious to the legendary MacKade charm?

Sure didn’t look that way….

The MacKade Brothers: Looking for trouble — and always finding it. Now they’re on a collision course with love.

Born In

Three modern sisters bound by the timeless beauty of Ireland…

The eldest Concannon sister, Maggie, is a reclusive, stubborn and free-spirited glassmaker—with a heart worth winning.

Margaret Mary is a glass artist with an independent streak as fierce as her volatile temper. Hand-blowing glass is a difficult and exacting art, and while she may produce the delicate and the fragile, Maggie is a strong and opinionated woman, a Clare woman, with all the turbulence of that fascinating west country.

One man, Dublin gallery owner Rogan Sweeney, has seen the soul in Maggie’s art, and vows to help her build a career. When he comes to Maggie’s studio, her heart is inflamed by their fierce attraction—and her scarred past is slowly healed by love…

Chronicles of The One

It began on New Year’s Eve.

The sickness came on suddenly, and spread quickly. The fear spread even faster. Within weeks, everything people counted on began to fail them. The electrical grid sputtered; law and government collapsed–and more than half of the world’s population was decimated.

Where there had been order, there was now chaos. And as the power of science and technology receded, magic rose up in its place. Some of it is good, like the witchcraft worked by Lana Bingham, practicing in the loft apartment she shares with her lover, Max. Some of it is unimaginably evil, and it can lurk anywhere, around a corner, in fetid tunnels beneath the river–or in the ones you know and love the most.

As word spreads that neither the immune nor the gifted are safe from the authorities who patrol the ravaged streets, and with nothing left to count on but each other, Lana and Max make their way out of a wrecked New York City. At the same time, other travelers are heading west too, into a new frontier. Chuck, a tech genius trying to hack his way through a world gone offline. Arlys, a journalist who has lost her audience but uses pen and paper to record the truth. Fred, her young colleague, possessed of burgeoning abilities and an optimism that seems out of place in this bleak landscape. And Rachel and Jonah, a resourceful doctor and a paramedic who fend off despair with their determination to keep a young mother and three infants in their care alive.

In a world of survivors where every stranger encountered could be either a savage or a savior, none of them knows exactly where they are heading, or why. But a purpose awaits them that will shape their lives and the lives of all those who remain.

The end has come. The beginning comes next.

Signs of the Seven

In the town of Hawkins Hollow, it’s called The Seven. Every seven years, on the seventh day of the seventh month, strange things happen. It began when three young boys–Caleb, Fox, and Gage–went on a camping trip to The Pagan Stone…

It is only February, but Caleb Hawkins–descendant of the town founders–has already seen and felt the stirrings of evil. Though he can never forget the beginning of the terror in the woods twenty-one years ago, the signs have never been this strong before. Cal will need the help of his best friends Fox and Gage, but surprisingly he must rely on a stranger as well.

Reporter Quinn Black came to Hawkins Hollow hoping to make its eerie happenings the subject of her new book. She too can see the evil the locals cannot, somehow connecting her to the town–and to Cal. As winter turns to spring, they will shed their inhibitions, surrendering to a desire that will grow and form the cornerstone of a group of men and women bound by the fight against what is to come from out of the darkness…

Circle

Number-one New York Times bestselling author Nora Roberts delivers an extraordinary new trilogy—an epic tale that breaks down the boundaries between reality and the otherworldly, while forging together the passions of the men and women caught in a battle for the fate of humanity …

In the last days of high summer, with lightning striking blue in a black sky, the sorcerer stood on a high cliff overlooking the raging sea…

Belting out his grief into the storm, Hoyt Mac Cionaoith rails against the evil that has torn his twin brother from their family’s embrace. Her name is Lilith. Existing for over a thousand years, she has lured countless men to an immortal doom with her soul-stealing kiss. But now, this woman known as vampire will stop at nothing until she rules this world—and those beyond it…

Hoyt is no match for the dark siren. But his powers come from the goddess Morrigan, and it is through her that he will get his chance at vengeance. At Morrigan’s charge, he must gather five others to form a ring of power strong enough to overcome Lilith. A circle of six: himself, the witch, the warrior, the scholar, the one of many forms and the one he’s lost. And it is in this circle, hundreds of years in the future, where Hoyt will learn how strong his spirit—and his heart—have become…

There are so many more that I can list, but it would take too long. I hope you will give these a try.

Until next time,

Ruth

Tuesday Weigh-in (13 Weeks Post-op VSG)

This week, I tried to focus on drinking more water, getting in enough protein, and being intentional with my meals. I’ve been so busy and have had many distractions. I didn’t think much about food because I don’t get hungry.

I’ve posted a few recipes that were really good. I’ve made lots of food that make me want to explore more flavors. I want to try different things. It has taken me some time to enjoy food again after surgery. The texture is a big thing that often has me feeling like I have to vomit.

Last night, I had a chicken cordon blue and it felt like I overate, but I hadn’t. The heaviness of the food sat differently for me. I have to be more mindful of that.

I wanted to say that my weight loss is going pretty well. I even had chips, cookies, and stuff that I shouldn’t, but I still managed to lose. I have to be more mindful of eating more intentionally, but I’m not perfect. I still try sugar-free options that I shouldn’t overindulge on.

I’ll try to do better.

Last week, I weighed 225.8.

Today, I weighed in at:

I did the math and I have to get my BMI under 35 before I qualify for my hernia surgery. Which can’t come soon enough. I’m having some issues in that department. I need to weigh around 190 pounds to get my BMI in range.

I see my doctor on March 25th and I’m hoping to lose enough weight by then. We shall see. I’m going to do all I can.

Until next time,

Ruth