Sydney Winward's Blog, page 9
January 6, 2021
My Goals for 2021
As I do every year, I make goals for the new year, and 2021 is no exception. Do I always meet those goals? Eh…no. But it’s the effort that counts! Here are some of my goals for this year.
Be Present
My whole life revolves around my kids, and sometimes I just don’t want to give them a lot of attention. But they need it. One of my goals is to be more present with my children. To put down my phone. To play with them. To laugh with them. I have always strived to make them feel loved, wanted, and valued, but I want to put more effort into it.
Focus on ME
I know I’m not the only one when I say my mental health took a nosedive in 2020. My confidence tanked. Anxiety and depression created firm footholds within me. I was at some of my lowest points. When I’m so wrapped up in being a mom and wife, there is little room left for myself. But this year has taught me my own mental health is SO IMPORTANT! I want to focus on spending time with me and taking care of my needs as well.
Focus on OTHERS
I know several people who have lost their lives due to suicide, and I know others who have suffered from thoughts of suicide and depression. I want to make an impact in other people’s lives for the better, to be a source of light and happiness rather than negativity. I want people to know I SEE them.
Read 75 Books
I have a Goodreads goal of reading 75 books in 2021. Last year, I read 86 books, so I’m only hoping I can keep up the pace. I love reading and discovering new stories and new authors. So far I have 1 book down and 74 left to go.
Write for the Pleasure of It, and Little Else
In the end of this last year, I unfortunately forgot how much I loved writing. The marketing aspect of writing and publishing got to me. People’s critical comments shanked me in the back. It was an endless spiral of anxiety and, in some cases, rejection. But this year, I want to constantly remind myself to not write for others. Rather, I want to write for myself and because it’s something I love doing.
Finish a New Fantasy Romance Series
I’m not sure if this is a goal I can reach because I’m not sure how many books will be in this series. So far, I’m halfway through the first book. Woot! 38,000 words written! I’m hoping to get two more books in this series written by the end of the year, so we’ll see!
Love Myself
Above all, one of my goals is to love myself. In a world filled with criticism, hatred, and negativity, I want to gain enough confidence in myself so all that doesn’t matter. This will probably be one of my hardest goals, and it will require taking a hard but necessary step back to see the things that really matter.
What are some of your goals for 2021? I would love to hear them!
And happy new year!
January 2, 2021
Book Review of Legendary by Stephanie Garber
My Review
If I thought the first book in this series was absolutely amazing, this one definitely surpasses it. Tella was such a fun character to get inside the head of! She was daring, headstrong, fearless, and above all, selfless. In Legendary, she has to make an impossible choice, one where no matter what, she will lose someone she loves.
Danger, love, and adventure come together in an incredible sequel in the Caraval Series. Like the first book, the author managed to pull me into the pages and keep me there. I questioned what was real and what was not, whose motives were more worthy over another’s, and especially what would be the end result of the book.
If you haven’t read the Caraval Series, I highly recommend it!
My rating: 5+ stars
Blurb
A heart to protect. A debt to repay. A game to win.
After being swept up in the magical world of Caraval, Donatella Dragna has finally escaped her father and saved her sister, Scarlett, from a disastrous arranged marriage. The girls should be celebrating, but Tella isn’t yet free. She made a desperate bargain with a mysterious criminal, and what Tella owes him no one has ever been able to deliver: Caraval Master Legend’s true name.
The only chance of uncovering Legend’s identity is to win Caraval, so Tella throws herself into the legendary competition once more—and into the path of the murderous heir to the throne, a doomed love story, and a web of secrets…including her sister’s. Caraval has always demanded bravery, cunning, and sacrifice, but now the game is asking for more. If Tella can’t fulfill her bargain and deliver Legend’s name, she’ll lose everything she cares about—maybe even her life. But if she wins, Legend and Caraval will be destroyed forever…
December 31, 2020
Top 5 Novellas/Short Books I’ve Read This Year
Tangled Fates could either be a long novella or a short book, but I just had to include it! The author writes such vivid and amazing descriptions, placing the reader right in the story with an interesting setting and even more interesting characters. Who doesn’t love a good shifter book?
You Stole My Heart by Kristal Dawn Harris
This was my first introduction to Kristal Dawn Harris’s books, and I have to say I loved it! She played with one of my favorite tropes in an exciting way. If you haven’t read Kristal’s books, I highly recommend you do! I’m looking forward to reading more myself.
Forever in a Moment by Charlotte O’Shay
Charlotte O’Shay is an author who can make you feel so much in a book. She writes incredible characters and sets the scene so well as to put the reader directly in the book. I loved Forever in a Moment and I know others will too!
Curse of the Blacknoc Witch by Tori V. Rainn
I love Grimm’s fairy tales because they have a distinctly dark fantasy feel to them, and I love that Curse of the Blacknoc Witch has a very similar feel. This book was about redemption, sacrifice, and love. A perfect short read for those who like dark fantasy.
He Is Watching by Denise Carbo
I’ve read two books by Denise Carbo this year and they have both ended up on my top 5 lists in their categories. I’m excited to explore more! He Is Watching is a great story about Julie escaping to a small town to avoid her stalker when she runs into a sweet guy named Joe who helps protect her. It’s really worth a read!
Top 5 Contemporary Long Books I’ve Read This Year
This is one of my top favorite contemporary paranormal books I’ve ever read! The writing is amazing, the characters are awesome, and the story idea is super unique. I would definitely be happy if the author ended up writing a sequel to this and explored the world a bit more.
Secondhand Cowboy and Cowgirl Next Door by Lacy Williams
I couldn’t decide which one I liked better, so I included them both. I love Lacy William’s writing style. Her stories always manage to tangle my heart, and I found I can easily relate to the characters. If you haven’t read this author’s works, I high recommend you get started!
Read my reviews here and here.
Professional Boundaries by Jennifer Peel
This book combines the tropes of office romance with second chance romance. I loved the rollercoaster this author put me on as I read the book. Frustration, anger, happiness, victory, and then restart the cycle. I’m super excited to pick up my next Jennifer Peel book, because I have no doubt that I will love it as much as I loved this one.
My First My Last My Only by Denise Carbo
I’m a big fan of the books I’ve read by Denise Carbo so far. Her writing style is amazing, and she has a way of pulling you into the book so deep until you realize you’ve been completely sucked in. Franny and Mitch were my absolute favorite and they had such great chemistry. I’m looking forward to giving more of Denise’s books a try.
Will O’ the Wisp by Lucy Naylor Kubash
For fear of giving anything away… I’ll just say Lucy Naylor Kubash managed to take my favorite trope of them all and smashed it out of the park. This book was amazing! I seriously loved it so much. It was a great contemporary western with a lot of secrets and awesome characters. It pulled on my heartstrings more than once. Highly recommend.
December 30, 2020
Top 5 Historical Books I’ve Read This Year
I’ve read the first book in this series, and it was great. This book surpassed all my expectations. It made me laugh. It gave me the warm fuzzies. I loved the characters and the setting. If you haven’t read a book by Blythe Carver, I highly recommend it. I’m looking forward to reading the rest in this series.
Forget Me Not by Sarah M. Eden
Sarah M. Eden has been a long-time favorite author of mine after I read her Longing for Home Series. I’ve never read anything in the Georgian Era before, and this book was a pleasant surprise. It made me FEEL. So much. My heart broke. I cried. I laughed. If you want to go on an incredible emotional journey, this is a great book for that.
Solving Sophronia by Jennifer Moore
Can you guess what immediately captured my attention about this book? Yep, it was the beautiful cover! Murder mysteries aren’t usually on my to-read list, but I’m definitely glad I read this one. Jonathan quickly became my favorite character, and some of his scenes had me laughing up a storm. The romance between these two is so adorable.
Letters and Lies by Colleen L. Donnelly
From the very first page, this book took me on an emotional journey filled with love, laughter, and heartache. There are so many little details that the author kept bringing back into the story that really added to the emotion.
Captain of My Heart by Karla Kratovil
There is so much to say about this incredible book by Karla Kratovil. The details were fantastic. I loved the relationship between Jack and Vivian. Vivian’s character had me busting a gut on multiple occasions. If you love a good slow-burn romance in a historical setting, this perfect for you. I’m looking forward to reading #2 in this series!
December 26, 2020
Book Review of Caraval by Stephanie Garber
My Review
I think I found a new favorite author! Caraval was filled with so many twists, turns, and secrets, and I had absolutely no idea what was real and what was not. As soon as I came up with a new theory, it was dashed when the author revealed a new secret along the way.
The characters were superb, the plot was unique and exciting, and as a reader, I was immersed in the adventure as if I was actually living in the book rather than flipping page after page.
If you are looking for a little bit of magic and mystery, Caraval is the perfect book for you. I’m looking forward to reading the next two in the series!
My rating: 5+ stars
Favorite Quote
Inside the house, violin music, richer than the darkest chocolate, started playing. It seeped outside and whispered to Scarlett as Julian’s smile turned seductive, all shameless curves and immoral promises. An invitation to places that proper young ladies didn’t think about, let alone visit. Scarlett didn’t want to imagine what sorts of things this smile had convinced other girls to do.
“Don’t look at me like that,” Scarlett said. “It doesn’t work on me.”
“That’s why it’s so fun.”
Blurb
Scarlett Dragna has never left the tiny island where she and her sister, Tella, live with their powerful, and cruel, father. Now Scarlett’s father has arranged a marriage for her, and Scarlett thinks her dreams of seeing Caraval—the faraway, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show—are over.
But this year, Scarlett’s long-dreamt-of invitation finally arrives. With the help of a mysterious sailor, Tella whisks Scarlett away to the show. Only, as soon as they arrive, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval’s mastermind organizer, Legend. It turns out that this season’s Caraval revolves around Tella, and whoever finds her first is the winner.
Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. Nevertheless she becomes enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak, and magic.
December 21, 2020
Book Review of Snowflake Cottage by Linda Carroll-Bradd
My Review
After a life-changing diagnosis, Jada seeks solace in a small town where she can come to terms with what her future held. However, she got much more than she bargained for. Can she let down her walls and accept what her heart desires?
I loved the author’s message that family is family. Whether they are adopted, married into, or blood related. More than once, this story pulled on my heartstrings. I just adored the characters and the setting. Each part of the story was fleshed out and kept me interested until the very last page. The story was relatable and emotional. Definitely a great read.
My rating: 5 stars
Favorite Quote
Today, his morning was filled with tasks he could accomplish so much faster if he didn’t spend half the time strapping and unstrapping his daughter from her car seat.
Blurb
After receiving a life-altering health diagnosis, Jada Beldane heads to a holiday cottage in Sprucewood, Colorado. Armed with a handbook titled Ten Days to Find Joy, she vows to use every exercise to fight her way out of this funk and face a new year with a positive attitude. All she needs is a little time to herself and to stay away from children.
Following a disastrous marriage, single dad Graham Seaver does his best to avoid the tourists in his hometown. He’s determined to give his young daughter the best Christmas ever. Hopefully, keeping her busy will distract her from asking questions about getting a new mother.
On paper, Jada and Graham are a horrible match. But when the town’s scheduled events throw them together, will they succumb to the holiday magic?
December 18, 2020
Book Review of Capturing the Last Welsh Witch by J. M. Davies
My Review
He was a powerhouse, a force to be reckoned with when it came to getting what he wanted and he didn’t play fair.
I read the prequel before this book, and I was pleasantly surprised at some of the reveals that happened in this book that started in that one. Marcus and Ella complimented each other very well, and the dangerous adventure they went on together often had me on the edge of my seat. I never knew what would happen next. The author did a great job at continuously surprising me.
Capturing the Last Welsh Witch set up an interesting plot for the rest of the series, and I’d be interested to know how the rest of it unfolds. For those who like a contemporary romance with a supernatural twist, this is a great book for you.
My rating: 5 stars
Favorite Quote
Ella knew the drill–stay alive and disappear.
Blurb
Ella Masters’s soul is five hundred years old and in each life, she has been fatally betrayed by men. This is her fifth and final life, and legend says she must meet her true love or this time death is eternal. Wanted for the murder of her latest boyfriend and on the run from the FBI, as well as the ruthless group the Elusti, it doesn’t bode well for any would-be suitors.
Marcus Drayton has a sixth sense when it comes to knowing people, which has helped in his career as a special agent for the FBI, as well as his previous stint as a Navy SEAL. His latest assignment is to deliver Ella Masters, the Witch, which will give him the prized promotion in New York. After he meets the mysterious Ella, and realizes the Elusti are involved, the ghosts of his past force him to seek the truth, making every one he loves a target.
As she runs for her life and freedom, Ella needs to discover whether Marcus is the warrior she needs. And can she trust him with her heart and soul before it’s too late?
December 15, 2020
Guest Author Jeny Heckman
Women. Crab fishing. The Bering Sea. Some men don’t think they belong together. One woman wants to prove them wrong.
Blurb
Mack Carter’s life is circling the drain. When he hears about how lucrative the fishing industry is in Alaska, he decides to try his luck on the frigid Aleutian Chain. There he meets, Nels Pearson, who teaches the younger man how to be a crab fisherman on the deadly Bering Sea and becomes the friend and father-figure Mack’s never known. Carter must learn to navigate both the foreign world on the water and home life on land, finding a tenuous balance with both.
Through circumstances beyond her control, Faith Pearson is inserted into the dangerous life the men live in. To most fishermen in this high-velocity world, women onboard a crab boat is a bad omen. Faith finds life on the sea difficult to maneuver, not just the conditions but the men and superstitions she must also endure.
When tragedy strikes her life again, Faith strives to overcome great obstacles, and prove herself worthy mentally and physically, as she navigates self-discovery in a man’s bleak yet adventurous world. She also discovers lessons about love from a delicious new co-worker and just how deadly the Bering Sea can be when her own life is on the line, possibly never releasing her from the catch.
Releasing the Catch, is a story of fathers and daughters, letting go of the past, self-discovery, and overcoming odds made harder simply for your gender. It’s the story of two individuals at different times in an intertwined and extraordinary life, with so much to teach one another.
Excerpt
“Oh no, I think we’re good here, thanks sweetheart,” Andy said, mistaking her for the waitress and darted a questioning gaze back at the men. “Unless anyone needs another round?”
Faith drew in a deep, irritated breath, lifted her chin and peered down her nose at Jake, who gazed back with a hesitant twitch at the corner of his mouth. Oh, yeah, he’s getting it. At least she’d give him marks for some intelligence.
Squaring her shoulders, she shifted her eyes back to Andy and stuck out a hand. “Actually, I’m Faith. Mack says you’re looking for a seasoned deckhand to help you through the winter, that, right?”
Confused, Andy’s stared first at her face, then her chest region, then at her outstretched hand. In complete bewilderment, he checked Mack’s face, then his brother’s.
Jake, long legs sprawled out in front of him, an elbow on the table, and hand supporting his chin, serpentined a slow, genuine smile across his face. He flicked his index finger up over his lips and used only his eyes to measure his brother’s reaction. Since the skipper didn’t appear to snap out of it any time soon, his younger brother outstretched his own hand, and shifted his gaze back up to Faith.
“That’s right. I’m Jakob Rassmussen, deck boss. You can call me Jake. This is my brother, Andy, he’s capt’n.” They shook hands and Jake returned his observation to Andy, whose face started to turn colors. A gurgle of laughter escaped from the younger man, before covering it up with a cough. Mack never stopped peering into his drink.
“Oh, for chrissake!” Faith said, disgusted, and all three men jerked their attention toward her, as if slapped. “My father,” she gestured at Mack. “Is an asshole. It’s not his fault, he was just born that way. He didn’t tell me about any of this,” -she waved a hand at them and the table- “Until I got here, a little over an hour ago.”
She flicked an accusatory glare at Mack, who had the excellent sense to stay quiet. “Look, I don’t have time for any of your good-ole-boy superstitious bullshit. I’ve lived on a crab boat since I was eight-years-old. I became a full share deckhand at sixteen, and I’ve worked as deck boss and as an engineer.” Her glare now fell on Jake, who stared back in fascination. “I just left my last job because it was time for a change, not because I couldn’t hack it. I work well on the hydraulics, stack, rail, bait, wherever the hell you want to put me. I’m a fast learner and I don’t expect to find your boat to be the space shuttle. Either you want me or not. I’ll be on the pier tomorrow at seven a.m., so you have the night to decide. Right now, I’m tired and I want to go to bed.”
She grabbed Jake’s drink, the closest and fullest, with three fingers of some strange, yet horrific alcohol, she discovered. She drained it in one large gulp, turned on her heel and left the bar. All three men stared in her wake, open-mouthed. Her stomach roiled by the time she got upstairs, and puked.
“What the hell was in that?” she asked the room at large. The idiot didn’t even have the sense to drink whiskey. She shuddered with disgust and lifted a hand to her mouth at the lingering taste of vomit and licorice, before sitting down next to the toilet, and flinging her arm across the closed lid. At least the first pissing match went to her. She reached up and grabbed her toothbrush off the counter, smiled for a few seconds, then put a hand back to her stomach as it roiled again, lifting the lid for another digestive pyrotechnic experience.
About the Author
Jeny Heckman is the award-winning author of the paranormal-romance series, Heaven & Earth. When she isn’t writing, you will find her boating with her husband, enjoying game night with her kids, cocktails with her friends, getting frustrated with photography or dreaming and plotting her next adventure. Jeny lives in Washington state with her husband of over twenty-eight years.
Buy the Book
Amazon:
e-Book: https://amzn.to/3qwf9uC
Print: https://amzn.to/37xziYp
iBooks: Print Only
Nook: Print Only
KoBo: Print Only
Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55965445-releasing-the-catch
Bookbub:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55965445-releasing-the-catch
AllAuthor:
https://allauthor.com/book/51519/releasing-the-catch/
Barnes&Noble: print only
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/releasing-the-catch-jeny-heckman/1138411642?ean=9780996509695
Connect with Jeny
Website: https://jenyheckman.com/
Amazon Author Central: https://amzn.to/3hfq6fh
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heckman.jeny
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jenyheckman
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenyheckman
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/jenyheckman17
GoodReads: https://bit.ly/3fd8RJA
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/jeny-heckman
AllAuthors: https://allauthor.com/author/jenyrudyheckman/
Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/dDTPI9
December 13, 2020
Book Review of Nettles in the Snow
My Review
I’m a huge fairy tale nerd and I could tell you about almost any fairy tale out there, but this was one that had me guessing. I love the way the author combines fairy tales in a world that just makes sense, mixing and matching stories that keeps the reader wondering. I have never read The Wild Swans, but now I will!
Compared to Slipper in the Snow, this story had a darker, revengeful feel to it that I found intriguing. I’m curious about the next part of the story and I’m looking forward to what the author has planned next.
My rating: 4 stars
Blurb
Elisa has lived most of her life in the shadow of Burge’s castle, knitting shirts out of nettles and keeping her vow of silence. This Christmas is the one chance she has to lift the curse from her brothers and change their fortunes. If she succeeds, she plans to punish everyone who made her suffer and take her place as royalty. If she fails, her brothers will be stuck as swans forever.
