Victoria Zigler's Blog: Zigler News, page 91

Of Medical Mutterings, Outings, #Tofu, #Jackfruit, And Internet Woes

(The photo above was taken on June 22nd 2018, and shows people enjoying the beach on a nice day).

I started trying to go out with Kelly and Lilie for some of their walks even before my letter from the gynecologist reached the doctor. It's been tough on me to do so, but with no guarantee the shots will work and make the bleeding stop, I didn't dare wait, even though the usual advice you get from a doctor is not to do anything that makes your symptoms worse if you feel dizzy. I need to do what I can to reduce my weight before my surgery date rolls around after all, and the gynecologist made it clear I was to do so no matter how I was feeling. I knew this from my last gynecology appointment, and am especially aware of this fact after getting my copy of the gynecologist's letter to the doctor, which says what it was meant to - about how I'm now on the waiting list, because they've agreed to do the surgery, how they're insisting Kelly be the one to sign the consent form, and that they've established that I know the risks, etc, but need those shots to try and stop the bleeding and decrease the risks to me for issues while trying to exercise - but it also says what I'd suspected, though been unable to confirm was the case, about how the reason they weren't doing the surgery right away was because they were intentionally delaying things to get me to lose some weight first. I'm a bit annoyed about that, but there's not much I can do, except do all I can to get at least a slight decrease in weight, so they don't use it as an excuse to try and delay things further, and hope these shots do what they're supposed to. So, I've been going out with Kelly and Lilie a couple of times a week.

I can't do more than that yet. Between the stairs being hard on me in general, and the strain all the bleeding has put on my body, even that much is pushing me to my limits at the moment. In fact, Kelly's very nearly ended up calling me an ambulance a couple of times. Not having been able to do much for the past several months - and not being much better for a few years before that - meant it was really hard on me. Maybe I wouldn't have been quite so bad if I didn't have to do the stairs too. On the other hand, having to do those might help with the weight loss. Just trying to think positive.

Dealing with the stairs wouldn't be quite so bad if I could take them a few at a time and then rest a while. But I can't. I can't risk being sat on the stairs when that neighbour wants to go in and out. Our other neighbours would understand, and give me the time I need to rest, or to move for them to pass, or whatever. But she wouldn't. Though she seems to have taken quite a disliking to Kelly, she's not quite as bad to me as to everyone else, but she's still rude and unpleasant to me - not to mention, has this thing about insisting she has to be physically touching a blind person when speaking to one, so insists on touching my arm or trying to hold my hand, which I hate, especially when she's doing it while yelling at me - so I wouldn't want to be there trying to rest a bit when she wanted to pass, even if the police hadn't already said I was to avoid it happening. But I don't want to talk about her if I can help it. So... Moving on...

Despite some comments made by a couple of people who think I'm not doing enough to try and lose weight, most of me knows I shouldn't be pushing myself as hard as I am. Unfortunately, as I mentioned above, it's been made clear to me that weight loss is essential, regardless of how I'm feeling. So I don't feel I have much choice. It's push myself like this, or risk them using a lack of weight loss to delay my surgery date even further. They won't take me off the list now that I'm on it, but they might try and delay things, so I'm trying not to give them an excuse to do so. I'm hoping the shots will do their job, and the lack of bleeding combined with the exercise I'm now getting will mean it starts getting easier. Can but hope, right?

As it turns out, it's actually a good thing I didn't wait for them to do the shots first - despite the near hospital trips that have resulted from my not waiting - since I haven't even had the first shot yet, so would have lost an entire month waiting for them. Yes, it's almost a month later, and I'm still waiting for the first shot.

I got my copy of the letter from the gynecologist a week after my appointment, but the surgery was insisting they didn't have their copy even after that. When I called after a week, they said they only get letters that quickly if it's an emergency situation, which this wasn't, so I should call back the following week. When I did, they said it takes about two weeks after the date the letter is sent out from the hospital for it to get to them, and another day or so for it to be on the system and checked by a doctor, so I needed to give them a bit longer, and they suggested that maybe I should call back the following week. When I called again this past Thursday - three weeks after my appointment with the gynecologist, and two weeks after I got my copy of the letter - they finally had my letter, so I was able to make an appointment to go in for the shot.

Throughout this entire thing, they were insisting they, "Can understand my situation."

I managed to resist the urge to tell them they obviously can't, or they wouldn't let things drag out like this, especially since I'd even mentioned the near hospital trips during my attempts at getting the exercise the gynecologist insists I make sure to get. I even managed to resist the urge to point out how ridiculous it is that things take as long as they do, and that it shouldn't be the case. But only just.

I wonder if they'd have sped things up if those near hospital trips had been actual trips to the hospital?

Anyway, I've got an appointment to go for the first shot on Friday July 13th at 1:50pm. That's this coming Friday afternoon.

Oh, and speaking of delays in medical related things getting sorted out: despite being told he'd get it sorted within six weeks, Kelly still doesn't have a date for having that lump drained. Every time he calls to chase it up - which he's done a few times now - they just point out that he's on the waiting list, and tell him he'll hear something soon. *Sigh*

OK, back to the outings thing...

Kelly and Lilie usually go out every day, but I've only been going with them on Mondays and Fridays, making use of the benches along the seafront, and picking one of the local cafes to rest at for a drink or lunch sometimes, so I can deal with it a little easier (trying to find a balance between using cafes to rest, and being careful how much we spend while out, because of trying to save to move). It's still really hard on me though, and I'm too exhausted to do anything else for the rest of that day. I'm not much better the following day either. This is part of the reason it's only twice a week at the moment. As it is I'm pushing myself to my limits.

Lilie thinks it's great though. Not how hard it is on me, but the fact I'm joining them on the walks. Plus, my needing to rest while we're out means we end up staying out for a long time, and she gets to say, "Hi," to a lot of people and other dogs, which she loves. Sometimes we meet them while we're walking, sometimes they walk by while I'm taking a short rest. Sometimes they pass by while we're sat having a drink or lunch at one of the cafes. Lilie doesn't really mind which is the case. She loves everyone - human or otherwise - and loves being outside in general.

I have to admit, despite how hard it is on me, I am glad to be getting out of the house sometimes for more than medical appointments.

Luckily, we've had a lot of nice weather, which helps with the being outside thing, since it makes us want to be out there.

In mid June, temperatures were hovering around the high teens. Mostly around 19 degrees C (70 F). By the end of June, the average temperature was hovering around 23 degrees C (78 F). During this past week though, temperatures have been more like 26 degrees C (84 F). Bearing in mind, that's with the nice breeze coming in off the ocean to cool things down some. Many places - especially those without access to the coastal breezes - have had temperatures much hotter. I think I'll stick to our temperatures, thank you very much! As it is, many days have had me staying close to the fan, and wishing we had air conditioning.

We've had a few storms too, though not really any big ones, and they've been wind storms - no rain. I've enjoyed listening to them though. I've also enjoyed the way they tend to take the edge off the heat for a while just after their over. Not as well as a rain storm would, but it helps a little. Another benifit to living this close to the ocean.

As I said though, the weather makes us want to be outside. Especially since both Oscars and The Goat's Ledge are right on the seafront, so we get the full benifit of the ocean breeze during most of our walk to and from them, as well as while we're there.

Speaking of which: the photo at the top of this post was taken during one of those outings. It was taken while we were having lunch at the Goat's Ledge cafe. It's one that's only recently opened, and is along the seafront (as I just mentioned above). The photo in this post was taken the day we first tried it. We were actually sat at one of the picnic tables outside the cafe when the photo was taken. Unfortunately, though there were a couple of boats out on the water, I'm told I just missed getting a boat in the shot. Oh, well, never mind. Plenty of ocean for you, which was the whole point of taking the photo.

Here are a couple more ocean shots for you. These two were taken this past Friday (July 6th) while we were sat on one of the picnic tables that are actually on the beach, enjoying the ocean breeze, and waiting for our food order.


The place now known as "Goat's Ledge" used to be a fish and chip shop, but now it does more of a variety of foods. They still do fish and chips, but they also do salads, and cater to vegetarians and vegans. The guy who owns it now is the guy with the ice-cream cart that goes along the seafront most days. His ice-cream and sorbet is excellent, so we thought we'd try his actual cooking. Turns out that's great too. He does a fantastic tofu burger, and was even nice enough to make me one when we showed up earlier than the time he usually starts cooking them (he starts making things like that after noon, but made me one when we got there around 11:30am). He's a wonderful guy who really cares about his customers. He went and sorted me out a sorbet the other day too, when I wanted one and he was late bringing the ice-cream cart out because things were so busy. The service is absolutely fantastic - in fact, as I said, he really cares about his customers, and is prepared to put in a bit of extra effort just to make them happy - the food is delicious, and there are outside tables we can sit at with Lilie (he even provides a bowl of water for dogs who are sat out there, though it wouldn't matter too much to us if he didn't, since we always take water and a bowl with us for Lilie anyhow).

I don't often take photos of my lunch to post. I did this time though, so here are a couple of shots of my tofu burger and fries:


By the way, speaking of tofu: Carol Taylor was talking about it on her blog recently, and asking for tips, because she wanted to try tofu, but wasn't sure where to start. When she learned I'd had tofu several times, she asked me to write a guest post for her about tofu. I pointed out I'm far from being an expert, but since she still seemed enthusiastic about the idea of me writing what I could anyhow, I put something together for her. If you're interested, you can read my tofu post here.

Something I didn't think to add in the post is that you can make your tofu firmer. Simply place it between two pieces of kitchen roll (paper towels) on a hard surface, and then press down on it with a chopping board. The more you do this, the more of the moisture will be removed, and the firmer your tofu will become.

In other food related news:

I like to make most of my food from scratch, or have Kelly do so for me, that way I know for sure what's in what I'm eating. But I do often buy some vegetarian friendly burgers, sausages, or quiches (checking ingredients carefully when I do). I use them for those days when nobody has the energy to deal with much food preparation, we're really busy, or whatever, but I don't want to be ordering take-away. Anyway, I spotted something called "Vegetarian & Vegan Edamame, Asparagus & Mint Burgers" when ordering my groceries a few weeks back. I think it was in early June. Regardless of exactly when it was, I thought they sounded interesting, so I brought some to try. They turned out to be quite tasty. They're kind of messy to eat, since they don't stay together too well, which also means you'd need to put them on something if you wanted to grill them. But they tasted really good, which is the important thing. My Mam - who isn't a vegetarian, but often likes to observe "Meat Free Mondays" - tried them too, and also really enjoyed them.

I also recently tried jackfruit for the first time. Oscars - which is a cafe I've mentioned before that's along the seafront, and that we like - has it on their menu. Since I hadn't ever tried it, but wanted to, I ordered one of their jackfruit subs, which is one of their vegetarian options (but can be veganized by asking them not to add any mayo). It was delicious!

Not sure what jackfruit is? Read this post to find out what it is, how to use it, etc. There's also information - along with a couple of recipes - in Carol's jackfruit post, which is part of the "Fruity Fridays" post series she's been running on her blog.

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Long time followers of my blog may be familiar with my blog's post rating system, details of which appeared on my blog's sidebar. Don't worry if you aren't. For those who aren't, this is the rating system list:

AED or AED = Avoid eating and drinking while reading this post... Failure to do so could result in choking and/or the contents of your mouth ending up all over your monitor, for reasons that will become clear when reading this postFD = Food discussed... Those who get hungry when food is discussed may wish to grab something to snack on (unless an AED rating is also added)LBE = Long blog entry... You may want to grab a snack and/or a drink to keep you going to the end (a quick bathroom break is advised too)PTMI = Possibly too much info... May contain parts that some consider too much info, too gross to have shared, etc...R/WP = Rant, or whiney post... Sorry! But sometimes you need a good whine or rant. Posts with this rating may contain offensive language!
Well, I should say it "was" the list, because I'm no longer bothering with it, and have removed it from the sidebar. If I need to add one of the warnings... Most importantly the last two... I can do so in the post itself.

The post rating letters may appear on some upcoming posts, since I already had some scheduled before I decided this. I don't think there are any this applies to, but if you see the letters after today, it means I didn't bother to go in and remove them from an already scheduled post. But any posts I create from today onwards definitely won't use the system.

Why?

For one thing, there were people still asking what the letters stood for, so I know it sometimes caused confusion that way. For another thing, the rise in the use of hashtags could potentially cause extra confusion when my posts are shared on social media, since a lot of them are shortened to a selection of letters like that, and I've seen a few not too far removed from those I use for different purposes. So I decided not to bother with them any more, especially since I'm making use of hashtags to potentially boost post visibility. But I thought I'd mention it, for the benifit of those who do remember what the letters in brackets in my post titles are about, who might miss them once they're no longer being used.

By the way, speaking of social media and the sharing of blog posts:

Networked blogs has suspended their services, so I now have to share my posts across social media myself. So - for the benifit of anyone who finds my posts via social media - I thought I'd let you know that's the reason behind any delays between my posts going live and them being shared. As much as I try to, I can't always get on here at exactly 10:00am UK time to share my posts as soon as they go live.

Apparently I also have to share my own posts to my Google+ profile now, which is weird, since they're supposed to go on there via an automatic feed like the one on Goodreads, and my Google+ profile is what I log in to Blogger with, so you'd think that would work fine. Guess not. At least Goodreads is still automatically getting my posts. Hope that doesn't stop, since I don't have a Goodreads sharing button.

Also, it seems Facebook has changed how their pages work enough that my Twitter posts will no longer automatically post on there - or, if they are posting, I sure can't see them - so I now have to go and post on my page whenever I want something to show up there too. My Twitter posts still come through on my personal profile, but not on the page. This is annoying, because JAWS hates Facebook as it is, and the pages are even harder for it to accept. I might have to put the Facebook Page Manager on my phone. After all, Facebook itself works better for me via the app on my phone, so maybe the page manager will too? Like I said, I might have to try it. In the meantime, at least I can share my blog posts to my page via my own sharing buttons below each of my posts.

On a similar note:

I had some issues recently with the new backgrounds feature on Facebook. I posted about it on my personal Facebook profile, and Chris wrote a post about on his blog for me. Loads of people shared the post, and I contacted Facebook about the issue the same day Chris and I posted about it. A few days later, I noticed I was once more able to read those posts, and it was back to telling me what background had been chosen. So, it looks like they fixed the issue - as Chris reported on my behalf here - which is nice. I decided to still mention it here though, just so you're aware that it could happen... In case someone from Facebook fiddles with the settings again. I hope they won't now they know it's a potential issue though. Also, I wanted to mention it as an example of what can happen if people work together towards a positive resolution for a problem.

Now, if only I could figure out why I'm no longer getting notifications about things being added to the YouTube channels I follow, even though I've got it set to send me notifications...

Is it just me, or has anyone else noticed that settings for a lot of online things have gotten messed up lately?

#FurkidFriday: A Lilie The #Westie Medical And Grooming Update - July 2018

Hi everyone. This is Lilie the Westie.

I thought you'd like to know that my sores have all healed up now. I'm still scratching more than I probably should, but at least I've not got any nasty sores, which means I don't need to have that cream stuff put on me any more.

But, the humans are keeping hold of what's left of the cream stuff, just in case I need it again any time soon.

I almost ended up back at the vet for something else though.

I went to the doggy groomer last week to get my nails trimmed, because I don't manage to wear them down well myself... It's common for us smaller breeds of dog to have that problem. Anyway, I moved just as he was cutting one of them, and he accidentally cut me a little. It wasn't really my fault. The lady groomer had been going to do my nails, but she wasn't very confident doing so, and her nervousness got me all worked up, so I was still a bit agitated, even though he'd taken over the job of doing my nails when she was failing to manage it.

Anyhow, I bled a little bit from it, but he managed to stop it quickly, so I didn't bleed much, and was - and still am - fine afterwards. If he hadn't managed to stop it quickly, I'd have had to be rushed to the vet immediately, which would not have been a good thing, despite my love of vet visits. So, we're glad he did manage to stop it as quickly as he did.

Speaking of the doggy groomer though: I have an appointment to go in for the full grooming treatment - haircut included - on September 4th at 10:30am. Just thought I'd mention that, in case you're interested.

Lots of licks,
Lilie

"Abby & Holly School Dance" by @janice_spina - #KidLit #Mystery #BookRelease

This is Book 1 of a series of Abby & Holly books. These two girls were first introduced in Book 5 of the Davey & Derek Junior Detectives Series. The girls are first cousins on their mothers’ side. They moved to the quiet town of Lindon, New Hampshire and live in a grand old Victorian which is haunted.

The cousins are excited about attending the sixth grade dance. When their friend, Justine, is bullied, Abby and Holly, along with the help of a ghost and Davey & Derek, work together to formalize a plan to put a stop to the bullying.

The book is now available to buy from Amazon.Com in both paperback and eBook, as well as Amazon UK in both paperback and eBook. It will also soon be available to buy from Barnes & Noble.

Find and connect with Janice via
her blog, her Facebook page, or Twitter.

#WriterWednesday - 10th Annual #Smashwords Summer/Winter #Sale Now On! Grab Your #FREE And Discounted #eBooks Today!

It's time for the 10th annual Smashwords July Summer/Winter sale!

For the entire month of July, thousands of Smashwords authors and publishers will provide readers deep discounts on ebooks, with coupon code levels for 25%-off, 50%-off, 75%-off and FREE.

The sale runs from July 1st to July 31st, and is exclusive to Smashwords.

All my books are enrolled at 50% off, making some of them completely free, and most of them just $0.99 with coupon code SSW50. The coupon code is the same for all books, and should be automatically applied at checkout. Simply go to my Smashwords profile page, pick your book, add it to your cart, and take your discounted eBook through the checkout.

Plenty of other authors - A. L. Butcher, Barbara G.Tarn, and Jemima Pett, for example - have some or all of their books enrolled too, so don't forget to browse the books on sale. But don't forget to check format availability, since not all Smashwords authors make all formats available.

I do make all formats available though, so, since I make my books available in multiple formats - including mobi for Kindles, ePub for Nooks and iPads, and PDF for use on your computer - there should be a format that works for you, regardless of your eReader of choice. In fact, since one of the formats only requires a browser to read, if you can read this post, you can read my books.

Remember: sale ends July 31st, and is exclusive to Smashwords.

Tell your family, friends, neighbours, random strangers you meet on the street... Anyone you can! But hurry! Don't miss out!

"Quest Of The Brokenhearted" - New #Fantasy #BookRelease by @cyallowitz for #99Cents Or #99Pence Throughout July!

A battered soul faces a city of monsters in Quest of the Brokenhearted!
~Cover Art by Sean Harrington

As Windemere moves forward, a broken spirit falls into the shadows.

Two years have passed since Luke Callindor was lost during the champions’ battle against Baron Kernaghan. Many mourn the loss, but none have been hurt more than the fiancée he left behind, Kira Grasdon. Plagued by grief and determined to prove he is alive, she has sacrificed her business, her reputation, and her hope. Surviving on the streets of Gaia, she has become an emotional husk of her former self. It is only by chance that Kira crosses paths with an old friend and learns of a path, which will either end her suffering or revive her shattered soul. As the rumors state, hundreds of adventurers have flocked to Lacarsis and none have returned.

Will Kira meet her death in the City of Evil or will she thrive among the monsters?

*****

Book Excerpt: The Farm
The blast of warm air hits and swirls around the area to make all those in metal armor feel like they are about to faint. As the wind billows out, it carries the fog away to reveal broken fences and an abandoned farmhouse. The porch is partially collapsed with a swing sitting in the mud, its chains still connected to the fallen roof. The front door is closed, but a large hole is in the middle as if something tried to punch its way inside. Rusty pots and tools are scattered about the ground, some of them having been plunged into the ground. Not far away is a large barn, which shows no sign of damage beyond peeling paint and cobwebs dangling from the eaves. A crooked weathervane sits above the hay loft, the bat-shaped object spinning wildly even though the wind has died. Wilted crops stand in the fields among those that have already rotted into mush. Piles of hay dot the landscape, each one having turned black and become surrounded by swarms of thumb-sized flies. When the last of the fog clears, the entire area is bathed in a sickly orange light that causes the adventurers’ skin to crawl.
An animal call erupts from a nearby pasture, the grass a light brown and showing signs of being repeatedly trampled. In response, the sounds of chickens drift from the farmhouse and they are soon joined by other familiar noises. The ear-wrenching symphony continues to grow as the adventurers spread out across the road and into the fields. Most are focused on the farmhouse door, so they are caught off-guard when the attack begins. Zombified pigs, horses, goats, and sheep burst out of the barn to charge the nearest warriors. With acidic foam flying from their mouths, the undead livestock crash into the armored figures and rip into whatever flesh they can reach. The goats and pigs cause the most damage, their teeth breaking through metal and bone while the horses do more harm with their hooves. Flapping wings from the farmhouse are a slight warning before a flock of chickens and ducks explode from the windows. Lacking teeth, they have a harder time killing their prey, who swing wildly and blindly cast spells that miss half of the time. Chaos is consuming the crowd when the first animal call erupts from the right and four knights are sent hurtling through the air. Flesh dangling from its horns and blood splattered across its rotting face, the zombified bull barrels into the adventurers. The grunting beast tramples everything in its path as it crashes into one of the fields and sends a broken cart rolling away. Turning around, the animal ignores the arrows that stick into its hindquarters and charges back into the crowd.
While the others try to retreat, Kira swings her sickle at the bull’s side and gets the weapon stuck between the exposed ribs. She holds on while she is dragged and uses the blunt end to swat chickens out of the air. As she passes a stallion, she swings her kusari-gama to get the chain wrapped around its hind legs. With the horse galloping away from the bull, Kira plants her feet and pulls hard on her weapon. Her strength combined with that of the zombified steed allows her to shatter the larger animal’s ribs. Spinning around, she whips the sickle into the side of the stallion’s head and uncoils the chain as it crashes to the ground. Without turning back, the adventurer dives to the side and narrowly avoids getting gored by the bull. The moment she hits the ground, she pounces to grab the jagged hole in its body and pulls herself close enough to punch inside with the blunt end of her weapon. Kira continues striking the rotting heart until the confused animal rears back and exposes its stomach for a pair of spearmen to impale it. They are unable to support its weight and are promptly crushed while the young woman flips up to slam her sickle into the base of its skull. Hanging onto the bucking bull, she violently twists the blade until the zombie finally falls over and rapid decays. The others are about to cheer when the call of another bull bursts from the pasture.
“They just keep coming,” Kira mutters as she watches more animals pour out of the buildings.

Grab your copy on Amazon for 99 cents throughout the month of July!
Also on Amazon UK for just 99 pence throughout July!

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Interested in more Windemere? Then don't forget to check out Charles E. Yallowitz's first series: Legends of Windemere
~All Cover Art by Jason Pedersen

Or, more interested in vampires? Then check out War of Nytefall: Loyalty:
~Cover Art by Alison Hunt

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About the Author:
Charles Yallowitz was born and raised on Long Island, NY, but he has spent most of his life wandering his own imagination in a blissful haze. Occasionally, he would return from this world for the necessities such as food, showers, and Saturday morning cartoons. One day he returned from his imagination and decided he would share his stories with the world. After his wife decided that she was tired of hearing the same stories repeatedly, she convinced him that it would make more sense to follow his dream of being a fantasy author. So, locked within the house under orders to shut up and get to work, Charles brings you Legends of Windemere. He looks forward to sharing all of his stories with you, and his wife is happy he finally has someone else to play with.

Blog: www.legendsofwindemere.com
Twitter: @cyallowitz
Facebook: Charles Yallowitz
Website: www.charleseyallowitz.com

LET THE TOURNAMENT OF LACARSIS BEGIN!

#Music Monday: Aselin Debison - Sweet is the Melody

Since yesterday was Canada Day, I decided to go with a Canadian artist for this month's musical share. Trouble is, three sprun to mind immediately, and I couldn't choose between them. Interestingly though, when listed alphabetically by first name, they run A, B, C. So, since that's the case, I decided to do an "ABC of Canadian artists" this month, and will share one a week. Starting today with my A.

A is for Aselin Debison. My favourite song of hers is "Sweet is the melody" which is the first of her songs I heard. I've loved it ever since, and listened to it so many times I've lost count. So, here it is... Enjoy!

Tori's June 2018 #Book #Reviews - #AmReading

It's time to take a look at what I read in June.

First: here's a post with some suggestions for how to decide your next read, just in case you need help with that.

Anyway, as with the previous posts like this one, if you want to know more about the book, or the author, click on whichever it is you want to learn more about, and it will take you to the appropriate page on Goodreads. Clicking on my rating should take you to my actual Goodreads review for the book in question.

Don't forget: the format I've reviewed may not be the format I read. Also, please remember that I read across multiple genres and age ranges, so you should always check if a book is suitable for the intended reader, especially when children are involved. Sometimes reading the book's description on its Goodreads page will be enough for this, but other times you may need to check elsewhere to figure out the genre and/or recommended reading level.

OK... On to the reviews!

Red Rising by Pierce Brown
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
It's like the Hunger Games in space! The main character has attitude and anger management issues, but that - strangely - is part of his appeal. The plot moved a bit slower than I thought it should at times, but not enough to spoil the book for me, since the story concept is an interesting enough one to have held my attention even during those scenes. Also, the reaper song is beautiful and haunting; such a touching song!

Golden Son by Pierce Brown
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
WOW! Powerful storytelling, and that ending... Well, let's just say I'm extremely glad I had book three ready to start immediately, because if I hadn't been able to do that I'd have been screaming for book three right about now. I don't usually like to give the full five stars to a book that leaves me hanging like that, but this one was so fantastic that I really can't give it less.

Morning Star by Pierce Brown
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This was one of those books that will have you on a rollercoaster ride of emotions throughout; one moment I was celebrating right along with the characters, and the next I was crying or raging beside them instead. Also, what an awesome ending!

Iron Gold by Pierce Brown
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
While I did really enjoy this book, there were two issues that stopped me loving it as much as the previous books in this series. One was the way a blind character was not only made to seem utterly helpless just because of his lack of sight, but also viewed as someone who needed to be "fixed" even by his own family. The other was the multiple cliffhanger situations left unresolved at the end of the book, and my dislike of having things left like they were for several of the characters. I loved everything else about this book though, and look forward to when I can find out what happens next.

Year of the Celt: Imbolc by Rob Godfrey
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This was a book with a lot of potential, which it unfortunately didn't reach. The author claims to have done a lot of research, which is obvious in places, while in others there are historical inaccuracies that make me think he should have done more. The characters are well-rounded, but their mannerisms and way of thinking are too modern for the story. The main plot is interesting, but there are places where it drags, and some of the other events are based around modern thinking so don't make sense in a historical story like this one. Also, the cliff-hanger ending was annoying. I'm aware this is the first in a series, but that's not the point, especially given the fact the next book doesn't seem to have been published yet, despite this one having now been out for almost six years (or, if it has, I can't find it). A bit of extra research and editing could have made this a much more enjoyable read. I hope – if they ever get published – the other books in the series will benefit from those things.

Zombie Nights by Tom Lichtenberg
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I was a bit disappointed by the lack of emotion and ease of acceptance by those who encountered the zombie. Other than that, this was a great read, especially if you like the kind of zombie book where the zombies are more than just mindless creatures stumbling around looking for victims.

The Girl in the Trees by Tom Lichtenberg
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I was really enjoying this story, and would have given it a higher rating, but the ending has no clear resolution, so I'm now left feeling like I just read the introduction to something longer, with no idea when - or even if - the rest of the story will be available.

The White-Hole Situation by Tom Lichtenberg
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
An interesting and well-written story.

Tiddlywink the Mouse by Tom Lichtenberg
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is a cute collection of imaginative stories. I wish some of them had been expanded a bit, but they were otherwise great.

How My Brain Ended Up Inside This Box by Tom Lichtenberg
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
An interesting story, which will potentially appeal to anyone wondering about how perception influences our knowledge of what's real and what's not, and how we could tell if we weren't the "real" people we appear to be.

The Homeless Birds by Gita V. Reddy
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This was a sweet and beautifully written story, which was a delight to read.

the fern and the cross by Barbara G. Tarn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This was an excellent read, with an interesting plot, and some great characters.

***~~~***

We're half way through the year, so I thought I'd take a look at how I'm doing with my reading goals:

I've got two more letters to complete for my A-Z challenge. I know which books I plan to use for them. It's just a matter of getting around to reading those particular books, which I hope to do in the next couple of months.I've read 57 of the 150 books I pledged to read this year. I should really have read 75 by now. This means I'm 18 books behind schedule. However, I'm not concerned, since I have another six months to go, and have already caught up by a few books (I was 23 books behind schedule in early June).
If you're doing any reading challenges - such as the Goodreads reading challenge - I'd love to know how you're getting on. Let me know in the comments.

#FurkidFriday: Maizie The #Chinchilla's Thoughts On The Packing Of Boxes

Hi everyone. This is Maizie the chinchilla.

The human caretakers are doing something strange: they're putting things in boxes.

Now, we're familiar with boxes. Things come in them, the human caretakers take the things out of them, and sometimes we get to play with them and chew on them afterwards. It's great!

But this putting things in them is new.

My degu brother, Joshua, says he's seen them do this once before. But he says it doesn't make any more sense to him now than it did then. He thinks he remembers something about his cage getting moved some time afterwards, though he's not sure if the two events were connected or not.

I wonder what the human caretakers are up to.

Should we be worried?

Joshua doesn't think so. I hope he's right. We're watching the human caretakers closely though, just in case.

Squeak soon,
Maizie

#Poetry #Book - Waves Of Broken Dreams And Other Poems Now In #Audio!

A collection of poems of various styles and lengths, which are about heartache, loss, pain, and broken dreams.

Note: Some of the poems in this book may not be suitable for younger readers.

Previously only made available in eBook and paperback, "Waves Of Broken Dreams And Other Poems" is now available as an audiobook, read for you by Carol Weakland.

Regardless of the format you'd prefer, here's where you can buy the book:

Audible, Smashwords, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Chapters-Indigo, iBooks, iTunes, Amazon UK, Amazon US, Amazon Canada, and The Book Depository.

The book also has a page on Goodreads.

#MondayMotivation And #Inspiration - June 2018 Edition

Be not afraid of growing slowly, be afraid only of standing still.
~Ancient Chinese proverb

A day without laughter is a day wasted.
~Nicolas Chamfort

May you live every day of your life.
~Jonathan Swift

One, remember to look up at the stars and not down at your feet. Two, never give up work. Work gives you meaning and purpose and life is empty without it. Three, if you are lucky enough to find love, remember it is there and don't throw it away.
~Stephen Hawking

There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.
~William Shakespeare

A human being is a part of the whole called by us universe, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feeling as something separated from the rest, a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.
~Albert Einstein