Bedtime Story: Love You Forever

 

 

Synopsis: "A young woman holds her newborn son
And looks at him lovingly. Softly she sings to him: "I'll love you forever I'll like you for always As long as I'm living My baby you'll be."'


My Review: How on earth are you suppose to read this aloud to your little ones?! I couldn't get through the first page without tearing up, and I am not an emotional person. A very sweet book about a mother's love for her son and how it lasts forever, even through the bad times. Though it is a little creepy how she sneaks in and rocks him, even as an adult. I do love how the love is returned and continues. But I don't think I will ever be able to read this book to Munchkin, maybe a job for Daddy!

 

My Rating: I do love this book, it is so touching but a little too touching to read aloud and has a little bit of smothering mother in it.  But I can't help but give it a rating of Four Paws.

 

 

Good Night! Sweet Dreams!

After Dark Review of Surrounded by Woods by Mandy Harbin

 have added After Dark Reviews to my blog as a way of notifying you of a review of a book with Adult themes and scenes. From now on I will keep my reviews of all books I read that have explicit scenes in them for late night posts for those of you who prefer to avoid them or easy to find for those of you who seek them out ;)

 

 



Synopsis: "When Mikaela Patterson must take on a client with specific requirements that no single women be allowed on his property, she keeps her broken engagement a secret. She doesn’t realize her client and his sons are mountain lion shifters whose instinct to mate with any available woman turns deadly.

Josh Woods is her client's eldest son, and he is immediately drawn to Mikaela. Knowing his father would never allow an available woman on the property, Josh doesn't understand his fascination with her. Josh and Mikaela fight their attraction because of their own secrets, but when the truth comes out about Mikaela's true availability and Josh's animal instincts, they must be prepared to face the consequences."

My Review: Why have I been avoiding shifter paranormal romance?! Glad I picked this one up and it re-established my love of shifter, especially the big cats! I really loved the characters that Harbin created. I definitely fell for the guys, not just Josh but all of the brothers and even Thomas! I feel like Mandy did a great job of making the animal instincts very real. The story line is also great, as seems to be common with a lot of romance books I have read recently, parts are predictable but at the same time there is some backstory I hope is revealed more in later books. I was left wanting to know more about the Woods family!

 

 

My Rating: Another Four Paw book for me! I am so glad I came across Surrounded by Woods and rekindled my love for paranormal shifter romance!

Music Speaks Read-Along #7 - Music Heals All Hearts

 

Throughout November I will be doing a read along of Music Speaks an anthology of stories with music. I hope you will all participate.  Music, like books, can affect us in so many ways it only makes sense to have a book of music stories. I will be doing 2 stories a week, the first of which will be on Thursday. 

You can get your copy in ebook format on Amazon for $2.99 or in paperback format on Amazon for $6.99.  Sorry but its not on Barnes and Noble (I should have told you all to get it earlier because I downloaded it when it was free).

So please join me, if you aren't going to be reading along I would still love if you would stop by, I would love to hear how particular songs or artist have made an impact in your life!

Welcome to the seventh readalong of the month! This short story in the book is call Music Heals All Hearts and is written by Laurie Sorensen.


In Music Heals All Hearts we find a gentleman playing guitar and singing a song he composed in a hospital to cheer up patients when a woman comes in with severe chemical burns on her face.  His song seems to calm her so he returns daily to play for her while her face is bandaged and healing. They spend many hours a day together and slowly develop a relationship, however each is fearful of how the other will see them with their scars. Neither had to worry about it because they were both able to see past the outward scarring to the beauty of their hearts.  The song that he composed and played for her on her first night in the hospital was played on their wedding day!



So I ask what is your ultimate love song? Or what song do you want/ was played at your wedding?


There are so many love songs that I adore but the one that played at my wedding was John Michael Montgomery's 'I Swear'
 

 

 

But I will never forget that the first song my hubby tried to woo me with was 'Angel' by Shaggy (not exactly appropriate for a wedding or it would have been played)

 

 

 

 

Monday's story will be Punk Rock 101!

 

 

Happy Thanksgiving to all my fellow Americans!

Review of Fire on the Island by JK Hogan

 

Synopsis: "“She who wields the mark is the barrier between man and monster. She is the daughter of gods, the mother of man, protector of all. Vigilati Usque Ad Mortem”

All Isla Macallen wanted was a simple existence on her little Scottish island, free from her mother’s insanity and the prying eyes of neighbors. What she got was embroiled in a war for the souls of mankind. A war of good versus evil, of witches versus demons, and Isla learns that she alone can end it.

Dr. Jeremiah Rousseau was a self-proclaimed nomad, traveling the world researching paranormal phenomena. He doesn’t expect his research to lead him to Scotland, and to the woman who will turn his world upside down.

Together with a facetious shapeshifting animal spirit guide, Jeremiah and Isla discover that she is part of an ancient bloodline bred to protect the gateways between the human world and the spirit world, to keep evil demons from destroying them. They must find the key to defeating Alastore, the demon king, and closing the gate before Samhain, when the veil between the worlds is lifted. As the war for their souls wages around them, Isla and Jeremiah will risk it all for love—a love neither had ever thought possible."


My Review: This was a great paranormal book to read around Halloween! I loved the characters, Isla is a strong independant woman and Jeremiah is such an intellectual, both with a big background story that comes out in pieces to add to the suspense. I also adored the supporting characters, especially Callan, Jack and Drew, and can't wait for the future books in the series (and thank goodness there will be more). I love how while there is magic involved, a lot of the action involves more of Isla and Jere and the other character's strength, determination and toughness. I love the combination of witches and other paranormal forms. While some of the story line is slightly predictable, your care for the characters and curiosity keeps you involved. There were a few storyline tangents that left me a little confused as to the point, my hope is that they will be drawn into the next book, which obviously makes me anxious for its release.

 

 

My Rating: I thoroughly enjoyed this paranormal romance that is filled with action and suspense. I give it a rating of Four Paws! I can't wait for the next book to come out!! And need I point out the stunning cover?!

 

 

Please Note there are some sex scenes in the book but if you prefer not to read them you can skim over, don't let them deter you from the book!!

 

 

 

Fire on the Island was sent to me by the publisher for review.

 

You can find out more about the book on Goodreads or on the Publisher's Website.

 

You can get your own copy of Fire on the Island in Paperback or Ebook format on Barnes and Noble or Amazon.



Wednesday Writing

So Wednesday is my official writing update day. I have so many story projects going on and I need a push to get some done. So I will be trying to post each Wednesday about how my writing adventures are going (and I may need a swift kick in the pants by you guys sometimes).

Current Active Project:

The Last Mountains - 13,468 (handwritten) = 15,766 (typed)

A equine shapeshifting family is being hunted to near extinction and the young new leader must go against all her lessons and approach the elite council for aide. Will they help her? How will she keep her family's traditions and values alive, let alone her herd?

Tamlyn Marie's Grace -

Think Cinderella only with a matchmaker ;)

Other Works in Progress:

The New Old Home - 17,193 words

Everyone dreams of winning the lottery, but what would you do with that money? That is the question presented to Natalie, when she is at the lowest point in her life, she is presented with an opportunity to make any normal person's dreams come true, but all those winnings can't give her what she wants most.

Princess Bs - 32,131 words

A story about a woman, recently divorced and returned to her home town to figure out what is next. She encounters an old friend and spends a weekend with him and his daughters. Feelings that are long since buried are rising up again, but are her recent loss and his current life going to stand in the way of their happily ever after?

Night Rider - 17,229

Alice is a recent high school graduate who is a very accomplished competitive rider in Hunter/Jumper, Dressage, and Western/Rodeo. Her parents had arranged for her to attend a private college on the east coast geared specifically to equine professions. However, Alice wants to focus on her studies in English Literature. When she arrives at the college she hides her riding abilities, but can she keep her talent and love of horses hidden?

Other Ideas Plotting:

Bloodsoar's Story

A pegasus struggles through life, ejected from the herd, near capture by humans.

The Assassin's Assassin

A student learns what the school is really teaching and sets out to destroy those who support the program.

Angel Story

Angels battle out an age old feud in a parallel world

 

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Review of Sippy Cups are not for Chardonnay by Stefanie Wilder-Taylor

 

Synopsis: "The moment the second line on the pee stick turns pink, women discover they've entered a world of parenting experts.
Friends, family, colleagues, the UPS delivery guy -- suddenly everybody is a trove of advice, much of it contradictory and confusing. With dire warnings of what will happen if baby is fed on demand and even direr warnings of what will happen if he isn't, not to mention hordes of militant "lactivists," cosleeping advocates, and books on what to worry about next, modern parenthood can seem like a minefield.

In busy Mom-friendly short essays, Sippy Cups Are Not for Chardonnay delivers the empathetic straight dirt on parenting, tackling everything from Mommy & Me classes ("Your baby doesn't need to be making friends at three months old -- you do! But not with people you'll meet at Mommy & Me") to attachment parenting ("If you're holding your baby 24/7, that's not a baby, that's a tumor"). Stefanie Wilder-Taylor combines practical tips with sidesplitting humor and refreshing honesty, assuring women that they can be good mothers and responsibly make their own choices. A witty and welcome antidote to trendy parenting texts and scarifying case studies, Sippy Cups Are Not for Chardonnay provides genuine support, encouragement, and indispensable common-sense advice."

My Review: I LOVED this book, maybe because I can totally sympathize or maybe its the complete lack of sleep and I now find the tiniest things comical. Stefanie does a great job of making light of all the stressful things that pop up once you become a mommy and also all the crazy opinions being thrown at you! She also does a great job of keeping the chapters short, so they are easy to read in between diaper changes and feeding times. If you are looking for some comic relief, especially if you are a new mom I definitely suggest this book, but brace yourself some of the things she says could be offensive though it is all to be taken lightly. Some of the chapters I may have to revisit once they apply and I will probably find them even more comical.  I even had to read a few of the sentences & paragraphs out loud to my husband!

 

My Rating: I loved this one and if I could have I would have read it straight through, but Munchkin has other ideas! Anyway, I give it a rating of Four Paws and a Stump Wag!

Music Speaks Read-Along #6 - Playlist

 

Throughout November I will be doing a read along of Music Speaks an anthology of stories with music. I hope you will all participate.  Music, like books, can affect us in so many ways it only makes sense to have a book of music stories. I will be doing 2 stories a week, the first of which will be on Thursday. 

You can get your copy in ebook format on Amazon for $2.99 or in paperback format on Amazon for $6.99.  Sorry but its not on Barnes and Noble (I should have told you all to get it earlier because I downloaded it when it was free).

So please join me, if you aren't going to be reading along I would still love if you would stop by, I would love to hear how particular songs or artist have made an impact in your life!

Welcome to the next read along of the month! Today's short story in the book is call Playlist and is written by James Clark.


In Playlist we are riding along with a man who has been enjoying the advance on his novel a little too much with his publicist/girlfriend. There has been a series of parties involving drugs and alcohol and some very spendy purchases.  On his way to get coffee after another party he begins to re-evaluate his life.  His car's radio decides to chime in on the subject.  In a Christine like way, the car begins to switch stations to answer his questions and give a soundtrack to his thoughts.


So have you had that happen? Where a song suddenly comes on, echoing your thoughts or seeming to answer a question rolling around in your mind?

I can't pin point a time when this has happened but I know that I have been humming a tune and when I turn on the radio that exact song has been playing, creepy!


Join me on Thursday for Music Heals All Hearts!

Monday Reading List

Its Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Shelia at Book Journey. Share what books you have finished in the last week, are currently reading and what might be coming up next!

Reviews Posted Last Week:

Links will take you to my review

 

Dog Trots Globe by Sheron Long
Eating Out by ER Pierce (After Dark)
Curious George Goes Camping (Bedtime Story)


Books Finished Last Week:
Reviews will be posted at a later date

 Surrounded by Woods by Mandy Harbin
Warrior's Lady by
Eating Out by ER Pierce
 



Currently Reading:

Cleo: The cat who mended a family by Helen Brown - PB - on page 124 of 292
Eragon by Christopher Paolini - PB - on page 262 of 497
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas - PB - on page 28 of 472
Royal Flush by Scott Bartlett - Nook - on page 17 of 206

 

Next Books to be Read:

Under Camelot's Banner by Sarah Zettel - Arthurian Legend Challenge

Soul of a Highlander by Melissa Mayhue - Mount TBR Challenge
 

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A little more reading this week, I am now cursing the fact that I have the kindle app on my phone! I have downloaded so many free kindle books that I will probably never get to read them all but I just can't stop! I have discovered some more really great books that way. 

On another note, Munchkin is finally figuring out the whole sleeping thing! We are making it through the night only waking up once! Thank goodness!! Which means I am getting more sleep, but on a resulting note, Munchkin is not napping during the day which leaves less time for chores, reading, writing and crafts.  But I really don't mind because I am getting super cute smiles and giggles from him. I am now finally understanding those women who say they have an instant, unimaginable amount of love for their little ones.

 

 

I hope you all have a fantastic week & those of you in the US have a Happy Thanksgiving!!