Life Update

So I came back from vacation and had the best of intentions...but then life threw a few lemons.

One lemon being my office job; I've been given some projects that have required more of my time. I'm hoping I have it under control now, at least for the most part. Another lemon was that I recently lost an Uncle. I wasn't very close to him, but I am close to my Aunt. So I made sure I was there for her.

I've done some exploring, and blogger has a tool already built in that allows blog posts to be scheduled, or I could simply save them off. I've also invested in Hootsuite for some of my other social media outlets. This way I can prepare videos and posts in advance so that when life throws a few hurdles, I will hopefully have things already under control and be able to just go in and schedule a few things if necessary.

I promise more posts coming soon, in fact I just posted a new YouTube video this morning which you can watch here: https://youtu.be/bExVYcgcMkE. This was my first Top 5 Wednesday video, and the video for this week was top 5 character tropes. I also have a review of Moonwitched coming soon; I just have a little more of the book to read.

Stay tuned, the Lemon Meringue Pie is coming. (I am tired of lemonade.)

Home From Vacation

Last weekend my Fiance and I went to my parents cottage and participated in Pirate Day. It was sooooo much fun!!! I can't wait to go back again next year.
While getting hit with water balloons, hoses shooting water like a fire hose, and other water guns may not sound like fun to some, it was a total blast. It takes place on the lakes at the community their cottage is in. Pirate Day was created several years ago, but this was our first go of it. It only lasts an hour, rather than a day, but it was the best hour of the vacation.

We went out on their pontoon boat loaded with 5, 5-gallon sized buckets of water balloons, and water guns. We had the theme from Pirates of the Carribean playing, and a few times I couldn't help but think about some of the boat battles in the movies. More than once, in one way or another, one boat played the lead ship for the crown at the end of the third movie.

I also learned the hard way a hat does not stay on your head. I wore a baseball cap to try to protect my head from the sun...we later went fishing for the hat as on a sudden burst of speed to try to get away from one of the pirate boats, the hat went flying off my head. I'm hoping to be able to get my hands on a waterproof, possibly an underwater camera for next year. My mother stayed on dry ground, but we were so far out she wasn't able to get photos of the action.
In addition to Pirate Day, I enjoyed time reading, walking, fishing, and I even tried kayaking. My sister wanted to go kayaking but wanted someone to go with her. I went willingly, although I wonder if she regretted her choice. I kind of took off in the kayak and had to keep slowing down for her. I later found even my parents in the canoe had trouble keeping up. I did tire though, but so did they. I only made it back to the beach first because we all got there around the same time and had to allow someone to go first. It's a small beach.

Now home, and while happy to be home, I'm sad to have the vacation be over. I know that come Monday, I'll be returning to my day job at an office.

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Book Review: The Corridor by A N Willis

OMG!!! What a fantastic read!! Suspense, mystery, thrills and chills. This book is very exciting and a must read of 2015.

The Corridor by A N Willis is about a girl named Estele who goes by Stel, she lives on First Earth, and works at something called The Corridor, until an uncontrollable surge gives her the power of the Corridor.

The Corridor allows travel between worlds, or at least is supposed to. When it was first brought online it killed thousands. Her father was the head of the facility at the time, but after the surge, someone Stel thought was their friend sabotaged her father and he was demoted.

Her father now spends his time researching the Corridor trying to find a way to stabilize it for travel. Meanwhile, Stel finds the surge has given he the power of the Corridor. She can summon a portal between her hands and shift between worlds. She explores the worlds until a chilling announcement, the new head of The Corridor facility is going to build a second Corridor.

Now it's a rush to find the answers and convince the facility head that building a second Corridor is a bad idea. Stel doesn't know how to tell anyone about her ability. She fears they will consider her a Mod; a modified human with special abilities and lock her up in prison.

I was disappointed to learn I had read the last sentence. I'm sitting here craving more, to know how the story goes. Thankfully, the next book in the series, The Thirteenth, will be coming out this fall. I rate this book 5 stars out of 5. This is a definite winner in my book.

*I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley.com for an honest review.




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Book Review: Born of Fire by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Born of Fire is the second book of Sherrilyn Kenyon's hit series The League.

The story focuses on Shahara Dagan and C.I Syn; and begins with Shahara's sister in the hospital after she gets beat up badly from taking a loan she can't pay back. Shahara goes after Syn for the bounty on his head by President Zamir for the alleged rape and murder of his daughter Kiara (who we first met in Born of Night) to pay for her sister's hospital bill and pay off the loan, plus the bounty is so high she will have some money left over to take care of her debts as well.

What Shahara doesn't know, is how cruel life can be and how innocent Syn is of his alleged crimes. Luckily Syn isn't an easy catch even for a well trained tracer like Shahara, and Shahara fails to take Syn in. But she makes a deal with the Ritadarian government who wants Syn for their own reasons, and gives them Syn's location so they can arrest him. It's only after Syn is arrested that Shahara realizes there is a little bit of good in him as she learns her sister's hospital bill has been paid in full with extra should they need anything.

To get Syn out, Shahara makes another deal with the Ritadarian government to help them get what they want. Shahara has no idea what mess and trouble she has just brought upon herself. She is quickly drawn into Syn's past and current life, and learns of what a big mistake she has made.
Born of Fire takes you on a wild ride and life lessons the characters learn, you learn as well. It's filled with great one liners like Syn's motto, "no good deed goes unpunished".

The characters are great too. Kenyon has a way of making the characters come to life right off the page, and puts you in the story. So while Shahara and Syn are running for their lives your heart rate will go up with theirs.

The audio book version is read by Fred Berman, and he does a really great job with the voices. He puts emphasis in the right places and helps make the characters and what is happening real.
This is a good book that I recommend to everyone interested in a little action, some romance, and a few good laughs. Also, don't miss Born of Ice which is the next book in the series.


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Book Review: Wicked Charms by Janet Evanovich and Phoef Sutton

Wicked Charms is wickedly funny. It’s a good book to just sit back, relax, and unwind with after a hard day at the office.

Wicked Charms by Janet Evanovich and Phoef Sutton is the third book of the Lizzy & Diesel series. You may know Diesel if you have read the Stephanie Plum books; he’s branched out and is working with Lizzy now to collect the seven Saligia Stones. Each stone represents a different deadly sin; the stone they are after in this story is the stone representing greed.

Similar to how Diesel has a special ability to open any lock, Lizzy has a special ability to sense empowered objects, like the Saligia stones. A monkey named Carl also moves around with the group, he doesn’t have any special abilities, just basically gives everyone the finger.

There’s also Wulf who is Diesel’s cousin, and wants the stones to use for himself. Helping him is Hatchet, who thinks he is in medieval times. When you put this crazy group of characters together, you get a few laughs at their expense.

This story also adds a guy that thinks he is a demon, who needs the stone to be reborn fully as the demon. There is also his faithful butler, who likes to laugh. The guy who thinks he’s a demon is obviously crazy, right? Demons don’t really exist; I mean sure Diesel, Lizzy, and a few others they meet have these special abilities but surely this guy isn’t really a demon. Is he?

While you can read this book without reading the first two books of the series, Wicked Appetite and Wicked Business, I at least recommend Wicked Appetite so you can be appropriately introduced to the characters, and you’ll get a few more laughs out of the book if you know their background.

So, who gets the stone of greed? Does the crazy guy really become a demon? I’m not going to tell you. You’ll just have to read the book yourself to find out, and see what crazy funny trouble Lizzy and Diesel can get themselves into.

Check out this and other books in the series at Amazon.

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*I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

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Review: The President's Shadow by Brad Meltzer

The President's Shadow by Brad Meltzer, is a jaw-dropping, show stopping, heart pumping thriller.

An arm is found in the Rose Garden by the President's wife. Just an arm, no body, just the arm. In it is a flattened penny that has something to do with a terrible past, and a terrible secret that has been kept by our government.

This story is filled with twists, interesting facts, and heart pounding, heart stopping moments.

Beecher White is a member of the Culper Ring, and is called in by the President himself to keep his family safe. Someone has gotten through the tightest security and now Beecher must use his knowledge and get some help from close friends to get to the bottom of this.

I did have to turn away a few times, as I have a weak stomach and the torture scenes described are so vivid, they made me sick. This is not meant as a turn off for anyone, but just goes to show the details provided, but they don't take away from the story. Just pieces snuck into the dialogue, you don't even realize are there.

I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. Go to your local bookstore, or library and see what secrets The President's Shadow by Brad Meltzer holds.

*I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley.com in exchange for an honest review.



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Uploading My First Booktube Video

You can now find me on YouTube! Oh man that was stressful. I've recorded my next video already, and, it's going to take some getting used to being in front of a camera. I'm much more used to being behind the scenes, maybe writing the lines. 

I do think for my third video, I'm going to try thinking it out better. I'm thinking I may even try making a PowerPoint presentation, not that you'll know if you watch because I'm planning to use it more like cue cards. Or maybe you will know because I won't seem so nervous.

It took...I don't even remember how many takes to just get through the questions. And even then while editing - I just used Microsoft Live Movie Maker - I'm sitting here going, "what I should have said is," or "I could have expanded on that with...". So I'm hoping the PowerPoint next time will help...maybe. I'd also like to try YouTube's video editor, and see what tools it has; I didn't even know until I had uploaded my video and was choosing the title, and thumbnail that YouTube even had an editor.

Speaking of thumbnails; I had some fun and verified my account to add my own thumbnail. I took a screen print of one of the scenes, I forgot to do some footage of posing for this, so I found where I'm talking but look like I'm smiling and my eyes are open, then I just used Paint - the program, not the art supply - and added a title to the picture. That is my thumbnail.

I still hope to add more to my repertoire. But it's slow going. I am having trouble finding time outside of working at my office job. Plus, June has been a busy month for family events - Graduation parties, my sister running in a track meet for her work, Father's Day gathering, Baby Showers...the list goes on. So stay tuned for more BookTube videos, and I'm hoping to throw in something new here on the blog before the end of the year. (I don't want to get too ambitious that I end up overworking myself, and the year is basically half over already.)

Until next time, check out my first Booktube video:

You can also find me on: Google + and Twitter

I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.