What I'm Reading: Animals and the Afterlife (Kim Sheridan)

I first read this book a few years ago after I lost my dog. We lost our other dog the following year and my grandson's puppy the year after that. So no, I am not okay. And while I am starting to get to the point where I think about maybe adopting an older pit bull (one who gets along with smaller dogs and will not try and kill the neighborhood cats) I'm not quite there yet. But I digress.

One of the things I found most interesting about this book was how much the author talked about pet rats that she and others had had. It was unusual. Most pet psychics seem to stick to more mainstream animal companions--dogs, cats, horses. Rats are outliers to some extent. Of course, there are people who might say the same about horses, but that's beside the point. 

I was at yoga last week and overheard the teacher talking about his pet rats (all dead now) and how he was thinking about getting a new one and about reincarnation, wishing he could communicate with his former pets, etc. 

I couldn't wait to suggest this book to him. And now to all of you, as well...

Animals and the Afterlife

Kim Sheridan

http://kimsheridan.com/books/

Do animals have souls?
What happens when they die?
This book offers some amazing answers…

Kim Sheridan grew up with animals as her constant companions. Each time she faced the death of a beloved animal, along with the pain came the same questions, to which she could find no answers. Then mysterious things began to happen which she could not explain. Unable to dismiss these mysterious events, Kim embarked upon what became an incredible journey to uncover the truth. Along with her own experiences, she compiled the extraordinary experiences of ordinary people from around the world. She discovered overwhelming evidence that forever erased her own doubts of an afterlife for animals. Kim’s award-winning book provides reassurance to anyone who has ever loved and lost an animal. For more information, visit: www.AnimalsAndTheAfterlife.com

Mug Shot: I Love Books

So, April 23 is World Book Day...which I'd never heard of before. According to UNESCO: "Books are like a window onto another world – with each new page, they introduce us to new people, new cultures and new ideas. Every year, on 23 April, UNESCO celebrates World Book and Copyright Day in recognition of the power of books as a bridge between generations and across cultures."

I certainly can't argue with that! I picked this mug up at a local thrift store. It's nice, kind of elegant, with a good design. I've been using it a lot lately. 

What I'm Reading: It's Not Me, It's You (Jo Lovett)

So, I love books that involve characters having to deal with being part of a reality TV show--mostly because my own reality TV book series (Inked in OakTown) has been stalled for some time. This story also features a heroine who writes romance and a hero who despises the genre--at least at the beginning. 

It was surprisingly intriguing, although I must admit the rules of the challenge confused the hell out of me. It was also very When Harry Met Sally meets the Great British Bake Off. IYKYK.

It's Not Me, It's You

Jo Lovett 

https://www.amazon.com/Its-Not-Me-You-rom-com-ebook/dp/B0F42JYHTK/ref=sr_1_2

One hopeless romantic 💕

One hardened cynic ❤️‍🩹

One bet they’ll never forget... 🔥

Freya writes bestselling romance novels for a living, but off the page, she doesn’t believe in happy endings.

Jake is a divorced divorce lawyer who does believe in romance ­– despite every day seeing the results of failed relationships.

When a TV news segment captures their very public disagreement about modern love, the clip goes viral, and to settle the debate, they strike a deal: Jake will find Freya her perfect match, and Freya will convince Jake that romance is a fairy tale best left in fiction.

The rules are simple. The stakes are high. And the chemistry? Undeniable.

Mug Shot: Cat Mug

This mug is very apropos because it's currently kitten season in my neck of the woods. Which means that the wild cat population of my town is larger than it was a few weeks ago.  Personally, I love cats. I consider myself a cat person even though I haven't actually had a cat as a pet in quite a few years. The last three dogs I cared for were NOT cat friendly, sad to say, which is why so many people who haven't known me that long assume I'm a dog person. However, since my "not having cats" has coincided with my living in places where there's been a robust "neighborhood cat" population, it's not like I haven't interacted with cats. It just means they don't live in my house. 

I found out recently that these cats are known collectively as the Kyle Curse. Apparently they live in (and travel through) the sewers. I don't think they're entirely feral since a surprising number of them are eager to be petted, and of course they're always happy to be fed, but they don't seem to want anything more than that out of our relationship. Which allows me to continue to deny any sort of ownership. 

Up until the point where I decide to move, of course. When that day comes, all bets are off.  

But anyway, the mug. I've found myself liking blue now more than I ever did before, so that's a plus. It's a good (albeit generic) size and shape. And the cat faces are really cute. 5/5  Would recommend. 

What I'm Reading: Blood and Sand (Jordan L Hawk)

So I think this is the end of this series, which is sad, although everything was wrapped up in a very satisfactory manner. The Pride seems to be an off-shoot of Hawk's earlier series, Hexworld, which I think is my favorite of all her series. So...it feels sort of like I'm saying good-bye all over again.

Anyway, they're both really similar in feel to Allie Therin's Magic in Manhattan series (which also has a spin-off or two)

So if you like prohibition-era, paranormal, m/m romantic suspense with shape-shifters, bootleggers, flappers and the like--these are the series for you!

Blood and Sand

Jordan L Hawk

https://jordanlhawk.com/products/blood-and-sand-the-pride-3-ebook

War has come to the streets of Chicago…

Sam Cunningham didn’t set out to work for a gangster, but his job as Mickey Sullivan’s hexmaster seems safe enough…until a gang war puts a target on both of their backs.

Cheetah-shifter Alistair Gatti is desperate to keep his family’s speakeasy up and running. But with a brutal assassin killing off the city’s bootleggers, his options are growing slimmer with every passing day.

Their one chance to remain safe and keep The Pride afloat lies in the form of an ancient hex looted from an Egyptian tomb. If Sam wants to escape Sullivan’s grasp, he needs to recreate the hex and get it to work.

But in a gang war fought by magic as well as guns, the odds are in no one’s favor, and the streets of Chicago will soon run red with blood.

Mug Shot: Mustang Island

This is another of the mugs I picked up during my Port Aransas trip last year. As I've mentioned previously, I'm a sucker for ceramic mugs that are made in the image of enamel camp mugs. Mustang Island is GORGEOUS and this mug is a cheerful reminder of it, even if it is a tad heavy for everyday use.

What I'm Reading: A "Trapped in the Elevator" Compilation

So, I noticed a strange pattern developing in my reading lately. I've encountered three books in which the H/H meet each other when they trapped together in an elevator. I've never written a 'trapped in the elevator' scene. I don't think I will--although I never say never when it comes to what my muse might come up with. She's a real "hold my beer" kinda sprite. But it's never happened to me, so I think I'm safe.

The first book--Let's Call the Whole Thing Off, by Andie Elliott--takes place during her book, I Could Write a Book, which I talked about earlier this year. The elevator in question gets stuck during a wedding with two of the wedding party inside. 

Let's Call the Whole Thing Off

Andie Elliott

 

https://www.amazon.com/Lets-Call-Whole-Thing-Off-ebook/dp/B0D87L24QN/

Serious-as-a-heart-attack reporter Robert Ryan is here, as promised, because frankly he couldn’t think of a way to get out of being in his rival—er, colleague’s—wedding.

 

Sunshiny actor turned groomsman-for-hire Jamie Daley is here because the guy who was supposed to walk down the aisle with Robert decided he had better things to do.

 

And now they are both stuck in an elevator because the Park Palace clearly needs to do more frequent inspections of their equipment.

 

What could possibly go right?

 

You Rock My World opens with two people trapped overnight in an elevator, which sounds amazingly uncomfortable. It's insta-love with a rock star hero, which normally isn't my favorite, but I like the way the author spun it into more of a right time, right place kind of thing.

You Rock My World
Camilla Isley

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F4WPZDBZ

When Josie gets trapped overnight in an elevator with Rian Phoenix—global rock legend—she figures it’ll be a funny story to tell, not a plot twist with heartache written all over it. Only, the real Rian isn’t the bad boy the headlines describe. He is witty, kind, and unexpectedly swoon-worthy. By morning, they’ve shared snacks, secrets, and sparked a dangerously real connection. Then the elevator doors open. Reality crashes in, and Josie becomes a stranger he’s not supposed to remember. She walks away with a bruised heart and a vow to steer clear of rockstars forever.

A year later, Josie’s steady again—until she’s reassigned as Rian’s PR manager. Back in his orbit, she must keep things professional to protect her job—and avoid falling for him all over again. But Rian hasn’t forgotten her. Too bad picking up where they left off could cost her everything. With the world watching, Josie has to decide whether to guard her heart and her career… or press play on a love story that finally hits all the right notes.

I almost didn't include A Lot to Unpack in this list because I'm not actually finished with it yet. And also because while the H/H do get trapped in the elevator, it's only for a couple of minutes and then they immediately go their separate ways for AGES. Like...the next 25% of the book, as far as I can tell. But they DID meet in the elevator, and that seemed weirdly coincidental, so here you go...

A Lot to Unpack

Portia MacIntosh

https://www.amazon.com/Lot-Unpack-proximity-rivals-lovers-ebook/dp/B0F4WB3F1J/

Liberty’s just landed her dream job. The catch? It’s at Matcher, the dating app that ruined her life. After catching her boyfriend sending intimate pictures to everyone in a twenty mile radius, Liberty is struggling to get back into the dating game. Every man gives her the ick sooner or later.

Still, she’s having a great time travelling the world for work, until she’s assigned a secret mission: Travel to New York with her handsome and charming boss Jordan and swap out a contract from under his nose. It should be easy, but the more time Liberty spends with Jordan, the more she realises he might not be the bad boy she thought he was. But it turns out they’ve both got a lot to unpack, and Liberty still needs to complete her mission if she wants to keep her job - which means not breaking the one golden rule: do not fall for the boss!