[memes] Winter Reads, Blogging + my week in books

I wanted to meme. And only had one weekly post to do it. So there's a whole lotta memeage happening in this post. 😸

Ahhhhh can the week be over now? lol

• We got a LOT of snow for our area. 6 inches, then hours of rain then 2 more inches. It was gorgeous and chilly and thankfully melted pretty quickly. Only a few areas of snow still left on the ground. 

• Food pantry and USO went well! 

3.5 stars-- A Tall, Dark Cowboy Christmas (Gold Valley #4) by Maisey Yates

Christmas and grumbly cowboys? Yes, please! lol

A Tall, Dark Cowboy Christmas was a heart touching romance that had me wiping away some pesky tears, laughing, and rooting for two damaged yet strong individuals.

The Gist: Grant's found a woman sleeping in an abandoned cabin on his property. Turns out she's homeless and a bit prickly. Suits him just fine since he's a bit of an asshole, too. Might be they're exactly what the other needs to soften some of those sharp edges.

4 stars-- Cowboy SEAL Christmas (Navy SEAL Cowboys #3) by Nicole Helm

Sometimes the ones with the biggest smiles are the ones hiding the most hurt and pain. Cowboy SEAL Christmas tugged at the heart, yall. Whew boy!

The Gist: Gabe is not fond of therapists. That the foundation he's co-building to help military veterans has an on site therapist..irksome to say the least. That she's got a cool kid and is a great mom and is scorching hot...yeah. Color him real annoyed. And, dammit, tempted. Even if she's all about Christmas cheer and he's got a whole Grinch thing going on. lol

[quote-tastic] Her Cowboy Billionaire Best Friend (Christmas in Coral Canyon #1) by Liz Isaacson

So a quote today that made me smile. Graham and Laney are a bit older than the typical romance hero and heroine (in their 40s) and they're really rather hesitant and shy about starting things up. Something about that to me is just so dang sweet.

[memes] Snowed In! + my week in books

I wanted to meme. And only had one weekly post to do it. So there's a whole lotta memeage happening in this post. You might have to scroll down a bit to get the one you're looking for. 😸

Well we made it to Friday. Can we leave it at that? lol

The Home Front

• Lots of house work, organizing, purging. Made a little progress.
• The food pantry was slow but lots of shelving was done so a good thing
• I had a moment and put a huge dent in both passenger doors on the new car. It's bad. It was stupid. And will cost me. Blerg! But it drives and I'm fine.
• I went to a Menorah Lighting which was interesting.

3.5 stars-- Secretly Smitten (Smitten #2) Anthology

Secretly Smitten was full of romance as a trio of sisters and their mother find love while trying to solve a decades old mystery involving their grandmother and her beau who was killed in the war--but might have survived somehow.

3 stars-- Emergency Engagement (Love Emergency, #1) by Samanthe Beck

Beck is so fun. Christmas, a fake romance, a sexy EMT? Oh lordy, yes, please!

The Gist: It's Christmas and Beau's parents? Well, they've just found him in his neighbor's bedroom coping a feel. I mean, that's what they think they've found (it's totally not) and they're..ecstatic! And Beau decides to ask his neighbor-- who's a stranger-- if she'll, you know, be his fake fiance for the holidays just to ease their minds a little more.

[memes] Warm Winter Fuzzies! +my week in books

I wanted to meme. And only had one weekly post to do it. So there's a whole lotta memeage happening in this post. You might have to scroll down a bit to get the one you're looking for. 😸

The Monthly Herd-- November-

November is a wrap! How? I know we say this every month but how is it already December?! That's unreal. 

Blog All About It --TRUTH

This Month's Prompt
TRUTH

I wasn't sure what I was going to do with this month's prompt. Share some truths about my life? Eh. I'm fairly open about everything already, right? 

But then I had this lyric get stuck in my head and I thought...yeah lets do that!

This song. I don't know. I like it.

all I need is you
Three chords and the truth. 

It's a great video, too. Rice decided to surprise a fan with a guitar. Music changed his life and he wanted to do the same for a kid that could really use it and picked a little guy who has a bunch of medical issues. It was sweet.

4 stars-- Hot Winter Nights (Heartbreaker Bay #6) by Jill Shalvis

Hot Winter Nights was so dang fun. And had some good snort-worthy moments. I do love when characters get a little bashful and when creative terminology is tossed about...

Insta-August (erm, yeah)

Because I love Instagram and sharing what we've been up to the last couple weeks...

So, yeah, I've not done an Insta(Wednesday) in months. MONTHS. I don't know what happened. lol But I'm gonna start posting those again I think. So InstaPictures from August!

3.5 stars-- Snowed in with the Cowboy (Gold Valley #3.5) by Maisey Yates

Christmas, a winter storm, one hot sexy cowboy who you've been lusting after for years aaaaand...getting snowed in with said cowboy at a small town lodge? Christmas wish come true!

The hitch? Well, that cowboy and that cowgirl are step siblings who've been secretly hung up on each other since forever. And, sweet Mary, what would their siblings and mom think if they gave in and had their way with each other?!! Erms!

[memes] Best Platonic Relationships + my week in books

I wanted to meme. And only had one weekly post to do it. So there's a whole lotta memeage happening in this post. You might have to scroll down a bit to get the one you're looking for. 😸

So a lot of books happened this week. That's about it. lol 

I had off from the USO and food pantry and had no other commitments. So I read a lot and did a lot of planning and worked outside. That's about it.

Thanksgiving happened and that was low key, too. I don't usually do much for it but did decide to cook this year and do some yummy things. 

3.5 stars-- Instant Attraction (Wilder #1) by Jill Shalvis

Jill Shalvis! Yay! I've been binge reading her backlist this year and that included trying the Wilder siblings who own an outdoor adventure business.

This gave me a laugh. Damn, indeed!

[4.5 stars] Whiskey River Rescue (Whiskey River #1) by Justine Davis

Oh my! Whiskey River Rescue was quite the surprise! Starting with the hero tearing down the heroine's house. Without telling her. Yall!

I was sitting over here going someone needs to die.

I really was.

But the house tearing down jerk...he managed to win me over completely and leave me crying. The hell?!! lol

[memes] Thank You Sweet Baby Jesus and all The Little Archangels for These Lickable Heroes.

I wanted to meme. And only had one weekly post to do it. So there's a whole lotta memeage happening in this post. You might have to scroll down a bit to get the one you're looking for. 😸

This week went by pretty quickly. We had a ton of rain that just would not end, I don't know that we saw the sun even once and had our first freeze. So...that was fun. lol

4 stars-- Fatal Frost (Dewberry Farm #2) by Karen MacInerney

Nice mysteries, interesting set up, great narration. Fatal Frost was a fantastic time.

The Gist: Someone is intent on being a Grinch. The ladies in town are receiving nasty letters accusing them of all kinds of things and two of those ladies, well, they wind up dead. Even worse? One of Lucy's good friends is being accused of the murders.

2 stars-- Royal Date (The Royals of Monterra, #1) by Sariah Wilson

Eh. If you've watched a Hallmark movie with a royal family you basically know the gist of Royal Date. Poor heroine on holiday catches a Prince's eye and then winds up hurt and taken under his wing for the holidays. He's smitten, she resists, the temptation of betraying him is presented, she breaks up with him yada yada. 

SIGN UP-- 2019 All About the Trope Challenge

All About the Trope! I enjoyed this challenge as well. It's a little different in that you're tracking a trope instead of a genre. 

Pick your trope then read...as many as you want. 

SIGN UP-- 2019 Blogger Shame Challenge

Blogger Shame Challenge. Yes! This one has been such a good challenge for me over the last couple years. It's helped me tame my review pile and lighten the stress of all those review books that were so far past their review date.

Basically, this is a way to cheekily catch up on review request copies that have been languishing on your review pile for at least 6 months and are way past due to the author or publisher.

They can be print, audio or ebooks.

SIGN UP-- 2019 Blog All About It Challenge

Blog All About It turned out to be one of my favorite challenges of 2018. It was a nice way to stretch my blogger wings and get some fun posts up so I decided to do it again!

Basically there's a word each month and any time during the month you can blog about that word. In any way you want. Review, recipe, photos, stories, etc

[memes] The Concert that Didn't Happen, Bookish Pretties + my week in books

 I wanted to meme. And only had one weekly post to do it. So there's a whole lotta memeage happening in this post. You might have to scroll down a bit to get the one you're looking for. 😸

Args! This week. It really wasn't so bad overall but ended with some disappointment. I planted a lot, noticed my lettuce and garlic coming up!, worked at the food pantry and did a lot of piddling around the house getting ready for a trip to Georgia for a concert.

3.5 stars-- Want Me, Cowboy (Copper Ridge: Desire #5) by Maisey Yates

Cowboys and Christmas! Yall know that's my catnip. Want Me, Cowboy was delightful!

The Gist: Poppy and Isaiah have worked together for 10 years. And suddenly her boss decides he needs a wife and tasks her with putting an ad in the paper and...finding him one. Seeing she's been in love with him for a decade and wants to fill that position herself, well, yes, she's a spot fit to be tied.

These two were interesting!

3 stars-- Instant Temptation (Wilder #3) by Jill Shalvis

Overall I enjoyed Instant Temptation! But, I did have some issues with a couple scenes that were really inappropriate.

The Gist: Well. Harley and TJ have some sparks. And some irritation with one another. Something he don't understand the source of. But he's going to find out even if he has to invite himself along on a multi day hike she's taking for work. They're gonna settle this. Even if they have to get nekkid to do so. Mmhm.

SIGN UP-- Christmas Recipe Exchange!

I love this event!

It's our take on the Christmas Card Exchange except...we send each other recipes!

Everyone will be matched up with 1-3 other people and then exchange cards/recipes we love.  Sign up starts today and closes December 1st You'll get your matches by December 3rd. SIGN UP HERE!

[And So We Sing]- Yall. His Beard Game is Strong!

Taking a little break from books and herd to...sing a little. 

I have been loving Jordan Davis. His songs are so catchy and lord! His beard game. It's strong. lol

[memes] Oh Those Backlists! Woo! +my week in books

I wanted to meme. And only had one weekly post to do it. So there's a whole lotta memeage happening in this post. You might have to scroll down a bit to get the one you're looking for. 😸

Another week down. Goodness it's going too fast! This week was a mix. I had the USO which is always great. I skipped the food pantry, though. Cleo was having a hard afternoon Wednesday so I decided to stay home with her.

I'm continuing the whole plant mom thing and bought more. *hangs head* But what's gone in is looking good!

I couponed and cleaned and organized. Read and did Blog Ahead. I have SO many posts done. Some even out to December 2019! Yikes!

So a pretty good week overall!

The Monthly Herd-- October-- Where there were ALL the things!

Oh my October.

I gardened.

I volunteered.

I couponed.

I blogged.

And blogged some more!

[Blog All About It] My Trees

This Month's Prompt
TREES! 

Ha! So when I was making up the prompts for the challenge I thought Fall! Trees! It would be beautiful! And then Fall was like eeeehhh I'm maybe not ready yet. Heh

But I thought I'd share my tree. We've known each other for almost 16 years. He's not the strongest of trees. But I just couldn't say...tear him out. So me and my tree we go through the years together.

So a year of my wee dogwood...

4 stars-- A Bone to Pick (Widow's Island #2) by Melinda Leigh

Ooh yes. A Bone to Pick was a nice mystery that kept me guessing and left me even more curious about Widow's Island.

The Gist: An artist has been killed and naked paintings uncovered in his studio? Well they make for lots of potential suspects. They sure do.

[memes] Oh The Halloween Horrors! +my reading week

I wanted to meme. And only had one weekly post to do it. So there's a whole lotta memeage happening in this post. You might have to scroll down a bit to get the one you're looking for. 😸

Oh this week. Yeah. It was a special one. lol

1 star-- Emergency Attraction (Love Emergency #3) by Samanthe Beck

I've really enjoyed Beck's books and had such a good time with book one-- Emergency Engagement. And LOVED book two-- Emergency Delivery. It was one of my favorite reads this year.

Emergency Attraction and I, though? Well, yall, we did not get along. No, ma'am. We sure did not.

4 stars-- Close to the Bone (Widow's Island #1) by Kendra Elliot

Close to the Bone was my first time with Elliot. And, oh, yall, I enjoyed it! I picked it up because I have been loving Melinda Leigh. They co-write this series and Leigh writes book 2. So a new author to try. And she was fun!

The Gist: Cate's been sent home to the island she grew up on to recuperate after being shot on the job. But during her down time...bones are found and with no one able to travel to the island she's called up to work the case. One that might be quite personal depending on who's bones they turn out to be.

4 stars-- Bluegrass State of Mind (Bluegrass #1) by Kathleen Brooks

The cover got me. I'm a cover ho. I won't lie. But I had a good time with it, too. 

This scene gave me a laugh. The ladies were having a rough go of things that day and decided to take it out on dessert. 

[memes] Oh Those Villains! + my week in books

I wanted to meme. And only had one weekly post to do it. So there's a whole lotta memeage happening in this post. You might have to scroll down a bit to get the one you're looking for. 😸

Whoa boy it got cold, yall. It was like summer...summer...WINTER! lol We're getting down into the 30s at night. Holy cow.

This was a pretty good week.

Tasty Delights-- Sweet Potato Chickpea Stew

I've been in a food funk lately. Not that I've not been enjoying what I'm making but I just wasn't trying anything new, really. And I was missing that bit of creativity and adventure in the kitchen. 

A 16 hour rainy day proved just the thing I needed to get back in the kitchen and try something new. This time a Sweet Potato Chickpea Stew. 

Yall. It was SO good!

1 star-- The Rescuer by Ann Omasta

What the fresh fucking hell?! This is one of those reads someone should have stepped in and said no. Just...no. What a ridiculous mess. I'm actually kind of pissed it wasted my time. Yall. I'm about to have me a rant. So, yeah, there will be spoilers in this review.

The Gist: The heroine finds herself at the bank during a robbery and offers herself up as the hostage so they'll leave a little deaf girl alone. She'd been eye fucking the girl's daddy while waiting in line and just couldn't let her be taken.

4 stars-- Revenant (Lords of Deliverance #6) by Larissa Ione

Ah man. I forgot how much I love Ione's books! It's been ages since I read from this series but I finally got myself together to read Revenant and damn. Just damn. Action packed and doesn't hold any punches. Lordy but it was good.

The Gist: Well. Blaspheme and Revenant. Their lives are...complicated. Being hunted by angels, dealing with Satan, families that'd make you wanna poke someone's eye out, damn inconvenient lusty thoughts about each other. Yeah. Life is more than a little bit messy. Even more so when they realize they're the ones who have to stop the big bad...somehow.

[memes] Pretty Libraries + my week in books

I wanted to meme. And only had one weekly post to do it. So there's a whole lotta memeage happening in this post. You might have to scroll down a bit to get the one you're looking for. 😸

It was a pretty great week here! I got a TON of stuff done. And survived another hurricane. smh

4 stars-- It Had to Be You (Lucky Harbor #7) by Jill Shalvis

It's been a few years since I spent time in Lucky Harbor but I decided it was time to finish up this series and oh my word. So fun!

So two quotes today because they both made me laugh as Shalvis always does...

3.5 stars-- Vampire Most Wanted (Argeneau #20) by Lynsay Sands

Oh Lynsay Sands. She does make me love vampires all over again. It's been a while since I've read in this series and Vampire Most Wanted reminded me how much I've enjoyed them.

The Gist: Marcus has a job. Check out a carnival fortune teller and see if she's possibly a rogue vampire. He just has to make sure it's the right vampire he's hunting and to do so? Well, he joins the carnival.

Tasty Delights-- Halloween Mummies

Sometimes you need a little silly in your life. I saw this one floating around last year on Facebook and since I had hot dogs and crescent rolls from couponing (yay free things!) I decided to give them a go.

Totally cute and pretty tasty for a little holiday whimsy.

I think these would be great for kids to get them hands on and having fun in the kitchen. Super easy, yall.

[And So We Sing] Everything's Gonna Be Alright

Taking a little break from books and herd to...sing a little. 

I heard this when things were rough with the herd and there were car troubles and I just really needed this one.
I'd not heard of David Lee Murphy and not a huge fan of Chesney on his own but together this one was working me.

[memes] Longest Reads & Urban Fantasy + my week in books

I wanted to meme. And only had one weekly post to do it. So there's a whole lotta memeage happening in this post. You might have to scroll down a bit to get the one you're looking for. 😸

Whew! It's been a busy week again. Lots of couponing (our store is having a big event), the USO, the food pantry, house projects, herding. Blog Ahead started and I'm making slow progress on that. But at least I'm doing posts! I haven't formatted posts since early July. So it's a good thing even if slow. lol

4 stars-- Keep Me, Cowboy (77th Copper Mountain Rodeo #3) by Nicole Helm

Oh goodness. Helm does know how to give you down to their bones fucked up and broken characters and make you ache for them. Keep Me, Cowboy was a short read but one full of feels as a family is forced to face how messed up they've become over the years and tries to piece their lives back together.

The Gist: 10 years earlier Cole left town and the girl he loved. He thought he was doing the right thing at the time but now that she's forcing him to come back to town and face his family (the one she wishes were her own) and her? Well, he's realizing maybe he hadn't had it right all those years ago after all. 

"I don't know who I am. All I've ever done is look for family, and no one wants that from me. So, I don't know who to be."

The Monthly Herd-- September-- It...was a handful

Oh my September. You were a handful.