My Thoughts for Your Thursday

I've decided that Thursday will be the day that I post some form of a discussion each week. Tuesdays are typically the day that new books release, so I will save that for reviews. I will no longer be sharing all of my reviews here since I do a majority of my reviewing on goodreads now. I will continue posting reviews for books that I receive for review here on my blog (as well as a review on goodreads) and others that I feel like sharing. But I want this blog to be more about discussions than reviews. 

Buddy Reading

Today I want to discuss buddy reading. If you don't know what buddy reading is, it's basically when you and another person decide to read a book together and discuss it as you go. There are many ways of doing buddy reads and a lot of groups on goodreads have a bunch of these going on at a time. 

Sometimes the buddy reads within a group can get little big, which can kind of defeat the purpose of a buddy read for me. Everyone will kind of read at their own pace in these reads and then comment as they go. The discussions can be a lot of fun, but I find myself being drawn to these reads less and less these days. 

My favorite kind of buddy read is with one or two individuals where we decide a set number of pages or chapters to read within a given amount of time and then come back to discuss that section before moving on. These reads tend to be a little deeper in discussion since everyone is at the same point and you don't have to worry as much about accidentally spoiling someone. 

Do you buddy read? If so, what type of buddy reading do you prefer?

 

Blind Betrayal~Nancy Mehl | Review

Title: Blind Betrayal (Defenders of Justice #3)
Author: Nancy Mehl
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Length: 320 Pages
Release: April 2018

A copy of this novel was received through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Review

Blind Betrayal by Nancy Mehl is a very suspense-filled book, third in her Defenders of Justice series. Nancy Mehl grabs her reader’s attention from the first page, not giving them a reprieve, until the final page. Blind Betrayal by Nancy Mehl is a very good intense book, filled with loads of suspense, danger, and surprising plot twists. This third installment in Nancy Mehl’s series was very good in my opinion. I really enjoyed Nancy Mehl’s characters, as she wove relatable traits into each character as well as building a deep and mysterious personal history for each character.

The plot in Nancy Mehl’s book follows a strong, independent, fierce woman, Casey Sloane, a US Marshal in St. Louis, as she and her partner undertake the assignment of getting a witness safely from St. Louis to Washington D. C. Needless to say, the task sounds much easier than it actually is and Casey, her partner, and other members of the U.S. Marshals have to deal with a bombing, attempted murder, wounded and dead colleagues, powerful cartels and terrorist groups, undercover agents, and so many more intriguing and layered plots that make the book so good. Casey and her partner take their assignment seriously, and as they encounter many obstacles, they must risk their lives to transport this reporter to Washington D.C. to give evidence at a hearing.

Overall, I enjoyed Nancy Mehl’s writing in this book, as she not only intrigued and entertained with this story, but also gave a reminder of how we ought to forgive. This was a page-turner and I would highly recommend it. I hope you have a chance to enjoy this exceptional story!

Lone Witness~Rachel Dylan | Review

Title: Lone Witness (Atlanta Justice #2)
Author: Rachel Dylan
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Length: 320 Pages
Release: May 2018

A copy of this novel was received through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Review

Lone Witness by Rachel Dylan, is book 2 in the Atlanta Justice Series. This legal thriller is full of multiple plot lines to keep the reader engaged and guessing about which danger is going to be faced next. Sophie Dawson has been promoted to a senior assistant district attorney in the White Collar Crimes Unit of Fulton County. She is busy working on her first case in her new division, a local bank employee is accused of cheating customers, and she is determined to get justice for those people who lost their savings. Working late, she decides that she has to stop to get some snacks for her drive home, so she stops at a familiar convenience store. She is a witness to a double homicide and she is the only person that can make a positive ID on the person who committed the crime.

Sophie is now in great danger because she is the lone witness that can identify the killer. Sophie’s father is concerned about her safety and hires a bodyguard, Cooper Knight, a co-owner for a private security firm and someone who Sophie has met in the past. At first Cooper keeps a very low profile, but as the danger rises for Sophie, he must make his presence known and some hard decisions need to be made about how to handle her day-to-day activities and even where she is going to have to live for an extended period of time in order to stay safe and sound.

As new threats on Sophie’s life come to light, it is no longer clear who is involved and the security firm has to consider if her role as a witness, or her job as a senior assistant DA is the ultimate danger. The character development for the main characters, as well as the secondary characters is fascinating. The reader gets an in-depth view into the different roles in the legal world and what it takes to play the politics and the dangers of decisions on how a case is going to play out. Lone Witness is a legal thriller that will keep you reading, and constantly re-thinking who is behind the various plot lines and who can be trusted. A great read!

May 2018 Reading and Life Recap

Favorite Read of May (excluding rereads)

Dark Life by Kat Falls was a random pick for me. I was participating in a reading challenge that needed a book that was set under water and found the audiobook on my library Overdrive account so decided to give it a listen. And I ended up really enjoying it.

It's a post-apocalyptic story that involves the colonization of the ocean, which in itself is a really interesting concept. It was also well written, attention grabbing, and had a cast of fun characters. I'm definitely planning to pick up the sequel in the not too distant future.








Bucket List Item 
Maybe that is a bit of an extreme discription for this, but I have been wanting to go to a Drive-In movie for a long time. And I finally did in May. The first weekend in May I saw Avengers: Infinity War at a drive-in and it was really fun. I wish that I lived even closer to one than I do so I could go regularly. It has great prices, the staff is fun, and it's a laid back venue. I will definitely be going back again. I shared a picture on instagram that incorporates some bookish fun into the movie experience: Books & Movies

Being Bold
For the past nine or so months I have worked full time doing something that I was not really enjoying. Yes, it was a job, but I want something that will give me more satisfaction than just getting a pay check. In May I decided to take a risk and give some of my other plans a try. I'm at the point in my life where it's kind of a now or never type of thing. It's scary, I'm not always great at it, and I don't know how it will pan out yet, but I'm taking a shot at following some of my dreams and I'm excited to do so.

Writing
I have been working on a fantasy novel for several months now and finally decided to push myself. I moved up my first draft goal from January 2019 to September 2018. If I don't quite meet this goal that's fine, but I think that I can make it work. If I don't push myself to grow then I will never be able to develop as a writer and share all of my work with the world. Fingers crossed that I have big news in regards to this project next year. That's the goal at this point.

These are just a few of the highlights of my month. I'm trying to motivate myself to reach farther and try harder. Some days I feel like an utter failure and others I'm on top of the world. I'm hoping that means I can fall somewhere in the middle most of the time and keep a steady pace that moves me forward.

I would love to hear about some of your weekly/monthly/yearly highlights. Let me know what things are making you happy or challenging you to be the best you you can be.

Kathryn Bywaters | Interview

Kathryn Bywaters is the author of The Past is Rising, which you can buy now. The sequel will be hitting shelves later this year, so now is the perfect time to give book one a try. You can read the first chapter on Kathryn's blog.

Before we get into the interview, here is a little more about the book:

The Past Is Rising is a compelling fantasy epic that revolves around the uprising of dark forces bent on wresting a kingdom from its rightful rulers. Several warriors will discover that their true destinies are to salvage their kingdom and defeat the rising evil.

At fourteen, Erik dreams of past glories. He was not alive when the False Kings marched against their nephew and laid siege to the city of Meraview. Now, perched on the outer wall, Erik imagines the two great armies battling on the plains outside the city. His excitement mounts as he spies a horse and rider racing to reach Meraview.

This lone messenger is Eve, cousin to the High King—and she brings troubling news. The False Kings, once again, are gaining power. When Eve leaves to spy on the False Kings, Erik and his friend Hobble follow her. Along the way, they will learn about lost regal bloodlines, battle against ancient magical forces, and make new allies in the fight against evil.

Sinister forces closely watch Erik and his new companions. Are these young people ready to face the return of the False Kings? Or will they simply be anonymous casualties in the coming war?

Interview

When did you first know you wanted to write a book?

One night when I was 10 years old, trying to sleep but being kept awake by a storm, I started to compose a poem in my head. When I finally had it right I jumped out of bed because I had to share it with my father. I loved the way it felt, making something that was mine. After that I wrote other poems and short stories. Then I started writing my first book, the prequel to The Past Is Rising, at age 12; I finished it at 17. My family had moved to Saint Petersburg, Russia and I think being exposed to a very foreign environment helped push my imagination to dream of new worlds.

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

I’m a pantser for sure! I have no idea where the story is going until my fingers are typing the words. However, in life I would have to say I’m a little of both. I love lists and planning but would also never let a spur of the moment opportunity go to waste. I believe the Yiddish have it right with their adage, “Man plans, and God laughs.”

Have any of your characters been inspired by people that you know?

Aspects of some of the characters most definitely have been inspired by people I know. For example, the fiery strength of my sister can be seen in Ann. Situations and places in my life have also inspired moments throughout the book.

Do you have any favorite books you would recommend to other readers?

Lord of the Rings, I think, will always be my favorite. Umberto Eco’s Baudolino, Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre and William Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night's Dream are all masterpieces. If you are looking for a fun, easy read: Hunger Games, Harry Potter and lately I’ve really been liking Sarah Maas.

What is one piece of writing advice you would give to aspiring authors?

If it is what you truly love doing, do it. It’s hard work and very time consuming but so are most things worth doing in life. So, do what you love and it will all seem worth it.

Do you listen to music while you write? If so, what kind?

I’m more of a go to the park and lie on the grass or turn off the lights and light candles type of writer. As I write it’s like a movie starts playing in my head and sometimes I can’t write fast enough to keep up. Even if I had music on, once I started writing I don’t think I’d even hear it.

What inspired you to write fantasy?

Lord of the Rings and visiting palaces in Russia and castles in the South of France. The idea of kings and queens became real to me. I started imagining what it would be like if that was how the world was still governed. In the South of France there are legends of the Knights Templar and each castle has its own story. I think hearing about the tales of the Knights Templar and the Albigensian Crusade illuminated the good versus evil dichotomy – the struggle is real!

What type of research is involved in your writing?

At this point none, just imagination and inspiration but I do have some ideas for historical fiction that I would like to write.

If your book was being adapted for the screen, who would you want to play the leading role(s)?

Oh that’s a hard one! I’m not really an actor buff and don’t follow what’s going on in Hollywoord but I’ll give this a try…

Keira Knightley - Eve

Kristin Kreuk – Sarah

Emma Watson– Ann

Christopher Hemsworth – Aeron

Jesse Williams – Reddoc

A young Josh Hutcherson - Erik

Kill Shot~Susan Sleeman | Review

Title: Kill Shot (White Knights #2)
Author: Susan Sleeman
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Length: 336 Pages
Release: February 2018

A copy of this novel was received through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. 

Review

When you begin a Susan Sleeman book, get ready for a thrilling ride! She hits the ground running with pulse-pounding excitement and continues throughout the book without giving you a chance to get off this powerful roller coaster ride of suspense.

Sleeman has created a great cast of characters for this book, her second in the White Knights series. These men and women are FBI agents who have all served in the military, and now they work to bring down criminals of the worst sort. The author keeps the reader invested in her characters from the first page, even the secondary ones.

There are two main characters, Olivia and Rick. Dr. Olivia Dobbs is a Christian therapist who counsels mainly ex or current military who suffer from PTSD. When her last patient is murdered nearly right in front of her eyes, the FBI team, White Knights, are called in. There is something indeed very ominous about this case or the regular police would have handled it. A serious threat to national security is in play here and the agents are in a race against time to track down the culprits before there are unimaginable consequences. Agent Rick Cannon, fighting demons of his own, is assigned to guard Dr. Dobbs because she is in the line of fire as well. He doesn't trust her and believes she is involved in this case.

Storm Front~Susan May Warren | Review

Title: Storm Front (Montana Rescue #5)
Author: Susan May Warren
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Length: 336 Pages
Release: May 2018

A copy of this novel was received through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Review

Susan May Warren continues the story of Montana’s PEAK Rescue team members in “Storm Front,” which focuses on former chopper pilot Ty Remington and journalist Brette Arnold.

Ty is still struggling to find his role in life. He feels like he’s just the muscle and go-getter for PEAK, feeling deeply inadequate and inefficient. And he still struggles with the fact that the woman he fell madly in love with, Brette, has walked out of his life without one single look back.

But what he doesn’t realize is that Brette, who is currently working with a storm chasing group as a photographer and blogger, has had struggles of her own — devastating struggles that she feels she must face on her own.

When the two are brought together after a devastating tornado in Minnesota, can they put aside their fears and doubts to help friends — new and old — find missing loved ones? And can they come together in truth and honesty to build a relationship?

“Storm Front” is an action-packed, heart-thumping novel that quite simply is difficult to put down. With devastatingly powerful storms, missing people and search parties, it also includes toe-curling romance.
Once again Susan May Warren develops incredibly real and relatable characters — filled with doubts, fears, insecurities, hopes and lack of hope, and just about every other imaginable flaw. It deals with overcoming great loss, and she also does a brilliant job of not only providing an incredible story, but also teaching amazing lessons.

The main theme, as the title hints at, deals with weathering the storms of life, and how each of us chooses to weather those storms. She reminds us to “accept the storm and ride it out without a whimper”. “Storm Front” reminds us that we must look past the storm and find the sunshine, or the hope, in each situation.

And through Brette’s personal battles, this novel also hits on the topic of beauty, both inner and outer, and the difficulty in finding the beauty in ourselves.

This is the fifth book in a series, but could be read as a standalone, although I would highly recommend reading the rest of the books. However, I do feel Warren offers enough background if this is your first experience with the Montana Rescue series.