Fe-Lines, a journal with feline quotes
I was excited to see a journal with cats and cat quotes. I am always looking for places to record my poetry, so being a cat-lover, I quickly bought this journal. “Fe-Lines” would also be a good place to write about your health, emotions, or cat interactions. I loved all the quotes and a picture every few pages. I appreciated a place to put my positive thoughts and at the end, there were pages to write about your own cat if you chose to do so. There are a lot of options with this fun little journal. If you are a fan of cats and love journals, this would be the perfect fit for you. I know I’m going to enjoy using it!
Its May and the Lilacs are Blooming
Elaina Deva Profitt comes from a family of gifted people. They kept it secret until she started using these gifts to help others in a more public way. This is a beautiful autobiography that not only shows her journey through helping the police and people crossing over, but her own personal struggle with a health issue. I admit to being stressed worrying about her health as it got worse and worse. Logically, I knew she had to survive to write this, but I just wanted her pain to go away and doctors figure out what was wrong with her. The friendships she made were inspiring as well as the help offered to so many. It was an excellent lesson when she took the help offered back to her, but it was the near-death experience that really touched me. Her description of pure peace reminded me of a similar experience I had. She described it better than I ever could and takes all the fear out of crossing over when it is our time. If you are interested in people with special abilities and what comes after we go, this is a good read for you and one I won’t soon forget.
by Fiona Glass
“Got Ghosts” is a fun novella set in an old, haunted house. Emily has been struggling to make ends meet when she gets a call from a TV show, “Got Ghosts.” They offer her money to film an episode in her haunted house, and she reluctantly accepts. Although she doesn’t really want to share “Grandpa” with anyone. There is a lot of humor, and she starts off being attracted to the producer, Carl, but something seems off with the show. It was a fun spoof on ghost shows, but the story is firmly rooted that there really are ghosts, and Emily talks to them. There are a few fun twists and new relationships to explore. A quick read that I devoured in one sitting, and I was happy with the outcome.
Christmas Cruise (Lana Malloy Paranormal Mystery Series Book 4)
by Kim Cox
I read the first book in this series and enjoyed it, so I was eager to read this one with a Christmas theme. Lana and her husband are taking a cruise to relax. Of course, ten ghosts have other ideas about that. Lana is immediately drawn to a woman and befriends her while the ghosts push for answers. Ten murders in ten years is a mystery that needs to be solved. It was brutal when Lana had a painful experience with one ghost. She fully relives the ghost’s last moments, but there is also humor infused into the story. This was a quick-paced read that centered less on the holiday and more on the murders. Although I was glad the ghosts could make themselves heard and found that part of the story fascinating, I wanted to know more about them and their stories. Lucy makes a much-needed appearance while Lana reaches out for help over the seas. I loved the cruise setting and figuring out who the killer was. I enjoy how Lana works with ghosts and will be reading more of the series.
I only post my 4 & 5-star reviews. If I don’t like a book, I won’t finish it. It doesn’t feel right to leave a review in that case. Life is too short not to enjoy every book you read!
UPDATES: I had a nice vacation which included a wedding in the redwoods, a spa day in Reno, swimming at the lake, and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child 🙂 The rest of the time was spent clearing bush to hopefully satisfy our insurance company. There are pictures posted on Instagram, and a few on Facebook.
Outside is where I had some run-ins with some tiny forest dwellers.
The week before vacation I got bit by a huge black widow. She was just hanging out right by where I turned on our water to water the potted plants outside. I mean inches next to my face and where my shoulder was. Luckily, I didn’t have too bad of a reaction, only some local pain and stomach issues the next day. I was fine just in time for our vacation. She spent the rest of the day after biting me, just suspended in mid air—unmoving. Since, the black widow didn’t do more damage to me, my husband set her free. Luckily many of these bites don’t require a doctor’s visit. There were hourly check ups to make sure I was okay.
Sunday finishing up our clearing of brush, I was raking the rest of the debris and being mindful of any spider webs when I apparently stepped on a hornet’s nest. I got stung on the back of each ankle and was chased all the way to the house. My husband fought the angry bee off as I made it safely inside. Still on the painful side, and have concluded I will be staying indoors for a bit…lol. I have only been stung a couple times before this, so I will remember this one and watch my step!
Black widows and angry bees are two of my least favorite things.
Back to writing for me, perhaps this is a gentle nudge to get started on that book, I’ve been thinking about?
My newsletter was late because of vacation. If you are subcribed check your email.
I won’t try to catch up on all the blogs I’m sorry to miss, but doing that cancels all the rest I managed during my break.
I have a one-day blog tour end of this week though Silver Dagger Blog Tours. I’m curious to see how that goes. Also, I’m thrilled to be visting a blog on the 29th. I will post more information that day.
Embrace your inner child—read a book! D. L. Finn
Sorry about your run ins with the little creatures! Glad you didn’t come out of those too badly. Your holiday sounds lovely. Great reviews, Denise. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, and congrats to all the authors. Hugs 💕🙂
Thanks, Harmony 🙂 A strange bit of luck of two things I fear. It was a nice break. Hugs back. Xo
Ack! Black widows are bad news. Glad you didn’t have too much trouble from her. Alice Cooper would be proud of you.
Spiders don’t bother me except those widows. They seem to be abundant this year. Lol. Yes he would!
Wow, you survived black widows and hornets to write about them! As an fyi, hornets are not bees, they are wasps. Bees don’t normally sting people and are important for a garden’s ecosystem. Hornets , not so much! We had an infestation of wasps (yellow jackets) last year, which I thought were mason bees so I didn’t want to destroy them. In the end, we had to call in an exterminator after they bit my husband several times!
Get better Denise, you are amazingly resilient.
Yes, it was a strange run of luck. I was reading later they are considered wasps or yellow jackets, thanks for sharing that. They are outside our yard in a area we had to clear but not one I walk through normally. I will steer clear of them. Oddly enough they left my husband alone when he went back and finished cleaning up the piles I made by them. It is mucher safer writing…lol. Thanks, Eden.
Good reviews. I need to read a few of these.
No worries about catching up. I don’t either–when I’m gone, I’m gone!
Thanks, Jacqui!
It is nice to just disconnect and come back with a fresh perspective and not try to make it all up.
thank you for your book reviews. I’m sorry about your run ins with the spider and angry bee. I’m glad you could still go on vacation.
Happy to share the good reads 🙂 It was a strange run of events but I was determined not to let anything stop me from going to that wedding or enjoying the time off. Thank you xo
Terrific reviews, Denise. Congratulations to the authors.
Thanks, John 🙂
😁
Great reviews, Denise. Got Ghosts sounds particularly fun to me.:-)
Thanks, Priscilla 🙂 That was a fun read. In fact I thought of it while my grandson was watching one of those ghost shows.
All these books are new for me. Thanks for sharing Denise. Nice to hear that you had a wonderful vacation despite some irritants. 🤗
Thanks, Balroop 🙂 It was fun despite all those little issues. All fun reads and three of them sat way too long on my reading list. So glad I finally got to them.
Nice reviews, Denise. Sorry about your run in with the spider and hornet. That would have been a dead spider if I’d been around. I’m terrified of them. Welcome back from your vacation.
Thanks, Joan 🙂 It was strange to be attacked by both in a two-week period. I’m not a fan of black widows but they usually keep their distance outside, this one did not. There was no way I was going anywhere near it after that…lol. Happy to be back with a few new ideas. xo
Great reviews, Denise! Thanks for sharing! 😊
Thank you, Yvette 🙂 xo
Oh my! Sorry to hear about the run in with the spider and bee. Even though they are small bites, they hurt! And what fabulous reviews. You are the only other person I know who has read “It’s May And the Lilacs Are Blooming.” It’s a story I’ll never forget, even though I knew most of Elaina’s story before the book. She’s done readings for me for years. Thanks for sharing, Denise!