It’s time for another week off from the blog! I always enjoy my blogging breaks, but I’m definitely going to enjoy this one even more. I’m exhausted and in desperate need of a break. Distance learning with a 6 year old is…well, distance learning with a 6 year old. The mornings are tough because I have to divide my attention between making sure he stays on task and keeping my toddler entertained and quiet. I’m worn out by noon, and blogging honestly doesn’t feel nearly as interesting as just curling up with a book. Speaking of books, I finally organized my reading and review schedule properly so I have time…
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Book Review: Rats in a Maze by Peter Bailey
Title: Rats in a Maze Author: Peter Bailey Publisher: Moonshine Cove Publishing, LLC Publication date: September 20, 2020 Genre: Mystery, Fantasy One Sentence Summary: Detective Ray Fisher thinks the car accident that killed two criminals is an open and shut case, until his memory seems to be leading him astray…straight into a massive government conspiracy. The Plot: Playing with Memories Two cons walk into a building with a plan. Two cons exit the building and take a dive off a pier in their car. Two detectives are led straight to the door of the Sorensons, an older, extremely wealthy couple who own the building the cons walked into. And then things get weird. What felt like…
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Queen of the Garden of Girls, Part 46
Chapter Sixteen Patricia was an okay companion. Not brilliant, but not dull. Just another in a string of unremarkable girls. Picking out a new companion was becoming a chore. Every girl felt like a variation of the one before. Other than her name, I don’t remember much about Patricia, except she stayed for a month before quietly slipping out in the middle of the night, leaving only a note wishing me well, but she’d rather try again with her on and off boyfriend. I planted __ in her honor. The night was lit by a brilliant full moon. It was late, but Elaina couldn’t sleep. After Robert had showed her…
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Book Review: The Cookbook Club by Beth Harbison
Title: The Cookbook Club Author: Beth Harbison Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks – HarperCollins Publishers Publication date: October 20, 2020 Genre: Women’s Fiction One Sentence Summary: Reeling from her divorce out of the middle of nowhere, Margo decides to join a cookbook club where she makes new friends, and is given the chance of second love. I love reading about food, so, when I saw The Cookbook Club and read it was about three women becoming friends, I jumped on it. Female friendship and food? It’s kind of a match made in heaven for me. I was also really curious to see how long Aja could hide her pregnancy. In some ways, this book was what I…
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The Difference Between DNF and Abandoned
I’ve written before about the difference between DNF’ing (Did Not Finish) and abandoning a book, but I’ve recently realized there’s a bit more to that and how I categorize books as being for the DNF pile or completely abandoned. Personally, I prefer to not do either, especially now that I’ve been accepting books to review and requesting them from publishers. Even if I struggle with it, the fact that I agreed and wanted to read it makes me feel like I should put in as much effort as I can humanly muster. Which is also why I don’t actually request or accept too many books, because some end up being a…
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NaNo My Way (revisited)
It’s almost that time again for National Novel Writing Month. I think of this time with fondness, but am less fond of the fact that it always creeps up on me when I’m super busy. Last year, I thought my life was really busy, so was determined to do it my own way. This year, I’m even busier with distance learning and trying to potty train a toddler and, oh yeah, attempt preschool of some kind (she screams and runs away every time I mention it), but, still, there are thoughts of maybe… Originally published November 6, 2019 I’m a reader and a writer. Or should that be a writer…
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Guest Post: Author Celinka Serre on her novel Stardust Destinies I: Variate Facing
The Lily Cafe is thrilled to welcome YA fantasy author Celinka Serre! She is the author of Stardust Destinies I: Variate Facing, the first book in her high fantasy series. Last month I was thrilled to share an excerpt, and now she’s back with a wonderful guest post about writing her novel. Title: Stardust Destinies I: Variate Facing Author: Celinka Serre Publisher: Binky Ink Publication date: May 3, 2019 Genre: YA, Fantasy My Stardust Destinies Were Written Backstage When I was in CEGEP, I was in the theatre program, and back then, I had no idea I would end up writing a book, let alone begin an entire series. I loved daydreaming, I loved reading…
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Book Review: Transition Keeper by Ali Blank
Title: Transition Keeper Author: Ali Blank Publisher: Self-published Publication date: August 10, 2020 Genre: Science Fiction One Sentence Summary: The AI New Babylon is going through an update and has transferred all it’s knowledge into a human, a human numerous people and groups are now out to uncover. I’m not a big fan of science fiction because science is not my forte and most of it tends to go over my head. But I can’t stop the intrigue I feel whenever I’m face-to-face with a sci-fi novel. I guess I enjoy torturing myself. Anyways, Transition Keeper is one of those sci-fis that just went right over my head. I wanted to read it because I was…
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Queen of the Garden of Girls, Part 45
Chapter Fifteen, continued “Oh my God,” she breathed as she caught sight of the rose garden. “This is beautiful and massive. How many different kinds of roses are there?” His cringe puzzled her. “I don’t know. I lost count. I think I lost count some time after Anna.” “What?” Robert sighed and began to guide her along the various walkways, the scent of too many roses to count wafting around them. “I hope what I tell you doesn’t reflect too badly on me,” he said, his voice surprisingly grim. “I’ve never showed another woman my garden.” He took a deep breath. “We call this the Garden of Girls. I’ve had…
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Book Review: The Lost Love Song by Minnie Darke
Title: The Lost Love Song Author: Minnie Darke Publisher: Ballantine Books – Random House Publishing Group Publication date: October 13, 2020 Genre: Women’s Fiction, Romance One Sentence Summary: Diana may be gone, but her love song lives on, and will do anything to work it’s magic to bring happiness back into the lives of those it touches, especially that of her beloved Arie. As a musician (hobby, not professional), I couldn’t resist this one. Music and songs, how could I? I loved the idea of a love song making it’s way around the world, and could only wonder if it would ever make it’s way to the ears of the man it was meant for. This…
