[memes] Best Platonic Relationships + my week in books

[Note: I accidentally deleted 6 months of the blog so this is a repost. All comments on the original posts were unfortunately lost. Sorry!]

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. 

I wound up making... Za'atar encrusted grilled Halloumi, stuffed sweet potato, balsamic roasted veggies, mac & cheese and cornbread and a chocolate cream pie. Spent a total of like 8 bucks thanks to couponing. $4 of that was the dang cheese. But it was delicious and oh my word I'm stuffed. Still. The herd had a wet food feast, too. And I pet sat the pup next door which is always fun.

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

Note: I accidentally deleted 6 months of the blog so this is a repost. All comments on the original posts were unfortunately lost. Sorry!

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

Note: I accidentally deleted 6 months of the blog so this is a repost. All comments on the original posts were unfortunately lost. Sorry! 

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

The Gist: Kelsey is having a shitstorm of a day. Starting with the land she rents being sold and then her house being torn down leaving her AND her rescue horses... homeless. All blame lands on one` crazy man. The town recluse. And that man's about to get an earful, too. Because, seriously?!!

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

Note: I accidentally deleted 6 months of the blog so this is a repost. All comments on the original posts were unfortunately lost. Sorry!

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

Note: I accidentally deleted 6 months of the blog so this is a repost. All comments on the original posts were unfortunately lost. Sorry! 

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

Note: I accidentally deleted 6 months of the blog so this is a repost. All comments on the original posts were unfortunately lost. Sorry!

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 Blog All About It Challenge

Note: I accidentally deleted 6 months of the blog so this is a repost. All comments on the original posts were unfortunately lost. Sorry! 

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

SIGN UP-- 2019 Blogger Shame Challenge

Note: I accidentally deleted 6 months of the blog so this is a repost. All comments on the original posts were unfortunately lost. Sorry! 

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 All About the Trope Challenge

Note: I accidentally deleted 6 months of the blog so this is a repost. All comments on the original posts were unfortunately lost. Sorry! 

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. 

Examples of tropes:

--Enemies to lovers

--Best Friend's sibling

--Beauty & the beast (or other fairytales)

--Second Chance romance

--Best Friends to lovers

--Fake relationships

--Boss/Employee

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

Note: I accidentally deleted 6 months of the blog so this is a repost. All comments on the original posts were unfortunately lost. Sorry! 

 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.

Reading went well, too. Some fun reads by new and old authors.

Cleo wound up having a quick vet visit because she was feeling poorly and the vet found an infected tooth and crackly lungs. We think she aspirated some of her previous meds (she's a fighter) so she got a new med. 2 days later she's feeling SO much better, thankfully.

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

Note: I accidentally deleted 6 months of the blog so this is a repost. All comments on the original posts were unfortunately lost. Sorry! 

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

Note: I accidentally deleted 6 months of the blog so this is a repost. All comments on the original posts were unfortunately lost. Sorry!

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!

Note: I accidentally deleted 6 months of the blog so this is a repost. All comments on the original posts were unfortunately lost. Sorry!

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.

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

Note: I accidentally deleted 6 months of the blog so this is a repost. All comments on the original posts were unfortunately lost. Sorry!

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

Note: I accidentally deleted 6 months of the blog so this is a repost. All comments on the original posts were unfortunately lost. Sorry!

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!

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

Note: I accidentally deleted 6 months of the blog so this is a repost. All comments on the original posts were unfortunately lost. Sorry!

Oh my October.

I gardened.

I volunteered.

I couponed.

I blogged.

And blogged some more!

[Blog All About It] My Trees

Note: I accidentally deleted 6 months of the blog so this is a repost. All comments on the original posts were unfortunately lost. Sorry!

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

Note: I accidentally deleted 6 months of the blog so this is a repost. All comments on the original posts were unfortunately lost. Sorry!

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

Note: I accidentally deleted 6 months of the blog so this is a repost. All comments on the original posts were unfortunately lost. Sorry!

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

G's feelings about not being properly worshiped
this week. lol

• I got a new laptop! My old one was having trouble staying charged and would suddenly die on me even when plugged in. Which made everything incredibly challenging. The new one is fine. It's a Dell Inspiron. We're getting to know each other still. lol Hopefully blogger-me will do better now that she has a reliable laptop!

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

Note: I accidentally deleted 6 months of the blog so this is a repost. All comments on the original posts were unfortunately lost. Sorry!

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.

The Gist: It's been 10 years since things fell apart between Shane and Sinclair. He went off to join the Marines and by the time he was able to get in touch she decided she didn't want to hear from him anymore because he'd not contacted her soon enough. And so they went on to lead their separate lives. Now he's back in town for a job he's determined to set things right between them.

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

Note: I accidentally deleted 6 months of the blog so this is a repost. All comments on the original posts were unfortunately lost. Sorry!

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

Note: I accidentally deleted 6 months of the blog so this is a repost. All comments on the original posts were unfortunately lost. Sorry!

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

Note: I accidentally deleted 6 months of the blog so this is a repost. All comments on the original posts were unfortunately lost. Sorry!

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.

• I had the USO and food pantry. Both went well though were equally quiet.

• I loved the garden center I checked out. They were super helpful and assisted me in spending WAY too much money but look at the pretties! Totally worth it. I'm actually going back today. lol

Tasty Delights-- Sweet Potato Chickpea Stew

Note: I accidentally deleted 6 months of the blog so this is a repost. All comments on the original posts were unfortunately lost. Sorry!

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

Note: I accidentally deleted 6 months of the blog so this is a repost. All comments on the original posts were unfortunately lost. Sorry!

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

Note: I accidentally deleted 6 months of the blog so this is a repost. All comments on the original posts were unfortunately lost. Sorry!

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

Note: I accidentally deleted 6 months of the blog so this is a repost. All comments on the original posts were unfortunately lost. Sorry!
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

• We got a ton of rain today and some impressive wind. Thankfully, unlike Flo, Matthew moved real quick and left us be. Whew!

• I got a new power washer. And then promptly had to call Danny in FL because oh my word it stated smoking! (too much oil) It did a great job and I've got the steps and sidewalks done. Next up the driveway.

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

Note: I accidentally deleted 6 months of the blog so this is a repost. All comments on the original posts were unfortunately lost. Sorry!

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

Note: I accidentally deleted 6 months of the blog so this is a repost. All comments on the original posts were unfortunately lost. Sorry!

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

Note: I accidentally deleted 6 months of the blog so this is a repost. All comments on the original posts were unfortunately lost. Sorry!

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

Note: I accidentally deleted 6 months of the blog so this is a repost. All comments on the original posts were unfortunately lost. Sorry!

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

Note: I accidentally deleted 6 months of the blog so this is a repost. All comments on the original posts were unfortunately lost. Sorry!

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

My shopping this week. Couponing is the best. I actually got paid 12.21 to buy all of this. lol One more day of the event (today) and I'm done! I have a couponing group if you'd like to join. I'm slowly doing things in there, too :)

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

Note: I accidentally deleted 6 months of the blog so this is a repost. All comments on the original posts were unfortunately lost. Sorry!

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.

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

Note: I accidentally deleted 6 months of the blog so this is a repost. All comments on the original posts were unfortunately lost. Sorry!

Oh my September. You were a handful.

[memes] Authors I'd Love to Meet? Nope! + my week in books

Note: I accidentally deleted 6 months of the blog so this is a repost. All comments on the original posts were unfortunately lost. Sorry!

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, yall. It was a busy week!

The Cowboy's Runaway Bride (The McCall Brothers #3) by Laurie LeClair

Note: I accidentally deleted 6 months of the blog so this is a repost. All comments on the original posts were unfortunately lost. Sorry!

The Cowboy's Runaway Bride was a cute read.

The Gist: A smarmy groom and a bride deciding oh hell no and making a run for it. A sexy cowboy unwittingly helping her escape. A little fib of having amnesia and hiding out with him and his family on their ranch while she figured things out. And maybe finding herself a stand up man in the process. Mmhm.

[memes] How Could I Miss THESE Books?!! + my reading week

Note: I accidentally deleted 6 months of the blog so this is a repost. All comments on the original posts were unfortunately lost. Sorry!

Home

• The Acadia is still in need of a name. But she's back from the repair shop. She was getting some paint fixed up (paid for by Carvana). She's looking good. 

• We survived the hurricane! My state is a mess but thankfully my area lucked out. Rain and our lake rose but okay!

3 stars-- Bluegrass Undercover (Bluegrass Brothers #1) by Kathleen Brooks

Note: I accidentally deleted 6 months of the blog so this is a repost. All comments on the original posts were unfortunately lost. Sorry!

Bluegrass Undercover was pretty good. I snagged it because hello *pets the pretty cover* and supposedly it was book one (it's not, start here) so...why not.

The gist: A new drug's targeting high school athletes and Annie's been sent in undercover as a school guidance counselor to try and figure out who is behind the new drug.  And she kinda finds herself landing the much sought after coach, too.

2 stars-- The Wedding Band (Save the Date #3) by Cara Connelly

Note: I accidentally deleted 6 months of the blog so this is a repost. All comments on the original posts were unfortunately lost. Sorry!

The Wedding Band and I did not get along.

The Gist: Dakota's brother is getting married and it's his mission to keep all reporters out of the celebrity wedding. He's not fond of reporters. At. All. Christine, though, plans to sneak into the wedding with her dad's band in order to get the gossip and spread it all over the gossip rags. That's the plan.

[memes] That Tart Flo! + some bookish things

Note: I accidentally deleted 6 months of the blog so this is a repost. All comments on the original posts were unfortunately lost. Sorry!

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. Things are a little crazy in North Carolina. lol

I spent so many hours prepping for Florence this week. My bits are sore but man my yard never looked so tidy. lol At this point I am locked in the house and not leaving again until it passes.

So There Might Be A Hurricane.

Note: I accidentally deleted 6 months of the blog so this is a repost. All comments on the original posts were unfortunately lost. Sorry!

So yall not on my social media. I'm...dealing with a hurricane and this guy showed up last night on our coast. Noooooo! lol I'm inland but they're thinking it'll actually be really bad here with flooding and other than initial impact could be more deadly. Ergs! We're expecting up to 80mph winds starting Friday afternoon and up to 20 inches of rain in less than 2 days.  [ETA little update, with the push South we're in an iffy area. On the wrong side of the hurricane now but not as close a hit so it still could be pretty bad they just don't quite know] They're calling for catastrophic flooding for nearly the entire state from coast to mountains. Yikes!

3.5 stars-- The Dom Who Loved Me (Masters and Mercinaries #1) by Lexi Blake

Note: I accidentally deleted 6 months of the blog so this is a repost. All comments on the original posts were unfortunately lost. Sorry!

The Dom Who Loved Me was an entertaining little read that combines so many of my favorites... (light) BDSM, suspense and nice ----though not always easy-- romance as Grace and Sean's worlds collide in a steamy and dangerous way during the hunt for a terrorist.

The Gist: Sean thinks Grace works for a company that's really a front for illegal activity and connected to terrorist activities. But he needs to get close to find proof so he goes a bit under cover and starts things up with Grace--an older woman-- thinking she might be the key to the investigation and he can seduce the truth out of her. But things, as they usually do, get oh so complicated when their attraction can't be denied and it turns out they both have an interest in BDSM. Ahhh yay!

[memes] Hidden Gems! + My Week in Books

Note: I accidentally deleted 6 months of the blog so this is a repost. All comments on the original posts were unfortunately lost. Sorry!

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. 😸

Home

• USO and food pantry were good as usual. Only us girls at the USO this week as one of the guys was on vacation and the other still recovering from a heart attack (he's doing great, though!)

4 stars-- When It's Right (Montana Men, #2) by Jennifer Ryan

Note: I accidentally deleted 6 months of the blog so this is a repost. All comments on the original posts were unfortunately lost. Sorry!

When It's Right didn't hold any punches. The first half of the book did a number on me and held me in it's grip. It was awesome.

The Gist: Gillian has escaped a life of abuse and has been sent to her grandfather's ranch until she recovers. Thing is...she's never met him. Being around strange men...make her nervous. Her grandfather's right hand man...definitely makes her nervous but not in an entirely bad way.

Would You Rather [book tag]

Note: I accidentally deleted 6 months of the blog so this is a repost. All comments on the original posts were unfortunately lost. Sorry!

I was going through my drafts and found all of these book tags I'd been, well, tagged in. Figured I'd start doing a few of those.