Hello and Happy Friday friends. Things have been changing. I’ve still been wanting to read, and have received some amazing book mail and hauled a few gems..but finding the time to read has become a bit difficult. The weekend is here though and I am determined to play catch up for my lack of reading this week, so let’s chat about my reading plans and what’s been going on.
First things first, I am on my way out of the military after 14 years of service! I can’t believe a journey I began when I was 18, literally 3 weeks after graduating high school, is coming to a close. It is surreal, a bit frightening but also very exciting. My official last day is at the end of September, so I am enjoying some much needed vacation time before that day comes. I jumped straight into full time online student and stay at home..hence, the struggle finding time to read. I am a History student which constitutes quite a few reading assignments throughout the week. I am trying to figure out a routine so that I have a balance of reading for school and reading for leisure.
This past week has been a mixture of reading for school, making soups in the crockpot, wine with friends and tons of Scooby Doo reruns with the kids. I have some catching up with reading I need to do.
My first read is Only Him by Melanie Harlow, book 2 in her One and Only trilogy.
Friends who have read this already have admitted this isn’t their favorite from the trilogy. Confession: this is book 2, and it is the last one I need to finish in the series. Yes, another trilogy I’ve been reading out of order. I actually kicked off this trilogy by reading the last book first and it remains my favorite, but Only Him isn’t terrible. It is a second chance romance between two high school sweethearts, Dallas and Maren. One day Dallas just ups and leaves without giving Maren any kind of explanation and now he’s back. Melanie Harlow writes Dallas and his internal conflict so well. We really get to see what he believes about himself and how that impacts the story. It is very sexy but also really emotional. It has some family drama and amends that need to be made.
The Widow of Pale Harbor by Hester Fox
Shame shame shame! The Widow on Pale Harbor is a buddy read I am an entire week behind on. I am determined to get it started today though. I am going into this one knowing as little as possible, I just know Hester Fox writes a wonderful mixture of gothic romance, horror and historical fiction..so that’s kind of what I’m expecting from this one.
My third, really want to get read this weekend is Midnight At the Blackbird Cafe by Heather Webber
Midnight At the Blackbird Cafe has a stunning cover which gives off all the autumnal vibes. It was the cover I spotted out of the corner of my eye at the bookstore and drew me to it. I hauled the book and have the audiobook checked out from the library which I need to get to sooner rather than later because it is coming up due very soon. From what I’ve gathered there is some magical realism, romance and of course recipes all mixed in the story and I can’t wait to get lost in it.
My fingers are crossed that I can get started and make somewhat of a dent in these reads. My Melanie Harlow book I have about an hour left on the audiobook so I can definitely get it finished today. Here we are, five days into the month already and I haven’t finished a single thing. I do have an essay that’s due for class as well as the topic for my research paper which is haunting me. I don’t know what to do it on. My class is on the Vietnam War and it feels so manly. I want to do something about what the women were doing, I just can’t figure out what.
With this new phase in life, there will be some new posts coming to the blog. I will always make sure we are chatting about books but I try and be as transparent as possible on here, and I’d like to share bits and pieces and chunks of this new phase with you all too. Juggling staying home everyday with a three year old, full time online student with a love of reading is going to be interesting so I am going to share that with you all. Who knows, maybe a post will reach someone who can share their How To’s with me.. but yes, tons of ideas planned that I can’t wait to put out. We will chat again soon.
Until then, take care of yourselves.
xo.
