Blog Tour ★ Stolen to Wear His Crown
Sunday, 6 December 2020
The Queen's Guard Book 1
Published 1 December 2020 by Harlequin Presents
From unworldly scientist… to his fearless queen!
Mina has finally achieved her dream of becoming chief scientific advisor of Cyrano, when she’s stolen from the interview room! She’s taken directly to the palace chapel, where the terms of a secret betrothal mean she must marry the king—immediately. Powerful King Zayn knows all too well monarchs can’t afford dangerous distractions like love. Yet still, he’s appalled to be wed to a complete stranger! Mina is altogether too sensitive, too scholarly, too unpolished to be queen. But that can’t stop the desire that flares each time she looks his way…
From Harlequin Presents: Escape to exotic locations where passion knows no bounds.
Amazon•Apple•Barnes & Noble•Book Depository
Books A Million•Bookshop.org•Google
Harlequin•Indiebound•Kobo
OverDrive•Walmart
Books A Million•Bookshop.org•Google
Harlequin•Indiebound•Kobo
OverDrive•Walmart
We're getting this part out of the way before my brain blanks again. I'm forgetting the days, so it's a possibility. In accordance with the FTC guidelines, I received a copy of Stolen to Wear His Crown from the publisher so I could participate in the blog tour. I get to give you my honest review and tell you what I liked and what I didn't like about the book. I'm required to tell you this every time I review a review copy because the big bad FTC thinks I can be bought by a free book. Yeah, okay...
I liked the story of Mina and Zayn. I wasn’t too sure what to expect because I tend to avoid royal romances despite my blog’s moniker, but I’m glad I gave Stolen to Wear His Crown a chance. This story was new spin on an old trope and I really did enjoy it. Dr Mina Aldaba is in the middle of her Royal Advisor interview with Parliament when the country’s elite tactical response team bursts in and kidnaps her to the other side of the palace for her wedding – to the King. Wild, right? Neither of them are too keen on the marriage, but the betrothal’s legit and they have to tie that knot and they do.
My favourite part of this book was the little bits of knowledge tucked into the storyline. Not only is the heroine a woman in STEM, but Ms Bell puts research into her character so that the title of doctor isn’t just a character bullet point. I love it and I appreciate it. My second favourite part though was the declaration. I aww’d with the best of them for that one, but I’m not spoiling that for you.
Now, a small dish on spice. Y’all. Thirteen pages on my kindle for one sex scene. I counted. I actually skipped over the couple of sex scenes because I’m just not in the mood for it, but y’all have fun with that. I said what I said.
Overall, I give this book a nice 4 out of 5 stars and a big thank you for taking me out of my toxic headspace when I needed it most. I do hope you give this book a chance in your TBR. It was a nice change of pace from my regular reading.
I liked the story of Mina and Zayn. I wasn’t too sure what to expect because I tend to avoid royal romances despite my blog’s moniker, but I’m glad I gave Stolen to Wear His Crown a chance. This story was new spin on an old trope and I really did enjoy it. Dr Mina Aldaba is in the middle of her Royal Advisor interview with Parliament when the country’s elite tactical response team bursts in and kidnaps her to the other side of the palace for her wedding – to the King. Wild, right? Neither of them are too keen on the marriage, but the betrothal’s legit and they have to tie that knot and they do.
My favourite part of this book was the little bits of knowledge tucked into the storyline. Not only is the heroine a woman in STEM, but Ms Bell puts research into her character so that the title of doctor isn’t just a character bullet point. I love it and I appreciate it. My second favourite part though was the declaration. I aww’d with the best of them for that one, but I’m not spoiling that for you.
Now, a small dish on spice. Y’all. Thirteen pages on my kindle for one sex scene. I counted. I actually skipped over the couple of sex scenes because I’m just not in the mood for it, but y’all have fun with that. I said what I said.
Overall, I give this book a nice 4 out of 5 stars and a big thank you for taking me out of my toxic headspace when I needed it most. I do hope you give this book a chance in your TBR. It was a nice change of pace from my regular reading.
Excerpt
Mina Aldaba smoothed her palms over her hair as she took a deep breath. The motion wouldn’t do anything against the strength and determination of her curls to frizz—even if there was enough moisture in her palms to give it some hold—but it felt purposeful. On the other side of the ornately carved door in front of her sat the men and women of Parliament—the people whose decision would dictate whether or not she finally kept her promise to her father.
Like her hair, she was determined and untamable. She had done everything she could, with a full heart and to the very best of her ability—and that had carried her to this side of the door, inches away from the chance to achieve everything she had ever wanted. The rest was up to the men and women inside.
The thought set off a series of stuttering palpitations in her chest—and not the kind that could ever be confused with excitement. This next part was up to fate. The only thing she could do was be herself, trust her knowledge, and hope that that would carry her through. Unfortunately, faith wasn’t one of her stronger virtues. She hadn’t gotten to this side of the door by wishing. She’d done it by force of will and desire, continuous studying and practice, so she would be ready to deliver when the opportunity came.
Now was that opportunity.
She could steel her spine even if she couldn’t calm her stomach.
She wore her usual black pantsuit and white blouse. Selecting one size up and choosing a square cut lent her hyper-feminine figure some much-needed gravitas. The hard lines of the design concealed any hint of curve—which she appreciated, given her very round derrière and rather Rubenesque chest. Dressing her figure for academia—or, more accurately, concealing her figure for academia—was a challenge that she hadn’t anticipated when she’d decided to become a scientist at twelve years old.
Still, one had to accept what one had.
She would never forget the day a female colleague had taken her aside about it, though.
“You’re going to have to do something about all of that.”
Her fellow doctoral candidate had spoken blithely as she’d gestured in a vague circle toward Mina’s jeans-clad rear and her breasts with a long red fingernail.
“It’s just too much,” she’d added. “You’ll never be taken seriously.”
At the time, the words had stung, but Mina was grateful for them. Her colleague had been right. The thin old uni sweatshirt she’d been wearing that day had stretched across her full chest, and her jeans had been form-fitted.
She’d looked like the student she had always been, rather than the professional academic she was becoming, and the world she’d been about to enter was cutthroat, old-fashioned, and antagonistic—especially if you happened to have been born with female anatomy.
As soon as she had transformed her attire, her work had begun to garner more attention. Her male colleagues, it appeared, had been able to focus on it, rather than her.
Thankfully, she had mastered those ropes long ago—so well, in fact, that she was now in line to reap the highest professional reward: an interview for the appointment of an adviser to the King of Cyrano.
In preparation, her dense chocolate-brown curls had been ruthlessly brushed back from her face, heavily gelled, and confined into a thick French braid. Today—a day in which when she couldn’t afford to have even a single hair out of place—she had used nearly double the amount of product to tame the springy, indomitable mass.
She had learned long ago to avoid putting her hair in a bun. Too many academics harbored sexy librarian fantasies.
The combination of the suit and the braid created a no-nonsense image—that of a serious academic. It was precisely what Mina wanted to project. Especially since she was the youngest candidate ever to sit for a parliamentary interview—and only the second woman ever nominated.
The door cracked open, and a page popped his perfectly coiffed head out.
Like her hair, she was determined and untamable. She had done everything she could, with a full heart and to the very best of her ability—and that had carried her to this side of the door, inches away from the chance to achieve everything she had ever wanted. The rest was up to the men and women inside.
The thought set off a series of stuttering palpitations in her chest—and not the kind that could ever be confused with excitement. This next part was up to fate. The only thing she could do was be herself, trust her knowledge, and hope that that would carry her through. Unfortunately, faith wasn’t one of her stronger virtues. She hadn’t gotten to this side of the door by wishing. She’d done it by force of will and desire, continuous studying and practice, so she would be ready to deliver when the opportunity came.
Now was that opportunity.
She could steel her spine even if she couldn’t calm her stomach.
She wore her usual black pantsuit and white blouse. Selecting one size up and choosing a square cut lent her hyper-feminine figure some much-needed gravitas. The hard lines of the design concealed any hint of curve—which she appreciated, given her very round derrière and rather Rubenesque chest. Dressing her figure for academia—or, more accurately, concealing her figure for academia—was a challenge that she hadn’t anticipated when she’d decided to become a scientist at twelve years old.
Still, one had to accept what one had.
She would never forget the day a female colleague had taken her aside about it, though.
“You’re going to have to do something about all of that.”
Her fellow doctoral candidate had spoken blithely as she’d gestured in a vague circle toward Mina’s jeans-clad rear and her breasts with a long red fingernail.
“It’s just too much,” she’d added. “You’ll never be taken seriously.”
At the time, the words had stung, but Mina was grateful for them. Her colleague had been right. The thin old uni sweatshirt she’d been wearing that day had stretched across her full chest, and her jeans had been form-fitted.
She’d looked like the student she had always been, rather than the professional academic she was becoming, and the world she’d been about to enter was cutthroat, old-fashioned, and antagonistic—especially if you happened to have been born with female anatomy.
As soon as she had transformed her attire, her work had begun to garner more attention. Her male colleagues, it appeared, had been able to focus on it, rather than her.
Thankfully, she had mastered those ropes long ago—so well, in fact, that she was now in line to reap the highest professional reward: an interview for the appointment of an adviser to the King of Cyrano.
In preparation, her dense chocolate-brown curls had been ruthlessly brushed back from her face, heavily gelled, and confined into a thick French braid. Today—a day in which when she couldn’t afford to have even a single hair out of place—she had used nearly double the amount of product to tame the springy, indomitable mass.
She had learned long ago to avoid putting her hair in a bun. Too many academics harbored sexy librarian fantasies.
The combination of the suit and the braid created a no-nonsense image—that of a serious academic. It was precisely what Mina wanted to project. Especially since she was the youngest candidate ever to sit for a parliamentary interview—and only the second woman ever nominated.
The door cracked open, and a page popped his perfectly coiffed head out.
Marcella Bell lives in the mostly-sunny wilds of Southern Oregon with her husband, children, father, and three mismatched mutts. The dry hot summers and four distinct annual seasons of the region are a far cry from the weird rainy streets of Portland, OR, where she grew up, but she wouldn’t trade her quirky mountain valley home for anyplace else on the earth. As a late bloomer and a yogini, Marcella is drawn to romance that showcases love’s incredible power to transform.
2020 just keeps coming with the punches, readers. Shortly after posting that I was coming back to my site, my old man took a turn for the worse and we said goodbye to him 24 days ago. I made commitments for this tour and another tour later this week and then I don't know what I'm doing. I've struggled with my mental health all year, but losing my best and only friend, I don't know anything anymore.
Friday, 30 October 2020
Where do I even start this post? I'm not really sure, so let's just do a wordvomit explanation without the gory details! But first, all the content warnings because this post is a journey. Mental Health Crisis, suicide attempt, self-harm, etc.
I totally lost my shit this year! Between COVID and the new civil rights movement we've had going on, I've also been spiralling between manic and depressive states and I've tried comitting suicide a couple times this summer. I relapsed with my self-harm and it was just really bad all around. I've even thought of shutting down this blog permanently this year. Just a lot of negative headspace. In the midst of lockdown, I also got messaged that the breeder that I'd been talking to about a service dog prospect had a puppy that could be a good match for me in the new litter they'd had at the beginning of the COVID debacle and was I still interested? Yes, I was. So I bought a Great Dane puppy and started puppy-proofing the house in preparation of picking her up in a month! Then my birthday rolled around and my best friend flew down to surprise me. And it was a surprise. We last saw each other shortly after my 16th birthday when she moved away. So it had been 15 years, obviously we grew up. But we also had a lot of differences. Which was hard to see with a country between us. Now there's a lot between us and it hurts to think about. Then I nearly ended everything the weekend after she left. Oop. The next weekend, in the middle of recovery, I had to go across the state to pick up my new puppy. And that was actually really good for me because it's given me something positive to focus on while putting my head back together. Fast forward to the end of August and everything seems to be settling down and my oldest girl who's been declining healthwise for a while has been having to be carried to go outside for bathroom time and won't eat or drink anymore. And we had to say goodbye to Nikita. I'm glad we could give her more time with the help of our vet and a nice house with a yard but I wish she could have seen the house at the end of next month when we put up all the Christmas decorations we've been buying throughout the year for her to enjoy because she really did love going for rides to see all the Christmas decorations on houses and around Orlando. Then my mom had to be checked into the hospital for emergency care or lose her hand. And it has been a year.
I totally lost my shit this year! Between COVID and the new civil rights movement we've had going on, I've also been spiralling between manic and depressive states and I've tried comitting suicide a couple times this summer. I relapsed with my self-harm and it was just really bad all around. I've even thought of shutting down this blog permanently this year. Just a lot of negative headspace. In the midst of lockdown, I also got messaged that the breeder that I'd been talking to about a service dog prospect had a puppy that could be a good match for me in the new litter they'd had at the beginning of the COVID debacle and was I still interested? Yes, I was. So I bought a Great Dane puppy and started puppy-proofing the house in preparation of picking her up in a month! Then my birthday rolled around and my best friend flew down to surprise me. And it was a surprise. We last saw each other shortly after my 16th birthday when she moved away. So it had been 15 years, obviously we grew up. But we also had a lot of differences. Which was hard to see with a country between us. Now there's a lot between us and it hurts to think about. Then I nearly ended everything the weekend after she left. Oop. The next weekend, in the middle of recovery, I had to go across the state to pick up my new puppy. And that was actually really good for me because it's given me something positive to focus on while putting my head back together. Fast forward to the end of August and everything seems to be settling down and my oldest girl who's been declining healthwise for a while has been having to be carried to go outside for bathroom time and won't eat or drink anymore. And we had to say goodbye to Nikita. I'm glad we could give her more time with the help of our vet and a nice house with a yard but I wish she could have seen the house at the end of next month when we put up all the Christmas decorations we've been buying throughout the year for her to enjoy because she really did love going for rides to see all the Christmas decorations on houses and around Orlando. Then my mom had to be checked into the hospital for emergency care or lose her hand. And it has been a year.
I'm not sure what the future holds right now blogwise. It's going to take a bit of time to get back into things. And I'm going to be switching things up *gasp*. I want to make the site more accessible for screen readers and such. I've also been thinking of some new post serials and want to do more tag posts. And I'm going to be finally getting product reviews onto the site regularly.
I'm determined to keep this site going, so I'm going to move on to new posts for you. I'll end this post with this cute little song that's been my theme song for the past month or so since I heard it on tiktok.
Until next time, have a happily ever after!
Monday, 15 June 2020
I know that every day has been a rollercoaster ride this year and things just keep getting wilder. I made the decision to drop out of one of my tours with Harlequin because with current events, it didn't set right with me to be promoting stories where law enforcement are good and right and get HEAs. I didn't like how I have been feeling trying to read these books and still fear for my friends and family members' safety in the presence of police. I'm breaking social media influencer rules left and right by making this post and I don't care.
I have been an activist since before I even knew the word, a feminist as soon as I could form a sentence, a protector from the time I could crawl, and punk before I even knew there was music outside of Gospel hymns and Wee Sings cassettes. I spent the first half of my life trying so hard to conform to the straight conservative Christian Republican mold my family had for me before I accepted that that wasn't me. And when I began officially working with my publishing partners as a 'social media influencer' (still so weird to call myself that, I don't see myself as that), I read their guidelines and thought, "well, this probably isn't going to last very long". Because we're supposed to abide by these guidelines or else rue the day, y'know? Y'all. I'm supposed to avoid personal or political agendas and avoid any content that may be politcally charged or motivated. I'm also supposed to avoid any content that might have a message opposite to the positive and good messages that their brand is associated with. My dudes. Before I had even finished their list, I knew that I would, most likely, not last a year. Because I'm an opinionated bitch.
To get right to the point of things, Once Upon a Time, I Read a Book (dot-com) and all its associated accounts and my personal accounts will not be promoting books that are thinly veiled police propaganda and I will not be promoting authors who spout All Lives Matter or Not all cops... or Blue Lives Matter. Further, because of my health issues limiting my participation in protests, I'm spending a lot of time doing the work I can online and donating what I can to worthy causes such as Black Lives Matter, Campaign Zero, Know Your Rights Camp Legal Defense Initiative & Know Your Rights Camp COVID19 response, Antiracism Research & Policy Center, The Bail Project, The NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund, The ACLU, and gofundmes for specific projects around me. I'm also making use of my wifi and repeatedly 'watching' monetised YouTube videos that donate to BLM and other nonprofits. If you didn't already know about that, you can join me in that by checking out this article.
I have been an activist since before I even knew the word, a feminist as soon as I could form a sentence, a protector from the time I could crawl, and punk before I even knew there was music outside of Gospel hymns and Wee Sings cassettes. I spent the first half of my life trying so hard to conform to the straight conservative Christian Republican mold my family had for me before I accepted that that wasn't me. And when I began officially working with my publishing partners as a 'social media influencer' (still so weird to call myself that, I don't see myself as that), I read their guidelines and thought, "well, this probably isn't going to last very long". Because we're supposed to abide by these guidelines or else rue the day, y'know? Y'all. I'm supposed to avoid personal or political agendas and avoid any content that may be politcally charged or motivated. I'm also supposed to avoid any content that might have a message opposite to the positive and good messages that their brand is associated with. My dudes. Before I had even finished their list, I knew that I would, most likely, not last a year. Because I'm an opinionated bitch.
To get right to the point of things, Once Upon a Time, I Read a Book (dot-com) and all its associated accounts and my personal accounts will not be promoting books that are thinly veiled police propaganda and I will not be promoting authors who spout All Lives Matter or Not all cops... or Blue Lives Matter. Further, because of my health issues limiting my participation in protests, I'm spending a lot of time doing the work I can online and donating what I can to worthy causes such as Black Lives Matter, Campaign Zero, Know Your Rights Camp Legal Defense Initiative & Know Your Rights Camp COVID19 response, Antiracism Research & Policy Center, The Bail Project, The NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund, The ACLU, and gofundmes for specific projects around me. I'm also making use of my wifi and repeatedly 'watching' monetised YouTube videos that donate to BLM and other nonprofits. If you didn't already know about that, you can join me in that by checking out this article.
Until next time, please stay safe, support the revolution, and wear your masks. I stop breathing and pass out in hot humid situations and I'm wearing a mask, just help stop the spread, folks.
Monday, 25 May 2020
Secret Investigation by Elizabeth Heiter
Tactical Crime Division #2
Published 21 April 2020 by Harlequin Intrigue
In the wake of a tragedy, the Tactical Crime Division is the first call. When ironclad body armor inexplicably fails and soldiers perish, the Tactical Crime Division jumps into action. Agent and former ranger Davis Rogers asks to go undercover to find the traitor responsible for the death of one of his friends, and Petrov Armor CEO Leila Petrov is happy to provide access to her company…especially once she discovers she’s being framed. But will their joint efforts be enough to uncover the truth?
Tactical Crime Division #2
Published 21 April 2020 by Harlequin Intrigue
In the wake of a tragedy, the Tactical Crime Division is the first call. When ironclad body armor inexplicably fails and soldiers perish, the Tactical Crime Division jumps into action. Agent and former ranger Davis Rogers asks to go undercover to find the traitor responsible for the death of one of his friends, and Petrov Armor CEO Leila Petrov is happy to provide access to her company…especially once she discovers she’s being framed. But will their joint efforts be enough to uncover the truth?
Amazon•Angus & Robertson results
Barnes & Noble•Better World Books•The Book Depository
Books A Million•Bookshop.org•Booktopia•Dymocks Results
Google•Harlequin•Indiebound
Indigo•Kindle• Kobo
Livraria Cultura•Nook
OverDrive Results•Target•Walmart•Waterstones
Barnes & Noble•Better World Books•The Book Depository
Books A Million•Bookshop.org•Booktopia•Dymocks Results
Google•Harlequin•Indiebound
Indigo•Kindle• Kobo
Livraria Cultura•Nook
OverDrive Results•Target•Walmart•Waterstones
I'm gonna start this off by saying that I have whiplash from this book, y'all! I just finished Secret Investigation and I'm chowing down on some chocolate because ya girl needs some sugar to get over that mindscrew. I thought I had everything figured out right off the bat. Then, I didn't. Then. Then, I did. Then I didn't? And I was ready to throw the book away. But then, I totally had it all figured out and I was ready to do the "I solved it first" dance. But y'all. I don't know what I know about anything anymore. I have spent the past 24ish hours cussing about this book and the ride it's taken me on.
Okay, suffice it to say that I am not exactly a fan of the protagonists. But I do like Kane and Melinda. Who are Kane and Melinda? A side romance that isn't even mentioned in the synopsis. Kane and Melinda are both TCD agents assigned to Davis' investigative team for the Petrov Armor case and they both have some major issues. But I have to say that Kane and Melinda did not deserve that disrespect. I did not deserve that disrespect.
Content warnings! Because why button for this. Leila had some suicidal issues from bouts of depression from loss of parents, there's child neglect and abuse ((abuse is not on page, only mentioned in brief passing in each instance)), there's gun violence and combat situation, a white nationalist group and the racist rhetoric mess that goes with that (brief content), and attempted murder!
Overall, I'm giving Secret Investigation 3 stars and 1 flame for heat - half a flame? There was barely any heat to this, a nun could read this. And here's some more honesty, none of those stars are protagonist-sourced. Mystery, Melinda, and Kane. Mostly the mystery because of the whiplash! This book made me cranky. In case you missed the excerpt part of the tour, here's my post on that. I was given a review copy of Secret Investigation by the publisher and this is my undiluted review, the FTC seems to think a free book makes me a mindless sheep. As much as I love sheep, I baah for no one. All opinions are my own and I make no apologies for them.
Publishers Weekly bestselling and award-winning author ELIZABETH HEITER likes her suspense to feature strong heroines, chilling villains, psychological twists and a little romance. Her research has taken her into the minds of serial killers, through murder investigations, and onto the FBI Academy’s shooting range. Her novels have been published in more than a dozen countries and translated into eight languages. Visit her at her website.
Social media include:: Instagram|Facebook|Twitter
Social media include:: Instagram|Facebook|Twitter
I need someone to remind me down the road that I need to take a long break from ARCs. The more responsibility I take on, the less I want to do. Procrastination Professional right here. Why do I do this to myself? Tune in on Wednesday to see if I'm covering book 3 or if I say 'screw it'... Y'all. I don't even know right now. I'm functioning on 2 king-sized chocolate bars, a Little Debbie honey bun, and 4 cups of coffee...
Be good, do good, wear your masks, wash your hands, and read a book. Until next time, have a happily ever after!
Be good, do good, wear your masks, wash your hands, and read a book. Until next time, have a happily ever after!
Saturday, 23 May 2020
48 Hour Lockdown by Carla Cassidy
Tactical Crime Division #1
Published 17 March 2020 by Harlequin Intrigue
The Tactical Crime Division—TCD—is a specialized unit of the FBI.They handle the toughest cases in the most remote locations. When TCD learns of a school invasion turned lockdown, every agent is ready to engage. With children in jeopardy, the stakes couldn’t be higher. But it becomes personal for hostage negotiator agent Evan Duran when he learns Annalise Taylor is one of the captives holed up with the students in a school for the gifted. He’ll need every resource available at TCD and every ounce of his expertise to turn this disastrous situation into a rescue mission—and if he succeeds, maybe reunite with the woman he never stopped loving.
Tactical Crime Division #1
Published 17 March 2020 by Harlequin Intrigue
The Tactical Crime Division—TCD—is a specialized unit of the FBI.They handle the toughest cases in the most remote locations. When TCD learns of a school invasion turned lockdown, every agent is ready to engage. With children in jeopardy, the stakes couldn’t be higher. But it becomes personal for hostage negotiator agent Evan Duran when he learns Annalise Taylor is one of the captives holed up with the students in a school for the gifted. He’ll need every resource available at TCD and every ounce of his expertise to turn this disastrous situation into a rescue mission—and if he succeeds, maybe reunite with the woman he never stopped loving.
Amazon•Angus & Robertson results
Barnes & Noble•Better World Books•The Book Depository
Books A Million•Bookshop.org•Booktopia•Dymocks Results
Google•Harlequin•Indiebound
Indigo•Kindle• Kobo
Livraria Cultura•Nook
OverDrive Results•Target•Walmart•Waterstones
Barnes & Noble•Better World Books•The Book Depository
Books A Million•Bookshop.org•Booktopia•Dymocks Results
Google•Harlequin•Indiebound
Indigo•Kindle• Kobo
Livraria Cultura•Nook
OverDrive Results•Target•Walmart•Waterstones
I'm getting the FTC disclaimer out of the way right now. Because ADHD reigns supreme. I received a review copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. A free book does not sway me in my judgment and I hope my readers know that about me by now.
I read 48 Hour Lockdown in less than a day, even though my mind wandered everywhere while I was reading it. I was pleased to find out that romance took a backseat the suspense in this story. Raise your hand if you've screamed at a romance where the couple is being hunted down by evil-doers in a jungle or they're, like, five minutes from certain death at the bad guy's hands, and they decide that that is the best time to have sexy times. Honestly, how do y'all straight people survive anything? Annalise and Evan table addressing their attraction and all that that entails for when everything is said and done. Yes, there are some moments but nothing major or excessive that detracts from the case at hand. Very task-oriented of them.
I liked the inclusion of a cult in the storyline. I have a thing for cults, they're very entertaining to me. So getting to giggle at the craziness that always ensues when there's a cult involved was a plus for me. I'm not saying that cults are good or funny, I just know that if I weren't so jaded about the world because of childhood trauma, I'd have wound up in a cult myself because oof, was I a naive sheep. But y'all. There are some warped cult members and the prerequisite shifty cult leaders in this story. Cults and hostage situations with cops are just nerve-wracking. I was on the edge of my seat with the story, wondering exactly how much of a disaster would it turn into for Annalise and Evan having to deal with cult crazies.
Another thing I liked about 48 Hour Lockdown was the coverage of the possible aftereffects of hostage situations and kidnappings and shootings that Annalise and her students were exposed to in the story. Annalise worries for her students mental health as well as their physical health. She specifically mentions the possibility of developing PTSD from the events in the book. As someone with non-combat Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, seeing an author shedding light on mental health and working to destigmatise non-combat PTSD, I cried a little. There's a lot of work to be done of making people realise that PTSD can come from all sorts of situations in life's journey and I appreciate the author's contribution.
Part of the fun of reading intrigues, mysteries, and thrillers is seeing if you can solve the crime(s) before the protagonist(s). I'm happy to say that I was reasonably stumped by the twists thrown at us by Ms Cassidy in 48 Hour Lockdown. Some instances were obvious to me (I won't name any but you'll know them when you see them) but then I got whacked upside the head with a few. Hooray for surprising me! But I was a bit perturbed that the story didn't end with the miraculous recovery of Evan's long-lost sister returning to his life for a true happily ever after ending. I'm hoping it's addressed in a later story because I need a happy ending on that! I was also dismayed about the level of suspense in the story, after the hostage situation, events were kind of anticlimactic in comparison.
Since there aren't really any spoilers in the content warnings, I'm not doing the code for it. Mostly because I'm lazy and typing it is a PAIN. As usual, please practise care in your reading. If any of these issues are problematic for you, please don't hesitate to message me for any clarification of degree of severity or whatever. Because mental health is just as important as physical health. • This story contains scenes of gun violence on page, hostage situations, assault, child abuse, child abduction, and cults and the extremist followers that go with that.
Overall, I'm going to give 48 Hour Lockdown by Carla Cassidy a solid 3 stars and 1 little flame for heat. I loved the mental health awareness the author presented I have no choice but to give accolades for it and the level of suspense was pretty good, but I was left wanting more substance to the story. In case you missed the excerpt part of the tour, here's my post on that.
I read 48 Hour Lockdown in less than a day, even though my mind wandered everywhere while I was reading it. I was pleased to find out that romance took a backseat the suspense in this story. Raise your hand if you've screamed at a romance where the couple is being hunted down by evil-doers in a jungle or they're, like, five minutes from certain death at the bad guy's hands, and they decide that that is the best time to have sexy times. Honestly, how do y'all straight people survive anything? Annalise and Evan table addressing their attraction and all that that entails for when everything is said and done. Yes, there are some moments but nothing major or excessive that detracts from the case at hand. Very task-oriented of them.
I liked the inclusion of a cult in the storyline. I have a thing for cults, they're very entertaining to me. So getting to giggle at the craziness that always ensues when there's a cult involved was a plus for me. I'm not saying that cults are good or funny, I just know that if I weren't so jaded about the world because of childhood trauma, I'd have wound up in a cult myself because oof, was I a naive sheep. But y'all. There are some warped cult members and the prerequisite shifty cult leaders in this story. Cults and hostage situations with cops are just nerve-wracking. I was on the edge of my seat with the story, wondering exactly how much of a disaster would it turn into for Annalise and Evan having to deal with cult crazies.
Another thing I liked about 48 Hour Lockdown was the coverage of the possible aftereffects of hostage situations and kidnappings and shootings that Annalise and her students were exposed to in the story. Annalise worries for her students mental health as well as their physical health. She specifically mentions the possibility of developing PTSD from the events in the book. As someone with non-combat Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, seeing an author shedding light on mental health and working to destigmatise non-combat PTSD, I cried a little. There's a lot of work to be done of making people realise that PTSD can come from all sorts of situations in life's journey and I appreciate the author's contribution.
Part of the fun of reading intrigues, mysteries, and thrillers is seeing if you can solve the crime(s) before the protagonist(s). I'm happy to say that I was reasonably stumped by the twists thrown at us by Ms Cassidy in 48 Hour Lockdown. Some instances were obvious to me (I won't name any but you'll know them when you see them) but then I got whacked upside the head with a few. Hooray for surprising me! But I was a bit perturbed that the story didn't end with the miraculous recovery of Evan's long-lost sister returning to his life for a true happily ever after ending. I'm hoping it's addressed in a later story because I need a happy ending on that! I was also dismayed about the level of suspense in the story, after the hostage situation, events were kind of anticlimactic in comparison.
Since there aren't really any spoilers in the content warnings, I'm not doing the code for it. Mostly because I'm lazy and typing it is a PAIN. As usual, please practise care in your reading. If any of these issues are problematic for you, please don't hesitate to message me for any clarification of degree of severity or whatever. Because mental health is just as important as physical health. • This story contains scenes of gun violence on page, hostage situations, assault, child abuse, child abduction, and cults and the extremist followers that go with that.
Overall, I'm going to give 48 Hour Lockdown by Carla Cassidy a solid 3 stars and 1 little flame for heat. I loved the mental health awareness the author presented I have no choice but to give accolades for it and the level of suspense was pretty good, but I was left wanting more substance to the story. In case you missed the excerpt part of the tour, here's my post on that.
Carla Cassidy is a New York Times bestselling author who has written more than 125 novels for Harlequin Books. She is listed on the Romance Writer's of America Honor Roll and has won numerous awards. Carla believes the only thing better than curling up with a good book to read is sitting down at the computer with a good story to write. Facebook
That's it for today's review, y'all. I honestly can't believe I got it all finished, I've been sleeping most of this week. I just love playing sleep catch-up on insomnia. I'm actually going to be doing reviews for all four books in the Tactical Crime Division miniseries in the next week or so. Because I'm a literary masochist. I've turned my garage into my crafting workroom, finally. It only took a global pandemic to do it. But now I have somewhere to store all my crafting stuff (there's so much) and to work without constant interruptions. And I'm making masks in all the sizes. When this is over, I never want to see another sewing pattern. Y'all. I hate sewing.
I'm not including any specific charities right now because there are just way too many to wade through. Instead, I ask that if you're needing to purchase masks, support a small business on Etsy or Instagram or a friend selling them on Facebook, that might be their only income at the moment. If you're taking advantage of the loosening of lockdowns and going out to eat, try to eat at a non-chain restaurant. Tip your deliverypeople.
I'm not including any specific charities right now because there are just way too many to wade through. Instead, I ask that if you're needing to purchase masks, support a small business on Etsy or Instagram or a friend selling them on Facebook, that might be their only income at the moment. If you're taking advantage of the loosening of lockdowns and going out to eat, try to eat at a non-chain restaurant. Tip your deliverypeople.
Friday, 15 May 2020
Are you bored in the house and in the house bored whilst avoiding COVID-19? Same. So, I have a new list for you!
Ten Things to Do in Quarantine
♥ Make use of our postal system and send #smilemail around the globe to let others know that they're not alone during quarantine! Am I doing that? Yes, yes, I am! (message me your address on Twitter, Instagram, or my personal facebook- because my blog's facebook and I have a healthy dislike of each other.)
♥ send a card to your local grocery store, hospital, post office, etc. let them know that their work is appreciated. *shrug* My momma always taught me to appreciate people. And I don't people well.
♥ chalk up the neighbourhood! I've seen a lot of sidewalks on social media being decorated with games for people to play as they take their daily constitutional about their neighbourhoods and I have an entire basket of chalk. I'm just really self-conscious and worry about people thinking I'm weird and I might do this one night when I'm bored.
♥ send a card to your local grocery store, hospital, post office, etc. let them know that their work is appreciated. *shrug* My momma always taught me to appreciate people. And I don't people well.
♥ chalk up the neighbourhood! I've seen a lot of sidewalks on social media being decorated with games for people to play as they take their daily constitutional about their neighbourhoods and I have an entire basket of chalk. I'm just really self-conscious and worry about people thinking I'm weird and I might do this one night when I'm bored.
♥ Take your pet for an adventure! I've seen a lot of different pets being taken for walks this year. Ferrets, pigs, a capuchin monkey (they're a thing in Florida), lizards, dogs, cats. Even if it's just a 15-minute walk to start with, it's still an adventure.
♥ Learn a new craft. I've finally gotten around to unpacking my various crafting boxes. I'm tatting earrings to go with my freshly re-pierced ears and I've ordered some thread for a new doily! Just think of the bookstagram photos... I'm knitting new mitred squares for my blanket that I found while moving in. And I've decided to try my hand at sewing some book sleeves in addition to masks for the family (because deities know, I have the material).
♥ buy some DIY birdfeeders you can decorate and put them up on your patio or in your yard!
♥ download TikTok if you haven't already and just start making weird videos. It doesn't matter if they go viral, have fun making them. Dance, joke, tell stories (in 60 seconds or less) of weird or funny or stupid things that have happened to you, cosplay, sing, do skits, whatever. Just have fun with it. Also, tag me (@SkittlesWarlord) in a comment of one of your videos so I can hype you up. Because I have insomnia and loads of free time.
♥ read a book or two, maybe even three! (This is still a book blog...)
♥ Learn a new craft. I've finally gotten around to unpacking my various crafting boxes. I'm tatting earrings to go with my freshly re-pierced ears and I've ordered some thread for a new doily! Just think of the bookstagram photos... I'm knitting new mitred squares for my blanket that I found while moving in. And I've decided to try my hand at sewing some book sleeves in addition to masks for the family (because deities know, I have the material).
♥ buy some DIY birdfeeders you can decorate and put them up on your patio or in your yard!
♥ download TikTok if you haven't already and just start making weird videos. It doesn't matter if they go viral, have fun making them. Dance, joke, tell stories (in 60 seconds or less) of weird or funny or stupid things that have happened to you, cosplay, sing, do skits, whatever. Just have fun with it. Also, tag me (@SkittlesWarlord) in a comment of one of your videos so I can hype you up. Because I have insomnia and loads of free time.
♥ read a book or two, maybe even three! (This is still a book blog...)
♥ Have a Disney marathon. I've been binging my childhood favourites all through quarantine. What's playing now? 10 Things I Hate About You. Kat was an icon for me as a kid, y'all.
♥ Bake. I love baking and now my neighbours know it too. And, I finally, for the first time in my entire life, managed to bake chocolate chip cookies without them turning into goop. (It was a thing that haunted me, moving on) I'm currently trying to create a new cookie recipe. Much to my family's mixed dismay-delight. It's a toss-up. One of my favourite baker bloggers to follow is Michelle, the Brown-Eyed Baker. I've been a follower of Michelle for well over a decade (let's not age me) and her recipes always make me want to run to my kitchen. Considering the scarcity of bread items at the moment, here's Michelle's recipe for bread.
That's Ten Things to Do During Quarantine, folks! I have an amazing birthday surprise happening next month so I'm going to be putting together all of my June posts and scheduling them while I'm also posting my May posts so that I can have my birthday week completely clear. Are you confused? So am I. My poor planner is having apoplexy over the amount of work I'm putting into it. I just have no idea what this birthday extravaganza week is going to consist of with the whole plague thing. Until next time, stay safe and have a happily ever after, duckies!
Tuesday, 12 May 2020
Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to The Artsy Reader Girl
How it works:
I assign each Tuesday a topic and then post my top ten list that fits that topic. You’re more than welcome to join me and create your own top ten (or 2, 5, 20, etc.) list as well. Feel free to put a unique spin on the topic to make it work for you! Please link back to That Artsy Reader Girl in your own post so that others know where to find more information. You’ll find the schedule of upcoming TTT topics below so you can plan ahead. I’ll post a Linky here on the blog each week so you can link up your post (if you want). If you don’t have a blog, post your picks in the comment section below! Have tons of fun talking books and getting to know your fellow bloggers!
NOTE: If a weekly topic is listed as a “freebie”, you are invited to come up with your own topic. Sometimes I will give your topic a theme, such as “love”, a season, or an upcoming holiday. That just means that you can come up with any topic you want that fits under that umbrella.
- Jana of The Artsy Reader Girl
Ten Books I Bid Adieu in Quarantine
Today, our Top Ten Tuesday theme, 'The Last Ten Books I Abandoned' and since I'm a mood reader, I abandon books like Elle Woods changes outfits. Especially during quarantine where my ADHD has absolute free reign, your girl is not reading much of anything right now. I need medication, y'all. That being said, it's nothing against the books, I've just serious ADHD and I've been unmedicated for about 8 years or so and my ADHD goes bananas in chaotic environments.
Mischief Managed by Lacey Dailey
Blue Persuasion by Brea Viragh
Called by the Bear by V Vaughn
Bearly in Control by Milly Taiden
The Girl Beneath the Sea by Andrew Mayne
Scavenge the Stars by Tara Lim
Moonshine & Murder by Kathleen Brooks
All the Stars and Teeth by Adalyn Grace
Once & Future by Amy Rose Capetta & Cori McCarthy
Children of the Stars by K Aten
I've been buying a lot of plants during quarantine and my room is starting to look very earthy. I love it. Every time I get stressed out to the point of relapse, I go onto Etsy and buy a plant from one of the shops or pierce something. I have healthy-ish coping mechanisms. How are y'all doing? Anybody else climbing the walls? I know the stores are starting to open back up here in the US, but I'm not a fan of the whole ignoring health officials who say that's a bad idea and I'm going to be remaining as socially distant as I can.. I hope y'all are staying safe!
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