So this was a good week. My hubby is slowly getting back to normal. He’s still slower than normal along with weak but he did go back to work today. I think (and hope) that he’s just gonna do half days for the next few days until he can get back up to speed. One thing that’s making him so weak is his weight loss. You have to understand my hubby. When he’s completely up to speed he eats a bowl of cereal every night right before bed. If he doesn’t he loses weight (bastard!). When he was in the hospital he lost 6 pounds in the 4.5 days he was there. Since then he’s lost another 6 and he’s been trying to eat normally – although up until a few days ago he just couldn’t stomach that much. So this morning he told me that he weighed 148. I just stared at him for a minute and then said: You weigh 148 and I weigh 143.
Him: That’s just scary.
Me: What? That you weigh 148 or that I weigh 143?
Him: Both
Me: speechless
Then my youngest walked up and gave me a hug and said: It doesn’t matter how much mama weighs, I love her anyway.
Me: awww sticking my tongue out at hubby (bastard)
LOL Anyway – my daughter saved my Monday morning – thank heavens! 🙂
Other home stuff: my oldest dropped her itouch in a pool when she was at her friend’s house. It’s toast, we think. We have a warranty but it only covers broken itouch’s, not water damaged itouch’s. sigh My husband has it imbedded in rice to try to soak up any moisture but since she turned it on right after it happened we’re pretty sure it fried the electronics. What’s a mom to do? She was trying to save her chore money to try and buy an inexpensive laptop – now she’s going to be saving it for a new itouch.
I’ve decided to make March “Finish the Series” month. I’ve been thinking the past few days that I’ve started quite a few series and haven’t finished them. Some of the series have ended and still others are still going but I haven’t caught up yet. That’s my goal for this month is to get caught up on the series that I’ve begun. This will take a bit of research on my part to try and figure out what I need to read but hopefully it won’t be too daunting and I’ll be able to get it done in a month’s time. Now there are books that I’ve started that were part of a series that I don’t plan on ever reading but thankfully there aren’t many of those.
So my first read for the week: I started Naked Dragon by Annette Blair for review at The Book Binge but it just wasn’t my thing. Both the hero and heroine were annoying me (this seems to be happening a lot) and I just couldn’t read more. After about 100 pages I put it down. DNF
Next up was Bound, Branded and Brazen by Jaci Burton. I read this one for review at The Book Binge as well and really enjoyed it a lot. The story of 3 sisters coming together on their family ranch – reuniting with each other and finding love in the process. I’ll let you know when my review posts. 4 out of 5
My next read was Chosen by Desire by Kate Perry. Book 2 in the Guardians of Destiny series follows Carrie Woods as she steals sacred scrolls for a monastery in order to get information for her dissertation. The man who is sent to get the scrolls back is Max Prescott, a Guardian of Destiny. They have a lustful yet volatile relationship that just works. Max seemed a little out of it to me at times, like he was a time traveler from the past or and didn’t have a clue about the modern world. But then I thought about it and realized the man had spent most of his adult life in a monastery so that would make anyone a little out of it. lol Despite that I liked the book and will be reading the next one when it’s released. 3.75 out of 5
My Tracy’s TBR Challenge read for the week was A Perfect Hero by Samantha James. This is book 3 in a trilogy about the Sterling siblings. I didn’t read the first 2 books in the series but really didn’t feel like I needed to. Julianna was jilted at the altar when she was 22 years old. She’s now 27 and on her way to Bath. Her coach is stopped by a highwayman and when the coachman tries to get away crashes the coach and dies. Julianna is hurt and the highwayman takes her to his cottage. The two form a bond and fall in love while Julianna is there. But Julianna leaves eventually and is crushed until she meets Viscount Granville at a ball – and he’s none other than the highwayman. This was a really sweet romance. I loved when the h/h were in the cottage and spending time together. The first part of the book was a little repetitive but I forged through and it ended up be more than worth it. 4 out of 5
After that I read Faith & Fidelity by Tere Michaels for one of M/M Challenge reads. A great book I highly recommend. My review here. 4.5 out of 5
Love in Exile by Samantha Kane was next. I read this one for review at The Book Binge. I liked the story about Gregory/Palu who is part English and part Polynesian. I’ll let you know when the review posts. 3.75 out of 5
Last up was The Shadow Queen by Anne Bishop. Technically I guess this would be considered a Tracy’s TBR Challenge read as well since it’s been on my shelf since the day it released. Why it sat there I don’t have a clue because as usual with Bishop’s writing it was a really good book. The story of Dena Nehele that has been decimated by evil witches and fighting landens. Things have calmed and the last man with the Grayhaven name goes to Daemon Sadi to request a queen for their land. They are given Cassidy who is a lovely person but not all that great to look at. Teran Grayhaven is not thrilled with Daemon and Jaenelle’s choice. He wanted someone with a dark jewel and a beautiful face to “wow” the Blood in Dena Nehele. The book basically follows Cassidy as she goes to Dena Nehele and attempts to be a good queen. This was just a wonderful book. I really liked Cassidy a lot and hated Teran because he was such a bastard. I was a little thrown off by the end of the book as I didn’t feel things were wrapped up well – but since I started Shalador’s Lady right after (and am currently reading it) I realized that the story is still in progress. 4.5 out of 5
FYI my reading list for February is now up at my reading list blog – aptly named Tracy’s Reading List. I know, it’s genius.
Also – any of my reviews for The Book Binge that have posted you can find here.
Happy Reading!
Glad your hubby is doing better. It takes awhile to get back into things. Sounds like he's doing well.
Wow I'm so jealous of all your reading! I really want to read Faith & Fidelity.
Have a great week Tracy 🙂 (Trying to get back into bloghopping again).
Your daughter gets a gold star; your hub? Not so much!
I've read amazing things about using rice to dry out electronics, so don't give up – just leave it in there for a long time…
I had the same reaction to the last Annette Blair I tried to read – and it was a different one than the one you hit DNF with!
Good luck with your daughter's itouch. I find technology fickle enough without having dropped it in water 😛
Finish the Series month sounds like such a good idea. I have so many half finished series sitting on my bookshelves. I think it's just that I'm easily distracted.
Stacy – thanks honey. I think you'll really like Faith & Fidelity.
I know what you mean about blog hopping – I managed to do some this past week but haven't done a full hop in a couple of months. I feel so out of the loop! lol
Chris – Yes, she does get a gold star. And my hubby gets oatmeal for dinner for the next week (he hates oatmeal).
I read that article – unfortunately that was a phone where you can take a battery out – the itouch doesn't have that – no way to open it at all that we can see.
DL – lol I agree! Technology baffles me sometimes – even though I use it all the time.
Yes, too many series that I haven't finished. So sad. I think I'm easily distracted as well – adult ADD – that's my story and I'm sticking to it! lol
Google "How to open an ipod touch" – you have nothing to lose at this point, right??
Oh, I'm so glad you liked A Perfect Hero. I reread it for Nath's challenge last year, and still love it.
As for hubby? First of all, he must be skin and bones at 148. I can't imagine my hubby at 150 anymore. As for his comment? I say you take all the cereal out of the house and make him starve. Brat. But your daughter is so sweet.
Chris – I'll do it cuz you're totally right!
Lori – Yep, got the book from you in a blogger swap a while back (saw your name in the book). Did you read the first two and were they good?
Yes, I won't be letting my hubby live that comment down for a while. I mean, like I don't worry about the size of my ass enough for the both of us! lol
Yep – little one is a sweetie. Always there to say the right thing and give comfort – she just has a sixth sense about it.
Ugh, hubby's can be so insensitive sometimes! LOL Glad to hear he's doing better.
Your little one is such a sweetie.
Lol about the hubby comment! Guys are so great in communicating 😉 I'm glad he's doing better.
You had a wonderful reading week with a lot of books. I'm glad if I read that amount of books in one month, lol. I wish I could make myself read more than I do now…
Tracy – I'm very glad to hear that your husband is feeling better.
And you're reading Shalador's Lady? Ohhhhh! I'm looking forward to reading that *check library hold list* I'm getting closer to the top *grin*
*races off to read Faith & Fidelity review*
Lily – sometimes I think I've done such a good job training my husband and something like this pops out of his mouth. Man!
Janna – You know I'm always shocked at how much I read but I just can't be without a book during down time.
Orannia – I am reading Shalador's Lady and so far it's really, really good! Hope you get to the top of that list quickly!
Hi Tracy!
Glad to hear your hubby is doing better!! How sweet is your daughter!!
Oh no on the iPod….hopefully you can save it!
I have Naked Dragon in my TBR and I was so excited to read it but I'm hearing so many say that the hero and heroine are too much!
Weakness must be making your husband's brain addled!! And seriously, it's just not fair. Sigh.
That is such a nice goal, Tracy! Finishing series. Very good idea.
When is your daughter's birthday?
As for books, another pretty good week no? I read A Perfect Hero after Lori read it for my challenge and I agree with you, you don't really need to read the first 2 books. It was a cute book 🙂
The Shadow Queen was good. seriously, there's no word to describe how much of a bastard Theran is. By the way, this is supposed to be a trilogy. So we'll have to wait till next year for the conclusion.
So good to hear the husband is doing better.
I think I need to give Faith and Fidelity another go. I've started it, but then left reading it. Obviously I need to keep reading!!
Blanche – thanks!
Yes, Naked Dragon was just really hard to get into for me. The hero took everything literally and instead of cute it was just annoying.
Nath – Yes, I need to finish some series. I keep starting new ones and seeing the other ones sit there is making me a bit crazy. This will force me to pick them up. lol
My daughter’s b-day is July 8.
Oh I had no idea that Shadow Queen and Shalador’s Lady was a trilogy but it makes sense. I want to beat Theran, really. But I’m thinking he’ll get his comeuppance.
Sarah – I think you’ll really like it once you really get into it. Do you remember what it was that made you stop reading the first time?
Jealous that you can start reading Shalador's Lady straight away. I'm still waiting for my copy to arrive.
The Shadow Queen was one of my favourite books from last year, a definite comfort read for me.
I'm so jealous of all your reading! I really want to read Faith & Fidelity.
your healthy choice