The “Holy Shit, What a Monday” part of the post:
Last night (Sunday for those of you in a different time zone) my oldest got very sick. I thought at first that her pain was cramps and so gave her an ibuprofen and moved on. Well not soon after that she started throwing up and continued to do that throughout most of the night. When she woke up this morning she was crying and complaining of severe abdominal pain and I finally figured that I should take her to the doctor. I called top get an appointment and they said that based on her symptoms I should take her to the ER. After 8 hours in the ER (only 15 min. of that was in the waiting room), 2 doses of morphine, lab work and a CT scan they figured out that she (probably) had a ovarian cyst that had ruptured. We just got home a little bit ago. They sent her home with prescription strength ibuprofen and said to check up with her doc in a couple of days. Needless to say I’m thoroughly relieved that it wasn’t appendicitis, kidney stones or any of the other awful possibilities that the ER doc mentioned originally. The worst of the pain has passed (I assume since she’s not hunched over howling) and we’ll just have to hope that she continues to improve. It was a scary day – and tiring for everyone. My oldest is really glad she’s home – although she did say the hospital bed was comfortable. Kids can sleep anywhere, I swear! LOL
Other than that my week was pretty normal which I’m incredibly thankful for! 🙂
If it’s up your alley don’t forget to enter into the giveaway to win a copy of The American Heiress by Daisy Goodwin. You can do that by clicking this link to get to the post. Giveaway ends 7/21/11
Now to the “What I Read Last Week” part of the post…sorry if my descriptions are odd in any way or if I leave stuff out – my brain’s a bit sideways right now. lol
I started off the week with a book called A Dish Served Cold by Andrew Ashling. This was a really interesting story about a wealthy 17 year old boy who lives in a world where indentured servitude aka slavery exists. He’s made aware of a plot that would send him into slavery for life so he finds he must act as he normally wouldn’t in order to save himself. This was a really good book in lots of little ways. At first I had a problem with the story being told to me rather than shown to me but near the end of the book that is explained in an unexpected fashion. The book pushed some serious buttons in me and made me more than uncomfortable in quite a few parts of the story, but the actions of the characters and the characters itself were so compelling I couldn’t help but read on even when I otherwise would have put the book down. It’s really quite an interesting story with a bit of romance involved as well. 4.25 out of 5
Next up was The Reluctant Vampire by Lynsay Sands. The story takes us back to Port Henry – the location of an Argeneau pairing a few books back. We have Harper who’s lifemate died while being changed from mortal to immortal and his guilty feelings about that; and Drina who knows that Harper is her life mate but is afraid once he finds out he’ll run screaming in the streets because he’s just not ready to deal with it quite yet. Needless to say we do have tension but they deal with it as well as the person who’s trying to kill the person they’re guarding. Good story. Not great on the “romance” but a good relationship none the less. 4 out of 5
Linnette, the Lioness by Lavinia Kent was next. This was book 2 in the Real Duchesses of London series and it was as good as the first. You can read my mini review here. 4 out of 5
Nightfall by Ellen Connor was my next read and it was great! I really loved almost everything about it. Yes, it was a bit bloodier than my normal romances but it totally worked for me. It’s a post-apocalyptic romance about a woman who is a non-believer in the apocalypse and the man who is sworn to save her. I read this one for The Book Binge and I’ll let you know when it posts. 4.75 out of 5
My Tracy’s TBR challenge read for the week was Rough Cut: Vincent Diamond Collected by Vincent Diamond. This is a series of short stories of cops, ex-cops, ex-cons, current convicts and others who find love and/or sex. There are some that connect and those were great as we got to see a bit more into the men who were involved. There were 7 (I think it’s 7) stories with the same characters and after they were over I just wanted more! They were so great – Conrad and Steven sigh. If you haven’t read this I’d definitely recommend it. 4.25 out of 5
Next up was book 3 in the Pennyroyal Green series by Julie Anne Long called Since the Surrender. The book had Rosalind seeking help from Chase Eversea when her sister disappears after being arrested. Chase doesn’t believe there’s a problem and kind of blows her off. But strange events happen that make him think twice about that decision. On top of that there’s the intense attraction that Rosalind and Chase have for each other that hasn’t dimmed in the 5 years since they’ve seen each other. A good brooding romance that I enjoyed. 3.5 out of 5
Last up was Nightshade by Andrea Cremer. This is a YA paranormal book about a girl who is a shapeshifting wolf and the boy she comes to love. There’s just one issue – she’s scheduled to marry someone else on her 18 birthday which isn’t all that far off. This was a great story about a girl who stands up for herself when she doesn’t like the decisions that are being made for her. It also is the start of a mystery involving her “clan” of shapeshifters and the people they know as their masters. Have they been told the truth about who they are and what they should be doing with their lives, or is it all a sham? I really liked the story and can’t wait to read the second book (which I have sitting here waiting for me – yay!). 4.5 out of 5
My Book Binge review that posted this past week:
One Magic Moment by Lynn Kurland
Flying Blind by Deborah Cooke
Happy Reading!
OMG, I'm so glad she's ok.
And wow, I was never to just nap anywhere, but I'm glad she was able to rest in the hospital. 🙂
Ooh, your poor baby! So glad it ended ok, and that she'll be feeling all better, soon.
Wasn't Nightfall awesome! There is some chilling scenes in it, isn't there? ::shudder::
I didn't realize the sequel to Nightshade was already out. I think I read the audiobook, so I'll probably do the same with book 2.
Have a great week, Tracy! 🙂
Jeebus, that must've scrared the crap outta you both! Glad to know the worst is over for mini you…it sounds utterly painful 🙁
As for your reading week…I read A Dish Served Cold as well and loved it too. It wasn't like anything I read before with not so easy subject as well. And that epilogue added a cherry for me 🙂
It's so scary when our kids get sick. You just wish you could trade places with them. Hope she gets better really quick!
You have some good reads there. I still have to get Nightfall and will definitely check out Nightshade. Ha – can you tell I'm a "night" person? LOL
Wow, that sounds truly frightening. Glad she is okay but wow. Hope she continues to feel better.
I don't think that slavery one is for me. I have read a couple of stories from the Rough Cuts anthology and enjoyed them. I think one I reviewed was the couple you mentioned. I can't remember off hand.
Yikes! I'm glad she's doing better – but damn, how scary!
Hmm, I'll have to check out both the m/m books you read!
Reading your description of your "Holy Shit Monday" my immediate first thought was "appendicitis." Glad to hear it wasn't that. But still – a ruptured cyst does NOT sound fun. Glad to hear she's doing better!
Alys – Hi! Good to hear from you! Hope you're well.
Thanks for your thoughts. I was amazed she could sleep in the ER since we were there so long but I think between the exhaustion from the pain and the morphine she couldn't have kept her eyes open if she tried. 🙂
Renee – I think all is well. We have to follow up with her regular doc in a few days – not sure what they'll do then.
Nightfall was very realistic in its descriptions! I loved it though and can't wait for the next one.
Wolfsbane, the sequel to Nightshade, will come out in HC and ebook on 7/26. (sorry, had my dates mixed up.)
Leontine – Thanks so much. It definitely wasn't fun. I hate to say it but my oldest is a huge drama queen so sometimes I don't know how serious things are. I'm glad I followed my instincts on this one.
A Dish Served Cold was definitely a different kind of read. I really liked it though and yes, the epilogue was great.
Leslie – Kids are so resilient she's already feeling 85% better – thank heavens. Thanks for your kind words. You're right – I just wanted to trade places so that she wouldn't suffer any more pain.
LOL – I didn't even see the whole "night" thing – that's funny. 🙂
Tam- Pretty scary for all of us, that's for sure. And yes, she's improving every minute. 🙂
The slavery was hard to read about – especially the humiliation that was heaped on those that were being taken in to custody. Very descriptive and hard to read at times.
The shorts from Diamond were great – I really liked the layout of the book too.
Chris – I know I got the ebook of the Diamond free on ARe a couple of years ago. I couldn't find it in ebook again recently though – maybe you can? I know it's available in PB though.
Thanks and you're right – scary stuff.
Wendy – That's what I thought too even though the pain was localized more in the center of her abdomen rather than the sides. But you never know – everyone's different. I'm happy that it was nothing that required surgery and hopefully this won't happen again. 🙂
I'm pretty sure I got the Diamond ebook free at ARe way back when, too! 🙂
(((Tracy + eldest daughter)))
Glad your eldest is going better, but I can't imagine how scary that was.
Oh, and I like the sound of Rough Cut: Vincent Diamond Collected!
Poor baby! Hope she's feeling better now. How scary for you though.
The only one I've read is A Dish Served Cold which I loved.
Chris – Then you're set! Enjoy!
Orannia – Thanks. She's having her moments but doing ok in the end. Yes, extremely scary.
Rough Cut = good m/m lovin. lol
Lily – Thanks, she is.
A Dish Served Cold was really good – glad you liked it as well.
Of course we are so glad that #1 daughter is so much better. And hopefully there won't be too many more "Holy Shit" Mondays in your near future. Blessed motherhood . . .!
Sorry, late to the party!
Gosh, it must have been so scary to see your daughter in such pain. I'm happy she's okay now. Cyst in ovary? Did they say how it formed?
great reading week. I have Nightfall that I'm planning to start soon… and I've been seeing Nightshade on blogs and feel my will wavering…