Is it already Monday again? How does this keep happening so quickly? I swear I just wrote last weeks post! lol

Anyway, last week started out stressful but ended in a wonderful way. I went back to work on Monday and Tuesday after being gone for a week. What the hell was I thinking? Those were 2 of the most stressful days of working here and I’ve been here 10 years! I should have just taken the whole week off. Remind me of that the next time I plan time off, would you please?

On Wednesday I went and picked up the Queen of the Fucking Universe aka Kris at the train station. We took a detour to Olvera St. there in LA and had a great time perusing the authentic Hispanic goods they had to offer. The three days Kris was with me was more relaxing than anything else – but always fun of course. She loved sitting in my back yard and since the weather was so nice she did it often. We also got to explore the William S. Hart museum that’s here in my city. He was a silent film star and director back in the 1900’s. Kris also got to go Halloween costume shopping with me and the kids. She thought it would be fun and I thought it would be a PITA. We ended up both being right. (You get a little of everything with my kids). In the end it was a fantastic visit and I hated having to take her to the airport. My youngest asked on the way home, “why can’t Australia be right next to America?” Good freakin question! Let’s just say I miss her already.

On Saturday, the So Cal Bloggers threw Holly (from The Book Binge) a baby shower at her home. We had a wonderful time there as well and Holly got some great gifts. The few that stood out to me were the handmade ones – especially one a friend of hers made that is a sling thing that you can carry the baby in as well as breast feed without everyone seeing. A very cool gift indeed.

Yesterday….I seriously barely got off the couch! lol My youngest had spent the night at a friends house and was gone and the oldest just wanted to watch the episodes of CSI that she had DVR’d. The hubby was off with his friends and damned if I wanted to do anything but sleep and read. I’m a good mom. It’s true, you can say it.

Oh! Today over at Janna’s blog, Rarely Dusty Books, you can read my final thoughts on GayRomLit…along with Kris’s interjections.

Ok – so what did I read last week. Well, until Sunday not all that much. Here’s the run down

First up was First Watch by Peter Hansen. This is a new book that is being published by Riptide Publishing. The story is not what I’d usually read but the blurb sounded good and it was. We follow Edouard who is wounded in WWI and left to die. He is asked in the dark of night “do you want to live” and he says yes. He has no idea that he has tied the entirety of his life to a monster. After many years of running, and also of suffering the touch of the monster Edouard seeks help from an old friend, Farid, and together they plan to kill the monster. The story is very puzzling at first and really throughout the book as I was forced to figure it all out little by little. The descriptions in the book were quite creative and the world pretty fascinating even though it was touched on quite lightly. The problem I had with the book for the most part is that we never really got an in depth look at any one character. We saw a little bit of each – enough to keep interested – but I just wanted more. I wanted more of the history behind the relationship of Edouard and Farid and even a bit more description of the monster and possibly its origins. Overall a good story and if there are more in the future in this world I’ll probably read them. 3.5 out of 5

My next read was kind of a read slash listen. Something So Right by Elyse Mady was the book and I originally started reading the book but when I was on my way to Holly’s house I listened to the rest of the book. The story was about Lily and Sam who have been best friends since they were 12 and 14 years old. Sam has been in love with Lily for just as long but has never told her. Lily is 5 years out from a failed relationship where the man was emotionally and physically abusive. She doesn’t want a relationship with another man, ever, but decides after a kiss with Sam that they should use each other sexually for 2 weeks. That doesn’t exactly go as planned because Sam wants more. Lily has a hard time with her thoughts and feelings and doesn’t feel like she deserves someone as good as Sam. Thought I knew from the story that Lily’s self esteem had been beaten down by her fiancé I had a hard time with some of her thoughts and actions in the book. I loved Sam and frankly wanted him with someone else. lol The book had some great scenes between Lily and Sam though when they were just friends. So while the book was good I did have some issues with it. 3 out of 5

Next up was Scandalous Desires by Elizabeth Hoyt. Oh how I love thee let me count the ways. This was book 3 in the Maiden Lane series and it was a keeper. Silence Hollingbrook heads to the “palace” that is Charming Mickey O’Connor’s stronghold. Mickey is an unrepentant pirate who has kidnapped Mary Darling – the child that Silence has been taking care of. Silence is 99.9% positive that Mary is Mickey’s daughter and Mickey confirms that. But Mick’s enemies are out to get anything that Mick cares about so he coerces Silence into staying at his palace as he won’t let Mary leave. But Mick’s got ulterior motives when it comes to Silence and he needs to all his thoughts together to find out exactly what his fascination with Silence is. The story goes in places I never expected and kept me turning pages (when I could finally sit down and read non-stop). I love the romance, I loved the suspense part of the story – just everything about it. Mick was SO not your typical hero but Hoyt did a damn fine job of making me love him and Silence together. To say that I’m anxious for the next book in the series would be an understatement. 5 out of 5

Tempted by His Target by Jill Sorenson was my last read of the week and it too was a very good book. The story revolves around a woman who is on the run from the law and is in Mexico. I won’t say more as I’m posting my review of this one later this week. I’m evil like that, I know.

My Book Binge reviews that posted last week: