30 Day Blog Challenge: Done!!

It's June 1st and I completed the 30 Day Blog Challenge. Ames idea for this challenge was to blog for 30 consecutive days during the month of May with the goal of getting herself back into the habit of blogging again. I needed some incentive to get back to blogging and decided to join her for the same reason. And what do you know? I was successful in completing the challenge. Yay!!!

Okay… I did miss a few days here and there, either due to migraines, the old-fried-brain syndrome from working late, and once because I was away from home and my scheduled blog post didn't post… but, I made up for them by double posting [grin]. I joined the challenge late, so with today's post it's 30!! It counts!

Seriously though, it's amazing how tough it was at the beginning to get going again, and how it all began to flow as the days went along.

Here is the breakdown of my posts:

Book Reviews/Mini-Reviews/Overview/Poetry Reviews: 11
Book Related Posts: 10
Weekly Updates: 3
Photos & Video: 3
Holidays: 3

Now that I know it's all about making the time, and I'm back in the groove, it will be easier to get back to my regular scheduled program.

Thank you Ames! This was a fantabulous idea!

Review: Only Beloved by Mary Balogh

Only Beloved is one of Mary Balogh's quiet romances.

In this last book of the Survivor's Club series, 48 year-old widower George Crabbe, The Duke of Stanbrook, decides he is ready to find a companion, a friend, a wife, a lover of his own. The only woman who comes to his mind is Dora Debbins, a 39 year-old spinster and music teacher he met over a year ago. George visits Dora at her little cottage and to her utter amazement, he proposes. She accepts.

During the rest of the novel, we discover the characters. There is Dora's capacity for hope and joy, her vitality and willingness to accept the opportunity to be happy with a man she respects, admires, finds attractive, and slowly comes to love. George will do anything to make Dora happy -- to keep this woman he fully admires at his side. He's almost perfect, but not quite. George gives, and has given so much of himself to others, but has never learned how to accept support from friends. So sad, so hardheaded, so darn huggable!

Most of Only Beloved is focused on relationship growth and characterization. The details about the marriage, how George and Dora get from companionship and attraction to love, are all fabulous. This couple develops a mature relationship with few, if any, misunderstandings. I love that about them. And, although this is not the most sizzling, sexual of couples, there is intimacy, love, and passion between them. Of course there are a couple of personal conflicts thrown in for good measure.

Dora's main problem is her estrangement with the mother who abandoned the family when she was a teenager, creating a scandal and robbing her of a future. Balogh does not rush the resolution to Dora's conflict, as it takes almost the whole book to conclude satisfactorily. George's conflicts, on the other hand, are more complicated. Having read the other books from the Survivor's Club series, we know that George's son was killed during the Napoleonic War, and that his first wife committed suicide afterward, but here we find out that there is more to both incidents. George has never revealed his secrets to anyone. A nemesis is revealed, and it all concludes in high drama.

There are two epilogues: one for the book and one for the series. I don't usually mind epilogues at all, however this time around, the epilogue to the series seem to be a bit much! So many children… I couldn't make out whose child belonged to which couple even when Balogh used the last names! Regardless, it was a sweet ending for them all.

Only Beloved was a lovely ending to this series. A quiet, joyful, happy, romantic ending. Recommended.

Book Recommendations: Military Content

It's Memorial Day, and I've been thinking about my preference for books with military content. I've reviewed enough military-based books within different categories to create a list of recommendations for readers who enjoy them the way I do.

SCIENCE FICTION:

SF Military Space Opera

• Old Man's War by John Scalzi
• Imperial Radch Trilogy by Ann Leckie

  Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie
  Ancillary Sword by Ann Leckie
  Ancillary Mercy by Ann Leckie

• The Vorkosigan Saga by Lois McMaster Bujold 
• Paradox Series by Rachel Bach

  Fortune's Pawn #1
  Honor's Knight #2
  Heaven's Queen #3

Military Science Fiction / Romance

• Games of Command by Linnea Sinclair *
• Rebels and Lovers (Dock Five Series #4) by Linnea Sinclair *
• The Outback Stars by Sandra McDonald

LGBT:

• Purgatory: A Novel of the Civil War by Jeff Mann
• Captain Harding Trilogy by Elliott Mackle

  Captain Harding's Six Day War #1
  Welcome Home Captain Harding #2
  Captain Harding and His Men by #3

• Wingmen by Ensan Case

ROMANCE

• Always to Remember by Lorraine Heath
• Seduced by Molly O'Keefe
• Roselynde & Alinor (The Roselynde Chronicles #1& 2 ) by Roberta Gellis (Historical Fiction/Romance) 

NON-FICTION:

• War by Sebastian Junger

Although there are more books I could recommend, this short list includes some of my favorite (note, the majority fall under the military sci-fi category). My list feels incomplete, however, without including a Linnea Sinclair book under the SF Romance category, but unfortunately, I read my favorite books by this author before I began blogging. Bummer!

How about you? Do you have any good military-based, or books with military heroes or heroines, to recommend? How about a few other historicals, and at least one or two in the contemporary romance category?

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*Edited to Add: Linnea Sinclair books with links to reviews under SF/Romance. I did review a couple!!

Photo: Pink Hydrangea Bush

Sunday Weekly Update May 29th

This is the last complete week of the 30 Day Blog Challenge and my last real update. I still have two days left, Monday and Tuesday, since I began the challenge on the 2nd of May.

Monday, May 23rd
…On Vander: The Magnificent Tool 

• A sort of review I wrote last year right after I read Four Nights with the Duke by Eloisa James. I say sort of review, because my main focus was placed on the male protagonist as the reason behind my issues with the book. I decided to let the post percolate for a while before posting it to see if maybe there was more there for me to say. That never happened, and unfortunately the post lingered forgotten with my drafts until this past week. 

Tuesday - May 24th
@my brother's poetry reading

• This is a short, personal, but bookish post I prepared for earlier posting. On Tuesday, a headache that later turned into a crushing migraine hit. This was the perfect backup post! 
• The post is all about my brother Noel's poetry reading at NYU and the release of his poetry book this summer. 

Wednesday - May 25th

• Could not post because of migraine, however, I posted my prepared post on Thursday. 

Thursday - May 26th
Highlighting: Weaving the Boundary by Karenne Wood

• This small poetry volume has a fantastic summary that hits the nail on the head. I wanted to include it with my short review, but the post would have been way too long since I also wanted to include an excerpt from a poem. So, I split the post in two. This was supposed to be my Wednesday post. 

Poetry: Weaving the Boundary by Karenne Wood

• This Native American poetry volume was part of the Spring Catalogue at the University of Arizona Press and I received an early ARC. I read it early and it immediately became one of my favorite books of the year! I decided not write a long review for this book, and instead to post short impressions and an excerpt from one of Wood's poems, and to highlight the summary. I believe that should be enough to give the interested reader a sufficient idea as to Weaving the Boundary's impressive content and true value. 

Friday - May 27th
SF Mini: The Telling (Hainish Cycle #8) by Ursula K. Le Guin

• I've collected the whole Hainish Cycle series by Le Guin, and I'm in the process of reading it slowly. This is a mini-review of a book I highly enjoyed for Le Guin's humanistic (sociocultural) approach to science fiction, as well as the linguistic / language interplay she utilizes. I am loving Le Guin's work, and savoring each and every book as I move along her back list.

Saturday - May 28th
Break: Memorial Day Weekend

• This is self-explanatory: Remembering the reasons we are off this three-day weekend before going away to enjoy a few days with family and friends. 
• My plans for the weekend are fluid; pool party, barbecue with family and friends, getting away from my apartment, enjoying the weather.   

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Edited: I scheduled the above to post yesterday, Sunday. Unfortunately, for some unknown reason, it did not. Soooo, you all get my Sunday post on Monday!

Break: Memorial Day Weekend

I'm going to be away from home this weekend, and will post if I can. But, just in case posting becomes an impossibility, these images are reminders of the real meaning behind Memorial Day.

SF Mini: The Telling (Hainish Cycle #8) by Ursula K. Le Guin

Aka is a planet whose totalitarian government destroyed its culture and history in order to build a technologically-based society, with an eye on a future that would take them to the stars. Its citizens are closely monitored, books and ancient traditions are outlawed, as is their religion, the Telling.

The Telling is Book #8 in Ursula Le Guin's Hainish Cycle series. In this story, Sutty, an alien observer from Earth, struggles to find and later understand Aka's long-lost history and culture - specifically, since Aka's culture stands as a complete opposite to her own experiences in Earth.

Sutty's dangerous journey takes her into the heart of the planet, where she finds that Aka's culture, customs, and traditions, are very much alive. More importantly, despite all attempts by the government to erase it from the collective memory, the Telling has not been lost to time. As Sutty studies and explores this ancient religion, her journey becomes personal, and slowly she loses the objectivity and distance of the observer.

Based on Taoism and revolutionary Chinese culture, Le Guin approaches this work of science fiction for the sociocultural perspective, as it examines human behavior in a closed, restricted, society. Sutty's own struggle to understand herself comes to represent the individual's attempt at self-examination while being part of that same repressed society. Additionally, Le Guin is unquestionably a mistress of language, and in The Telling, she plays with language and its nuances: in this case, language's true significance when placed in context with culture.

The Telling is not a quick or fast paced read, but it is definitely profound, and more than worth the time. I loved it. Highly recommended.

Science Fiction
Published by ACE
Trade paperback, 2000 Edition
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Related Reviews: Books by Ursula K. Le Guin
The Left Hand of Darkness (Hainish Cycle #4) 
The Birthday of the World: and Other Stories
Spotlight: Ursula K. Le Guin and The Hainish Cycle Series

@my brother's poetry reading

Long day at work with a headache to boot! I have a couple of reviews on the works, but unfortunately not for tonight. So, a personal note with a bookish theme.

I'm always mentioning my two older brothers, either in posts or comments, mainly because they have always influenced my reading and, hopefully, I have influenced theirs. We read, read, read. We debate, discuss, agree, disagree, and agree to disagree. It's great fun!

So here is some news. Back in March, my eldest brother Noel was invited to read his poetry at the King Juan Carlos I of Spain Center at NYU. The first picture was taken during the reading, and the one with the three of us was taken during the reception that took place afterward-- that's my brother Alex on the right.

Noel's next poetry volume, in Spanish, will release this summer. Although I have never mentioned it here before, we are all very proud of his work -- past and present.

Reading Break: A 'Nathan Burgoine Saturday

I'm taking a break to finish reading 'Nathan Burgoine's latest release Triad Blood. Also, reading a few related short works.

Later!

Music Video: Vivir Mi Vida (Live My Life) ¡Ehh… Mi gente!

It's Friday! Time to chill, time to enjoy life.

Vivir Mi Vida is about the joy of life, living the moment. Not allowing sorrow and worries to rule the day by celebrating with laughter, song, and dance. This is Latin music, so the words are uplifting but the music is fantastic! Everytime I listen to Vivir Mi Vida, my body moves on its own, and next thing I know, I'm on my feet dancing! Celebrating the moment.

The video was shot on the streets of New York City. It has that "celebrity" quality since it was shot when Marc Anthony returned to the City for his 2016 concert. But, what I love about it is the neighborhood "block party" atmosphere it conveys. El barrio was smokin' hot that day.

Happy Friday!!

TBR Review: The Brush of Black Wings (Master of Crows, #2) by Grace Draven

This is my first review for Wendy's TBR Challenge 2016 (hangs head in shame). But hello, here I am! Better late than never, right?

This eNovella has been in my TBR since 2015. This month's theme is Something Different -- whatever different may mean. I chose a fantasy romance novella with strong world-building, fantasy elements, and romance to please. I am loving most of Draven's fantasy romance books and thought I would share.

The Brush of Black Wings is the sequel to Master of Crows, one of Grace Draven's most popular fantasy romance books. It is not my favorite, though, that would be Radiance. Unfortunately, I did not review Master of Crows. I did leave the following short comment at Goodreads:

Dark fantasy romance. Slightly unbalanced in its execution with a few slow, and later sex filled sections; but overall, an above average fantasy romance with interesting main characters dwelling in a rich, dark, magical world.

Silhara of Neith, Master of Crows, and Martise of Asher are the protagonists of this series. The Brush of Black Wings begins with Martise going into the enchanted woods of Neith where she comes across the ruins of an ancient temple. She encounters and battles a dark entity, and escapes after regaining her magical powers. While Silhara wants to destroy the temple, Martise feels the need to identify the dark entity. The information she finds is horrifying -- filled with soul eating demon kings, necromancy, and dark magic. Unfortunately for Martise, the dark entity compels and takes her into another plane. As we already know, Silhara doesn't play nice. He will do whatever it takes to find Martise, including breaking the rules of magic, time, and world barriers.

A few comments here. First, the romance is good, it is there. Silhara and Martise are still as sexually compelling as they were in Master of Crows. The love and intimacy between the two are shown in spades. And that dark, rich, magical world is still at the center of the series. The plot itself, however, became problematic for me.

This novella is ultimately about Silhara and Martise, and their end of the story is well done. However, The Brush of Black Wings is not a stand alone. You see, this is a bridge story between the Master of Crows series and The Wraith Kings series. As a matter of fact, in my opinion, this novella is best understood and enjoyed if read after Eidolon (Wraith Kings #2). Why? The dark entity and the circumstances will actually make sense. But, warning, The Brush of Black Wings contains huge spoilers for Eidolon. Recommended to fans of both series.

Review: Eidolon (Wraith Kings #2) by Grace Draven

Kai Prince Brishen, the dead eel, and his human wife Ildiko, the pink mollusk, are back! Eidolon, Wraith Kings #2, by Grace Draven continues the story that began in Radiance, the first book of this fantasy series.

At the end of Radiance, the Queen of Haradis, in her bid for power, opened the gates and unleashed the galla. Demons from the underworld that devour all those in their path. Eidolon begins at this point, with the Royal palace at Haradis, the royal family, including the Queen, the King, Brishen's brother, and his heirs, succumbing to the galla. A lucky few escape, including a couple of palace guards with a baby, and make their way to the river where safety awaits as galla cannot cross running water.

Back at Saggara, Brishen and Ildiko are leading an extremely happy life as a couple in love. The daily routine and happy relationship comes to a sudden holt when news arrives that Brishen is the only survivor of the Kay royal house. The King is dead. Long live the King! The new Kai ruler finds himself in a tough position. First, to save his kingdom the galla must be defeated. Second, the neighboring kingdoms must be prevented from declaring war against him. The answer to both problems is to seek an alliance in order to defeat the darkness threatening to annihilate them all. Still, the galla are dead, and the dead may only be killed by the dead. Desperate measures through ancient magic will have to do. The change of circumstances, however, also affects the relationship between Brishen and Ildiko. Will the Kai accept a human queen?

In Radiance, although political/court intrigue and fantasy elements are well-integrated, romance is at the forefront of the story. In Eidolon, Draven focuses on the fantasy and political/court intrigue aspects of this world, while integrating the romantic elements. Romance is still key to decisions taken by the protagonists, however, conflict and angst are introduced to the blissfully happy relationship already established between Brishen and Ildiko.

This couple faces all conflicts with strength and vulnerability. Ildiko continues to be a strong character. However, Draven shows Ildiko's insecurities in this installment, and as a result, she emerges as an even stronger woman and partner at the end of the story. Brishen openly acknowledges his need for Ildiko. I admire his character for the sacrifices he is willing to make and the almost-unsurmountable dangers he faces for his people. But also, for the sacrifices Brishen is unwilling to make in his personal life. He is a real hero, and this is a great couple!

The world-building for the Wraith Kings series continues to evolve with this installment. I really enjoyed how the Kai's culture is further explored through political / court intrigue, and by strongly expanding the fantasy aspect of this series through magical elements and plotting. The Wraith Kings make their appearance in this book, but you'll have to read the story to find out the who, why and how. Additionally, personal relationships between main and secondary characters, as well as individual contributions made by secondary and tertiary characters, are key to the success to this story.

So, did I like one book more than the other? No. I loved Radiance for the fabulous romance. I love Eidolon for the fantasy, the world-building, the plotting, the way Draven portrays darkness and light, the resolutions, and yes, for the continuing romance between Brishen and Ildiko. Highly recommended.

Radiance (Wraith Kings, #1)
Eidolon (Wraith Kings, #2)
The Ippos King (Wraith Kings, #3) Releasing in 2017

Sunday Weekly Update

It's Sunday and time to do an update for my 30 Day Blog Challenge, and some commentary about last week's posts. I missed posting an update last week, but then, it was Mother's Day. :)

Monday
Update & Impressions of a Reader Turns 7!

• My 7th blogiversary and a commentary on the current status of my reading and blogging woes. 

Tuesday
…On the 2016 Locus Award Finalists List

• I loved this list of Locus Award Finalists. I posted my list of books read, but most importantly, a list of books I already own and WANT to read.
• Update: I have already read one book on that list, and began reading a second. See? It works! 

Wednesday
Tonight: Reading vs. Reviewing

• Struggling to choose between writing a review and picking up a book I desperately wanted to read. Everyone agreed that I should read! I did!

Thursday
I missed posting on Thursday, so I'm behind one post for the 30 Day Blogging Challenge. Reason? Worked late, fried brain! I deemed it best not to even try posting a picture! :)

Friday
Want to Read: Romance, Fantasy, LGBT Spec Fic, UF

• May releases I want to read. I already downloaded Only Beloved by Mary Balogh because I'm a huge fan of the author, and I've enjoyed a few books from this series. Also downloaded The Summer Dragon by Todd Lockwood. This fantasy was a random pick on part mainly because well… Dragons! I'm hoping it will be a good choice.
• In the meantime, I'm really looking forward to Tuesday and the release of 'Nathan Burgoine's new novel, Triad Blood. I loved his first novel Light, plus, he is a favorite LGBT author whose works (short fiction definitely included) I try not to miss. 
• Then there is All Fixed Up by Linda Grimes, another random pick on my part. I chose this book because it is urban fantasy with humor. I need humor in my life, so why not?
• And last, but not least, Sleepless in Manhattan by Sarah Morgan is part of her "From Manhattan with Love" contemporary romance series. Romance set in New York? Enough said! 

Saturday
Review: Ancillary Mercy (Trilogy #3) by Ann Leckie

• And finally on Saturday, I wrote and posted a complete review (no mini). This is the science fiction book from the Locus list that I finished this week. Also the book that I was reading Wednesday night! So worth it!! 

Tonight: Reading vs. Reviewing

Tonight, I really wanted to post a review. I meant to come home to write one up! But… you see, I began reading Ancillary Mercy by Ann Leckie last night, and next thing I knew it was 1 o'clock in the morning and I was on page 170! Now, all I really want to do this evening is continue reading the third book of this science fiction trilogy -- this fantastic story that has me on the edge of my seat.

So, what would you do if you were in my situation? Would you sit down to write a review for another book tonight, or would you devour the book?

Me? I decided to spend my evening reading. These days, it is not often that I run home, panting to finish a book, much less do I place everything aside to do it. (I even drank some espresso so I can stay up) The other benefit? I'm reading science fiction!

Mini: Magic Shifts (Kate Daniels #8) by Ilona Andrews

In Magic Shifts, the saga continues with Kate, Curran and Julie at their new home away from the Keep and the Pack. The peace lasts until George, Mahon's daughter, comes to them with the news that her new boyfriend and fellow member of Pack Heavy, Eduardo Ortega, is missing. Mahon disapproves of the relationship and refuses to actively look for Eduardo, and Jim as the new Beast Lord cannot nay say Mahon as the Alpha of Clan Heavy. Curran and Kate begin an investigation into Eduardo's disappearance that opens a whole can of worms, pitting them against new monsters that reveal the truth behind how ghouls came to be.

Magic Shifts is a transitional, action packed installment in the Kate Daniels series. The action is fierce and steady with secondary characters from the Pack, as well as Julie, making significant contributions. Yet, the Andrews writing team take a slow road to shifting the series into a new direction. Curran is adjusting to being away from responsibility as the Beast Lord and finds a new focus, while Kate glimpses what it means to be responsible for Atlanta, and what future dealings with her father Roland hold. In the meantime, Julie enjoys some serious "quality" time with Curran and Kate as she joins them in their dangerous adventure.

Although Magic Shifts is a highly enjoyable urban fantasy read -- let's get serious, this is a Kate Daniels book after all -- this is not my favorite book of the series. I believe the reason behind that is because I expected a clearer, stronger, better defined shift in the overall story arc now that Kate and Curran are away from the Pack.  Regardless, this was an enjoyable read and one I wouldn't have missed. Now, I'm looking forward to the next installment. Rated B or 4.0

Cinco de Mayo Celebration

So, why am I late posting today? Because I was out celebrating Cinco de Mayo! I can't think of a better reason, can you?

I had a ton of fun with one of the attorneys in our firm, Ms. M., and two of her friends. The head attorney at the law firm told us that we were fired if we didn't go out to celebrate, drink, eat, and be merry. So, that's just what we did! He placed me in charge of making sure everyone had fun. We did!

Above is a picture of me after a whole day's work, a bad hair day (rainy and humid), three Don Julio tequila shots, two Modelo Negra beers and a few fabulous, tasty appetizers. Below is Ms. M. showcasing her favorite dessert, basil/strawberry sorbet, after downing a few passion fruit margaritas and three shots of Don Julio! We had a blast!  We were feeling good! So, I guess we are not fired after all, and we have pictures to prove it.

Why do people celebrate Cinco de Mayo in the United States? Who knows?

May 5th is actually the date the Mexican Army was victorious over the French at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862 under the leadership of General Ignacio Zaragoza. I know many people who mistakenly believe that this is Mexico's Independence Day! Wrong. That would be September 16th. Remember that for future reference.

Regardless, I hope some of you celebrated the commemoration of this historical event with our friends to the South with some delicious, smooth tequila, and / or with some delicious Mexican cuisine. We did!

Photos: Round Window with Sapling

A sapling growing on the outside of the round window located in the second floor conference room at the office. It gets bigger and healthier every day!