Sorry I missed a few days posting. I had been doing so well, 80 days in a row. We’ll blame the break on covid. I had my second shot on Thursday and Friday was brutal. Slept all day, and staggered to the washroom like a drunken sailor. The walls did a good job of breaking my fall. This morning was much better and I actually ate a piece of toast. My joy at feeling better is long gone, whatever energy I had earlier is all used up. Hence the short post.
I missed my birthday party yesterday, thanks covid shot. I share a birthday, sort of, with my grandson. His was yesterday. Mine is today. I’m sad because the “cake” looked awesome, I missed being with the people too, honest.
Today, I spent the day lounging around, doing what I love. Reading. The best thing about this book – I would give it 5 stars, no question.
Acceptable Risk (Danger Never Sleeps Book #2)
Sarah Denning is a military journalist with the Army in the Middle East when her convoy is attacked and she’s taken hostage. When former Army Ranger Gavin Black is asked by his old unit commander–Sarah’s imposing father–to plan an extremely risky rescue, he reluctantly agrees and successfully executes it.
Back in the US, Sarah is livid when she’s discharged on a false psychiatric evaluation and vows to return to the Army. Until she learns of her brother’s suicide. Unable to believe her brother would do such a thing, she puts her plans on hold and enlists Gavin to help her discover the truth. What they uncover may be the biggest story of Sarah’s career–if she can survive long enough to write it.
Strap in for another breakneck nail-biter from bestselling romantic suspense author Lynette Eason that will have you up turning pages long into the night.
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Now it’s back to my book, just 20% more and I’m done.
Two Lynette Eason mysteries are enticing me today. Two!
Acceptable Risk (Danger Never Sleeps Book #2)
Amazon quote:
Sarah Denning is a military journalist with the Army in the Middle East when her convoy is attacked and she’s taken hostage. When former Army Ranger Gavin Black is asked by his old unit commander–Sarah’s imposing father–to plan an extremely risky rescue, he reluctantly agrees and successfully executes it.
Back in the US, Sarah is livid when she’s discharged on a false psychiatric evaluation and vows to return to the Army. Until she learns of her brother’s suicide. Unable to believe her brother would do such a thing, she puts her plans on hold and enlists Gavin to help her discover the truth. What they uncover may be the biggest story of Sarah’s career–if she can survive long enough to write it.
Strap in for another breakneck nail-biter from bestselling romantic suspense author Lynette Eason that will have you up turning pages long intothe night.
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Active Defense (Danger Never Sleeps Book #3)
Amazon quote:
As a former field surgeon in Afghanistan, Heather Fontaine is used to life-or-death situations. She just didn’t expect them to follow her home. When she returns from a party to find that someone has broken into her house–and threatened her friends–she assumes it is the stalker who has been following her and creeping her out. She hopes to find safety and peace of mind by leaving the city and hiding out in a small town. But trouble has followed her even there.
Luckily, a stalker isn’t the only one watching Heather. Travis Walker has been secretly watching out for her for weeks. As owner of his own security agency, it’s what he does. Together, Travis and Heather must figure out who wants her dead–and why–before it’s too late.
Bestselling and award-winning author Lynette Eason will have you looking over your shoulder as you dive into this fast-paced, suspense-filled story about losing control and finding something even better.
BookBub has a interesting suggestion this time and I’m excited. It starts off with a rather unorthodox opening and I have to know what this guy is up to. His daughters are certainly suspicious.
On a Summer Tide (Three Sisters Island Book #1)
Amazon quote:
Sometimes love hurts–and sometimes it can heal in the most unexpected way.
Camden Grayson loves her challenging career, but the rest of her life could use some improvement. “Moving on” is Cam’s mantra. But there’s a difference, her two sisters insist, between one who moves on . . . and one who keeps moving.
Cam’s full-throttle life skids to a stop when her father buys a remote island off the coast of Maine. Paul Grayson has a dream to breathe new life into the island–a dream that includes reuniting his estranged daughters. Certain Dad has lost his mind, the three sisters rush to the island. To Cam’s surprise, the slow pace of island life appeals to her, along with the locals–and one in particular. Seth Walker, the scruffy island schoolteacher harbors more than a few surprises.
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I would tell you what I am currently reading but I’m still trying to decide if I will finish it. Maybe it’s just me but I’m having trouble getting into the story.
OK. I’ll tell you.
Even at 20% I’m still struggling to figure out what is going on. I won’t give up just yet but…
Did anyone try Dead Lawyers Tell No Tales? What did you think of it?
In the meantime…
I’m thinking over several other interesting finds. Maybe there will be another post yet today. Maybe.
This looks like a fun read. Hilarious even. And it’s FREE.
Rodeo and Juliet: Sunny Ridge, Montana Book 1
Amazon quote:
Rodeo has never been closer to achieving his dream of buying his own ranch. But when his trick horse—his partner in every performance—falls for the lovely Juliet and refuses to leave her side, Rodeo’s plans go up in smoke. How can Rodeo persuade his stubborn horse to change his mind? Especially when Rodeo finds himself drawn to Jules, too…
Juliet is the careful twin, content to play it safe. She’s not interested in Rodeo—or his horse. But the more time she spends with the stubborn cowboy, the more she realizes there are hidden depths he doesn’t show anyone else. But feeling compassion for the man doesn’t mean she’s falling for him… does it?
Rodeo needs Jules’s help to convince his matchmaking horse to perform. Can these two put aside their pasts and embrace a future that fulfills dreams they won’t admit to?
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I’ve read the first chapter and I think I may have to cancel my afternoon plans to read the rest.
I’ve not read another story even remotely like this one. Crazy horse.
Several days ago I shared the helpful video I had the good fortune to run across. It was an interview with Jennifer Kolari and can be found here.
I’m still thinking about some things she shared that impacted me most.
I did take notes but they are in the form of phrases, just enough to remind me of the thoughts I didn’t want to forget. I won’t be able to share the clear or complete explanations contained in the video. I refer you back to the video for that wealth of information. (This is my disclaimer: much hereafter is on me, the author can’t be blamed for any issues or misunderstandings. I do want to give her credit for the good parts though.)
One of the first significant phrases was “your body keeps the score”. There are many reasons why our brains do not retain memories, especially of traumatic events, but our bodies remember everything Jennifer says. I have never thought about it quite like that before (stored in the body rather than in the brain) but I have always been convinced that some part of me does remember all the things I don’t or won’t.
Another point, in regard to the out of proportion reactions we often have to people, situations, comments etc. — we need to find healing before we can learn how to respond rather than react. I totally get this. I’ve been working on it in my life for quite some time and lately have seen positive changes in my thoughts and actions. I appreciate what she is about to say on how to go about doing this.
Jennifer says “to heal it you’ve got to feel it.” I agree, and to do that we have to give ourselves permission to feel our emotions. Most of us have learned to push down and bottle up our feelings. Typically, over time the feelings fester and eventually erupt into something much worse than they were originally.
So here’s the part I’ve not heard expressed quite this way. She says we feel love with our heart and we feel fear with our gut. I guess I haven’t really thought about the heart response because the feelings there would be positive and pleasant. I have definitely noticed negative changes in the gut though. When I’m feeling anxious things definitely do not feel pleasant in my digestive area.
She says one of the reasons for this concept to be plausible is due to neurons.
Apparently both the heart and the gut have neurons, who knew. I did a little internet research and here’s what I found.
According to several sources, including sciencemag.org the gut contains millions of neurons and is directly connected to the brain. The vagus nerve is one of the largest nerves carrying messages back and forth at a dizzying rate. The site linked above is as recent as 2018. If we feel fear or anxiety there will be a reaction in the gut. For some of us it morphs into painful intestinal disorders and other similar diseases.
The heart similarly has a large number of neurons but it also has it’s own nervous system and brain. Sometimes called the little brain according to heartmath.org. In 1991 a scientist made this discovery. The heart and the head brain are also sending a dizzying number of message back and forth.
Wow! I have to say this little bit of exploration done in order to speak intelligently to Jennifer’s comments regarding the gut and the heart, has opened up a whole new world of information. It’s calling out to me, to look into it more and more thoroughly.
Bottom line for the original subject of this post; to be emotionally healthy it helps to understand how the heart and gut are tied to our thoughts and memories. We feel love in our heart, we feel fear in our gut. When we react to people rather than respond, which part of our body is involved? Most often it will be fear, the gut. The next question is what happened to us to cause this reaction? How is it tied to our early life, what traumatized us. A dog? Lost? Abused? What?
Jennifer’s point is that if we can figure out the originating event and allow ourselves to feel the irrational fear it will lose it’s power over us and we can move on. Feel the fear of the dog, the bully, the dark, whatever it is.
Here’s a little teaser about the heart brain.
I’m not sure if I have been able to stay on subject well enough to make sense but I hope so.
I think the main take away is that our emotional well being affects our physical well being. After that, it becomes a vicious cycle. Learning to read the signs and figuring out what to do to alleviate/repair issues and memories, can be life changing.
Check out the interview and the other links to learn more about this fascinating subject.
BoobBub has a FREE suggestion for us from an author who shows up here often. I have read this, one of the thirty downloads I have from Staci Stallings.
White Knight: A Contemporary Christian Romance Novel (The Courage Series, Book 2)
Amazon quote:
Hoping for some excitement and a little extra money, A.J. Knight signed up to be a Houston EMT. However, when he did, he never thought about the life-and-death situations he’d be put into or the lives that he might be called on to save. Worse, he never so much as considered the lives that might be lost under his watch.
Eve Knox understands what it’s like to have life ripped away in an instant. After the death of her first and only love in an unimaginable tragedy, she is struggling to go on with a life that seems to have been stripped of its former meaning. Hurting and alone, Eve knows her friends are just trying to help her cope, but their attempts to fill the void in her heart are starting to smother the spirit she once had. She sees no point in searching for love a second time, what happens when a second-chance love shows up in a way she never saw coming…
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LPC Books has two FREE suggestions for us, I’ve read the first one.
Sticks and Stones (The Barn Church Series Book 2)
Amazon quote:
Since childhood, Julie Matthews has felt closest to God when singing. Mere days away from realizing her lifelong dream of singing professionally, she awakens in a hospital room unable to speak. Suddenly her dreams and God seem distant.
Rick Matthews supports his ambitious wife, but has no solution for the constant tension between them. During Julie’s recovery, Rick becomes Julie’s caregiver and their marriage undergoes a wonderful change–they rediscover each other.
But as Julie’s voice grows stronger, unseen wounds surface and years of unhealthy habits begin again to pull them apart. Faced with losing their newly rekindled love, Julie and Rick are forced to evaluate the state of their marriage and how their dysfunction has affected their marriage and their children.
Sticks and stones may break bones, but words can crush the spirit.
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I think I had trouble getting into this next one as I’m being told I’ve not read it. It probably hit a little too close to home. The abuse part.
The Sanctum by Pamela Ling Cable
Amazon quote:
“Pamela King Cable has created an unforgettable heroine in Neeley McPherson, a remarkable young woman of such courage and spunk that she dares to stand against unspeakable abuse and injustice not only for herself but also for her beloved caretaker, Gideon. Fleeing a horrendous life, Neeley discovers the true meaning of family, forgiveness, and love in a wolf sanctuary, which becomes a central metaphor for the difficult journey we all must undertake to find our way home. Thoroughly enjoyable book!” ~ Cassandra King Conroy (Pat’s wife) – Bestselling author of Moonrise, The Same Sweet Girls, and The Sunday Wife“
This inspirational tale thrills with a tight plot, lyrical scene descriptions, and complex characters. Pamela Cable leaves readers aching for more.” ~ Julie Cantrell, New York Times bestselling author.
“I would compare The Sanctum to Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird. Set in the deep south during the Civil Rights Era, this book tackles such issues as racial discrimination and abuse.” ~ Kimberly A. Liston-McCabe
In the ongoing quest to find and feature books written by men, I have one more author for us to explore.
When I started on this theme yesterday I was thinking my list of male authors read-and-enjoyed was fairly short. Today I’m finding myself constantly thinking oh right, I forgot about him. The list is growing longer by the hour.
I probably have read today’s author somewhere along the way but it hasn’t been in recent memory. I’m looking forward to this experience.
The introduction to today’s book smacks of a more-than-meets-the-eye vibe and I find I want to read more.
The Trial
Amazon quote:
A lawyer ready to die takes one final case…the trial of his life.
Attorney Kent “Mac” MacClain has nothing left to live for. Nine years after the horrific accident that claimed the life of his wife and two sons, he’s finally given up. His empty house is a mirror for his empty soul, it seems suicide is his only escape. And then the phone rings.
Angela Hightower, the beautiful heiress and daughter of the most powerful man in Dennison Springs, has been found dead at the bottom of a ravine. The accused killer, Peter Thomason, needs a lawyer. But Mac has come up against the Hightowers and their ruthless, high-powered lawyers before — an encounter that left his practice and reputation reeling.
The evidence pointing to Thomason’s guilt seems insurmountable. Is Mac defending an ingenious psychopath, or has Thomason been framed–possibly by a member of the victim’s family? It comes down to one last trial. For Thomason, the opponent is the electric chair. For Mac, it is his own tormented past–a foe that will prove every bit as deadly.
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Have you read this author before? What did you think of him?
I just watched the most amazing and helpful video podcast I’ve seen in a long time and I just had to share. It’s called The Superpower of the Calm Technique with Jennifer Kolari. I like learning how to do life better and how deal with triggers and reactions. This was so helpful.
She is qualified, wise, and articulate. Such a educational and eyeopening experience listening to/watching what she has to say about learning to respond rather than react. Conflicts in a relationship will loose their steam if we practice her techniques. They’ve done some role plays to demonstrate the way it will work. It was interesting to see how the calming influence changed the dynamics even in a pretend situation. Very cool.
Some of the concepts she presents I`ve kind of heard before but she explains things with new information I’ve not heard and it all makes such good sense.
Carey Nieuwhof introduces it this way – Jennifer Kolari on How to Deal with Irrational People, Customers and Team Members, and the Superpower of the CALM Technique.
Usually Carey`s interviewees have written a book but they didn`t talk about it this time although she has written at least one. In a YouTube search I found she has a lot of content related to parenting although she does a lot of corporate consulting as well.
I’m positive you will find this helpful in life’s situations if you are into good emotional health and productive relationships. Check it out.
There are male authors showing up on my favorites list but in all honesty the vast majority of books featured on this blog are from women authors. I’ve been wracking my brain for names and can’t come up with more than a couple of handfuls. Most of the writers coming quickly to mind are people I’ve read in the last 10 years and I know there were many others prior to that. I am sure with a little more time many others would come to mind. To feature more of them I need to be intentional in seeking them out.
I decided to focus today’s deep dive on men and I’ve come up with a couple of writers I’ve not seen much of. I’m not going to share more than one at a time though or I may run out of material for future posts. I’m hoping that isn’t the case but you just never know.
Looking at the pricing on their books it seems to be structured differently for some of them. Maybe they don’t come up as bargains often enough for me to have noticed them. With that in mind, I think it would be a good idea to explore the possibility of ebooks through the public library. It would definitely help open up new possibilities. They may even have recommendations for me.
This first one is an author I’ve not read but a quick examination of his book has me wanting to.
Dead Lawyers Tell No Tales
Amazon quote:
Landon Reed is an ex-quarterback convicted of organizing a points-shaving scheme. During his time in prison, he found forgiveness and faith and earned his law degree. Now he longs for an opportunity to prove his loyalty and worth. “Be careful what you ask for.“
Harry McNaughton is one of the founding partners of McNaughton & Clay—and the only lawyer willing to take a chance employing an ex-con-turned-lawyer. Though Landon initially questions Harry’s ethics and methods, it’s clear the crusty old lawyer has one of the most brilliant legal minds Landon has ever encountered. The two dive into preparing a defense for one of the highest-profile murder trials Virginia Beach has seen in decades when Harry is gunned down in what appears to be a random mugging. Then two more lawyers are killed when the firm’s private jet crashes. Authorities suspect someone has a vendetta against McNaughton & Clay, leaving Landon and the remaining partner as the final targets.
As Landon struggles to keep the firm together, he can’t help but wonder, is the plot related to a shady case from McNaughton & Clay’s past, or to the murder trial he’s neck-deep in now? And will he survive long enough to find out?
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I’m hoping you will check out this author with me. Chime in with your favorite authors too.
Happy Reading.
Remember, I’m looking for clean.
Clean doesn’t mean boring. Not interested in boring.
This was a good story but not a favorite. Not a very good lead-off for something to do with a favorite author.
I’ve read many of her books and have positive thoughts whenever I see her name come up. But the truth is, not every book written is going to be the author’s best one. It wasn’t all bad though, really.
Vanished in the Night (Wrangler’s Corner Book 6) is the book in question.
The Amazon quote is really short so I’ll use it.
After saving Kaylee Martin from abduction and delivering her baby boy on the side of the road, Dr. Joshua Crawford can’t get them out of his mind.
Unfortunately, neither can Kaylee’s violent stalker. He’ll stop at nothing to get to the new mom and her child. Can Joshua keep them safe so they can become the family he’s dreamed about?
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It was a good story, when I stop and reflect honestly. It was well put together and had new and interesting twists and turns. I mean they weren’t entirely new, it was the variations that were new and fresh.
I enjoyed the characters. They were well developed and not always as they seemed. Which was good for the advancement of the story.
So, I enjoyed the read. Mostly. There was one just one frustrating element. I know it happens in real life. We get lost in our heads, fixated on certain aspects that we worry to death. It works in real life but in a book it’s annoying, reading the same pieces of information over and over. It’s OK to reflect real life, but it pays to look at things from a reader’s perspective, to avoid frustrating them.
Overall, I liked the book and Lynette Eason is not in any danger of removal from my favorite authors list.
Now that I’ve said my piece I can figure out what I’d like to read next.
For the Love of Books 