that Bell(e) can't be unrung

it's been a whirlwind!
jamie and i went bar hopping for halloween - we won the costumes if I should say so myself. Everyone either didn't dress up or they had lame costumes on. Granted we started at 4:30 and ended at 10 but whatever.

I made the newspaper opinion column, volunteered for B O'R's town hall next week, made reservations for Santa Fe next month, my car has stuff wrong with it, planning thanksgiving....and work has been beyond crazy. I really don't know how publishing title's are going to make it....it's chaos.

Can't believe the astro's won a world series before us....Altuve ugh.
We're heading to Wurstfest tomorrow (well I'm going to San Antonio cause I havent' seen my dad in so long....i'm a terrible daughter *smh*) and then Wurstfest on Saturday....think i will wear my dirndl this year. Hottest year yet. Beer...gross.

Finished:
Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan - She totally gets how to describe books and reading. Read a little scattered at first but pulled together and ended up really liking it.  Definitely makes someone want to go to Scotland.

More than halfway with EJames' new one....um hmm...i'll wait to finish.
Still listening to the new Turnpike Troubadours album - so so good.

finished it "and gave it a pat".

Dinners/catch up with friends over the weekend.
Pam (our MD's diner gal) teared up describing how people lined up to pay for meals for the 100-ish police (including the Chief and some from as far away as Boston) that showed up to eat after Friday's funeral. Good on ya Plano peeps. 

Went on a stream tv watching kick - finished watching Catastrophe, started watching Mr. Robot (I'm interested..just can't marathon watch that one - too dark and....cerebral(?).) ...and lonely. also watched a documentary of the 9/11 Falling Man - always wondered about that image morbid that way....

Not sure how I came by Gabrielle Zevin's  Storied Life of A.J. Fikry? The perspective threw me off a little (I like the first person) but I grew to really like this book - there were several times where I thought "what a great line" or "yes, me too!." and though the story wouldn't (couldn't?/shouldn'tve anyway) character delve more , the lines carried it for me.
A new favorite.

Really though - with all the shit going on lately, and all the media access -  that book helped the most. I finished it "and gave it a pat".

...well gave my kindle a pat. *a bit shameful given the context of the book i know*
but my "library room" was maxed years ago and I think jamie would freak if he could physically see how many books since then...
whatever...
Good stories are the best.

speaking of jamie... we decided yesterday that  we're  doing a day trip to NOLA for the mister's bday. So...back to NOLA (3rd time in a year?..) Cause why not!!...

and I'm in the mood for some old school Cory Morrow ...another story that's not so happily ever after

magic strings world stuck

read the Magic Strings of Frankie Presto and loved it. Definitely now a favorite .
I'd imagine even more meaningful for the musically talented.
One of those, after finishing the book you're still stuck in the world hours/days later....

Finished Sarah MacLean's The Rogue Not Taken - I like how she opens the eyes of her characters.

Alissa Johnson - Tempting Fate - a pretty good childhood to adults with the cliche drama added in.

Finished KMM's FeverBorn too and I'm finding it difficult to imagine how she can keep going like this. Just stop with the Mac line and move on with the rest already... I certainly do like Barron though....

again a nod to Beyonce's smart marketing strategy. It's really quite remarkable if you think about it.
Can't speak to the new music yet - couldn't really hear any in the :20 video I saw - (really it led back to baseball for me) all I thought is she needs to learn how to hold/swing a bat properly.
In more ways that one...
(*insert deep thoughts* ha) No doubt a powerful woman, I just hope it's cathartic for her, cause all that rage/energy is just adding to the frenzy that this year has already kicked up.  and it's steadily getting so exhausting...

#victoryrising and that's all I'm gonna say about that
cause I saw Dallas Housewives County - or whatever it's called, (peripherally, i was reading) -  and I realize it's television, I hope it's not real cause Dallas needs something much more worthy to represent itself than that. 

and back to music (since this is apparently a music-ish post) can't say I was the biggest merle haggard and/or prince fan, I just have a few songs here and there.... still - even more after reading "the magic strings"- the music appreciation is certainly there.
How amazing to have that talent and affect the world that way...

book blame, pig (sooie) game & the UK

Bet me - loved this one. funny with whimsy. Stayed up till after midnight to read it. And honestly? I liked that it skewed from most every other romance ever and acknowledged the no babies.

Not that I don't like babies...they're cute...but in real life like mine...some married couples choose not to have babies...

but anyway, I'm sleepy...this is pretty much me today (...or right now eating my tamale.)

it was worth it.

We're heading to Arkansas this weekend, Jamie's very excited to show me where his dad/grandparents are from.

Meeting up with our "kidnapped" - tailgating, going to the football game  (vs Auburn?)...SEC...heard it's pretty crazy.

80% chance of rain and chilly though. oy.
Guess we better get used to it now - cause it sounds like Scotland weather for us this coming May!

I've expanded into Cornwall too (which oddly I'm just as excited about)...didn't hardly know it existed a year ago, very few books I've read had Cornwall as their scene but it just seems like a cool (less traveled) place so yep, added to the rotation cause why not.

...the way my planning is coming we're gonna train all over the UK...can't wait!!

lets get outta here

So we took the Vonlane bus to Houston. It was as though we were sitting in first class on a plane... so nice to just sit back and relax.  

Not sure we'll take it to Houston again - even the discounted rate is pricey.

Maybe we'll take it to Austin though when we head down for Wurstfest...especially with how brutal 35 traffic is (and it's still cheaper than flying.)

The Crawfish Festival/Dirty River Boys were good. Made for some good people watching. Uber in/around Spring is ridiculous. We had to walk a ways down till we finally got a taker who didn't cancel on us. I just have to shake my head...

It's nice to see my mom but like Ryan Bingham says "Told the truck driver put the pedal to the metal cause Houston gets me down"

Finished the 2nd in the Pennyroyal Green series. I laughed and cried - the dialogue, the chemistry - definitely a favorite of recent reads. I love when I find a good one.

marital bliss/itch

It's our anniversary. Made it to 8. whew
Almost to double digits? - how'd that happen?!

I'll tell you what... we've fought more in this past year than we have in the 3 years before that combined.

Not so sure why? It's almost like we regressed back to a "figuring things out" year. It wasn't an "itch"... maybe more like irritation flare ups. ha! 

Oh well...we made vows. He's my bestest friend - and we've put in too much time training each other to let it bring us too far down. Onward and upward.

I loved the Rosie Project. So fun the different/odd perspective!
I think it's now in my "favorites".

Also saw Whiplash. Harsh but I liked it.

walk out now

Heading to see this awesome band tonight!

This is one of my favorite Reckless Kelly songs.

It's like Tohr and No'One's story in Lover Reborn! oh the conflict. oh the misery. LOVED that book....

It's too aggressive. It's like....

Is it terrible that when I saw this picture this morning 

All I see is this?

Yep I'm in a mood today.

I've started re-reading Endless Knight as a refresher for the next-in-the-series release of Dead of Winter here in a couple weeks. Can't freakin wait!! This series is DEFINITELY on my favorites books list!

Oh and for the Olympics I say #Boston2024!

i'm found out

Jamie caught on to my book diary blog - ugh he finds out about everything! I swear he was a Mexican mother in his past life. Can't a girl keep anything to herself? *as I write/post on the internet*

....I wonder how many wives have husbands like mine?

 Oh well whatever...read away Jamie, it's not like it's a secret. You are a jerk face every once in a while and I tell you to your face. Welcome to my book diary - as with every other time I start talking about my books your eyes will glaze over and you'll lose interest soon enough.

So to that end!....

On my favorites - Just One of the Guys, sucks you right in (pun intended as it starts with Chastity - the lead- choking on a mushroom as she's being broken up with) hilarity and heart ache ensues for this more than childhood friends story with life/doubts getting in the way.

HUGE, huge fan.

don't think I'm just his little wife

So he got home at midnight, loud and obnoxious, and then cautiously tries to judge how mad I am at him this morning *roll my eyes* heaven help me.

Husband, forget love, it's a good thing you're my best friend cause I don't like you very much when I have to put up with this shenanigans.

It's a little strange, I mean we 've been together a long while now and there's still some instances that I think he forgets who he's dealing with.

His past girlfriends allowed him to steamroll over them and even now it seems he's surprised when I call him out on things.


Oh well - on a side note I've got an Eloisa James book in queue but I've gotten into the science fiction/futuristic/fantasy mood and I don't feel like testing another (yet another) book out right now.
 
I'm re-reading Johanna Lindsay's Warrior's Woman.

I think it's one of my favorites? It's certainly not "deep thoughts" reading but for a little exaggerated adventure supported with the clash of two totally different characters - this one will do.

Cheater

This "Mate Poaching" article just makes me shake my head.
What THE HECKFIRE?
Who are you!

Here's the thing - signs are always there before cheating even has the chance - so if it happens I think it's kinda both your fault for letting it.

 "Discuss - never ignore!" I read that in a first and only self-help relationship book, drowning in my misery at a B&N one Saturday night after Jamie and I decided to "take a break".

I wish i could remember which book it was... I know it was written by psychologists.

From the start, I let Jamie know that he can't get anyone better than me ;0) but more,  if he decides to cheat then I'm out the door and not looking back. No talking. No drama. Done. Simple as that. (I don't say this lightly...I'm a child of 3 divorces on my mom's side and 4 divorces on my dad's side. (Two of those where from each other).) 

If I had any advice to give for people starting relationships it would be the above. A hard line must be drawn. Especially for the girl - (in my opinion) no matter how much you think you've got him locked in, men need clear spoken direction -  cause they're always going to push to see how far they can go.

Men on the other hand are a little more forgiving I think.
Overall though, I feel very strongly that you can't go back from that betrayal....you just can't.

Sidenote:  I re-read  The Summerhouse ( I'd say a favorite). Three friends have the choice to go back in time and may or may not choose to change their own story. It's good read!

Also finished the "True Love" book of J.Devereaux's - besides making want to visit Nantucket it didn't "get" me like others of hers have. Next...

dignity and courage

Read Winning Miss Wakefield, pretty sure I've read this scenario before: rejected regency girl gets the courage to kiss the rake, he offers to help her get her rejector (is that word?) back but ends up falling for her instead. 
It's been done better. This one wasn't bad though. Not very believable, but it was entertaining for what it was.

Now, I'm re-reading some of my favorite Psy-Changeling books by Nalini Singh (just cause i can). Clay and Talin's story and all they went through...
The one that really just sucker punched me was Tangle of Need though. Seriously, my heart hurt, I don't think I was ever more involved in characters as I was with Adria and Riaz.  Nalini Singh is in my top 5 of all time for sure.

And so...back to reality (and speaking of heart hurt) - I saw the news about Brittany Maynard. Such courage. Hope she went peacefully as she wished. I am a death with dignity advocate and will make my yearly donation on Giving Tuesday (December 2).

Re-reader escalation

I'm a re-reader - in fact often times (if the book is that good) when I go back I actually like the book better after I've read it the second, third time etc. So I re-read a favorite, Lothaire over the weekend (cause Kresley Cole's my favorite author of all time - and I felt like it).

Also re-read Larissa Ione's first Moonbound book to re-fresh my memory before starting the second book in this series Chained by Night . I'm about half way through. Native American legends, tests, sacrifice, a virgin heroine etc. eh.

The second book is better than the first - still this series hasn't drawn me in like the first of the Demonica books did. I loved those books so much i fashioned my halloween costume (below) last year after Gem in that series. I love halloween! Back to work - Monday ugh.

if i stay and finish...or not

Finished If I Stay, ok yes I cried. It was a quick read, thought-provoking and characters (even tertiary ones) were fleshed out well.  What I really liked is that Mia (the lead) wasn't your typical conformist teenager -she didn't get on my nerves as some YA character leads tend to. I'm in queue at the library to get the next one - Where She Went (I think it's called). 

J. Crusie's Charlie All Night - funny characters, good dialogue - fast and easy (pun intended ;0). 
I skipped over the one before in this JCrusie book bundle though...couldn't finish it, don't remember what it's called but about hiring a PI and a diary, and winning a bet and mafia family?...whatever...couldn't finish it. 

Another book I couldn't finish - Outlander you'd think I'd love it (like seemingly everyone else). It's right up my alley! I just couldn't do it. Maybe I'll try once again to join the bandwagon? ...for the 3rd time... one day. Not today though, cause it's release day for Larissa Ione's MoonBound Vampire book and Kristan Higgins new one!

 I love both authors (they're both "pay for release day" worthy for me) but oy... I almost couldn't finish the first of Larissa Ione Moonbound series book - I'm holding off on buying/reading the second.  

We'll see how Kristan Higgins goes...she's not disappointed me yet!

a little Tipsy/Remembrance

I'm still on my Jennifer Crusie book marathon but I've hit a lull. Some books of hers are definitely better than others.  So I also picked up reading If I Stay (Nothing amazing but not bad so far).

I did snag the tv away from Jamie's Football madness to catch Pride and Prejudice on HBO too the other day. Yep I'm a Mr. Darcy fan girl (especially this Keira Knightly version one)...it's just one of those movies I have to stop and watch again when I see it.

I have several " must read again" favorite books. One of them is Jude Deveraux's Remembrance. Seriously, from beginning to end - I just love this book. It's truly an engaging time travel story. The lead is made all the better in that (similar to Pride and Prejudice) she's not written as a stunning beauty - what carries her story is that she's smart and captivating and stubborn (to a fault). It's one of those that you're sad when it's finished and just stare at the wall for a bit in mourning. Ha!

On a side note - Jamie and I did an impromptu bar hopping sangria/bloody mary adventure yesterday morning through Dallas! It's so fun to do things that aren't planned! Might've not been the best idea to show up a little tipsy at a 2pm baby shower on a Sunday ....but hey whatever...we had a grand ol' time!