Contents of blog copyright Book Dragon's Lair 2009-2023
I've been gone a while. I started reading fanfiction to escape and I got sucked in an abyss.

I have no idea if someone else is hosting similar challenges. I just grabbed some of what I have hosted before.

Here's to a happy year of great reading
Jan2023: Not much has changed. Writing a fanfiction now O_o as well as reading but I bought 7 new books in December and hope to get those read soon. Crossing fingers about adding challenges (late!)

Monday, February 27, 2017

Happy Monday

Still helping Dad with Mom's stuff. MIL is home now and slowly getting better :-)


Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week.

Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.  ;-)

Don't forget to link up your list






~ here are the newest review books in my house ~



~ here are the newest books in my house ~

Devil in Spring by Lisa Kleypas
The Ravenels, 2017, mass market paperback

Most debutantes dream of finding a husband. Lady Pandora Revenel has different plans. The ambitious young beauty would much rather stay at home and plot out here new board game business than take part in the London Season. But one night at a glittering society ball, she's ensnared in a scandal with a wickedly handsome stranger.

After years of evading martial traps with ease, Gabriel, Lord St. Vincent, has finally been caught by a rebellious girl who couldn't be less suitable. In fact, she wants nothing to do with him. But Gabriel finds the high-spirited Pandora irresistible. He'll do whatever it take to possess her, even if their marriage of convenience turns out to be the devil's own bargain.


Signature Wounds by Kirk Russell
The Paul Grale Series, 2017, ebook

While in Las Vegas on his way to a family Fourth of July celebration, FBI bomb expert Paul Grale hears a deep blast and sees the smoke rising. In an unfolding nightmare, Grale discovers his sister, brother-in-law, and many friends were caught up in the explosion. Grief stricken, he is pulled from the main bomb investigation to sift orphan leads. Quietly he begins a relentless search for the bomb maker.

When the FBI suspects his friend and disgruntled former drone pilot for the blast, Grale thinks they’re getting it all wrong. Propelled by deep personal loss and an intense need to do the right thing, he picks his way through the smallest of leads and into a maze of twists, turns, and sudden dead ends. When he uncovers another threat, time is already quickly running out. With the lives of so many at stake, Grale won’t let himself fail—and he won’t rest until there’s justice for his family.


~*~*~*~*~

What I Read this Week
Shelia at Book Journey, hosted a weekly meme about what you read last week and what you were hoping to read this week. I don't believe she's still doing it but I've gotten use to letting you know what I read last week. Never was very good about knowing what I was going to read next!

Finished:
still mostly doing some comfort reading of online serials or re-reads
Unexpected Love by Preston Walker


Happy Reading!

Monday, February 20, 2017

Happy Monday

Still helping Dad with Mom's stuff. MIL is home now :-)


Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week.

Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.  ;-)

Don't forget to link up your list





~ here are the newest review books in my house ~



~ here are the newest books in my house ~
A Dangerous Madness by Michelle Diener
Regency London Series, 2014, ebook

The Duke of Wittaker has been living a lie…

He’s been spying on the dissolute, discontented noblemen of the ton, pretending to share their views. Now he’s ready to step out of the shadows and start living a real life…but when the prime minister of England is assassinated, he’s asked to go back to being the rake-hell duke everyone believes he still is to find out more.

Miss Phoebe Hillier has been living a lie, too…

All her life she’s played by society’s rules, hiding her fierce intelligence and love of life behind a docile and decorous mask. All it’s gotten her is jilted by her betrothed, a man she thought a fool, though a harmless one. But when she discovers her former fiancé was involved in the plot against the prime minister, and that he’s been murdered, she realizes he wasn’t so harmless after all.

And now the killers have set their sights on her…

The only man who can help her is the Duke of Wittaker–a man she knows she shouldn’t trust. And she soon realizes he’s hiding behind a mask as careful as her own. As the clock ticks down to the assassin’s trial, the pair scramble to uncover the real conspiracy behind the prime minister’s death. And as the pressure and the danger mounts, Phoebe and Wittaker shed their disguises, layer by layer, to discover something more precious than either imagined–something that could last forever. Unless the conspirators desperate to hide their tracks get to them first.


Stillwater by Melissa Lenhardt
A Jack McBride Mystery, 2015, ebook

Big secrets run deep.

Former FBI agent Jack McBride took the job as Chief of Police for Stillwater, Texas, to start a new life with his teenage son, Ethan, away from the suspicions that surrounded his wife’s disappearance a year earlier.

With a low crime rate and a five-man police force, he expected it to be a nice, easy gig; hot checks, traffic violations, some drugs, occasional domestic disturbances, and petty theft. Instead, within a week he is investigating a staged murder-suicide, uncovering a decades’ old skeleton buried in the woods, and managing the first crime wave in thirty years.

For help navigating his unfamiliar, small-town surroundings, Jack turns to Ellie Martin, one of the most respected women in town—her scandal-filled past notwithstanding. Despite Jack's murky marriage status and the disapproval of Ethan and the town, they are immediately drawn to each other.

As Jack and Ellie struggle with their budding relationship, they unearth shattering secrets long buried and discover the two cases Jack is working, though fifty years apart, share a surprising connection that will rattle the town to its core.


One Night with the Billionaire by Sarah Ballance
Men of the Zodiac, 2015, ebook

He's the perfect kind of trouble...

Zoe Davenport is on her way to a perfect, idyllic, private resort, where there's no ex-fiancé and definitely no public scandal involving said ex-fiancé. But one look at the exceptionally sexy resort owner, and Zoe wonders if she's escaped scandal just long enough to land herself in even hotter water…

Except that Ryder Nash isn't exactly a stranger. He and Zoe used to live next door to each other. She was the sweet little temptation who couldn't stand him—the bad boy with a loud car and a new girl every weekend. What Zoe doesn't know is that all those years ago, her father paid Ryder off…to keep him away from her.

And if Ryder gives into the fiery attraction that rages between them—even for a moment—he’ll lose everything all over again…


Murder Game by Christine Feehan
GhostWalkers, 2008, ebook and audio

Games should be fun, but for two expert teams across the country, they’re murder – because the winning team is the one that gets the most kills. The participants in this violent challenge rumored to be GhostWalkers. And Kadan Montague isn’t happy about it.

Kadan is a GhostWalker and he’s determined to clear the GhostWalker name of the rumors. To do it, he’s going to need the help of psychic Tansy Meadows. But as soon as he sees her, he knows his mission will be more complicated than he imagined – and the “murder game” may not be at all what it seems.


Ghost Target by Will Jordan
Ryan Drake, 2016, ebook

Ryan Drake, once a decorated field operative, is now wanted for treason. On the run from the CIA’s corrupt Deputy Director Marcus Cain, he has spent the past six months in a remote French safehouse. Drake’s former life seems to be behind him, but the uneasy peace is shattered when Cain moves against him with startling force.

Meanwhile, the war in Afghanistan is faltering in the wake of a devastating suicide attack. Cain though has a plan to find and destroy al-Qaeda’s top commanders. And nobody will stand in his way.

Backed into a corner, Drake turns to the deadly but unpredictable Anya – once Cain’s most promising agent, now his most bitter enemy. With tensions running high and their uneasy alliance threatening to tear itself apart, Drake’s hastily assembled team travels to Pakistan to intercept Cain.

With the fate of the War on Terror hanging in the balance, loyalties are tested and scores settled, as Drake embarks on the fight of his life. Only one side will survive…


Stray Hearts by Harper Logan (Facebook)
romance (gay), 2016, ebook

“Out of the frying pan, into the fire.”

Chris Seitz just can’t catch a break. Driving west to escape the flooding that rocked his Georgia hometown, he finds himself stranded during a record monsoon in a rural Arizona town. With just a bag of clothes and the kitten he rescued from the flood, Chris has never felt more alone. Now the kitten has gotten lost, and Chris is nearing the end of his rope.

“What good was an artist if he couldn’t make his art?”

Wandering around during a thunderstorm in the hopes of curing his crippling creative block, master potter Lucas Duncan is surprised to find something else—a terrified and lost cat. He’s even more surprised to discover who the owner is: the handsome newcomer to town.

“I didn’t want to believe that I could feel that way about another man…”

Deep in the closet and ten years Chris’s senior, Lucas wouldn’t normally have a reason to associate with the young wanderer… if not for Henry the cat, and the unyielding magnetism of fate. Can the undeniable connection between the two lost souls bring their stray hearts home?


Bro 4 Bro by Harper Logan (Facebook)
romance (gay), 2016, ebook

"Loneliness is killing me. I need a bro."

A few months after moving for his first real job, Price still hasn't managed to make friends in his new city. No one here understands his football-playing, beer-drinking ways, and the oppressive solitude drives him to the online personals. He's not looking for a date, or even for a girl to warm his bed. What he needs more than anything is a bro.

"Internet dating isn’t really my thing, but I'm too far gone to care."

Kingsley just struck out at the gay bar again - if being too shy to approach anyone is called striking out. Despite having good looks and clever wit on his side, he's alone. Tipsy with only his cat for company, he checks out the M4M ads. In the morning, he agrees to meet up with someone... even if he doesn’t remember which ad the guy posted.

"Why did he send me a winky face?"

Once Price and Kingsley meet up, Price quickly decides they’ll be buddies for life. Meanwhile, Kingsley’s crushing on him. Will Kingsley figure out Price is straight before falling even harder? Or will Price realize the connection they share goes deeper than friendship?


Lowcountry Bribe by C. Hope Clark
A Carolina Slade Mystery, 2012, ebook

Threats, a missing boss, a very dead co-worker, a federal investigation and a sinister hog farmer: Carolina Slade is a bean-counting civil servant in hot water. All hell breaks loose when she notifies authorities of a bribe, and now she could lose her job and her kids unless she breaks all the rules to solve a crime that’s nobody believes exists.







~*~*~*~*~

What I Read this Week
Shelia at Book Journey, hosted a weekly meme about what you read last week and what you were hoping to read this week. I don't believe she's still doing it but I've gotten use to letting you know what I read last week. Never was very good about knowing what I was going to read next!

Finished:
still mostly doing some comfort reading of online serials or re-reads
Stray Hearts by Harper Logan
Scars by Avery Ford
Country Passion by Aiden Bates
Bro 4 Bro by Harper Logan
Weight for Happiness by Jason Collins
Sparkle and Purr by Stormy Glenn
Turkey in the Snow by Amy Lane
Fish out of Water by Amy Lane


Happy Reading!

Thursday, February 16, 2017

February's Books Read


Main page

~ February ~
  1. 320 - A Solid Core of Alpha by Amy Lane
  2. 160 - Elder and the Youngest by Joyee Flynn 
  3. 94 - En Fuego by Shae Connor 
  4. 278 - A Cup of Joe by Cody Ryder 
  5. 268 - Father Figure by Aiden Bates 
  6. 277 - Stray Hearts by Harper Logan 
  7. 235 - Scars by Avery Ford 
  8. 179 - Country Passion by Aiden Bates 
  9. 207 - Bro 4 Bro by Harper Logan 
  10. 221 - Weight for Happiness by Jason Collins 
  11. 150 - Sparkle and Purr by Stormy Glenn 
  12. 102 - Turkey in the Snow by Amy Lane 
  13. 270 - Fish out of Water by Amy Lane 
  14. 154 - Unexpected Love by Preston Walker 
  15. 26 - All Cats are Gray by Andre Norton 
  16. 170 - Sweet Buns by Shea Balik
  17. 169 - The Collared Pup by Shea Balik 
  18. 173 - Nice 'n' Rosy by Shea Balik
  19. 169 - Lube Master by Shea Balik 
  20. 169 - Painful Pleasure by Shea Balik 
  21. 163 - Bound for Your Pleasure by Shea Balik




~ Books read in February: ~
~ Pages read in Jan-Feb: 5,328 + Feb ~

Number of Print books: 0
Number of ebooks: 21
Number of audio books: 0
List of genres: 


~ Book/Reading Goals ~
Read and review at least one review book
Review at least one other book
Read one book from my dusty TBR pile
Read one book from my current TBR pile
Read one book from my ebook TBR pile
Read at least one library book
Read at least two children's books (12 and under)
give away two books


 . . . blogging and real life goals have changed for January and February. Not sure about March


~ Blogging Goals ~
Am hosting EIGHT reading challenges this year!
Will need to say hi to everyone by end of March
Visit at least twice more during the year

Happy Monday - Mailbox and list of what was read
Terrific Tuesday - 1st Paragraph Intros and Teaser
Wednesday - WWW Wednesday
Purrsday - Cat Thursday and Purrs-day
Finally Friday - Friday 56, running/real life
Saturday - Shelf-ies, Quotes and Cozy



~ Real Life Goals ~
RUN! 1,000 miles the 2,017
Strength train - have a program but threw out my back the morning of day 1.
Keep uncluttering - one bag of plastic kitchenware went out, a mix of mine and my mom's.


Mileage:
Strength workouts:
Uncluttering victories:


Where are You Reading? Reading Challenge

Where are You Reading?
Reading Challenge
2017

Hosted here at Book Dragon's Lair
for more information or to sign up, click here

This one is all about places. There's one about states but this one counts cities, counties, and fictional locations too. Read a book set in a location for each letter of the alphabet.

 ~ Books Read ~
A - Atlanta, Georgia - En Fuego by Shae Connor
B - Dorchester Heights, Boston - Buried Passions by Aiden Bates
C - Napa, California - Borrowing Blue by Lucy Lennox
D - Demeathorn - The Coelura by Anne McCaffrey
E - London, England - Alone for Christmas by Ashley John
F - Forest Park, Portland, Oregon - Unexpected Love by Preston Walker (that's where the wolves live)
G - Claxton, Georgia - Where I Found You by Parker Elliot
H - Half Moon Bay, California - Fish Stick Fridays by Rhys Ford
I - Chicago, Illinois - Carson by Joyee Flynn
J
K
L - Lilleulv - Sampson by Joyee Flynn
M - Maryland - Finding My Forever by Michele Nataro
N - New York, New York - Put a Ring on It by K. A. Mitchell
O - Orangevale, California - Clear Water by Amy Lane
P - Carlisle, Pennsylvania - A Taste of Love by Andrew Grey
Q
R - Rarotonga, Cook Islands - Mighty Men with Weapons by Addison Avery
S - Sacramento, California - Shiny! by Amy Lane
T
U
V - Valdemar - Arrows of the Queen by Mercedes Lackey
W - Seattle, Washington - The Road Home by Elsa Winters, Brad Vance
X
Y
Z

Possibilities
Atlanta, Georgia - En Fuego by Shae Connor
Forest Park, Portland, Oregon - Unexpected Love by Preston Walker

Reading Naturally Challenge 2017

Reading Naturally 
Reading Challenge 
2017

hosted by Hotchpot Cafe
for more information or to sign up, click here

The purpose of this challenge is simple: encouraging readers to dip their reading toes into books that will deepen their understanding of nature via excellent writing about a variety of subjects. It's my personal conviction that renewing our connection with the natural world is good for us on many levels, and I'd like to spread that around.

Reading comes naturally, right, so why not read something natural? The categories are intentionally broad and numerous, and both fiction and non-fiction are eligible. All genres are eligible, too, so everything from a camping how-to book to a Harlequin romance can qualify! Reading outdoors is highly recommended, but optional.

Even if you're not outdoorsy, you'll find something to suit you. That's the point, actually: Nature is everywhere, around us and within us. After all, as Wendell Berry says, "The earth is what we all have in common"--but there are many good ways to approach that.

There are several rules and categories so check out the sign up page. You do need to be signed up by December 1.

I'm going for . . . Exposed to Nature . . . and hope to read 1 to 3 books

~ Books Read ~
  1.  
  2.  
  3.  

~ Categories to Choose From ~
  • Classic: written by Rachel Carson, Henry David Thoreau, Aldo Leopold, Gary Snyder, or another giant in the field
  • Outdoors Gear on the Cover: backpack, snowshoes, snorkel and fins, etc.
  • Animal or Bird Related
  • Outdoorsy Heroine
  • Current Issue: climate change, biodiversity loss, etc.
  • Water Related
  • New: published in 2016 or 2017
  • Dystopia Flavored: emphasizing future consequences
  • Extreme Element: sailing around the world, mountain climbing, etc.
  • Season Related
  • Plant Related
  • Set in a Wilderness Locale
  • Spiritual: emphasizing connection
  • Skills Related: how to camp, kayak, survive in the woods, etc.
  • Advocacy Related: speaking up for nature
  • Biography or Memoir of an Environmentalist or Conservationist: Jacques      
                   Cousteau, Jane Goodall, Teddy Roosevelt, or another nature advocate
  • Orion Book Award winner or finalist: any year, any subject


~ Possibilities ~
  • Classic: written by Rachel Carson, Henry David Thoreau, Aldo Leopold, Gary                               Snyder, or another giant in the field - Silent Spring by Rachel Carson
  • Outdoors Gear on the Cover: backpack, snowshoes, snorkel and fins, etc. - Wild
  • Animal or Bird Related
  • Outdoorsy Heroine
  • Current Issue: climate change, biodiversity loss, etc.
  • Water Related
  • New: published in 2016 or 2017
  • Dystopia Flavored: emphasizing future consequences
  • Extreme Element: sailing around the world, mountain climbing, etc.
  • Season Related
  • Plant Related
  • Set in a Wilderness Locale
  • Spiritual: emphasizing connection
  • Skills Related: how to camp, kayak, survive in the woods, etc.
  • Advocacy Related: speaking up for nature
  • Biography or Memoir of an Environmentalist or Conservationist: Jacques      
                   Cousteau, Jane Goodall, Teddy Roosevelt, or another nature advocate
  • Orion Book Award winner or finalist: - 2008, The World Without Us, by Alan Weisman 

 The Everglades: River of Grass by Marjory Stoneman Douglas 


eBook, page two


eBooks
Reading Challenge
2017 

For more information or to sign up, click here


I've read over 250 books this year (yes, some were short) and only a handful were print. I'm going for . . . empty the cloud . . . with plans to read 101+ ebooks during 2017.


Thirty-two books read so far, only 69 left to complete the challenge. So, March?




~ February ~
  1. A Solid Core of Alpha by Amy Lane
  2. Elder and the Youngest by Joyee Flynn
  3. En Fuego by Shae Connor 
  4. A Cup of Joe by Cody Ryder 
  5. Father Figure by Aiden Bates 
  6. Stray Hearts by Harper Logan 
  7. Scars by Avery Ford 
  8. Country Passion by Aiden Bates 
  9. Bro 4 Bro by Harper Logan 
  10. Weight for Happiness by Jason Collins 
  11. Sparkle and Purr by Stormy Glenn 
  12. Turkey in the Snow by Amy Lane 
  13. Fish out of Water by Amy Lane 
  14. Unexpected Love by Preston Walker 
  15. All Cats are Gray by Andre Norton 
  16. Sweet Buns by Shea Balik
  17. The Collared Pup by Shea Balik 
  18. Nice 'n' Rosy by Shea Balik
  19. Lube Master by Shea Balik 
  20. Painful Pleasure by Shea Balik 
  21. Bound for Your Pleasure by Shea Balik


Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge February


Outdo Yourself
Reading Challenge
2017

Hosted by Corinne

For more information or to sign up, click here

Challenge yourself to read more this year than last year. Any format, any genre. Re-reads and challenge cross-overs allowed. Books that are 100 pages (give or take) count.

There are several levels. You can go up but not down.




Number of Books Read out of My Goal for the Year
2013: 168 out of 200 (Didn't keep track of 100+ pages for 2012)
2014: 211 out of 174-178 (then moved up a level!)
2015: 170 out of 227 :-(
2016: 214 (as of 12-30) out of 181-185

I've got real life plans for this year that might interfere with my reading so I'm going for
. . . Out of Breath  . . . 
and hope to read 6-10 more books than my 2016 goal.
Because, really, I read 30 books in December and I've got one more day!


~ February ~
 I've read 27 books so far, only 164-169 for the year. That's 15-16 a month.

  1. A Solid Core of Alpha by Amy Lane
  2. Elder and the Youngest by Joyee Flynn 
  3. A Cup of Joe by Cody Ryder 
  4. Father Figure by Aiden Bates 
  5. Stray Hearts by Harper Logan 
  6. Scars by Avery Ford 
  7. Country Passion by Aiden Bates 
  8. Bro 4 Bro by Harper Logan 
  9. Weight for Happiness by Jason Collins 
  10. Sparkle and Purr by Stormy Glenn 
  11. Turkey in the Snow by Amy Lane
  12. Fish out of Water by Amy Lane 
  13. Unexpected Love by Preston Walker 
  14. Sweet Buns by Shea Balik 
  15. The Collared Pup by Shea Balik 
  16. Nice 'n' Rosy by Shea Balik
  17. Lube Master by Shea Balik 
  18. Painful Pleasure by Shea Balik 
  19. Bound for Your Pleasure by Shea Balik


~ Books Read this Month: 19 ~
~ Books Read this Year: 46 ~
~ Books Left to Read: 135 - 139 ~


Monday, February 13, 2017

Happy Monday

Still helping Dad with Mom's stuff. MIL is home now :-)


Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week.

Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.  ;-)

Don't forget to link up your list





~ here are the newest review books in my house ~



~ here are the newest books in my house ~
Promise You Won't Tell? by John Locke
Dani Ripper, 2017, ebook

Private Investigator Dani Ripper’s client list is nuttier than the Looney Tunes conga line, but she diligently solves one crazy case after another, waiting for a game-changer.

Enter Riley Freeman, 17-year-old honor student.

Saturday afternoon Riley quietly placed a little strawberry sticker on her private area and pretended it was a tattoo. She didn’t tell anyone about it. That night she went to a slumber party that featured drinking and boys. Riley fell asleep, woke up the next day with no reason to think anything happened…

…Until Monday, at school, when a classmate called her Strawberry.

Coincidence or crime? Dani agrees to investigate. And the roller coaster ride begins.


The Willpower Instinct by Kelly McGonigal
How Self-Control Works, Why It Matters, and What You Can Do to Get More of It
Applied Psychology, 2013, paperback

Based on Stanford University psychologist Kelly McGonigal's wildly popular course "The Science of Willpower," The Willpower Instinct is the first book to explain the new science of self-control and how it can be harnessed to improve our health, happiness, and productivity.





Out of Sync by Lance Bass
memoir, 2008, paperback

At sixteen, Lance Bass received a phone call from Justin Timberlake that would change his life forever. Soon after, he left his small-town home in Clinton, Mississippi, to join an emerging musical group called *NSYNC. Two years later *NSYNC was inspiring Beatles-esque mania around the world, becoming the face of the new MTV generation, and earning the all-time record for most album sales in a single day (more than one million) and in a single week for No Strings Attached.

He's remained in the spotlight ever since, and here he talks in depth for the first time about his childhood, his astonishing experiences as a young man and Christian growing up in one of the biggest bands in the world, his shock and frustration at the band's eventual dissolution, and his subsequent career, including his four months in Russia, training to become a cosmonaut.

He also frankly discusses life as a gay man -- his first same-sex relationship at twenty-one, his struggle to keep his sexuality hidden from *NSYNC's fans in case it jeopardized the band's success, and the true circumstances that led to his decision to publicly come out at the age of twenty-seven.

Full of fascinating behind-the-scenes lore and revealing insights from a pop star who, until now, has been notoriously private, Out of Sync is the book that millions of fans have been waiting for.


Jim Henson's Labyrinth by Jim Henson, A.C.H. Smith
illustrator: Brian Froud
graphic novel, 2014, hardcover

Return to the Kingdom of Whence in this sprawling prequel to Jim Henson’s classic film Labyrinth.

Finally back in print and for the first time in hardcover is the novelization of LABYRINTH written by A.C.H. Smith and personally overseen by Jim Henson. This is the first in a series of novels from the Jim Henson Archives. This beautiful hardcover features unpublished goblin illustrations by legendary illustrator and concept artist Brian Froud and an exclusive peek into Jim Henson’s creative process with 50 never-before-seen pages from his personal journal, detailing the initial conception of his ideas for LABYRINTH.


Scars by Avery Ford (Twitter)
romance m/m, 2017, ebook

Caleb always knew that his work was dangerous. For years, he'd thrived on the adrenaline rush, the danger thrumming under his skin, the tangible efforts of his labor a secondary reward when the flames flickered away to nothing and he was able to save a building, or save a life. He'd thought that the Johnson City Fire Station 10 was his home - until he got caught in a building with no way out.

Henry wasn't always shy and meek. As a child he'd always been buoyant and vivacious; in university he was the life of the party. And then he met Pritchard, and before he knew it he was skipping classes, flunking out, and isolated from his friends and family on threat of Pritchard's fists. Finally finding the courage to leave him was the best thing that Henry's ever done for himself - and also the hardest.

Caleb and Henry are both trying to put their lives back together, both scarred in different and lingering ways. Henry's bruises might have healed - but Pritchard's fists had left their mark on his soul. And Caleb's body is still healing from the burns and broken bones he'd suffered in that burning house. Neither of them are looking for love. Neither of them want someone to look beyond the surface. A quick jolt of pleasure is all they need before going their separate ways again... right?


A Cup of Joe by Cody Ryder (Facebook)
Sons of San Diego, 2017, ebook

Bruce LeFlorette is the owner of a struggling boutique coffee shop, the business passed down to him by his late parents. With the family legacy on his shoulders he’s had no time for romance, especially when the big corporate cafe opens up just down the block. His only respite from the stress of his failing business is by blowing off steam at his local boxing class.

Joe Jordan, CEO of the hottest new chain of coffee shops, is back in his hometown following the opening of his store’s newest location. The success of his business has been his life’s dedication—but recently he’s started to find himself wanting more.

When Bruce meets Joe at his boxing class, the two hit it off fast—especially when Joe finds himself no match for Bruce’s fast fists. After a hard defeat, he just can’t stop thinking about the fiery younger man. The attraction between such passionate souls is undeniable—but what will happen when they discover they’re one another’s biggest rival?


Father Figure by Aiden Bates (Facebook)
Never Too Late (stand alone), 2017, ebook

Oliver has worked in the lab for three years, and he’s been in love with Detective Sam Nenci for almost every second of those three years. When Nenci’s boss pairs them up on a complicated case, he finally has a chance to get closer to the alpha of his dreams. When the dream and the reality fail to match up, will there be anything left for either of them to cling to?

Oliver Wesson is a hotshot analyst with the State Police Crime Lab. He believes in two things in this world: Science, and saving himself for his alpha. Getting paired up on a case with Detective Nenci is both a dream and a nightmare for him – he has a chance to show off his skills, but Nenci’s aversion to omegas in the field is well known. When he finds himself unable to resist his attraction for the older detective, his entire sense of self comes into question.

Sam Nenci is the official troll of the Cold Case Squad. He’s had some rough experiences in life, and they’ve left him a little bitter. The one thing he’s not bitter about, though, is Oliver Wesson. He’s stayed away from the beautiful and brilliant omega, however, because he believes he’s too old for Oliver.

Sam soon finds that keeping a professional distance between them isn’t as easy as it sounds. Every time he thinks he has a chance to make things right with Oliver, he finds himself making a worse mess of things than he had before. Can Sam stop himself from destroying a relationship three years in the making?



Seven Minutes in Heaven by Eloisa James
Desperate Duchesses By the Numbers, 2017, mass market paperback

Witty and elusive Eugenia Snowe has all society begging for one of her premiere governesses-except the powerful Edward Reeve, who bursts into her office with his arrogant demands.

No question that Eugenia enjoys crossing wits with the brilliant inventor, but Ward wants far more than a governess. He wants Eugenia, and he’ll stop at nothing to have her-including kidnapping.

Will Eugenia lose her heart in the most reckless gamble of her life, or will she discover the sweetest pleasure she’s ever known?

All it will take is seven minutes...


Fake Fiancée by Ilsa Madden-Mills
romance, 2017, ebook

They say nothing compares to your first kiss, but our first kiss was orchestrated for an audience.

Our second kiss . . . that one was REAL.

He cradled my face like he was terrified he’d f*ck it up. He stared into my eyes until the air buzzed. Soft and slow, full of sighs and little laughs, he inhaled me like I was the finest Belgian chocolate, and he’d never get another piece. A nip of his teeth, his hand at my waist . . . And I was lost.

I forgot he was paying me to be his fake fiancée. I forgot we weren’t REAL. Our kiss was pure magic, and before you laugh and say those kinds of kisses don’t exist, then you’ve never touched lips with Max Kent, the hottest quarterback in college history.




~*~*~*~*~

What I Read this Week
Shelia at Book Journey, hosted a weekly meme about what you read last week and what you were hoping to read this week. I don't believe she's still doing it but I've gotten use to letting you know what I read last week. Never was very good about knowing what I was going to read next!

Finished:
mostly doing some comfort reading of online serials

En Fuego by Shae Connor
A Cup of Joe by Cody Ryder
Father Figure by Aiden Bates


Happy Reading!

Monday, February 6, 2017

Spotlight On . . . Lessons from Zachary

Lessons from Zachary: Turning Disability into Possibility
Author: Sandy Scott
Publisher: Sandy Scott
ISBN: 978-0997596205
Published: October 2016
genre: Memoir
284 pages

format available: paperback, ebook

Facebook | author's website | Linked in

Description:
Sandy Scott had it all: A beautiful country home, a successful husband, and the freedom to be a stay-at-home mom.

Then the news crashed down on her like a Tsunami: her infant son Zachary not only had severe brain damage but probably wouldn’t live past his first birthday. As denial gave way to despair and grief, Sandy looked out over the new, strange world her family suddenly found themselves thrown into, and wondered if they would ever know happiness again.

But it was in the very challenges that Zachary’s condition presented to her that she discovered a whole new level of compassion among others as well as her own inner resources. She eventually took on greater roles in the disability community and found her calling as a life coach.



internal use:
First contact: January 8, 2017
Rebecca at The Cadence Group



format: print
arrived: Feb 4
started review:
posted review:
email Rebecca



Happy Monday

Still helping Dad with Mom's stuff. MIL is doing okay.


Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week.

Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.  ;-)

Don't forget to link up your list





~ here are the newest review books in my house ~


Lessons from Zachary by Sandy Scott
memoir, 2016, paperback

Sandy Scott had it all: A beautiful country home, a successful husband, and the freedom to be a stay-at-home mom.

Then the news crashed down on her like a Tsunami: her infant son Zachary not only had severe brain damage but probably wouldn’t live past his first birthday. As denial gave way to despair and grief, Sandy looked out over the new, strange world her family suddenly found themselves thrown into, and wondered if they would ever know happiness again.

But it was in the very challenges that Zachary’s condition presented to her that she discovered a whole new level of compassion among others as well as her own inner resources. She eventually took on greater roles in the disability community and found her calling as a life coach.

~ here are the newest books in my house ~
Fired Up by Jayne Ann Krentz
Arcane Society/Dreamlight trilogy, 2009, hardcover

More than three centuries ago, Nicholas Winters irrevocably altered his genetic makeup in an obsession fueled competition with alchemist and Arcane Society founder Sylvester Jones. Driven to control their psychic abilities, each man’s decision has reverberated throughout the family line, rewarding some with powers beyond their wildest dreams, and cursing others to a life filled with madness and hallucinations.

Jack Winters, descendant of Nicholas, has been experiencing nightmares and blackouts—just the beginning, he believes—of the manifestation of the Winters family curse. The legend says that he must find the Burning Lamp or risk turning into a monster. But he can’t do it alone; he needs the help of a woman with the gift to read the lamp’s dreamlight.

Jack is convinced that private investigator Chloe Harper is that woman. Her talents for finding objects and accessing dream energy are what will save him, but their sudden and powerful sexual pull threatens to overwhelm them both. Danger surrounds them, and it doesn’t take long for Chloe to pick up the trail of the missing lamp. And as they draw closer to the lamp, the raw power that dwells within it threatens to sweep them into a hurricane of psychic force.


Hidden Talents by Jayne Ann Krentz
Romantic Suspense, 2014-re-issue, ebook

Witt's End is in trouble. The small town of artists is at risk of disappearing from the map if Serenity Makepeace can't expand her small grocery store into a mail order enterprise to sell her neighbors' handcrafted goods. High-priced start-up advisor Caleb Ventress was intrigued by Serenity's impassioned letter. A small town grocer wasn't high profile enough for him, but her request earned her a meeting. And Calebs's attraction to her earned her a few more. But when someone tries to blackmail Serenity, her future, and possibly even her life, is at risk.

First published in 1993


Connecting Rooms by Kayne Ann Krentz
romance, 2014, ebook (previously released in an anthology)

Amy Comfort is a real estate agent on Misplaced Island, a quaint, remote town located off the coast of Washington. When she sells an old Victorian manse to the sultry, sexy Owen Sweet, a private investigator relocating from Seattle, sparks fly from the get-go, though both Amy and Owen decidedly ignore their natural chemistry.

Until, that is, Amy enlists Owen's help in looking into her aunt Bernice's fiance Arthur Crabshaw, who Amy suspects is not what he seems. To keep their cover intact, Amy and Owen pretend to be a lovestruck, newly engaged couple, as they travel to Villantry, Washington, to investigate Arthur. When the mystery surrounding Arthur begins to spin out of control, Amy and Owen must trust in each other to stay alive. But, when the lines between their make-believe courtship and reality begin to blur, will the faux-couple end up with something aside from what they had set out to find?


Legacy by Jayne Ann Krentz
romantic suspense, 2013, ebook and audio

Constantine Landry has one foot in the business world and one at the track. Legacy is the foal of his stepfather’s champion stallion and Conn’s only remaining link to the man who raised him.

Honor Mayfield has a sister in trouble and she’ll do anything to make that trouble disappear—even if it means risking her own life in the process. Conn steps in to keep Honor out of trouble, but Honor soon discovers their pasts are linked. Honor realizes too late she’s been deceived and must fight her desire for Conn.

First published in 1985


Family Man by Jayne Ann Krentz
romance, 2013, ebook

Katy Wade has a bright, shiny new life planned for herself. She's ready to quit her job working for the high-powered Gilchrist family and start her own business. There's just one last job to do for the Gilchrists before she will be free -- convince Luke Gilchrist to come home, take up his responsibilities as the heir-apparent and save the family firm. But Luke has spent a long time contemplating the pleasures of revenge against the family that made him pay for his father's scandal. As far as he's concerned the Gilchrist empire can sink. But Katy is something new in his world. She intrigues and fascinates him. He's willing to make a deal -- one that will put both their hearts on the line.

First published in 1992

~*~*~*~*~

What I Read this Week
Shelia at Book Journey, hosted a weekly meme about what you read last week and what you were hoping to read this week. I don't believe she's still doing it but I've gotten use to letting you know what I read last week. Never was very good about knowing what I was going to read next!

Finished:
Omega's Kiss by Aiden Bates
A Solid Core of Alpha by Amy Lane




Happy Reading!

Disclaimer

In accordance to the FTC guidelines, I must state that I make no monetary gains from my reviews or endorsements here on Book Dragon's Lair. All books I review are either borrowed, purchased by me, given as a gift, won in some kind of contest, or received in exchange for an honest review.