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Top Ten Tuesday: May Flowers | Book Characters Named for Flowers

 

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl.


This Week's Top Ten Tuesday Topic:
May Flowers
Characters with Floral-Inspired Names
 
I went back and forth on how to interpret this week's prompt. Book titles with flowers?
Floral book covers? I finally settled on characters named for flowers. Apparently those 
are used often because I had no problem coming up with quite a list. Enough so that I 
had to whittle it down to ten. Lily was by far the most popular and I think I could have
created a list of all book with characters named Lily. But I kept it to two. 😏

Oh, and it should be noted that until today I had no idea that Katniss, Daphne and Hazel
were flowers. Who knew!


It Ends with Us
Character: Lily Bloom

Addicted to You
Character: Lily Calloway

Stay With Me
Character: Calla Fritz

Daisy Jones & The Six
Character: Daisy Jones

Hothouse Flower
Character: Daisy Calloway

Fuel the Fire
Character: Rose Calloway

Josh & Hazel's Guide to Not Dating
Character: Hazel Bradford

No One Can Know
Character: Daphne Palmer

The Hunger Games
Character: Katniss and Primrose Everdeen

Pucking Around
Character: Poppy St. James


Have you read any of these books?

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The Sunday Post #362 | May 5, 2024

 

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Caffeinated Book Reviewer.
It's a chance to share news: a post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books, 
and share what's coming up on your blog in the week ahead.

THE WEEK IN REVIEW

Long time no see, friends! I think it's been a month since my last Sunday Post. I've managed a few other posts in the interim, but even so, it's been fairly quiet on the blogging front. 

The Husband and I just returned from a getaway to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary.❤ Nothing but total relaxation and good times. 

  
   

Now after nine glorious days of R&R, it's back to the office (and reality) tomorrow. In some ways it will be nice to get back into my usual routines, but I'll also miss the lazy days with no schedules.

In hockey news, my Tampa Lightning went out in the first round of the playoffs. 😭 To add insult to injury, it was at the hands of the Florida Panthers (our #1 nemesis - big in-state rivalry). So now I'll spend the rest of the playoff season just cheering for whoever will beat the Panthers. The enemy of my enemy is my friend and all that. LOL

Over the past week or so two of my very favorite bloggers have said goodbye to blogging (for very different reasons, but still). They are both still active on Instagram so it's not as if they've disappeared, but I will miss their blog posts. 

I can't say that I have not considered doing the same. And often. My interest in reviewing what I read has truly waned. My love for reading is as strong as ever, but the desire to craft reviews... not so much. So, not sure what the future will bring but for now I continue to post here and there and review when the mood strikes. 

Since it's been a week of celebrating our 25th anniversary, this week's throwback song is coming from this week in 1999. This is Save Tonight by Eagle-Eye Cherry. Enjoy!




ON THE BLOG


Nothing in the last week.


WHAT I READ

     

eARC: Mind Games by Nora Roberts - 4.25★
Audio: No One Can Know by Kate Alice Marshall - 4.25★

CURRENTLY READING


Kindle: The Drawback of Single Dads (Lake Starlight #4) by Piper Rayne

NEW ADDITIONS


Not a thing.


TOTALLY RANDOM



HOW WAS YOUR WEEK?

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Top Ten Tuesday: Reader Hall of Shame (aka The Books I Still Have Not Read)

 

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl.


This Week's Top Ten Tuesday Topic:
Books I (Still) Have Not Read
 
As a reader, my TBR is long and plentiful. Obviously. And I want to read All The Books.
But there are those that I am extra excited about - the ones I am certain that I will read
right away. But... yeah. We know how that goes. Despite my excitement, these keep 
getting pushed aside time and time again. These are the books that I was desperate to 
read, but still haven't. The ones that I very much want to read sooner rather than later.


Ravensong - TJ Klune
On my shelf since April 2023

No Tomorrow - Carian Cole
On my shelf since August 2021

The Great Alone - Kristin Hannah
On my shelf since October 2017

The Story of Us - Tara Sivec
On my shelf since May 2017

What the Wind Knows - Amy Harmon
On my shelf since August 2018

I Found You - Lisa Jewell
On my shelf since June 2016

The Last Piece of His Heart - Emma Scott
On my shelf since March 2021

A Court of Silver Flames - Sarah J. Maas
On my shelf since October 2020

Mile High - Liz Tomforde
On my shelf since April 2023

Full Tilt - Emma Scott
On my shelf since October 2016

Have you read any of these books?

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Short Take Reviews: Tempting Promises | Stay With Me | Last Call at the Local

 


Tempting Promises
by Corinne Michaels
Series: Whitlock Family #3
Pub: 2/22/2024
4 stars

Rowan and Charlotte were neighbors with adjacent farms. Rowan also happened to be Charlotte's sister's ex so Charlotte was duty-bound to loathe him. A series of events threw the two of them together and, naturally, the sparks flew. And when Charlotte was in danger of losing her farm, it was Rowan who stepped in to help. Charlotte was left to wonder if Rowan was the unfeeling player her sister claimed, or if there was more to Rowan that good looks and snarky comebacks.

I'll admit that enemies to lovers is not my favorite trope, but I do trust Corinne Michaels to deliver a good story - and that she did. Rowan's reputation in their small town took a hit when Charlotte's sister dragged his name through the mud. People like a juicy story better than the truth, so he gave up trying to set the record straight. In additional to rising above petty gossip, Rowan also had a huge heart and I loved the bond he had with his niece, and his love for his family. It took Charlotte longer to come around than I would have liked - Rowan came to her rescue both literally and figuratively more than once, proving he was a good guy - and I wanted to shake her for blindly believing her sister when all the evidence showed that her story was faulty. As always, Corinne Michaels excelled at creating a believable family dynamic with strong ties. I liked how Charlotte's issues at the farm were resolved and getting more time with the rest of the Whitlock family was a bonus.


Stay With Me
by Brooke Montgomery
Series: Sugarland Creek #2
Pub: 2/7/2024
4.25 stars

Magnolia spent years in an on again-off again relationship with a total loser. She'd been crushing on her best friend's brother for years but he never showed any interest. Tripp pined for Magnolia but wouldn't interfere in her relationship and had long accepted his place in the friend zone. When Magnolia is finally single, she and Tripp can (finally!) act on their mutual feelings. When Magnolia learns she's pregnant from a drunken night with her ex (pre-Tripp), she worries that things might be over before they've even really began.

The prologue (which had me teary-eyed) really set up Tripp's background and explained the issues with guilt and anxiety that plagued him. He was an absolute sweetheart and I liked seeing him open up to Magnolia about his mental health, knowing that she provided a safe space for him. Magnolia was a wild one, and her decision-making skills (or lack thereof) sometimes made her seem immature for her age. But there was no denying their chemistry and their feelings for one another. I did feel this one lagged a bit and got bogged down in details that just weren't necessary (like lengthy descriptions of the 90's movies that they watched). At 400+ pages, it felt overly long, but even so I was invested in their story and loved the inclusion of the rest of the Hollis clan. The minor suspense plot was a nice touch but it was Tripp who was the shining star here. His devotion to Magnolia gave all the swoony feelings. 


Last Call at the Local
by Sarah Grunder Ruiz
Series: Love, Lists & Fancy Ships #3
Pub: 1/2/2024
4.5 stars

Raine walked away from medical school and a life she did not want to become a traveling musician, busking her way across Europe. When stranded in a small town in Ireland, she accepts a temporary job from pub owner Jack. Free-spirited Raine makes friends, revitalizes the pub, and in Jack she finds someone who accepts and appreciates her just as she is. 

I find it impossible not to gush over this charming tale. Raine and Jack were such perfectly crafted characters, and while they each had their struggles (Raine had ADHD and Jack had OCD), they were so much more than those labels. Where others struggled to understand, Jack and Raine simply accepted each other's foibles and quirks. I adored their banter, their inside jokes, and their easy and honest way of communicating (so refreshing!). Beyond Raine and Jack, the entire cast of secondary characters were an absolute delight, right down to Sebastian the cat (aka Princess Ugly). I listened to this one on audio and the narrators were sheer perfection. Karissa Vacker and Gary Furlong brought the story to life in a way that had me seeing every scene, laughing out loud, and feeling every heartfelt moment.


Have you read any of these books?

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WWW Wednesday #135 | April 10, 2024

 

WWW Wednesdays is hosted by Sam @ Taking on a World of Words.
Just share your answers to three questions:
What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you'll read next?


How's your week going?
Is it me or does it already feel like it should be Friday? 😎
I think it's because I'm a little run ragged. A lot of the things that
The Husband usually takes care of at home have fallen to me while 
he's on crutches. I certainly don't mind picking up the slack, but it does
makes for some long (tiring) days. 


What are you currently reading?

      

Kindle: Whiskey & Sin by Emily Rath
Audio: Goodbye Paradise by Sarina Bowen

Currently reading: Do you ever encounter those rare books that as soon as you read the
first couple pages you just know? You get that feeling that it's going to be one of those
special books that click with you and become an instant favorite. Well, that's me with 
Whiskey & Sin. I only just started it yesterday and didn't get a chance to read much, but 
I'm already predicting this is going to be amazing.
Current progress: 7%

Currently listening: After reading a super angsty/intense book (Older by Jennifer 
Hartmann), I needed something to soothe my soul. Enter Goodbye Paradise. This is such 
a comfort read for me. I adore these characters and their story. This has to be my fifth or 
sixth re-read and it never gets old.
Current progress: 30%


What did you recently finish reading?


Kindle (eARC): Older by Jennifer Hartmann

Recently read: Older - Super angsty but an incredible story of two people whose love
story overcomes all the odds. 4.5 stars


What do you think you'll read next?


I never know what I'm going to read next but Mind Games is a strong possibility.


What are you reading today?

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