Looking Back

While New Years Day is a time to look forward to new beginings its also a time to reflect on the past year and all the changes it has brought. New friends that have come into my life, including a new grandbaby born in October. People that have passed out of our lives that we will never forget. Goals that have been accomplished, I was so proud of myself for meeting that goal of 100 books. New things that have been tried. I started this blog just a few months back and have enjoyed it alot. So many experiences that have accumulated over the year. I hope its been a good one for you and hopefully an even better one next year.

Shadow of a Demon

Synopsis

"You must learn to communicate with him, to understand him," the Mother Superior of the Daughters of Mercy says of the thing that dwells inside India Terrano, the thing India regards as a demon. It is a Viseg, a creature that feeds on energy and can spit that energy out with tremendous destructive force. It has endangered India's family and blasted her fiancé's mind, leaving him a living corpse. It has made her a fugitive, hunted both by the Solarian Patrol, which intends to put her to death, and by representatives of an interplanetary corporation, which wants to experiment on her to learn to harness the Viseg's power.

I won this book thru FirstReads on Goodreads. I thought the synopsis sounded interesting and am looking forward to reading it.

New Years Resolutions

With the New Year fast approaching its time again for New Years resolutions. Like most of us, I make them and usually I try to keep them but needless to say it rarely works out. This year I am gonna do my best to catch up on all my review requests and try to diminish my to-read pile without adding to it along the way. What are you going to try to accomplish in the coming year?

Dreamsayer

Dreamsayer: Stories of the Five Worlds by Carrie R Olguin

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I received a free ecopy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a good read! The second of the Five Worlds Series, I thought it was even better than the first (which I enjoyed also). Jewel and Wolfe are lovers that were married as children but were kept apart by others for political gain. We are introduced to them as they finally come together altho Jewel doesn't know who she is with. Full of conspiracy, mystery, love and throw in a bit of steamy sex, this book has it all. It was interesting from the begining and kept my interest to the very end. I certainly look forward to reading more stories from the Five Worlds. Loved it!Would definitely recommend it to anyone over 18 who loves a good sci-fi love story/erotica.



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Eirelan

I just received this ARC that I won from Firstreads. This size is a bit daunting at over 700 pgs but I'm not one to shy away from a challenge. Hopefully I will be writing the review for this soon.

Synopsis

Eirelan is a dramatic saga of a people struggling to survive against great odds. The Province of the Twenty Clans, founded on the shores of Lough Ennell in Ireland, is about to celebrate its millennial year. As this milestone year approaches, the Province and its Celtic allies in Cornwall, Wales, Scotland and Brittany are threatened by an ever-colder climate overspreading Europe and by determined, powerful enemies on land and sea. The fight to defend the Province and its allies is led by Conor Laigain, a poet who dreams of peace and a hilltop cabin; his sister Fethnaid, an archer fighting in the Line of Bows who comes to realize that old ideas must change if the Province is to survive; Conor’s fiancée Mairin Fotharta, a warship captain in the Province’s naval squadron whose sleep is plagued by nightmares of a brutal childhood; and his towering Uncle Padraic, general of the army since the death of Conor’s legendary father Domnall. This is a story of human beings fighting for the right to live and enjoy the beauty of the world as they see it. When a great battle between the armies of the Province and the Ghaoth Aduiadh carpets a lovely meadow with thousands of dead and dying, Conor’s mother Liadan tries to console herself with words written by her father-in-law, philosopher Uinseann Laigain: “We must be content with life and love and the beauty of the earth. All the rest is dust in the wind."

Christmas Gifts

Thought I would share the titles that I have received so far for Christmas. I'm always excited to get new books at any time.





This one is one of those books I keep meaning to read but just haven't. Now is my chance.





This one, as noted in an earlier post, was the one I've been wishing for.

Merry Christmas

Wishing everybody a safe and Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday! Whatever your religion or view of the world, I hope you have the opportunity to spend time with your families and make connections that we may have missed throughout the year. And here's to hoping you find that book you've been wishing for in your stocking this year!

A Christmas Carol

Currently revisiting a timeless classic. This edition is beautifully illustrated adding so much to the story.

Amaranth and Ash

Amaranth and Ash by Jessica Freely

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I absolutely loved this book. This was a love story that transcended society, caste, and gender. Set in a world reminiscent of Ursula K. Le Guin The Left Hand of Darkness as it is a planet that mellenia before had been populated by humans and the population had split into caste one of which was hermaphroditic. Racial and ethnic barrier were very much a part of society where the elite had it all and the Chel which were the lowest had nothing even denied medical treatment. In such a society where races didn't mix Amaranth and Ash went against such societal norms and fell in love. This was an awesome book that was so much more than their love story. The societal differences, altho exaggerated, are so relevant in our own where people can be biased based on differences. Certainly not for anyone under 18 due to erotic content, but done so tastefully its very much important to the story. You truely feel the love they have for each other. A wonderful book that is relevant in any generation.



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Synopsis

Genre: LGBT Futuristic FantasyIn a world where everyone has their place, Amaranth & Ash belong together.Amaranth is a vasai, born with both male and female characteristics, and a soul that can reach out and touch the souls of others in order to heal them. But a vasai’s services are only for the Elai, and they demand sexual satisfaction as well as healing from their beautiful servants. Frustrated with these constraints, Amaranth wants to use his talent to help those who really need it.Ash is a chel. Considered devoid of souls, chel are the lowest of the low. Not content with his lot, Ash steals from the middle class pel. One night he’s caught and brutally punished.A soul in agony calls out to Amaranth from across the city. When he discovers that it belongs to a chel, it only confirms his worst suspicions about the lies of the Elai. Amaranth takes Ash home and heals him, an act of rebellion that could cost both their lives.Amaranth's compassion for Ash soon turns to passion. Ash treats him like a person, not an instrument of sexual gratification. Neither of them have much experience with mutual pleasure but together they embark on an exploration of intimacy and desire that carries them to the heights of passion and love -- and shakes the very foundation of their world.Publisher's Note: This book contains explicit sexual content, graphic language, and situations some readers may find objectionable: Intersex relationships, violence

Christmas Wishlist

With Christmas fast approaching we all have at least one book that is on our wishlist that we hope will be amongst the gifts under the tree. The book that I am hoping for (and have been asured by a friend that it will be there) is




What are you hopring to get this holiday?