As if...

As if there hasn't been enough yuck going on in my life lately... as if. I went to the dentist and had a root canal yesterday. I have had two prior, all stemming from a car accident and fractures in me teeth and roots a few years ago. Root canals usually don't hurt too bad. This one hurt, and hurt, and hurt. Hurt so bad that I set up another appointment with my dentist. A different dentist saw me and is pretty sure my nerve may have been damaged from getting the shots to numb. Get this though: it can take up to SIX, yes SIX, months to heal. My tongue is numb and I have a feeling similar to that of when you REALLY bang your funny bone, like hard, radiating on my tongue, in my ear, and it feels like my tongue has hair. Brushing my teeth sucks bad. 

 

 

 

 

Original post: jessicafox.booklikes.com/post/1970117/as-if

The Blacksmith Queen by G. A. Aikw

Let me start by saying that I love the authors writing. I have kept myself up to date with all her series and eagerly wait for new work by her to released. I am very happy that she has started a new series, though I must admit I would have rather had another installment to one of her already ongoing other series.

 

I very much enjoyed this. As with all her books the ladies of this are kick ass and take charge. They never rely on a man to come and save them.

 

In this the main character sets out to protect her sister, and unexpectedly gets a target painted on her own back. She learns she must fight for her future.

 

Laurenston/Aiken always adds A LOT of humor to her novels. This one made laugh a lot, out loud and embarrassingly, might I add.

 

I was a bit nervous when I discovered the male love interest was a centaur. My mind immediately went to thinking about how the hell were the sex scenes going to be? What am I about to read? I shouldn't have worried, the centaur can change to full human in appearance.

 

I will definitely continue this series.

 

Netgalley provided arc copy. I did not promise a favorable review and formed my opinion on this book of my own reading experience.

Original post: jessicafox.booklikes.com/post/1957389/the-blacksmith-queen-by-g-a-aikw

I am BACK!! And what has kept me away for so long...

So, my life has been somewhat difficult in the past year, about a year, maybe longer. My father got very sick, needed my care almost all my time when I wasn't at work. My husband took care of the hours while I was working. COOD.

 

My father in law also got very sick. Also, like my father, COPD. He lived out of state, but we were trying to set him up in an assisted living facility near us that would accept his Medicaid for the medical part of his cost to live there. We had finally secured him a nice studio like apartment in an assisted living only 5 minutes from my home. Sadly, he passed away two days before he was supposed to move up here and into his new place. It was rough unexpected and his move had already taken a chunk out of his finances and ours also. 

 

Immediately after the cremation it was time for me to buy out my father for the home I live in. We had already put A SUBSTANTIAL amount towards this in land contract and shared ownership. We were seven days from signing when the basement wall came in during a flood in the area. It was labelled a state of disaster in the area. We are not in flood area so it was very unexpected. We reworked the purchase agreement and had just gotten approval for him to go ahead with the repairs prior to.purchase when he too passed away, this was about eight weeks after my father in law's death. Again, there was no money to do a funeral because all of our money and my father's money were wrapped up in the sale of the sale of the home. Intent to proceed payments, title company costs due to issues with the deed and my mother be previously deceased also, and the unexpected repair to property that was never finished due to being unable to finish the payments needed for the work. The reimbursement from them for what had already been paid had to go into his estate and the state of Ohio does not allow funeral expenses to come out of deceased persons account immediately after death, not even soon after death. Not even reimbursement for paying for the costs are able to be done in ant sort of manner. Funeral homes won't do the services without 50% upfront. Rough time.

 

His death destroyed me emotionally and also made it to where I now have to live in a home that "should be okay" and "will probably not fall in" before the purchase can now be finalized. There are so many variables that from day to day with the house that could make it to where I lose a shit ton of money if the state will not agree to the cost of the newly needed repairs be deducted from the purchase price. There was an issue with the basement that was going to cost about $3600.00 but now it is $24,000.00. It is a mess, a big mess.

 

It was a lot to digest the fact that I am now, at 36 years of age, the oldest member of my immediate family. My children have not a single grandparent at age 16 and 11. My 17 year old sister is technically a homeless orphan as far as the state is concerned. When my father died, so did any of my ability to take care of her medical needs, her social security checks stopped when he died. She has no guardian. 

 

About four to five months ago I lost most of my vision in one of my eyes. I was terrified it was macular degeneration. My mother had it. I was devastated. I couldn't read. The one thing I did to escape when I needed a short vacation from reality was gone. Everytime I had an appointment to get my eye looked at my dad would end up in hospital, or he would just be unable to be left alone long enough for me to go. It would be a bad day for him. I did finally get in to get it looked at, thankfully it is a broken brood vessel in the back of my eyeball. A big one. It is taking forever to heal, but slowly I am getting sight back in the eye. I can now see colors through a big blurry spot instead of there just being a big shadowy area. I couldn't see any part of my open hand at anything further than foot away from my face. It sucked.

 

I did discover, recently, that I love audiobooks. I knew I enjoyed listening to them in the car. Before I would listen to them occasionally, now it is daily. I am adapting. I seriously don't know if I will enjoy reading a physical book like I used to do anymore once I can see again. I might be wrong, but I really love audiobooks. I can get so much done and still enjoy a book. 

 

Now that things are coming back together I plan on being on here much more often. I hope that most of my friends I used to enjoy chatting with are still active.

 

Original post: jessicafox.booklikes.com/post/1954763/i-am-back-and-what-has-kept-me-away-for-so-long

Fever series by Karen Marie Moning

I read the first few books a while back, like when they were first released, they were just meh then. I figured I would give it another shot. Great decision. I tried the audio editions of the books, spectacular decision. I found a few new narrators to enjoy, newer to enjoying audiobooks, and a new favorite books series.

 

Everytime there was a new narrator for one of these books I would cringe when I first heard their voices. I was worried it would ruin the story for me. It didn't, I enjoyed each of their reading styles, some more than others, but an all around positive experience. I must say I find that I hard time adjusting to new narrators when they switch mid series, like I get lost in the different pronunciations, reading speeds. I didn't have that with these. I must say that at first I did not like the first narrator's southern accent much in the beginning of the first book, but she grew on me.

 

I love the world these books are set in. There is so much to read about. So many awesome and fantastical elements to the story. The way the world works is nothing short of being one of the most interesting concepts I have read within the genre, urban fantasy. This isn't a place I would want to live in, but it sure is one I love to read about.

 

I used to not enjoy books about the Fae, but after reading these books and also the A Court if Thorns and Roses books I have very much changed my opinion. I now seek out books with them as a major part of the story. 

 

I read some of her Highlander books a while ago, thinking I may give then another read soon, while these books are still fresh in my mind. 

 

Does anyone know if any other series that follows the same characters and storyline throughout the series that has Fae characters? Preferably as the main, or one of the main focusses. I have read these, A Court of Thorns and Roses, and tried Merry Gentry books. I got bored with the Gentry books, has anyone read them? And do they get better after the first three installments?

Original post: jessicafox.booklikes.com/post/1954755/fever-series-by-karen-marie-moning

Reading progress update: I've read 350 out of 722 pages.

Reading this slowly because I just know I am going to hate when there is no third book available. I like this alot and have been at this for about eight months limiting just how much I allow myself move forward in the story.

Original post: jessicafox.booklikes.com/post/1954747/reading-progress-update-i-ve-read-350-out-of-722-pages

The Red-Stained Wings by Elizabeth Bear

I read this, and two other novels, while travelling out of state to set up funeral arrangements for my father in law. I needed a distraction, this did just that. For that I give much thanks to the author, Elizabeth Bear.

 

This definitely is much faster paced than the first book. My only complaint about the first was that it felt a bit sluggish, but despite that it was also a great read. While this book could be read without reading the first in series, I don't recommend doing so. Certain aspects would be misses.

 

Bear is great at character building. They are among some of the most memorable I have read about. I much so have loved reading about Gage in this series. He was once a man, now part automaton. His scenes in this book were very engrossing.

 

There were questions from the first book which were answered in this, but this book also left questions and loose ends. I am impatiently waiting for the third book for those answers. I am curious to see if I am correct about a few things.

 

Thank you Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for being allowed to read an arc edition of this book.

Original post: jessicafox.booklikes.com/post/1897897/the-red-stained-wings-by-elizabeth-bear

Alpha & Omega series (books.0.5 to 3) by Patricia Briggs

Review:

This is set in the same world as there Mercy books, but features a different main couple. I like this series, but not as much as Mercy's books. I think the characters are not as complex as in the other series. Also seems to not be as much humor. Will still continue but am taking a break from this world before starting the new Mercy book. 

Original post: jessicafox.booklikes.com/post/1884479/alpha-omega-series-books-0-5-to-3-by-patricia-briggs