Oh where, oh where have I been?!

It's been so long since I last posted anything on this blog. The last post I made was almost 4 years ago after I graduated from college. A lot happened since then. Lost an important figure in my life, went back to work after staying home for about 10 years, watch another important person battle with cancer and struggle to keep my own sanity and stress levels at normal. During all this it's been hard to find time to do the one thing I loved doing for myself, read.

Reading has brought me so much joy in my life over the years. Taking me on adventures to other worlds and other places in time. Shown me love and loss, had me laughing and filled with joy over fictional characters. But since my last post I find I have less and less time for the thing I love so much. Every now and then I'll pick up a book but it is usually one of my most favorites that I have read so many times before, in hopes to bring me back into my passion for reading. Usually it's a J.R. Ward, Janet Chapman, Kerrelyn Sparks or Karen Marie Moning book. But by the time I get home from work and start my day as mom and wife at home I feel so exhausted and barely keep my eyes open that reading just doesn't seem to find it's way back to me. Even when I have a day off work I'm usually doing errands, catching up on cleaning the house or running the teenagers to their friends houses.

My "to be read" pile is still as large as it has ever been and I often wonder if I'll have time to get back to reading like I used to. I can read a 400 page book in 4 hours no problem. My problem is the moment I do try to start reading I have to stop to do something else or I'm so tired I feel like I'm going cross eyed.

My hope in writing this post for our long abandoned blog is since I'm actually taking a moment to sit and write about something I have loved for so long and seemed to have lost is maybe the spark will return and I'll make the time for my passion again. Reading always made my mind seem so creative. I could see stories in my head, sometimes I wrote them down. (Ok so I am my own worst critic but I loved doing that) But when I read I spent more time doing crafty things like making ornaments at Christmas, handmade jewelry and other "creative" things. It's like reading was my fuel for my creative side. And now while I love working, and no not even related to my college degree, I feel like all I do is work. No time for that creative side anymore. And I miss that, a lot.

I've Been a Bad Girl

My deepest apologies. I feel I have been a bad girl as I have not been able to post any reviews as of late. Maybe I should be spanked?? *evil grin*  I'm in the throws of school work trying not to drown in essay questions about business ethics, intercultural communications and advertising. I keep telling myself I'm in the home stretch. Just gotta hang on for a bit longer. 

I have been reading though. Especially after......Wait for dramatic pause...... winning Julie Kenner's 2nd Generation Kindle loaded with her books on it.!! WOOO FREAKING HOOO!!!  (The ones she has written and some I didn't own yet.) I was able to read her newest book Release Me since I have not been able to find it in stores. I really enjoyed it and I cannot wait for the next one to come out. The release dates for the next two books in this trilogy have been moved up so I am waiting before I write a review. I'm super excited about reading the next two. Damien Stark is just.......YUM!

I am hoping to get a book or two read by this weekend and get a review up but please don't hold it against me. We will also have another giveaway soon. Haven't decided what to include in the next one. Anyone have any suggestions for a particular book you'd like to see in an upcoming giveaway?

So I'm off for now my lovelies there is much work to do and a bitches work is never done. Muwah!!

Read and then discarded?

One bite and their done?

I love to re-read books. Not only because I pick up on things I sometimes miss the first read through but also because I miss the characters and the emotions connected with reading "their" book. But that got me to thinking, I read a lot of different series some of which have 10 books or more in that series and while I love to re-read the books, I miss the characters in the first books. Oh sure they make "an appearance" in later books or you'll get an update on them but I don't feel the connection to them as when I read their book.

Oops going  off a bit from where I was headed.....*smiles* Any who, why can't authors bring some of those characters back to the forefront? Maybe I am just speaking for myself but it just feels that those characters that we fell in love with, that snagged us and brought us into the book/series, after a few books have been thrown on the back burner and are getting cold.

What I would love is, if were possible, for authors to have a novella thrown in a series to help bring those characters back to focus. Especially if they aren't having any more than a "walks in and says hey" in the subsequent books.

I look forward to each new book in a series and seeing the reoccurring characters finally having their stories told but their one book can't be all that there is to them. Is it?