Fall is in the Air

Fall is in the air! It's October and temperatures here in Louisiana are already dropping. I was curled up in bed with an extra blanket, turning off my fan, and even tucking my head away. Yep, Fall is certainly here. I love it!

What's your favorite season?

We are pulling out the seasonal smelling candle waxes to melt, not that we didn't melt them before, but now it feels more authentic, ya know?

What is your favorite Wax Melt?

This season also put me in the mood to cook-more like bake! Just something about this time of year gets me pumped! Surely, I am not the only one? I have already cooked Pumpkin Chocolate Chip cookies, Pecan Bars, and Cherry/strawberry Kuchen Bars. Each day something different and amazingly enough each day it gets finished. Haha got to love family. I wouldn't be able to eat all this on my own.

What do you love to cook or eat during Fall?

With Fall here I know the end of the year is really close. I mean, I can almost see it! We are just three months away from 2016 and I think that's scary. I swear this year just started the day before yesterday, but apparently I'm wrong-don't tell my husband. Anyway, it's time to get ready for Thanksgiving and Christmas, wrap up all the little things you've been putting off all year long, and take some time to reflect upon this year and think about the next. But I'm just going to take this one step at a time, right now I am going to focus on tying up lose ends.

One thing I want to finish is my reading. I have a Goodreads reading challenge and as of right now it is 17 of 52. Yeah, that is a huge difference. I am far from my end year goal and it isn't look pretty. So I am going to focus on reaching 25. I can at least do that. That is 8 more books! 8! I know so many people in their sleep who could do that, but that is other people. You should really never compare yourself to someone else. Go at your own pace, my husband always says. So 3 months, 8 books! I can do this!!

What book have you read lately?

Another goal is to finish and name the next book in the Pulse World Series! I am currently on writing page 245. I don't know why I can't just write a short story? Nooooo it has to be over 200 pages. Haha But I know I love to read a longer book so I bet plenty of y'all love it too. You're welcome. Once the final word is written and I send it to the amazing ladies that have become my editors and mean critiques I hope the name will make an appearance. I will keep y'all posted.

And if any one is wondering I am still working out, just doing it a little differently now. I will post about it later.

Enjoy the cooler weather while it last, I know I will.

-Brenda Franklin

Reading goals of 2015

This is a bit late coming, but it has been a very busy January. I hope to be sharing with you some wonderful news in February! Stay tuned!

Score Board

52 Novels

January – 2

25 Comics or Manga

January – 1

20 E-books

January – 1

Nonfiction 3

January – 0

Total books 100 :) Wish me luck!

Here are some of the books on my list to read:

The Summoning by Kelly Armstrong

After years of frequent moves following her mother’s death, Chloe Saunders’s life is finally settling down. She is attending art school, pursuing her dreams of becoming a director, making friends, and meeting boys. Her biggest concern is that she’s not developing as fast as her friends are. But when puberty does hit, it brings more than hormone surges. Chloe starts seeing ghosts–everywhere, demanding her attention. After she suffers a breakdown, her devoted aunt Lauren gets her into a highly recommended group home. 

At first, Lyle House seems a pretty okay place, except for Chloe’s small problem of fearing she might be facing a lifetime of mental illness. But as she gradually gets to know the other kids at the home–charming Simon and his ominous, unsmiling brother Derek, obnoxious Tori, and Rae, who has a “thing” for fire–Chloe begins to realize that there is something that binds them all together, and it isn’t your usual “problem kid” behaviour. And together they discover that Lyle House is not your usual group home either…

Silent Truth

In the sizzling new adventure from New York Timesbestselling authors Sherrilyn Kenyon and Dianna Love, a red-hot BAD boy teams up with a sexy television reporter on an explosive quest for revenge.

Tough-as-nails Bureau of American Defense agent Hunter Thornton-Payne is no stranger to uncomfortable top-secret missions, but tonight takes the cake. He just needs to stick out a stuffy charity fund-raiser long enough to find the ruthless assassin he's hunted for four years. It's a rogue operation, but Hunter's got nothing to lose - until a beautiful brunette unexpectedly pulls him into her own dangerous agenda.

Abbie Blanton will do anything to cure her mother's mysterious illness. When a high-profile heiress is murdered as Abbie tries to blackmail her for clues, Abbie realizes she's stumbled into an unforgiving conspiracy - and she's the next target. Soon, she and Hunter discover an alarming connection and begin a treacherous battle against an evil enterprise that someone will go to terrifying lengths to keep hidden.

City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare

Clary Fray just wishes that her life would go back to normal. But what's normal when you're a demon-slaying Shadowhunter, your mother is in a magically induced coma, and you can suddenly see Downworlders like werewolves, vampires, and faeries? If Clary left the world of the Shadowhunters behind, it would mean more time with her best friend, Simon, who's becoming more than a friend. But the Shadowhunting world isn't ready to let her go — especially her handsome, infuriating, newfound brother, Jace. And Clary's only chance to help her mother is to track down rogue Shadowhunter Valentine, who is probably insane, certainly evil — and also her father.

To complicate matters, someone in New York City is murdering Downworlder children. Is Valentine behind the killings — and if he is, what is he trying to do? When the second of the Mortal Instruments, the Soul-Sword, is stolen, the terrifying Inquisitor arrives to investigate and zooms right in on Jace. How can Clary stop Valentine if Jace is willing to betray everything he believes in to help their father?

In this breathtaking sequel to City of Bones, Cassandra Clare lures her readers back into the dark grip of New York City's Downworld, where love is never safe and power becomes the deadliest temptation.

Hush, Hush 

A SACRED OATH

A FALLEN ANGEL

A FORBIDDEN LOVE

Romance was not part of Nora Grey's plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how hard her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her. Not until Patch comes along. With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Patch draws Nora to him against her better judgment.

But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure whom to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is and seems to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.

For she is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and, when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost Nora her life.

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These are just some of the books I am looking forward to reading. It's just making the time that's hard. :) If you have any suggestions I'm all ears. paperbacks, comics, or E-books. What would you recommend?

-Brenda Franklin, author of The Pulse Trilogy and Guardian, A Fated Pairing.