February goals and reading list

Here we are in February! There are so many things happening in February that it can be a little overwhelming. For one thing there are birthdays on 8th, 10th, 11th, 14th, and 23rd. On top of that you have Chinese New Years (8th-year of the Monkey starts!), Valentine's Day, and then three days of fun at the wonderful Marble Slab Creamery and Great American Cookie. That will be a three day packed with lots of cookies and cakes that could feed the state!

I don't know about you but this is going to be a very busy month. :) So let's kick it off with my Bookish reading list.

Who doesn't love the author of the Time Quartet, Madeline L'Engle? She is an amazing writer and I picked this little book up at a cute little book shop on the side of the road. Such a cute place.


A Ring of Endless Light

After a tumultuous year in New York City, the Austins are spending the summer on the small island where their grandfather lives. He’s very sick, and watching his condition deteriorate as the summer passes is almost more than Vicky can bear. To complicate matters, she finds herself as the center of attention for three very different boys.

Zachary Grey, the troubled and reckless boy Vicky met last summer, wants her all to himself as he grieves the loss of his mother. Leo Rodney has been just a friend for years, but the tragic loss of his father causes him to turn to Vicky for comfort—and romance. And then there’s Adam Eddington. Adam is only asking Vicky to help with his research on dolphins. But Adam—and the dolphins—may just be what Vicky needs to get through this heartbreaking summer.

Then there are my Sherrilyn Kenyon picks of the month, and yes, I am finally coming to the end of my Kenyon collection. Soon I am going to have to restock!! :)



Dream Hunter

In the ethereal world of dreams, there are champions who fight to protect the dreamer and there are demons who prey on them...

Arik is such a predator. Condemned by the gods to live eternity without emotions, Arik can only feel when he's in the dreams of others. For thousands of years, he's drifted through the human unconscious, searching for sensation. Now he's finally found a dreamer whose vivid mind can fill his emptiness.

Dr. Megeara Kafieri watched her father ruin himself and his reputation as he searched to prove Atlantis was real. Her deathbed promise to him to salvage his reputation has now brought her to Greece where she intends to prove once and for all that the fabled island is right where her father said it was. But frustration and bad luck dog her every step. Especially the day they find a stranger floating in the sea. His is a face she's seen many times.... in her dreams.

What she doesn't know is that Arik holds more than the ancient secrets that can help her find the mythical isle of Atlantis. He has made a pact with the god Hades: In exchange for two weeks as a mortal man, he must return to Olympus with a human soul. Megeara's soul.

With a secret society out to ruin her expedition, and mysterious accidents that keep threatening her life, Megeara refuses to quit. She knows she's getting closer to Atlantis and as she does, she stumbles onto the truth of what Arik really is.

For Arik his quest is no longer simple. No human can know of a Dream-Hunter's existence. His dream of being mortal has quickly turned into his own nightmare and the only way to save himself will be to sacrifice the very thing he wanted to be human for. The only question is, will he?


Dream Warrior

We are the Dolophoni. Diligent. Vigilant. Fierce and inescapable. Servants of the Furies, we are the right hand of justice and no one stands before us.

The son of Warcraft and Hate, Cratus spent eternity battling for the ancient gods who birthed him. He was death to any who crossed him. Until the day he laid down his arms and was banished into exile.

Now an ancient enemy has been unleashed and our dreams are his chosen battlefield. The only hope we have is the one god who swears he will never fight again.

As a Dream-Hunter, Delphine has spent eternity protecting mankind from the predators who prey on our unconscious state. But now that her allies have been turned, she knows in order to survive, the Dream-Hunters need a new leader. Someone who can train them to fight their new enemies. Cratus is her only hope. But she is a bitter reminder of why he chose to lay down his arms.

Time is running out and if she can’t win him to her cause, mankind will be slaughtered and the world we know will soon cease to exist.


Sins of the Night 

In the realm of the Dark-Hunters there is a code of honor that even immortal bad boys must follow:

Harm no human. Drink no blood. Never fall in love.

But every now and again a Dark-Hunter thinks himself above the Code. That's when I'm summoned. Who am I? I'm the one thing the fearless fear. Step over the line and it's my wrath you will face. Nothing can touch me. Nothing can sway me. I am relentless and unfeeling.

Or so I thought until I met a female Dark-Hunter who goes by the name of Danger-it's not just her name, it's how she lives her life. She doesn't trust me at all. And who could blame her? She alone knows that I'm here to be judge, jury and most likely executioner of her friends. Yet she is my key to saving some of them. Without her, they all will die.

Dangereuse St. Richard is a deadly distraction. Something about her is reawakening a heart I thought was long dead. But in a race against evil, the only hope mankind has is that I do my duty. And how can I do my duty when it means that I will have to sacrifice the only woman I've ever loved?


I also have a few from the author Tess Gerritsen. Some of y'all might no her based of the TV series Rizzoli and Isles, but in the books things are a bit different. She writes medical thrillers, romance and suspence and I have just started to really get into her work. The first book I read by her had me cringing so much I kept putting it down to breath, but I loved it anyway (The Surgeon). Now it's onto the next book by her.

The Apprentice

It is a boiling hot Boston summer. Adding to the city’s woes is a series of shocking crimes, in which wealthy men are made to watch while their wives are brutalized. A sadistic demand that ends in abduction and death.

The pattern suggests one man: serial killer Warren Hoyt, recently removed from the city’s streets. Police can only assume an acolyte is at large, a maniac basing his attacks on the twisted medical techniques of the madman he so admires. At least that’s what Detective Jane Rizzoli thinks. Forced again to confront the killer who scarred her—literally and figuratively—she is determined to finally end Hoyt’s awful influence . . . even if it means receiving more resistance from her all-male homicide squad.

But Rizzoli isn’t counting on the U.S. government’s sudden interest. Or on meeting Special Agent Gabriel Dean, who knows more than he will tell. Most of all, she isn’t counting on becoming a target herself, once Hoyt is suddenly free, joining his mysterious blood brother in a vicious vendetta. . . .


In Their Footsteps

Old secrets die hard....
The quiet scandal surrounding her parents' deaths twenty years ago has always haunted Beryl Tavistock. Now she's decided that the only way to exorcise the ghosts of the past is to search for the truth. Beryl starts asking dangerous questions, and the answers are proving that old secrets die hard.

Caught in what's become a deadly game of cat-and-mouse, her quest takes her from the rain-slick streets of Paris to the sun-drenched isles of Greece. And as she gets pulled into a world of espionage, Beryl quickly discovers that she needs help. Richard Wolf, an ex-CIA agent and a man she's only just met, is her only hope.

But in a world where trust is a double-edged sword, friends become enemies, and enemies become killers . . .


And the Last two books that I am going to read are from the wonderful Young Adult Mystery series Nancy Drew. Book number 5 and 6! My goal this year is to read books 1-10 that I got from my wonderful mother on Christmas of 2015 and I intend to do just that. :)





 All descriptions and images were taken from Goodreads.

So Wish me luck on my February goals and I will see you again very soon.

--Brenda Franklin, author of The Pulse Trilogy.

January Book Reads

January comes to an end and my reading goal shifted. Have you ever had one stack of books where you tell yourself you are going to read them and then you see another stack of books that look a little more appealing and reach for it instead.

Well, that's exactly what happened!

I started with a goal of reading 10 Nancy Drew books and the next thing I know I'm nose deep in a Sherrilyn Kenyon book! I just can't keep away.

On the bright side I read Nancy Drew 1-3 and then 4 Kenyon books. This brings Jan 2016 Books read to 8 out of 52! that's a great thing. If I read 8 books a month all year I will have read about 96 books!! That is amazing, but my goal isn't that high and I know I will get distracted and be busy, so let's drop that down a little.

I have 44 books to go and 11 more months. so as long as I stay reading 4 books a months I will reach my end year book goal on time.

Books read so far for the Year 2016!!

Nancy Drew Books:

1-The Secret of the Old Clock---------5 Stars

2-The Hidden Staircase-----------------4 Stars

3-The Bungalow Mystery--------------5 Stars

Sherrilyn Kenyon Books:

Bad Attitude (B.A.D. Agency Book 1) ----------3 Stars

Silent Truth (B.A.D. Agency Book 4 w/ Dianna Love) ------2 Stars

Unleash the Night (Dark Hunter 8) -------------- 5 Stars

The Guardian (Dark Hunter 20) ------------------ 5 Stars
Dream Chaser (Dream Hunter) ------------------- 5 Stars

On to the next month! February To Be Read List coming soon!!

--Brenda Franklin, Silly human being with delusions of monsters and worlds in my head. :)

January 2016 reading goal

My January 2016 reading goal is to read the first ten of the Nancy Drew books! It’s been a long time since I have read any and I thought, since I had the mystery bug, I might as well make use of my Christmas present. So reading Nancy Drew it is!

So far I have read the secret of the old clock, the hidden staircase, Then Bungalow Mystery, and I am reading The mystery at Lilac Inn. There is 64 of these run short stories all at about 180 pages. They are fun quick reads that take me back to Jr. High when I first started to read them. I remember being engrossed in them, I couldn’t read enough of them. Though reading them now it feels different and I see the details in a different light or the themes to be a bit cliché I will always love the stories and the feelings I remember when enjoying one and I look forward to my own children reading them as well.

Fun fact: Did you know that Nancy Drew is a Pseudonym (Pen) Name for multiple authors produced by the Stratemeyer Syndicate.Both male and female authors wrote the series. Another amazing fact that I picked up is that there are 175 books! 175!! That's amazing! Nancy Drew ran from 1930 to 2003. And Nancy Drew got an overhaul from 2004-2012 with the books titles, Nancy Drew: Girl Detective.

Are there any mystery books you would recommend?

-Brenda Franklin

Top Ten 2015 Reads

My 2015 top ten list!! It was a hard one figure out, but after enough thought this is how they fall. And I'd love to hear from you. Leave a comment below and tell me what your favorite reads were in 2015! Here we go . . .

10th place

Set Me Free by Diana Nixon

It was supposed to be just another day at work for a local newspaper reporter, Stella Holt. She had always loved her job, and believed she was good at it. Until one day when she was sent to interview the author of a worldwide bestseller who had made so many women fall in love with him.

James Collins is not just a word-painter. His every work is a masterpiece, a perfect blend of mystery and mind-blowing romance. Only in his own life, there is no place for romance. He knows everything about women, starting from what they like most, and to the ways to seduce them with only a glance. But there’s a secret that has been aggrieving him for years, a secret that has locked his heart forever…

“I thought I would never fall in love with you, Stella. And I didn’t… I drowned in you…”

9th Place

One Lucky Vampire by Lynsay Sands

Luck be a vampire tonight . . .

When Nicole Phillips agreed to hire a housekeeper, she pictured someone a little frumpy and almost certainly female. Instead, she gets gorgeous, unmistakably male Jake Colson. The man is proving indispensable in the kitchen—and everywhere else. Except Jake might not be a mortal man at all.

. . . and every night

Who wouldn't want to be a tall, dark, powerful vampire? Jake, for one. He's barely had time to adjust to his new state before he's roped into a family favor. Still, secretly playing bodyguard to sweet, sexy Nicole is turning out to be the wildest ride of his life. First he'll put a stop to whoever's targeting her. Then he'll prove that this kind of love, and luck, happens only once in an eternity.

8th Place

Wild Rain by Christine Feehan

To escape an assassin, Rachael finds sanctuary in the rainforest, where the most exotic of all creatures walks: Rio. But when he unleashes his secret animal instincts, Rachael fears that her isolated haven could become an inescapable hell...

7th Place

Biting the Bullet by Jennifer Rardin

This is a mission unlike anything my vampire boss, Vayl, and I have ever been on. It's not our usual take them out and run; it's an undercover mission that needs the whole gang: a psychic, an interpreter, and a weapons specialist. We're joining a Special Ops team to nail the Wizard, a major terrorist thorn in the military's side. We've never gone in with such heavy artillery before, but the more the merrier, right? Um . . . nope. At least not since Vayl and I learned part of our job is to ferret out a mole concealed in our unit.

To add to our problems, we're being harried by a pack of reavers bent on revenge, and targeted by a Seer who wants to share Vayl's power - at any cost. Oh yeah, and let's not forget the army of demonic, soul-sucking parasites either. This is going to be a blast.

6th Place

Viper Game by Christine Feehan

GhostWalker Wyatt Fontenot knows the price he paid for the secret military experiments that gave him his special catlike abilities. After all, he left his bayou home a healer and came back a killer. While Wyatt and his GhostWalker brother Gator may have known exactly the sort of game they were getting into, Wyatt never anticipated where it would lead—or to whom.

The swamps hold many mysteries, but few are as sinuously seductive as Le Poivre de Cayenne. The woman the locals call Pepper is every bit as enigmatic as the three little girls she’s desperately trying to protect. From what, Wyatt is soon to discover. Right now Pepper needs a man like Wyatt. Passionately. But her secrets are about to take them both deeper into the bayou than either imagined—where desire is the deadliest poison of all.

5th Place

Another One Bites the Dust by Jennifer Rardin

Jaz Parks has enough trouble in her personal life. What she doesn't need is more trouble with her vampire boss and another mission. This time she has to retrieve a vital piece of biotechnology by killing the maniac who stole it: an ancient Chinese vamp. Their cover in this mission: professional entertainers at the Corpus Christi's Winter Festival. 

The crew's all here: a psychic, a techno-wizard, a singing vampire, a juggling PI, and Jaz. Holy crap in a bottomless well, Jaz is going to bellydance. It's definitely, probably, quite possibly going to be the end of the world as we know it.

4th Place

The Tales of Beedle the Bard

The Tales of Beedle the Bard, a Wizarding classic, first came to Muggle readers’ attention in the book known as Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Now, thanks to Hermione Granger’s new translation from the ancient runes, we present this stunning edition with an introduction, notes, and illustrations by J. K. Rowling, and extensive commentary by Albus Dumbledore. Never before have Muggles been privy to these richly imaginative tales: “The Wizard and the Hopping Pot,” “The Fountain of Fair Fortune,” “The Warlock’s Hairy Heart,” “Babbitty Rabbitty and Her Cackling Stump,” and of course, “The Tale of the Three Brothers.” But not only are they the equal of fairy tales we now know and love, reading them gives new insight into the world of Harry Potter.

3rd Place

Earth Bound by Christine Feehan

After escaping from a cult, Lexi found refuge with her sisters on the farm that more than sustained her body—it nurtured her soul as well. But she never forgot the terror she left behind or the always present fear that the cult would find her again, and claim her. Then her nightmare came true.

Lexi was discovered and threatened—only to be suddenly saved by a stranger. He is Gavriil Prakenskii, and he’s awestruck by the woman he’s rescued. She is destined for him. He can feel it in his soul. But how can Lexi find happiness with a man steeped in secrets and shadows, one intimately acquainted with violence, and whose very love could be the death of them?

2nd Place

Murder at Longbourn by Tracy Kiely

Planning New Year’s resolutions to rid her life of all things unhealthy, Elizabeth Parker has dumped fatty foods, processed sugar, and her two-timing boyfriend. Indeed, the invitation to join her Aunt Winnie for a How to Host a Murder Party on New Year’s Eve at Winnie’s new Cape Cod B and B comes just in time. But when the local wealthy miser ends up the unscripted victim, Elizabeth must unearth old secrets and new motives in order to clear her beloved aunt of suspicion. The suspects include the town gossip, a haughty rich woman, and an antiques business owner much enamored of his benefactress, a Mrs. Kristell Dubois. If that isn’t bad enough, Elizabeth must also contend with her childhood nemesis, Peter McGowan—-a man she suspects has only matured in chronological years—-and her suspicions about his family’s interest in Winnie’s inn.

Yesterday, her only worry was of ever finding her Mr. Darcy. Now she has a murder to solve. Is it any wonder her resolution to achieve inner poise is in tatters?

By reimagining characters and themes lifted from the treasured classic Pride and Prejudice, and crafting an expert, intricate mystery, Tracy Kiely has brought to life something very special: a new cozy series that is clever, vibrant, and utterly disarming.

1st Place

Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

Sophie has the great misfortune of being the eldest of three daughters, destined to fail miserably should she ever leave home to seek her fate. But when she unwittingly attracts the ire of the Witch of the Waste, Sophie finds herself under a horrid spell that transforms her into an old lady. Her only chance at breaking it lies in the ever-moving castle in the hills: the Wizard Howl's castle. To untangle the enchantment, Sophie must handle the heartless Howl, strike a bargain with a fire demon, and meet the Witch of the Waste head-on. Along the way, she discovers that there's far more to Howl—and herself—than first meets the eye.

Cover Reveals for Shattered and Louise II

Author Diana Nixon is kicking off 2016 with two new releases! Louise II, and Shattered! And here today is the amazing covers for these two books!!

SHATTERED

By DIANA NIXON

COMING JANUARY 2016

Blurb:

It was love at first sight; a story that was supposed to last forever. A young heart that had never known true love, and a lonely soul seeking something real. I was that soul, and Elizabeth Brown was my beautiful heart, innocent and full of lawless passion.  She made me believe that love can change anything. And it did change me… It broke me, it shattered me.

The betrayal that I never saw coming, was like a dagger straight through my heart. In the blink of an eye, my love was replaced by endless hate and pain that I thought I would never be able to forget. But who would have thought that even bleeding hearts can love? Who would have believed that in eyes with no hope, a new fire can start burning?

“I will make her fall for me again. And then, I will ruin her, just like she ruined me…”

Add on Goodreads

LOUISE

BOOK II

A NEW BEGINNING

By DIANA NIXON

COMING FEBRUARY 2016

Blurb:

Life is not always easy. Especially when you are in love with the man whose life is so much different from yours. Power, money, respect – these are the things that a girl raised in an orphanage can only dream about. But sometimes, love is the only power that you need to get whatever you wish for…

Louise Woods had always been a fighter. She had known since childhood that everything has a price. But freedom was the only thing that she could never have.

Living in a world of lies and betrayal, will she sacrifice her love to become finally free?

Or will she let her heart win?

A new journey full of passion and forbidden dreams; it’s a new dance, it’s a new life.

“We will start it all from the very beginning, from the very first kiss…”

Add on Goodreads

Official page: www.diana-nixon.com

~~About the Author~~

Diana Nixon, an International Bestselling Author of contemporary and paranormal romances, is a woman of contradictions. She was born in Minsk, Belarus, where she currently lives and works on her books. She has a Master of Law degree and speaks several foreign languages, including English, Polish and Spanish.

Diana’s writing career is like a roller coaster ride. It started with a fantasy novel named Love Lines, that was originally written in Russian and only later, it was translated into English. Diana had always wanted her story to be well-known all over the world, that’s why she started working with the US publishers, but it was not easy living in Belarus. The book needed to be translated, edited and promoted. After almost a year of hard work, Diana had finally received the first copy of Love Lines. Since then, she has published more then a Dozen works, both of contemporary and fantasy genres.



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

Pulse Book character reveal!

There is another Pulse World Novel in the works and I am ready to reveal it's contents! I know, you're probably thinking, “About Time!”. Well, the wait is over with!

The newest book is Nightmares and Remedies.

This book is featuring the character Bethany Jean, who we hear about in A Steady Pulse and meet in book two and three of the Pulse Trilogy. She is a fun and aggressive character with a flare for fashion and cute guys. She loves cooking all kinds of food and is the Co-Owner of E-Z Treats with her best friend Elizabeth (Main lady of The Pulse Trilogy).

Bethany is pulled into the world of Vampires unexpectedly due to events in The Pulse Trilogy. Not all loose ends were taken care of and this one could cost Bethany everything.

But it wouldn't be a fun paranormal romance without a fun and sexy hunk to go along with it, how about three? Haha Yeah, there are several new characters that will keep you entertained.

Well, that's enough teasing for now. I'll Blog later with more!

-Brenda Franklin, author of The Pulse Trilogy

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