Books for an Arctic January

Better late than never....

Not me, but seriously, this is our weather at present

I am struggling to go online of an evening after work at present - mainly because my kitchen is, well, warmer inside the fridge than out... and the combination of cold and post work tiredness is sending me to the sofa in front of the fire pretty early on in the evening.  So, while I have five minutes waiting for my dinner to cook (white bean chili with rice) I shall finally update on the books I read in January.

This was, of course, the start of my not buying any books this year challenge.... so most of the titles will be old ones.

Favourite book this month was my new purchase - Red Dirt Heart 4 by N.R. Walker - which is the final book in this series and one I am seriously considering buying in paperback to re-read. Honourable mentions to The Fall by Kate Sherwood, Venetian Masks by Kim Fielding, Enigma by Lloyd A Meeker and Winter Hearts by Fyn Alexander.

I will also mention Consent by A.J. Rose, this book has people in two camps - mainly because there is a lot of "on screne" abuse of one of the secondary (female) characters. I personally thought it was very well done, necessary to progress the plot and not overly glamourised, but I do appreciate that it will divide people's opinion - not just because of it being fairly graphic violence against a woman in their M/M book, but also because it takes the focus away from Ben and Gavin and their relationship.  That said, I did enjoy the book.

1. The Last Thing He Needs - J.H. Knight
2. Safe in his arms- Renae Kaye
3. The Fall - Kate Sherwood
4. Venetian Masks - Kim Fielding
5. Blue Mountain - Cardeno C.
6. That Day in Spring - B.J. Sheppard (LL)
7. Red Dirt Heart 4 - N. R. Walker
8. Death Trick - Richard Stevenson
9. Island House - Bru Baker
10. Enigma - Lloyd A. Meeker
11. The Bridge on the River Wye - Adam Fitzroy
12. Window - Ali Maclagan (LL)
13. Winter Hearts - Fyn Alexander
14. Not as Easy as it Looks - Jamie Samms
15. Consent - A.J. Rose
16. Noah - Ben Ryder
17. Flight of Magpies - K.J. Charles
18. Marketing Beef - Rick Bettencourt (LL)
19. Fighting Instinct - Mary Calmes
20. Overkill - Elizabeth Daniels (LL)
21. Waiting, Hoping, Wishing - Nic Starr (LL)
22. Zippadicious - A.R. Noble (LL)
23. Caught Running - Urban & Roux (r)


And so onwards to February and trying to read and stay warm....

January - in summary....

So, I've lapsed badly as a regular blogger.... but mainly because my life really isn't that interesting.  Instead, I thought I'd try a monthly summary, more than anything to give me something to look back on.

Firstly, it is January, obviously, so I guess I started the year with good intentions for lots of things.  My main goals for the year were to try eat more healthily, to knit a hat each month and to not by more than 1 e-book a month for the year.  More on those shortly...

Work takes up a great deal of my life.... after all 35 hours a week in the office, plus additional time when required, is half your life. when you factor in that you don't get much done when sleeping.  January for me marks the start of the descent into hell..... or the approach of financial year end on 30th April.  This year is my first experience of year end as a team leader.  My team are great, but apart from myself and my deputy, they are all trainees, 5 of them.... yep, I am the newest team leader, have the largest team and the most trainees.... managing them and my stress over the next three month is going to be a challenge.  I have lost around 60% of my own work time in supervision and answering random queries, as well as the various management and reporting things I need to do.  It's a challenge I'll admit, but I actually kind of enjoy it.  We are that busy at work at present that the previously thought to be mythical creature "paid overtime" was not only spotted lurking but allowed for three Saturdays in January. I took up two days, and would have done today, but alas that was not to be.

In fact, I've not been in work at all since Monday.  I have a virus.... a pesky horrible virus of the "rest, keep warm and drink plenty of fluids" variety as medicine will do bugger all for it.  So that has been my week, in between some amazing swings of temperature and feeling extremely dizzy and sick, I have been resigned to lying on the sofa.  Well kind of... I got bored.  By Wednesday, I'd convinced myself I was going to be better enough to work the following day, and logged on to work to clear some e-mails.  Thursday, I got half way through getting ready to go in before I realised I was being slightly optimistic as I did a great impression of a delicate fainting flower halfway through trying to get dressed.  And well, if I couldn't manage that there was no way I was going to manage to dig my car out and drive to work - it was snowing quite heavily still at the time and dread things had been forecast. So yes, I stayed home, and on Friday, though i did put in about 4 hours of work in checking my team's stuff and dealing with e-mails.

Today, I ventured out for the first time .... it was either that or I was going to go ever so slightly round the twist with cabin fever... seriously, I'd not seen a living person in about a week, and the dogs are not the best conversationalists in the world.  So I popped out for a few hours, and had a lovely time first with my mum, then with my sister and her partner, before hitting the shops on the way home.  I was out for about 5 hours... and I am now rather knackered! I shall be back on my sofa shortly........

I feel the dogs are going to give a huge sigh of relief on Monday when I do go to work... it's annoyed them no end to have me hanging about disrupting their routine for the week.  The cats however seem to think having me at their beck and call is a wonderful invention and that I should in fact cater to their every whim.... or they will scream.... loudly... really, really loudly.

Between work and being ill, I've not managed to write more than a very silly short that was posted a few entries back on the blog, and two 100 word drabbles for the YA GLBT group on Goodreads.  I need to try harder at that.

Mind you, my kitchen, where the lap top is, is not the warmest room in the house, and with some very cold (okay, non Brits stop laughing at what my version of very cold is) weather combined with not having heating has made it impossible to work of an evening as it's just to cold.  I am hopeful however that there will be a new heating system in my immediate future, I just need to get a couple of quotes and arrange a date for a new boiler and 6 radiators to be put in.... .then once that's done... I can start thinking about re-doing the bathroom (I have plans to work through the whole house in the next 18 months - 2 years..... whether it happens that fast who knows)

So, onto the three goals....

Yep, this month I have indeed managed to buy just one e-book.  Everything else (21 books) have been ones already on my Kindle.  I will post a list tomorrow with some thoughts... I am hoping to try finish another before bed time.

The knitting of the hat has been stalled at the starting line.... the reason for this is Gretchen.... I knit my hats in Aran weight usually, on 5mm dpns, I have some lovely smooth wooden ones.... or I did ... until the little swine of a hell hound managed to grab them out the project bag, at which time I'd done about 2 inches of ribbing for the first hat, and promptly drag it all behind the sofa and chew the needles to match sticks. (She is not a popular dog this month.... she also found her way into the cupboard where I kept the emergency dry dog food - they usually eat raw, but I always have 2kg sack of good quality grain free dry food in just in case I run out, get snowed in, the bag of fresh meat isn't as fresh as it should be etc - anyway... it was a new bag, when I got home it was an empty ripped to pieces bag all over the floor, with the contents disappeared into four very over stuffed hell hounds.... I know it was her, the others wouldn't have thought to try the cupboards)  Anyway, I have new DPN's on order..... they are metal... try chewing them hell hound!

And finally, the healthy eating.  This is not a diet, as soon as I even think of it as a diet I will stop doing it and just think "fuck it" and going back to my usual bad habits.  The aim, is to eat three proper meals, not eat after 8 pm, drink enough fluids to keep me hydrated and try to cut down on carbs.  Breakfast and lunch I've always been pretty good at, but living on my own my evening meal can be a bit hit and miss, and more miss usually.  If I don't know what I want then I have a bad habit of grazing round the kitchen on junk until I fix on something and usually that isn't something healthy.  I don't go a bundle on processed food - though I will eat Quorn products - but cooking takes time and when you are cold and tired that isn't something you really want when you get home from work.  I've been doing a lot more meal planning, using the slow cooker to batch cook stuff and have changed my shopping delivery to Sunday so I've a full fridge to start the week.  I've not only tried to cut carbs right back (I had my first pasta of the year last night and I've not had a jacket potato yet) but I've also cut back other obviously not good for me things, like cake, cheese, chocolate etc.  I've not cut them out altogether, which would just make them a craving food, though I've not had any desire to eat cake at all.  Instead I've bought some high quality stuff I wouldn't usually have and had them as a treat..... oh I've also developed a really bad addiction to fresh lychees............ anyway, the healthy eating has worked, and somewhere along the month I've lost just about a stone in weight without actually really trying....... who knows, maybe I can keep this up.......

So yeah that was January 2015.... quite a good month on the whole except for the virus and the snow.... oh and patches of Gretchen!

18 days in..... the 2015 book buying ban...

So, a small achievement... 18 days in and I've finally got the number of unread books on my Kindle down to below 300!!

Okay, so in that time I've also picked up 3 freebies, and I bought my January allowed book - I was going to wait till then end of the month to decide what to buy, but I really needed to read the final installment of the Red Dirt Heart books - but yes, I am under 300

Not buying books when you are used to a "see it, want it, buy it" mentality is hard.... I've cut down visiting Amazon, ARe, DSP etc ... but I still see all the new shiny books coming up on my Goodreads feed, not to mention on Twitter where I follow a huge variety of authors and publishers.  But so far I have managed to avoid just deciding "fuck it" and going on a book buying binge... it hasn't been easy because work is hectic and stressing me out.  At the same time I am trying eat healthily, and this means that I can no longer reach for the cheese or chocolate when I am having a bad day, but I can't buy books either.... and my fall back of buying myself shower gel fell by the wayside when my lymph system went nuts a few years ago and my skin decided to become too sensitive to anything remotely scented.

As a result though, since Christmas I have bought myself a number of new clothes, a stack of new dog bedding, pretty yarn and some other bits and pieces I really didn't need.... this is where I don't look too closely at the whole buying things to make me feel better rather than facing what's bothering me... yup... if I admit that then my counsellor is going to have a field day....

So, I shall continue... next goal is to get below 250 books.... I can do this....

The Battle of The Orange..... (a very silly story)

The actual Orange of Chocolate Goodness
(photo courtesy of our heroine)

And thus the Elci spoke … “Gather 'round children and listen to the tale of The Battle of the Orange.....

Once upon a time a Good Fairy bought to the magical land of Austria, a special jewel of such tremendous beauty that it split a family apart.... For it was a sphere of the darkest chocolate, flavoured with orange which, when smacked on the bottom (something the head of this family is very talented in doing) would fall into segments for sharing. But there was a disagreement over the sharing of such a fabulous thing and a terrible conflict commenced.

The three warring factions took up arms...well one of them did... for he was The Top and had taken possession of the jewel and was prepared to defend his prize by fair means or foul... to wit he paced the length of the study, where the sphere of chocolaty orange goodness was held, brandishing the a heavy, wooden paddle of evilness, in a truly menacing manner...

Sadly one of the combatants, an uncommmon houseboy (genus: brattus domesticus) was an early casualty of the war. Not injured in combat, but instead sidelined through a nasty virus and capture by the enemy. He was confined to a prison cell, and forced to lie in a giant bed, where a large grizzly stood guard over him... his fate is alas unknown as in due course he will appear before “The Court of The Top” for “Trial by Dominant” over the matter of neglecting his health and failing to get his flu jab... alas his punishment is expected to be severe and possibly quite painful….

And so, this leaves just one brave warrior to tale on The Top and retrieve The Chocolate Orange of Gloriousness....

Though she is the youngest and smallest of the three factions, and one who due to the rules of her own beliefs did not carry a weapon (whereas brattus domesticus is commonly found brandishing a wooden spoon with alarming skill) , she dived into battle using her innate skills of speed, stealth, and downright sneakiness

She knew she would not win a head on confrontation with the paddle wielding Top, this fearsome weapon was one she had been on the receiving end of before, so she bided her time and consulted the Topless ones for advice....

After lengthy consultation, the fearless young warrior had a plan to put into action...

On a quiet evening, whilst The Top was tired following a long and stressful day ruling his domain and keeping The Files of Law happy and content, our heroine, for that is what she is, attacked.

She didn't go for the Orange of Wonder, no for the advice she had been given was quite sound (unusual for any advice given by a bunch of Topless brats), and instead she concentrated her efforts directly on The Top....working feverishly with all the skills she possessed, sacrificing her body for the greater good, until when her joints ached and her skin was marked with red patches and dusky bruises ... but it worked... for, boneless, The Top had shuffled away to the bed where his other prisoner was being held, and fallen into a deep contented sleep....

Quietly, so as not to wake the watchdog that guarded the entrance to The Study, and whose loyalty was easily swayed by the possessor of the best treats, she tiptoed through the hallowed portals and entered The Top's most sacred place.

The most precious and special Chocolate Orange of Wonder lay, unguarded, in the centre of The Desk... but beside it one of the most fearsome of The Top's arsenal of weaponry, The Lexan, lay. It looked totally innocent, it's clear surface unmarked, the wooden desktop visible through it.

But the warrior knew better, and approached that implement of torture as though it was the most venomous of snakes.

Carefully she sidled around the desk, narrowly avoiding kicking the metal bin beside the great leather chair, until she was able to reach over the desk and snatch her prize.

Swiftly she retreated to the lounge, passing the watchdog’s toy box on the way and snaffling an old rubber ball, about the same size as the orange. With care, she opened the box which contained the Orange Chocolate wonder, and extracted the globe of goodness. Millimetre by anxious millimetre she peeled the sticker sealing the foil covering of the sphere and extracted, finally, the object of all their desires.

She placed the chocolate globe on the side of the sofa, and swiftly re-wrapped the foil… around the old dog ball. As she began to return the sphere to its box, she heard from above, the unmistakable sound of the bedsprings moving, followed by the heavy footfalls of The Top as he crossed the bedroom. Then came the creak of the door.

For a second she froze in place, before shoving the ball home and closing the box. Sprinting from the lounge back to the Study, she dropped the now worthless package on the desk next to The Lexan, only shuddering slightly as her fingers grazed the edge of the cruel implement.

The footsteps were getting closer now. It was a time for drastic action. As she fled the study and retrieved the Jewel of most wondrous chocolate, she bent and woke the watchdog.

“Outside?” she asked, tugging slightly on the heavy leather collar it wore. The dog stiffly rose to his feet, shaking slightly as its long legs stretched out, and followed her to the door.

A deep and menacing growl sounded from behind her as she fled towards the kitchen…. The Top was awake… The Top was unhappy.

“I’m just letting the dog out.” Our heroine called as she flung open the back door. The dog scampered out into the darkness, her paws crunching over the frost topped snow.

Carefully, the young warrior opened the pantry door and placed the orange chocolate sphere into the box of sweet delights that rested on the shelf, where it fell into a large collection of similar festive confectionery, much from faraway lands where they gave their chocolates funny names, and strange mysterious ingredients.

She’d just closed the pantry door when a large bearlike paw reached for her.

“Back to bed, now.” It’s owner said menacingly as he pulled her back against him. Still holding her, he called the watchdog back into the house and closed the door to outside. Our heroine allowed herself to be steered without protest back out of the kitchen and up stairs to the bedroom where, as directed, she slid calmly under the duvet, into the centre of the bed and turned onto her side, facing away from the predator.

The other prisoner, who had slept through, sighed in his sleep and turned over, snuggling into her even as The Top, took up his position between her and the door to the room.

“Sleep,” the top commanded, turning to lay a heavy arm over both of his brats.

Our heroine closed her eyes, a small smile ghosting across her face as she quietly celebrated the success of her mission. There was only one down side, but that was easily fixed, as she bent her knees forward and laid her frozen cold feet against the Grizzly Top’s legs.

The growl was instant, but the paw that landed on her backside was only a warning.



So… how long will it take for The Top to notice his prize has been tampered with? Will our heroine give herself away?? Will the uncommon houseboy notice the chocolate orange sphere in his pantry and spill the beans… or eat it all himself? Will The Lexan be called into play?? Who knows what the future holds…….

The 2015 Knitting Challenge

Last year I resolved to knit an item each month in an attempt to start running down the rather large yarn stash I'd accumulated.  And it worked... to a point... I managed to complete 8 items, numbers 9 and 10 are still on the needles but should be finished quite soon.

Last year, all of my projects were gifts for friends, but this year I want to make it more about doing something worthwhile.

So, I have decided to knit hats, one a month, which will be donated in December to The Cathedral Archer Project, a day centre helping homeless and vulnerable people in my home town.

The hats will probably be quite simple, and made out of aran weight acrylic based yarn to make them easy to wash and dry if they get dirty or wet.

Those pictured are some of the hats I've made in the past for friends and family

I am going to try and post a picture of each hat as they are finished, with the basic pattern (or link to it if it's one I borrowed rather than made up.

2014 Reading Statistics and favourites

A house made of books.... I could live there...

As last year the majority of the books read are M/M, but some more general crime and historical fiction.  There were also a small handful of F/F books.

Not counted in any of the statistics are the books read for research which this year included topics such as - Paris during the Enlightenment, Medieval England, WWII in Derbyshire, Women at War, Wolf Society and behaviour...

So...

Total books read (excluding short stories from the DRiTC event) - 217

Number of re-reads - 29

Total number of books read as per Goodreads (includes DRiTC event stories and other short stories but excludes re-reads) - 344


And now to favourites... and this is tricky... I've limited this to M/M books, not re-reads, and tried to stick to my top 5 (I may have cheated and picked a series or two).  All of these are from the 33 books I added to my favourites shelf on Goodreads this year (all of which have a rating of 4.5 (rounded up) or 5 stars.
 

Mahu Series by Neil Plakcy - I read books 2 to 5 in this series this year. Though not a traditional M/M romance - much more a gay mystery/crime story the stories show the continued growth of Kimo, the homicide detective as he comes to terms with being an out gay man in a difficult job.  I hope to read the rest of the series as soon as I can

The General and the Horse Lord by Sarah Black - I had this book and it's sequel on my Kindle for a while before I read it, but i am really glad that I got round to it.  It's very much a story of family and a lasting relationship against the odds and one I will definitely re-read

Red Heart Dirt Series by N.R. Walker - This is just a lovely series set in the Australian outback.

The Boy with the Painful Tattoo by Josh Lanyon - This was so worth the wait for the third installment of Kit and JX's story.  Seeing them now together, settling into their new home, with all the usual mayhem that Kit can provide was just wonderful.  Josh Lanyon really does continue to set a benchmark when it comes to cosy mysteries with an M/M twist.

When all the World Sleeps - Lisa Henry& J.A. Rock - this was a dark story with some very complex characters facing difficult situations.  The authors didn't take the easy route they could easily have done to give the MC's their happy ending, they really made them work for it which made for a tension filled story.


Special mentions have to go to Kaje Harper - for both Unjustified Claims - the third in the HIdden Wolves series (which continues to be one of my favourite shifter series) and for The Family We Make.  Jordan L. Hawke for the continuations in the Widdershins series which melds historical with paranormal and some real creepiness. The Morning Star series by M. Chandler - action adventure that doesn't take itself too seriously.  Bread, Salt & Wine by Dev Bentham, which is the final book in Tarnished Soul series  and finally probably the best YA GLBT book I read this year which was Under the Stars by Geoff Laughton.

Here's to lots more good books in 2015

Wishing you all....

May 2015 bring you everything you wish for