My Favorite Things

 

 

This year has flown by at a breakneck speed. My oldest daughter graduated from high school and started college. My middle child, my son, started high school. And this year he is almost the same height as his father – 6’1. And he’s only 14. My youngest daughter started her last year of elementary school. And of course, I was a sobbing mess when I dropped her on the first day.  

Yes, it’s been a busy year.

But I’ve had the pleasure of enjoying many moments of it. It’s only a couple days away from Christmas and I know I should have probably sent this earlier…but I wanted to share a few of my favorite things from this year.  

Of course, everyone who knows me knows I love to read. That yes, I’m a writer but I was a reader first. I’ve always loved language, period. I even received a degree in English to solidify my love. So, I’ll start with my most treasured reads of the year, books:

Quanie Miller’s The New Mrs. Collins – an adult paranormal novel was awesome. I couldn’t put it down. The characters were so alive that I had to look over my shoulders a few times for the villain, Adira. The plot was compelling and the pacing was excellent. I’m not sure if there will be a second book but the way the first book ended leaves the impression that there could be another. You can read my full review here.

 

Kelly Hashway/Ashlyn Drake’s Into the Fire – a young adult paranormal romance. I’ve read a number of books from Kelly/Ashlyn and this is my favorite. The ending had me on the edge of my seat. When it was over, I wanted to email Kelly begging for the next book (hint, hint). I believe this is a three or four book series and I can't wait to read them all. You can read my full review here.

David Estes’s Fire Country (Country Saga book 1) – This book took me on the ultimate adventure. I loved it so much that I found myself speaking and thinking like the characters. That’s immersing yourself in your reading, right? David created this language unique to the book but that made perfect sense – at least to me. I loved it. Can you tell? You can read my full review here.

Dawn Brazil’s Enlighten Me – Yes, I’m including my own book to this list. Why? Because I can. No, I really did enjoy writing this one – more than any  book I’ve written. Why? Honestly, the villains were awesome. They’re humorous; I love humor in stories that are otherwise somber. They're also real people with beliefs that drive them. These beliefs give them the motivation to challenge others. It’s just as hard for them to understand why the “good guys” are doing what they’re doing. They think what they are doing will help others. Why would that be an issue you ask? Why are they the villains you want to know? Because their method of solving the problems will kill millions. Here is the link to it on Goodreads.

If you haven’t read these books I’d highly recommend them all!

After reading, the next thing I love to spend my hard earned money on is candles. Here’s the scoop on a brand I love:

Candles by Eden – One of my co-workers started her own business making candles. And I adore candles. I’ve got an entire kitchen cabinet full of them to prove it. These aren’t ordinary candles though. The candles are all natural and handmade. I’ve never had all-natural/handmade candles before so I wasn’t really sure how they would burn/smell. So, I bought a few of them in my favorite scents – Pomegranate, Peppermint Sugar Cookie, and White Tea and Ginger. Of course, I ordered more than three but these were my favorites. How did they burn? Great. Awesome. They smelled so good that my oldest daughter wants to buy her own. And my baby, who is the pickiest person I’ve ever met, gave them a thumbs up. There's nothing like the scent of a pomegranate candle wafting in the air, as you curl up in the tub, with soft music and low lights... Not that I EVER get the chance to do this anymore. I digress. You can read all about the Candles and Eden here.

 

Do you have any favorites that you’d like to share?

 

 

 

Have a great day. Read a book and laugh!