A Local Escape

Taking a break from… everything, sure does help a lot. As most of you dear readers know I recently published two books: Sea Breeze and Choosing to Dream. Exciting yet exhausting. As soon as I was done, I cut way back on my writing and marketing efforts. Why?

For my own sanity.

I love writing, love learning the ins and outs of the business, but sometimes I just need to get away. Since I recently used my vacation time to publish and market aforementioned books, I couldn’t actually take a vacation. So I escaped into the comfort of reading. I’ve been reading a lot.

It’s no wonder the theme song from that beloved sitcom set in a charming Bostonian bar has been running through my head all week.

Here’s a rundown of what I’ve read over the last ten days:

 

 

 

The Brannock Siblings Series, Books 1-4 by Jessica Wilde. Fabulous romance series, with a touch of suspense. I enjoyed every minute of all four novels. Jessica Wilde really knows how to write a hero. I can't decide which one of these guys I enjoyed  most. I highly recommend this series. 

Shades of Blue by Dana Tanaro Britt. A lovely romance set on a tropical island with characters who have a knack for random trivia. Not unlike an annoying yet hilarious mail carrier who could be found at the end of a bar each Thursday night. Coincidently, the hero of this book is the owner of a bar.

Oceans Over You by Melina Gillies. A sweet and quick novella set on the high seas. What do you do when you get a second chance with your first love? Great read.

Lost and Found by Kay Blake. Another quick read set on the high seas (my way of escaping on a cruise ship without leaving the house) about an artist and a man who lost his daughter and his wife.

The Half Killed by Quenby Olson. I’m currently reading this historical thriller and completely under the author’s thrall. Fabulous from the get go, I can’t wait to see what happens. I highly recommend everyone one-click this one right now.

If you were counting, that’s eight books. Good times. Now I just need a beer. Where’s Malone?

I was born and raised in San Francisco, CA, and have a husband and two children. Music is an addiction. I can often be found in the car, singing along at the top of my lungs to whatever is playing. I work full time, and I split my spare time between family, reading, blogging, and writing. I’m a habitual quoter. Lines from films and TV shows constantly pop into my head—my kids are the only ones that really get it. I’m an only child, and so of course I married a man who is one of ten children. Other than English, I speak Spanish, Moroccan, and a little French. I love to travel, but don’t do enough of it. Reading has been a passion for most of my life and I now love writing. I’m klutz, and in my own mind, I’m hilarious.

Find me at www.jennifersenhajiauthor.com

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Book Review-Conduit of Souls

This past weekend, I read a romance that was truly unique.

The book-Conduit of Souls, the author- G. S. Bailey. I've read short stories before. I've written them as well, one published and one to be published this summer, but this book of six was different from anything I've ever read before.

Although two of my favorites, Witch and Never Linger, overlap, each was a completely contained stand alone short story. The author created fully developed settings and characters for each with such few words, I was truly impressed.

There is an underlying paranormal aspect in each; ghosts, cannibals, witches, reincarnation, time travel, vampires, and astral projection. Life and death. Love and hate. Fear and courage. Karma and redemption. All themes the author addresses. There are spiritual undertones, not necessarily religious ones.

Honestly, the stories made my heart pound in a couple of different ways. I'm not big on horror, but I love suspense. There were a couple that boarder on horror for me. My blood rushed worrying about the characters and how they were going to... I won't put a spoiler here. But they weren't so scary that I expect any nightmares.

There was also a bit of sexy erotica in a couple of them, which gets the blood flowing in an entirely different way. It was written well and offset the darker aspects of those stories.

In the end, the author ties the book together nicely. The plots are all different, yet somehow, work well as a compilation.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review. Honestly, I probably never would have chosen this book myself, but I am really glad I did. Now, I'm anxious to read other works by this author.

Goes to show, sometimes you need to read outside the box.

You can find my Goodreads review here. Remember, if you read a good book, make sure to leave a review on Amazon and Goodreads. You may help someone else discover a new book they might never have chosen without your written recommendation.

What book(s) have you read recently that you would recommend?

You can find me online at www.jennifersenhajiauthor.com

Happy Monday.