Category: Life

Book Review

BOOK LINKS
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DRY1N9MV
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/223127560-secret-guard
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/secret-guard-rise-of-the-loti-book-1-by-cait-marie

CAIT’S LINKS
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/c8_marie/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cait.marie.h
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cait.marie.h

BLURB
Eighteen years ago, the Great War ended and magic was outlawed to create a more peaceful world.
But it’s still in ruins, and the people need a new hero.
Per the rules set forth at the reformation of their country, Princess Emmalyn must choose a betrothed by her eighteenth birthday in order to claim her place as heir. The problem is, her heart belongs to her best friend, Cayden, and he’s not on the list of approved suitors.
But that turns out to be the least of her troubles.
Before she can make her announcement, a violent rebel faction invades. Barely managing to escape with Cayden’s help, the princess is forced to leave her family in the hands of their biggest enemy—Charles Lamden, former friend of her parents and war hero-named traitor.
Emma will do whatever it takes to save her family, even if that means working with the very people she’s been taught to fear. Those with magic who’ve gone into hiding because of the laws
her parents helped put in place.
However, in doing so, she starts to see that the world isn’t what she once thought. And as she learns one painful truth after another, she struggles to know what to do or believe.
Because there’s a reason Lamden took the royals hostage beyond his need for revenge, and Emma’s at the very center of it.
After all, that’s why a group of secret guards has sworn to protect her above all others.

My Review:

This one is a delightful read. I honestly couldn’t put it down until it was done. the characters are richly written and the world building is top shelf. The plot twists will keep you engaged. I plan to reread this one often.

Thursday Thoughts

Meme - Feeling Invisible

next week on this day I will be turning 50.

To be honest I will be taking the week off from my blog. I am going to be on the Owl Light network on my birthday reading Serena’s story Shutters. Other than that I am not aiming to do anything work wise that is not necessary.

I have fun things planned and I am not going to stress myself over deadlines and the like.

I promise I will be back the following week.

Wednesday Whispers

Poetry

Shame

by Serena Mossgraves

sitting in the dark
thumbing though
shame drenched
memories.

Wishing I had
a light to
illuminate the
truth in what
was just me.

Tuesday Tunes

Lyrics –

We were three little girls from school.
One was pretty, one was smart
And one was a borderline fool.
Well she’s still good lookin’
That woman hadn’t slipped a bit.
The smart one used her head
She made her fortune.
And me, I cross the border every chance I get.
We were the girls of the 50’s.
Stoned rock and rollers in the 60’s.
And more than our names got changed
As the 70’s slipped on by.
Now we’re 80’s ladies.
There ain’t been much these ladies ain’t tried.
We’ve been educated.
We got liberated.
And had complicating matters with men.
Oh, we’ve said “I do”
And we’ve signed “I don’t”
And we’ve sworn we’d never do that again.
Oh, we burned our bras,
And we burned our dinners
And we burned our candles at both ends.
And we’ve had some children
Who look just like the way we did back then.
Oh, but we’re all grown up now.
All grown up,
But none of us could tell you quite how.
We were the girls of the 50’s.
Stoned rock and rollers in the 60’s.
Hunny, more than our names got changed,
As the 70’s slipped on by.
Now we’re 80’s ladies.
There ain’t been much these ladies ain’t tried.
A- my name is Alice.
I’m gonna marry Artie.
We’re gonna sell apples
And live in Arkansas.
B- my name is Betty.
I’m gonna marry Bobby.
We’re gonna sell beans
And live in Brazil.
C- my name is Connie.
I’m gonna marry Charlie.
We’re gonna sell cars
And live in California.

My 2 cents –

it’s March. I am going to be 50 next week and it’s making me feel strange. I never believed that I would see 30…now I am somehow 50? I have lived a full life and it is not even close to being over.  I am going nostalgic for the music choice today but I kinda feel the song as well. There’s not much I have not tried – but I am still enjoying the possibility.

Monday Poetry

Poetry

The Problem with the Pen

by Patricia Harris

the poetry seems to flow
when the pen is no where 
within my grasp,
inspiration striking as sleep 
begins to take ahold.

I wish my memory
was set to be 
as perfect as writing 
the words would be.

Then I would have never
lost the words that crossed 
my mind you see.

Thursday Thoughts

I am terrible at accountability posting.

I keep meaning to post my word counts for the day on my Facebook account. I update them as I write anything for my own personal ability to keep track of where I am and I mean to post it. I move on to other things that I have to do and I forget to go back more often than not.

And the way I have my work listed may end up making people confused. Things only stay on the list until they are done. Then the list occasionally will not sync. so I get random mistakes in it as to how much is in a poetry volume. Or I have a notification on the top saying that it has a conflict from another version.

I love the feeling of accomplishment I feel when I do share the word counts. it feels like I am saying hey I am making progress. Unfortunately I mostly end up feeling ashamed because I forgot to post it.

I think that’s one of the main problems with juggling so much. The dropped balls become shame. I try to make sure that I only drop the ones that will bounce. I might be capable of catching them and then I can get them in the next pass.

Wednesday Whispers

Poetry

When Death came in

by Serena Mossgraves

we welcomed him with a smile
for the cards had laid clear,
when death came in
we all awaited him.

now please don’t worry
please don’t fear,
death was not the end at all
it was the choice to start again.

when death came in
the walls would fall,
and the ghosts would be
no longer drowning us
in a waterfall made of
memories and sin.

Monday Poetry

Poetry

Unspoken

by Patricia Harris

I have forgotten how
much I enjoyed 
the wprds that were
a river flowing from my mind.

so much to say
I somehow never 
expected the world
to kill the joy in words
I could so easily find ...

struck dumb in the face
of what was humanity revealed,
I hated what I found.

it was easier for me
to live in the unspoken 
then to fight cruelty all over again.

Late night musings

I am seeing so many people argue about the truth lately. No one has any idea about what it is anymore. Here is what the truth is.

the truth is personal,
perspective skewed,
and always changing.

It is political as Hell 
and painfully littered with bias

It is so powerful 
and passionate about what it knows,
it is pure and simple 
It always grows.

it is ego 
it is faith
it is standing your ground 
and it really gets around.

no one can tell you 
what your truth is 
no one knows it but you.

Thursday Thoughts

Meme

Tuesday I mentioned that I was going in for an MRI. I said I would explain it today.

I have always called my issues with closed spaces Claustrophobia. I knew where I got the fear from…but NOTHING I did could overcome that. Someone once told me that there was two types of fear. The kind where you are in a life or death situation and the type where you can overcome it. For my brain the being locked in somewhere is a life or death situation. It is not Claustrophobia in the normal sense though. I told my therapist about it, and the panic that just the thought of the MRI was giving me…and she identified it as a PTSD trigger.

I survived the test. It wasn’t even as bad as I had expected it to be. It was not as bad as previous MRI’s have been. Maybe that is because I was able to prepare. I was able to compartmentalize and tell myself I was not in danger. I am no longer the nine year old child being locked in the trunk of a car and being told I will die. I am healing.