Novelas Romanticas Gratis

Well May just flew by and I still don't have any flowers potted.  Today, Memorial Day, I will rectify that; there's something to be said for planting beautiful flowers on a day of remembrance.   This post is really two posts in one.  I've got a couple of DNF's from May, and I thought I'd show my followers all the random books I'm planning on reading the next few months.  It's not an all-inclusive list, but it's pretty darn close.   First, my DNF's.  Neither was because the books weren't appealing; rather time and media type played parts in my calling them quits.   I checked this out from the library and started it.  I knew it would be a difficult read for me (I struggle with WW2; especially books that involve Germany and the Holocaust).  Unfortunately, my check out time expired and since there was a waiting list for the book, I couldn't renew it.  Back to the library it went.  I'll try again at another time when I feel ready to tackle it

Every book lover has thought a time or two (or, in my case, hundreds of times) about having an at home library.  Most of us will never have the space for a library; I'd have to live on an English estate to have my perfect library.  My tiny house has just enough room for 3 bookcases and plenty of shelving in my bedroom.  It's pretty fantastic to fall asleep with books all round me.  So far I haven't had any fall on my head.   Although I may have just jinxed myself.   I've been challenged by Arhaus to write a blog on my dream library.  So, if money was no object, and I could have whatever I wanted...this is what I'd like: A bar is a must! This would be my library on the grounds of my estate Dream library Tree of Life pillow from Arhaus A lovely rug for my library from Arhaus A couple of these Baldwin chairs from Arhaus I'd have to have some great wall art mixed with the books! Blue Haze from Arhaus So as you can see, I'd like something cozy, yet light; toss

If you're a long time follower of the Bookalicious Babe, well...you know I have a soft spot for witches.  As in I read a heck of a lot of fiction that features witches.  I believe the first actual "paper" I wrote for school in 8th grade was all about the Salem witch trials.   Yes, I wrote a paper about the Salem witch trials and I attended a private Catholic school. And it was 1980. Oops. I don't even remember what I wrote about, but I'm pretty sure I played it safe and just regurgitated what my library books put down as history. I'm pretty sure my opinion today would have gotten me a trip to the principal's office and a grounding at home.  It's obvious my interest in witches has been around for a very long time, so when I saw this title on Goodreads I had to request it from the library.   I knew this novel was going to be a bit heavy, so I kept putting off reading it.  I finally dived in this past week, not knowing quite what to expect.  It takes plac

Amy E. Reichert is an author that I associate with summer.  She writes foodie fiction tossed with a dash of magic, along with strong female protagonists who fight for the life they want to live, even if it may mean giving up their chance on love.   I've read all three of Amy's novels:  The Coincidence of Coconut Cake; Luck, Love, and Lemon Pie, and now The Simplicity of Cider. They all take place in the Midwest, which of course is very appealing to a Midwest gal like myself.  Cider takes place in Door County, WI.  If you've never been, please go.  It's so gorgeous; Wisconsin was the location of many wonderful family vacations during my childhood.   Sanna Lund runs the family apple orchard business along with her father, Einars. Her brother Anders has left the farm and lives in the city with his wife and two daughters. He would love to sell the farm, and a water park company is sniffing around.  Sanna's orchard is the perfect place to build a tourist mecca, sure to

I stumbled upon this audio book perusing my local library's online catalog, and thought it would be perfect for my weekly commute.  It was perfect, and quite honestly, it woke me up a bit.   I am in midlife.  I'm 50; childless, unmarried (but in a long term relationship), and oftentimes puzzled at how my life has turned out so far.  Where exactly did I make the turns that led me to this place?  How, quite frankly, did my life turn out so completely different than I had hoped?  Could I possibly craft the rest of my life by thoughtful planning and reflection? Barbara Bradley Hagerty is an NPR reporter who had a few midlife crises of her own.  It led her to spend a year traveling the country, talking to experts and some every day people about what we expect from life in our 40's, 50's, and 60's.  What she found surprised her.  It seems that there is a natural dip in our happiness that begins in our 40's.  Some people think it's a midlife crisis, but when scient

In my ongoing quest to listen to audio books on my commute, I happened on this memoir and decided it had been long enough since I had immersed myself in a foodie book. And I had never heard of Eric Ripert.   I had no idea he's a famous chef in New York City.  He has a show on the Cooking Channel (which I would probably watch if I got the Cooking Channel!), and grew up in France.  I read a few reviews of this memoir before I had finished it and the big complaint was where in Eric's life he decided to stop his story. I decided, after listening to this audio, that it stops at a very natural place, and just hearing about his early years was such an interesting journey that I didn't need to know more.  We know how it ends, so this was all about how it began.   Eric was born in France to a vibrant mother and a loving father.  The first few years of his life were very happy; his parents adored him and their life was full of fun, good times, and delicious food.  He developed a very

I can't tell you where I first saw this cover; wherever it was, it caught my eye.  Then I read a short synopsis of the novel and decided that I just had to read it.  A rainy, chilly weekend with no plans guaranteed me plenty of time to read it, and I did in just a few short days.   I'm not one to sit for hours and buzz through a book; I get twitchy and have to get up and move around, so while I read quickly, it still takes me a few days longer to finish a novel.  This was the exception for me, and I'm still trying to figure out exactly why. It appears by the cover this could be a romance, a historical romance, or even a chick-lit novel.  It's not really any of these.  After thinking about it for a few days, I still can't quite decide just what  exactly it is, so I'm going to stop trying.  I'll give you a quick peek: An Irish-American family, growing up in Lynn, Massachusetts in the early 1930's.  Sisters Lilly and Neave are close in age, but pretty diffe

I was thrilled to be able to read this sequel to Happy People Read and Drink Coffee (click on the link to read my review from 2016) , because quite frankly the tale of Diane and Edward was so powerful I couldn't wait to find out what happens next.  If you haven't read Happy People , I'm going to probably spoil a few things for you, so beware. Translated from French, this sequel picks up a year after Diane returns to Paris from Ireland.  Her bookstore is doing well after Diane renews her commitment to making it a success.  Her life has a routine; her grief has subsided.  Her feelings for Edward, however, are still pretty strong, and her time in Ireland and the people she met remain on her mind.  Felix, her best friend, is still a delightful character who can be counted on to keep things light.   Diane has been going out on dates, and they're all pretty horrible.  Listening to the tales my dating friends tell me, it's amusing to read about similar experiences in Pari