#TheSundayPost XIV | Sorting out our new normal whilst reconnecting with our crafty souls

Posted Sunday, 5 February, 2023 by jorielov 13 Comments

[Official Blurb] The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news. A post to recap the past week, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up for the week on our blog. This is your news post, so personalize it! Include as much as you want or as little. Be creative, it can be a vlog or just a showcase of your goodies. Link up once a week or once a month, you decide. Book haul can include library books, yard sale finds, arcs and bought books..share them!

Enter your link on the post-

Sundays beginning at 12:01 am (CST) (link will be open all week)

Link back to this post or this blog

Visit others who have linked up

Read this week’s #TheSundayPost!

Sorting out our new normal whilst regenerating our love of CRAFT

Sometimes in life,

you have to take a step back in order to fully step forward –

which is why Mum and I are choosing to resume our crafty natures this Winter/Spring 2023!

In regards to my life behind the blog:

As many of you know, 90+ days ago my family’s world was turnt upside down when my Dad first entered the hospital in November, 2022. It was his second hospital stay which foretold the future of what was coming next for us as a family. That was when they discovered the blood clot in his leg and from there – he has never been able to return home. He’s in his second rehab facility and he is still moving towards long-term care as Mum and I can no longer care for him at home. In the weeks since I last shared our story via #TheSundayPost – we’ve now totaled 3x moments of when we’ve been asked to say our final goodbyes and we’ve also made pre-need arrangements for his funeral.

Also, within those 90+ days, we’ve lost two beloved cats and have been considering adopting a cat this February as we recognised that by not having a cat in the house, our own outlook and well-being is starting to suffer as a companion in fur always gave us a heart-lift as much as boost to spirits. At this point, we also realise it is definitely what we would consider as an emotional support cat as let’s face it – it has been a LONG and HARD three months but we’ve come through it all as a family.

Whilst my father was recovering from his AKI and pneumonia, I went online to sort out where he should go next and what the next best options would be for him overall. I found a longer-term hospital but I also found a rehab/long term care facility which would work on his new issues with swallowing as well as approach his care from a holistic and individual angle of approach which I felt might suit him best overall. Mum agreed and we took a chance on this new rehab facility to see if in effect it would have the positive changes, we were hoping to give my father.
Read More

Posted Sunday, 5 February, 2023 by jorielov in Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blogosphere Events & Happenings, Bookish Memes, JLAS Update Post, Jorie Loves A Story, Stories of Jorie, The Sunday Post

Blog Book Tour | feat. The Blackstone Legacy series by Elizabeth Camden

Posted Saturday, 4 February, 2023 by jorielov (Narrator) Pilar Witherspoon, Baker Publishing Group, Bethany House Publishers, Carved in Stone, Elizabeth Camden, Hearts of Steel, Recorded Books, Written on the Wind 0 Comments

Acquired Book By: I am a regular tour hostess for blog tours via Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours whereupon I am thankful to have been able to host such a diverse breadth of stories, authors and wonderful guest features since I became a hostess! HFVBTs is one of the very first touring companies I started working with as a 1st Year Book Blogger – uniting my love and passion with Historical Fiction and the lovely sub-genres inside which I love devouring. It has been a wicked fantastical journey into the heart of the historic past, wherein I’ve been blessed truly by discovering new timescapes, new living realities of the persons who once lived (ie. Biographical Historical Fiction) inasmuch as itched my healthy appetite for Cosy Historical Mysteries! If there is a #HistRom out there it is generally a beloved favourite and I love soaking into a wicked wonderful work of Historical Fiction where you feel the beauty of the historic world, the depth of the characters and the joyfulness in which the historical novelists brought everything to light in such a lovingly diverse palette of portraiture of the eras we become time travellers through their stories.

I received a complimentary copy of “Hearts of Steel” direct from the publisher Bethany House Publishers in exchange for an honest review. The Digital Audiobook copy of Carved in Stone” and “Written on the Wind” were available via my library’s CloudLibrary. My ruminations on behalf of the audiobooks (books one and two) are being shared for my own edification and to help introduce my readers to the series overall whilst sharing my own journey in its discovery. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

Why I wanted to read this series:

When I first started blogging, I was going to set out to read new authors of INSPY Lit I hadn’t had the pleasure of reading previously. It was through my visitations with Casey Herringshaw’s blog which inspired the list I had developed of seeking out new and established INSPY authors who were drawing the eye of book bloggers like Ms Herringshaw and readers alike. It was through reading her blog rather extensively I found the list which was then developed in the final #70AuthorsChallenge. Uniquely, Elizabeth Camden happens to be the 67th author out of my original #70AuthorsChallenge List – as I disclosed ahead of reading her Empire State series.

What I hadn’t realised is that I had uncovered another intriguing saga to read whilst I start to shift back into the O’ Connors saga by Julie Lessman. I have had a firm penchant for INSPY dramatic Historical Fiction (ie. sagas, series, and multi-generational quartets or trilogies) and it always a wicked wonderful day when I realise I can settle into a trilogy and/or saga which is beautifully layered and dearly engrossing! As soon as I put on my headphones and began to listen to ‘Carved in Stone’ the first novel of the Blackstone Legacy series, I found myself smitten with the narrator and completely entranced with the developing story Camden had written.

She has a wonderful way of developing the momentum of a series early-on whilst grounding us through an engaging narrative that propels us forward and leaves us itching for more details. Those wordsmirths like Camden give me a wicked good read and I am grateful that my library had the first two novels in audiobook – allowing me to gain a foothold into the series before I moved into the last installment which is being highlighted on this lovely blog tour: “Hearts of Steel”.

Originally, I had planned to listen to both the first and second novel in full ahead of reading the third novel in print; however, the hours kept erasing themselves off the clock this past week as I had to double-down on my work hours (ie. double shifts) whilst dealing with an issue with our car and recovering from a charley horse yesterday as well as a small bout of illness that was most unwelcome and ill-timed! I decided to re-shape the context of my post for the blog tour and discuss what I enjoyed within the first moments of all three novels whilst leaving the door open for when I can resume my listening of the series and complete my joys of feeling anchoured in the Blackstone Legacy series overall.

I hope my shortened ruminations might tempt you to check out the series for yourself – or encourage you to take a look at some of Camden’s other stories and series as well. This is the second time I’ve had the chance to read one of her series on a blog tour and I am most grateful for being included on the tour – despite failing to post within the original time-line of the tour itself. I missed it by a day and I regret that but am full of appreciation to the publisher for sending me ‘Hearts of Steel’ as much as I am for being included on the tour list by Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours.

Hearts of Steel
by Elizabeth Camden
Source: Publisher via Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours

Eloise Drake's prim demeanor hides the turbulent past she believes is finally behind her. A mathematical genius, she's now a successful accountant for the largest engineering project in 1908 New York. But to her dismay, her new position puts her back in the path of the man responsible for her deepest heartbreak.

Alex Duval is the mayor of a town about to be wiped off the map. The state plans to flood the entire valley where his town sits in order to build a new reservoir, and Alex is stunned to discover the woman he once loved on the team charged with the demolition. With his world crumbling around him, Alex devises a risky plan to save his town--but he needs Eloise's help to succeed.

Alex is determined to win back the woman he thought he'd lost forever, but even their combined ingenuity may not be enough to overcome the odds against them.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Inspirational Fiction & Non-Fiction, Historical Romance

Places to find the book:

Borrow from a Public Library

Add to LibraryThing

ISBN: ‎978-0764238451

Also by this author: A Dangerous Legacy

Published by Bethany House Publishers

on 17th January, 2023

Format: Trade Paperback

Pages: 336

The Blackstone Legacy series:

Carved in Stone (book one)

Written on the Wind (book two)

Hearts of Steel (book three)

Published by: Bethany House Publishers (@bethany_house)

an imprint of Baker Publishing Group

Formats Available: Hardback, Trade Paperback, Audiobook and Ebook

Converse via: #HistoricalFiction or #HistFic and #HistRom

#INSPYRomance + #INSPY or #INSPYBooks

About Elizabeth Camden

Elizabeth Camden is the author of twelve historical novels and two historical novellas and has been honored with both the RITA Award and the Christy Award. With a master's in history and a master's in library science, she is a research librarian by day and scribbles away on her next novel by night. She lives with her husband in Florida.

Posted Saturday, 4 February, 2023 by jorielov in #25PagePreview, 19th Century, Balance of Faith whilst Living, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Book Spotlight, Brothers and Sisters, Family Drama, Family Life, Historical Fiction, Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours, Historical Romance, Inspirational Fiction & Non-Fiction, INSPY Realistic Fiction | Non-Fiction, New York City, Romance Fiction, the Gilded Age

#WaitingOnWednesday No. XIII | A Special Historical Fiction Kickstarter campaign kicks off today!

Posted Wednesday, 1 February, 2023 by jorielov Emma Lombard, Kickstarter, The White Sails series 4 Comments

a word about ‘waiting on Wednesday’:

I have decided to start participating in this book blogsphere meme with a few small changes of how it’s regularly blogged about by my fellow book bloggers. I will either be introducing my current reads of upcoming releases as I am in the process of reading them and/or I might be releasing a book review about a forthcoming title by which I had been blessed to read ahead of publication. The main purpose behind the meme is to encourage readers and your fellow book bloggers to become aware of new books being released which caught your eye and which held your interest to read. Sometimes if your still in the process of reading the books, its the titles which encouraged your bookish heart. I look forward to spending the next seasons of the year, talking about the books I have on hand to read, the books I’ve been reading and the books I might not even have a copy to read but which are of wicked sweet interest to become a #nextread of mine.

Hallo, Hallo dear hearts!

I haven’t put together a wicked lovely #WaitingOnWednesday in quite a long while – as the Sweetmakers last year were meant to be the last one I was to share with you all! Apparently, betwixt time, tides and life – that particular novel was swept away from my attention and it is earmarked to be read and reviewed this year – especially in conjunction with a chase-up to our 6th #WyrdAndWonder this coming May! However, between then and now, I’d love to start regenerating a focus on upcoming releases and/or new to be voices in Fiction I’m just discovering once again through this lovely book blogosphere weekly event.

When I saw a quick announcement about this particular release, I thought it sounded wicked brilliant because I was that kind of ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ fan who quite literally saw the first film 4x times the year of release (once per month) until All Saint’s Day. It was a method of shifting through my grief and sorrow – as I had lost my beloved (maternal) grandmother that July and through the adventures of Jack Sparrow and his friends and foes – I somehow found a way to smile, laugh and cheer on the hilarity of their exploits and explorations.

Ergo, just listen to how this series is fondly spoken about to know why it perked an interest in me as a Historical Fiction reader:

If Bridgerton and Pirates of the Caribbean had a love child.

Are you a fan of sweeping romantic adventures?
Do you fall for tall, brooding Naval Officers?
Love a feisty female lead who makes you yell aloud?

Then hop aboard Emma Lombard’s hardback Collector’s Edition
of The White Sails Series, and batten down the hatches!

I personally LOVE reading series in order but a small secreted joy of mine is reading an omnibus edition of a series as you have EVERYTHING you need all in one volume of entrance! I don’t oft get to purchase omis of series but on the occasion I do, they’ve become beloved sets of bookish joy because I can quite literally shift through a whole series start to finish and not worry about chasing after another installment after having finished the one prior to a new release.

And, as you know from a previous showcasing (see also Post) – I love to show a signal of support to writers & authors alike who are using platforms like Kickstarter to help promote and publish their stories.

Posted Wednesday, 1 February, 2023 by jorielov in Blog Tour Host, Book Spotlight, Waiting on Wednesday

#WWWednesday No. XVII | Dipping my toes back into reading this January, 2023!

Posted Wednesday, 18 January, 2023 by jorielov 0 Comments

I ♥ the premise of this meme {WWW Wednesdays} due to the dexterity it gives the reader! Smiles. Clearly subject to change on a weekly rotation, which may or may not lead to your ‘next’ read providing a bit of a paradoxical mystery to your readers!! Smiles. ♥ the brilliance of it’s concept!

This weekly meme was originally hosted by Should Be Reading who became A Daily Rhythm. Lovingly restored and continued by Sam @ Taking on a World of Words. Each week you participate, your keen to answer the following questions:

What are you currently reading!?
What did you recently finish reading!?
What do you think you’ll read next!?

After which, your meant to click over to THIS WEEK’s WWWWednesday to share your post’s link so that the rest of the bloggers who are participating can check out your lovely answers! Score! Perhaps even, find other bloggers who dig the same books as you do! I thought it would serve as a great self-check to know where I am and the progress I am hoping to have over the next week!

Join the Convo via: #WWWWednesday

About time to start dipping me toes back into reading
& sorting out how to be a ‘thriving reader’ again!

One of the things in my life that I simply had to ‘leg go of’ these past several months since October was the ability to read and blog. My emotional upheavals (ie. the death of my cats, my father’s ongoing medical emergencies and crises) prevented me from the kind of focus one needs to enjoy reading and/or interacting with other readers who are fellow book bloggers. I ached to do something to divert my attention anywhere else than work, grieiving and advocating for my Dad but sometimes, you get so consumed by LIFE itself, anything EXTRA is just a bit too much to tackle. For me, this is why reading just started to slip through my fingers.

Although, as you’ll see in this small recapture of what I did accomplish during that drought of interest was a bit of joy in the rains of darkening clouds. I am thankful I can begin anew this January and find my way again with stories and authors alike One goal of mine is continuing the idea I had written about previously – about focusing on the stories on my shelves, curing my backlogue of reviews and sorting my way with borrowing audiobooks and/or listening to the ones I already own. I definitely want to be more proactive in seeking out the stories off my shelves that truly interest me to read right now and not focus on when those stories originally arrived in my life. Stuff happens, life derails and at some point, we realign ourselves.

Whilst Mum had fallen in love with crochet, I want to return back to knitting. I used to love getting lose in the stitches and rhythms of knitting. It has been an age since I’ve even worked on the prayer shawls I started so many years ago now. It was one of those things that just fell away and I never was able to restart despite several attempts. I think knitting would be a calm companion right now alongside looking forward to adopting an emotional support cat in February. I never understood crochet and being a dyslexic knitter on the onset, you could say, I’d rather not overcomplicate fibre arts because I’m just thankful I learnt how to knit at all. I’m proud of Mum though – she has the ability to self-learn through video tutorials and that is one avenue that throws me off as everything appears backwards to me.

So, I am hopeful in one of my next updates — I’ll have resumed two passions of mine: knitting and reading alike! I do know I will be seeking out as many audioreads as I can this year as I’m noticing that my pacing with reading books in print has slowed down quite a heap and I know listening to audiobooks will be a more enjoyable choice for me. It has been shifting towards this since [2016] when I first fell in love with audiobook narrations. Honestly, let’s face it – that first voice that hooked me into them was Jake Urry! (see this Review)

What Jorie is currently reading:

The Brass Key (prequel) & Death on the Boardwalk by Caleb Wygal
(*) the thin book above “Death on the Boardwalk” is “The Brass Key”

A Light in the Window by Julie Lessman (*re-read & continuation)
: a favourite author of Jorie’s and one of the first authors she interacted with in the book blogosphere before she became a book blogger herself (circa 2012/13)

→ My first #HistoricalMondays for 2023
The Other Side of Certain by Amy Willoughby-Burle

→ listening to the audiobooks for the Blackstone Legacy:
Carved in Stone (book one) & Written on the Wind (book two)
in preparation for reading Hearts of Steel (book three) : for the blog tour!

I can thankfully start reading Wygal’s stories due to having received the prequel “The Brass Key” and for my mind/heart to finally be able to focus on his quirky Cosy Mystery series. I had to keep pushing my readings of this series forward as previously blogged about for differing reasons. The latter delays I believe are established enough without having to restate them again. I have been wanting to get back into reading Mysteries, Suspense and Thrillers for awhile and I am hopeful this kicks me off into the right direction to where I can weekly or monthly re-establish myself into those genres as I have personal copies of stories to read as well as backlogued review copies, too. Sometimes it is nice to tuck into a Cosier side of the Mystery genre as well as it gives you what you’re seeking in Mystery but is more gently told if your not ready to embrace the grittier side where Cosy becomes a bit more Hard-boiled. Read More

Posted Wednesday, 18 January, 2023 by jorielov in Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blogosphere Events & Happenings, Bookish Memes, JLAS Update Post, Jorie Loves A Story, WWW Wednesdays

#TheSundayPost XIII | Betwixt sorrow and fighting to advocate for my Dad’s health

Posted Sunday, 15 January, 2023 by jorielov 15 Comments

[Official Blurb] The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news. A post to recap the past week, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up for the week on our blog. This is your news post, so personalize it! Include as much as you want or as little. Be creative, it can be a vlog or just a showcase of your goodies. Link up once a week or once a month, you decide. Book haul can include library books, yard sale finds, arcs and bought books..share them!

Enter your link on the post-

Sundays beginning at 12:01 am (CST) (link will be open all week)

Link back to this post or this blog

Visit others who have linked up

Read this week’s #TheSundayPost!

Are we ever ready to say “goodbye” to someone we love?

I never thought I’d be blogging about the loss of a cat

during the year I felt couldn’t surprise me anymore

with unexpected stress and a multitude of adversities.

REMEMBER when I first shared this?

10 days before Christmas, we lost our little Tux.

And, we almost lost my father three ways to Sunday.

And, we’re fighting like heck to get him the time he needs to RECOVER

whilst feeling harassed and railroaded by both doctors and the hospital.

In regards to my life behind the blog:

It will not come to a shocked surprise to anyone whose following me via Twitter the circumstances I’ve been facing alongside my Mum in regards to my Dad. For those of you who strictly follow my blog, I apologise for the long radio silence in updating you about why my blog has become a bit stagnant and has simply stopped where I left it during #SciFiMonth. I didn’t even get the chance to properly finish Sci Fi Month this past November nor did I get to release the prompt posts as I had intended to do either. Those are still lost to Drafts but they’re going to be finished this January (as it will give me something diverting to focus on) and the rest of my plans for #SciFiMonth will debut this November, 2023. Including my focus on the stories and writings of E. Chris Garrison.

You could say we had an insurrecting medical emergency which became compounded and complex as the days and weeks moved forward in regards to my father. He was hospitalised twice in November but the second time, instead of coming home he had to go into a rehab facility which also offered long-term care if needed. He had a wonderful surgeon at the hospital who did his due diligence and found that my father had a blood clot in his leg and at that time, he had found two aneurisms. I ought to mention that his former surgeon who saved his life post-stroke in [2016] was a changed man this time round. His bedside manner was abominable, and we fought for a second opinion which we learnt was never done. Mum and I are fierce and strong – guess they never met a family like ours, eh? Because of our insistence, Dad received top level care and had a vascular surgeon who went wayy past the extra mile to discern and diagnose what was wrong.

Not the best news to receive as a family by any means. However, we were still leaning hard on hope that perhaps despite this news there would be a bit of Hope for my father to recover and/or still have a bit of time with us overall. As any one of those conditions could be deadly in of its own.

Posted Sunday, 15 January, 2023 by jorielov in Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blogosphere Events & Happenings, Bookish Memes, JLAS Update Post, Jorie Loves A Story, Stories of Jorie, The Sunday Post