My Brain's on Vacation....Let's Get Reading!

by Rae Lori

After my release of Within the Shadows of Mortals (book 2 in my Ashen Twilight Series) I'm ready to slink back into my reading binge and work on some 'in progress' manuscripts. Lately I've been working on an action packed romantic suspense so I've been catching up on a lot of action movies lately to get me in the mood.

My current reading pile has been all over the map genre wise, but the one thing the books have is an intriguing story. Since my brain and nose is on vacation right now, I'll share the trips they're taking at the moment. ;-)


Montana Sky by Nora Roberts

 Blurb: In life, Jack Mercy hadn't been a kind man. In death, he was no different. His daughter Willa expected to inherit his ranch, the place she'd put her heart and soul into. But at the reading of the will, she learns that her home has been given not just to her, but to two sisters she barely knows as well. And in order to inherit, they must all live on the ranch for a period of one year.

None of the three sisters are happy with the arrangement. And apparently, neither is someone else as deadly incidents begin occurring around them. Willa, Tess and Lila find themselves fighting for their lives alongside the men who have become part of the lives and their hearts.


I'm listening to this in audiobook format after seeing the movie again recently. I'm not too big of a fan of Nora Roberts (please don't throw things!) but I consider her, Paulo Coehlo and Rod Serling my authorial heroine and heroines. Plus this is one movie I really enjoyed. I thought I would finally pick up the audio to check out because I'm a sucker for theater of the mind. So far I'm rather enjoying it (aside from the language at times which makes me go "ack!") and I still picture the character's actions and their mannerisms from the Lifetime TV movie. :-)

One thing that's kind of cool about reading the book after the movie is it feels like a special edition where I get to see more scenes and dive into the character's mind and lives more than the visual medium offers. If I read the book before seeing the movie/series, I usually get mad because they cut so much. This way I can keep my sanity! :-D




Warrior (Time Hunters #1) by Angela Knight

 Blurb: In the 24th century, anyone can leap through time at will. To police the time jumpers, the Temporal Enforcement Agency has established a precinct in time. Galar Arvid is a genetically altered warlord and agent who’s been sent back to 2008 to save a pretty Atlanta artist from a Xeran time traveler who intends to kill her for profit. What Galar doesn’t count on is the powerful desire Jessica Kelly ignites in him. But could a romance between them work? A three-hundred-year chasm separates them and, even if they dart through time, there’s still a maniacal killer on their tails.

I love sci-fi and I enjoy romance, so sci-fi romance is complete "yay!" for me. It's a new but upcoming genre that fans of adventure romance will definitely enjoy. If you've been thinking about trying the genre out, definitely pick up this book. It has some great world building, a nice suspense subplot and some heated tension to satisfy the romance fans. So far I'm enjoying this one!



Manifest by Artist Arthur

Blurb: Krystal Bentley is an outsider at her new high school, having just moved to a small Connecticut town. Lately she's been hearing the voice of a teenage boy in her head, and he has become her friend and confidant. The only problem is, he's dead...

Ricky Watson was killed a year ago in the alley behind Krystal's new school. The rumor mill is filled with stories of Ricky and his untimely death. Unfortunately, as a ghost, Ricky is unable to investigate his own murder, so Ricky needs Krystal to find the truth and she needs someone to listen. When Krystal befriends Sasha and Jake, both outcasts at her high school, the threesome soon discover that they have more in common than their outsider status. Each has a unique paranormal ability and an unusual birthmark in the shape of an "M." Jake announces that the M must stand for misfits, and so the three form an unusual clique. They soon realize that solving Ricky's murder can help them understand the mystery behind their powers and may reveal whether there are others like them.


This is debut YA paranormal coming this August from Harlequin's Kimani Tru line. I've been gorging on YA fantasy lately and I was jazzed to see this available as an ARC. The cover is gorgeous and the blurb is intriguing. The style is simplistic enough for young readers but so far I'm enjoying finding out how the main character has her ability and the mystery behind the ghost's death. I don't see many ghosts in today's paranormals so this is a nice switch from vampires, werewolves et al. And I especially appreciate this since I just finished writing and researching my latest vampire/werewolf/shifter book!

Looking forward to more books like this in the line.


And finally:


The Mom & Pop Store: How the Unsung Heroes of the American Economy Are Surviving and Thriving by Robert Spector

Blurb: A celebration of the history of small, independent retail and the story of how mom & pop stores across the country still thrive on attentive customer service and renewed community support for local businesses.

I was jazzed to win this in a contest from Goodreads. I still have fond memories of going to local mom & pop bookstores and video stores long before the conglomerates came along. I think this book is definitely relevant in today's age when everything seems to be about the corporation. Thankfully there are still indie shops here and there where you can shop and get to know the people behind the shops who will be in tune to what you're looking for. I've since moved away from some of my favorite shops and some of them have closed abruptly. But as I'm reading this book, I'm smiling and remembering my childhood as well as sharing similar experiences with the anecdotes given in the book. This is a great non-fiction book I can't wait to add my shelf.


There are few more books/mags on my phone that I can't wait to get to. One of which is this month's Writer's Digest where my publisher Freya's Bower/Wild Child Publishing is featured (yay! Check us out on on the Small Press spotlight!) and there's a great article on Why Romance is Hotter Than Ever by Brenda Novak.
I'm a slow, slow reader so sometimes it takes me a while but I'm enjoying the down time before I return to the grind.


Rae Lori, multi-genre author & artist

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