Sunday Synopsis - Verity

Verity by Colleen Hoover
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

How in the world this was nominated for best romance in 2019, I will never understand. First of all, it isn't really a romance book, although there were plenty of sexual encounters in ultra-graphic detail. It is by far more a mystery than a romance.

The main character, Lowen, is an author who is asked to complete a series of book that were started by Verity Crawford, a well-known author. How she becomes the choice to finish the series does not make sense. She is a broke, little-known author. Verity cannot finish writing the books because she has been in a car accident and is unable to sit, stand, or talk, much less write a novel.

Lowen finds herself attracted to Verity's husband Jeremy and constantly compares herself to Verity. While staying at the couple's home so she can familiarize herself with the writing style and actions of the books she is expected to write, Lowen finds a manuscript of Verity's autobiography that reveals many disturbing details. The reader doesn't really know whether to believe Lowen, the manuscript, Jeremy, or none of the above.

Some of the topics covered in this book include infanticide, child murder, child abuse, abortion, and graphic sex (to the point of being vulgar). It was unnecessarily vulgar when it didn't require such details and was so far from anything I've ever experienced in real life that I could not relate to it.

Many people love Colleen Hoover's writing, but I am not one of them. There are two other books by this author that were recommended to me, but if they are anything like Verity, I wll skip them. I couldn't wait for this book to be over.

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Random and Happy Tuesday

 

Hello all!  About the time you are reading this, I am probably going into surgery.  Recently, my sister was diagnosed and treated for uterine cancer, so this is especially nerve-wracking for me.  I know my situation may be different, but I also know that the odds were ever in her favor (Hunger Games reference) as they are mine.  She was one of the 3% who actually develop uterine cancer.  There is a 5% chance my polyp is cancerous, 95% that it's not.

Anyway, I tend to get pretty nervous about IVs.  Anyone else look away when they get their blood drawn.  An IV is worse, if you ask me.  I have passed out a number of times after being connected to an IV and almost go into a panic attack.  I can think of at least four times that this has happened.  Does anyone else have Vasovagal Syncope?

So that is as happy and random it gets today, not including the funnies!  Here we go!

This is good advice:

I love a good play on words!

Clever!

And last, but not least...

Have a great week!

Link up and/or visit Random Tuesday Thoughts and Happy Tuesday for some more laughs!

Sunday Synopsis - Cozy Mystery - Blueberries and Bereavement

Blueberries and Bereavement by Katherine Hayton
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

While I didn't think this book was as good as the first two in the series, it was still good. It's a short, fun read. I'm not really sure why they included blueberries in the title as they didn't play a huge role in the plot.

The Waterston sisters run a bakery in a small town. One of them, Holly, is asked to provide catering services for a wake. It isn't until she is told to stay at the wake, rather than just bringing the food, that she realizes it's a set-up. The deceased has big news for Holly, his current wife and son, and his grown children. Before it ends, one character will attempt to murder another, and you may not be able to guess who the culprit is.

Crystal doesn't factor into this book very much at all, and Holly's beau is acting out-of-character in this story as well. Otherwise, it's an easy, fun read.

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Fun Photos

 It's been a while since these photos were taken during my only trip to New York (so far), but I still love them! 

Ellis Island

Inside the Statue

Looking up from the pedestal

For more fun photos visit Image-in-ing and Wordless Wednesday.

Happy Random Tuesday

Hey everyone!  I hope your week is off to a great start!  Yesterday was pretty busy for me.  This time next week, I will be having surgery on my female parts.  I am praying I don't have the same issues as my sister did, but at this point, it looks like it's benign.  We'll know for sure soon.

Happy Tax Day!  Wait... there's nothing happy about taxes!  Our daughter is an accountant, so she is preparing our return.  I've got a cute gift and thank you card waiting for her!

Everyone around my area complains about our post office on Next Door. (I think all Next Door is for is complaining, which is why I rarely look at it).  Apparently, our post office is awful.  I hadn't experienced any issues... until today.  I decided to give my small business some legitimacy by opening a post office box which I was able to fill out and pay for online.  I still had to go in to get the keys and file the paperwork, and while I was there, I planned to get two money orders for my DBA application with the county. (Money orders-that's a whole 'nother conversation, but our county government will not take a check, debit or credit card, or cash.)

There was a line 7 or 8 people deep when I got there.  I've never seen it like that!  And they were so inefficient.  One lady who came out to see if anyone just needed to drop off, but when she tried to help a customer, she had no idea what to do!  One of the other clerks (there were only two) kept having to stop helping her customer to help the employee.  When it was finally my turn, the clerk was very confused about how to complete my transaction, but she figured it out.  And I was planning to buy my money orders, but she said I would have to wait for the other clerk.  I ended up going to the bank instead.  The whole ordeal was a comedy of errors.

I certainly don't mean to offend anyone who works for the post office.  This particular branch just has a bad reputation, and I got to find out firsthand why.  There was a woman there with an appointment to get a passport, and she was still there waiting for someone to help her when I left.

Moving along...

I suppose this is true!

Working with the public is not easy!

The Flintstones was my favorite cartoon growing up.

And last, but not least...

Have a great week!

Visit Random Tuesday Thoughts and Happy Tuesday for more fun!

Post-Easter Frenzy

Howdy!  I hope you had a great Easter weekend (or whatever holiday, if any, that you celebrate).  We visited the grandkids, and it was amazing!  The first little one is now 3 years old, and the newest little one is six months.  Her personality is really starting to show!  We "hid" eggs for the 3 year old.  So fun!  We miss them already.

Back to real life... Appointments!  Too many!  Care plan for my mom, meeting with her nurse practitioner, GP, ENT, and cardiologist for me, then surgical pre-op next week.  Seems non-stop, but all I want to do is craft, sew, watch TV, and color.  I decided to take an online coloring class from Kit and Clowder - just for grins.  I'm starting with a free class, so I can see if it is something I'd want to do more.  I haven't started it yet, but I have good intentions!

Now for some funnies!

I would never do that!  Gross!

I wish we could do this!  Reminds me of the Seinfeld episode where George gets charged for not cancelling in 24 hours.  I think there was also a Curb Your Enthusiasm episode about this.

This is, unfortunately, too true...

And last, but not least...

Everyone say, "Awwwwwwwww."

Have a good week!

For more fun, visit Happy Tuesday and Random Tuesday Thoughts.

Fun Photos

 These photos were taken in mid-January from our cruise ship.

This is the sun setting over Galveston as we leave port.

This is one of the ports at Cozumel.  I really love this picture because of the unique clouds.

For more images, go to Image-in-ing and Wordless Wednesday.

Happy Random Tuesday

 

There is never a dull moment around here!  We moved Mom closer to me, and I couldn't be happier about that.  She is in a place that only does memory care, so she isn't confined to one hallway.  We looked at a place similar to the one she moved out of that had both assisted living and memory care.  I couldn't bear the thought of her going in and seeing the beautiful, luxurious entryway, living room, dining room, and then going to a hall where she is never going to see that beautiful entrance again.  Makes me sad.

I'm having some health issues now, too.  Getting older is not for the faint of heart.

Hopefully we get to see the granddaughters this weekend.  I'd love to take the older one on an Easter egg hunt.  Not sure what to put in the plastic eggs, though.  They are raising her vegetarian which makes some types of candy off limits.

I hope your week is off to a good start!  Visit my sister site Crafteverly in a day or so to see some Easter cards and a wreath I have made recently.

Now to the funnies:  

My kind of pun!

And along those same lines...

Have a great week, and join in the fun at Random Tuesday Thoughts and Happy Tuesday.