February Follies — Lorelei’s monthly wrap-up and a CONTEST!
March 6, 2021
Why did February–the shortest month of the year–feel like the longest? Maybe it was the crap weather across the country, or the fact we’re almost a year into this pandemic. Either way, I had a serious bout of insomnia throughout the month, which meant I filled those hours with ummm…things other than writing. *Shrugs* Anyway, the contest info is at the bottom of this post 😍
Mostly, I listened to a shit-ton of audio books last month. Yes, I’m a convert! I can multi-task while listening. Sometimes I wish I could be one of those authors who dictates books. I have the software, just not the knowledge because the learning curve is pretty damn steep. Maybe one day.
I mixed it up in February; I listened to shorter works, which honestly worked better for me than having to invest 16 hours in one book.
WHAT I LISTENED TO
Patience and Not Forsaken — included in Audible Plus — Alix Harrow — YA gothic. I’ve enjoyed other books by this author and when I saw this short piece, I added it to my Audible library. I liked it, but again, it was a very short YA so it didn’t seem to have much depth, but lots of angst.
Fantasticland — included in Audible Plus — Mike Bockhoven – horror/suspense hybrid. I’ll be honest: this book freaked me the fuck out. In a good way, but damn, I could not stop thinking about it after I finished listening to it. The entire story is told interview style and focuses on what happened during and after a hurricane, at a big amusement park in Florida, where a bunch of employees ended up dead. It’s a little bit Lord of the Flies, but it is super compelling and thought provoking. I love the male narrator Luke Daniels (he voiced Ronin in the Mastered series) and both narrators had to voice so many characters and they did a spectacular job of it. Highly recommended.
The Warlord Wants Forever — Audible purchase — Kresley Cole — I actually finished this one in January. Again, the narrator brought new life to this story I’d already read and it was an amazing listen. I can’t recommend these audio books with Robert Petkoff highly enough!
The Raven — included in Audible Plus — Edgar Allen Poe — poem. This is another thing I listened to in January, in honor of Edgar Allen Poe’s 212th birthday. I’ve read this poem multiple times, but it is an entirely different experience hearing it. It is SUPER short and I probably wouldn’t have paid for it, but it was included so what the hell.
The Burglar — Audible sale purchase — Thomas Perry — mystery. I listened to this in January and had forgotten about it, which sort of tells you how much of an impression left on me. It’s about a female cat burglar who robs a house and finds all the people in the house murdered. I didn’t connect with the main character at all, so that’s probably why the entire book slipped my mind.
Troublemaker — Audible sale purchase — Kayley Loring — a romcom-ish tale about a woman starting her life over in LA, meeting the greatest guy ever and then discovers that she is his kid’s teacher. Lots of back and forth, fighting their mutual attraction and being forced to work together on the school’s play. Loved the narrators. A super fun romp 🙂
Consider This — Audible purchase — Chuck Palahniuk — nonfiction. When I get in a writing slump, I pull out books on writing that I hope will provide a spark for me to sit back down at the computer. I saw this and immediately downloaded it. It isn’t a book of writing advice, but more Chuck’s journey to writing Fight Club and the aftermath. I loved it, it hit all the right notes for me as an author. Although, to be honest, I don’t know that a non-writer would enjoy it as much.
Our Little Lies — Audible sale purchase — Sue Watson — psychological suspense. This England-set book started out super slow and eventually picked up as far as the plot. The wife was supposed to be one of those unreliable narrators, and she mostly pulled it off, but I couldn’t get past how much of a goddamned doormat she was and how much of a prick her husband was. The ending sort of surprised me, but besides that, I was glad when it ended. The narration was meh.
Suddenly You — Audible sale purchase — Lisa Kleypas — historical romance. Somehow I’d missed this book in Kleypas’s backlist and was happy to find it on sale. I LOVE Kleypas’s work so much, but this narrator ruined it for me. I know if I would’ve read it, rather than listened to it, it would’ve been much better. Skip this one in audio. I’m happy to say she’s gotten a much better narrator for her later stories.
A Court of Frost and Starlight — Audible purchase — Sarah J Maas — fantasy. LOVED it and I needed to refresh my memory about the storyline before A Court of Silver Flames released. One thing — the book has extra material that aren’t included in the audio, so I ended up going back and reading the last 3 chapters just to make sure I wasn’t crazy and had imagined then ending. But it was a great listen.
My Favorite Half-Night Stand — Audible sale purchase — Christina Lauren — chicklit. I’ve been a huge Christina Lauren fan since I read Beautiful Bastard. They’ve got some of the best characters and dialogue I’ve ever read. I love me a friends-to-lovers story so I settled in for what I thought was a hot read. I did really enjoy the story and the narrators were awesome, but this felt more like women’s fiction than romance.
Money Shot — Audible purchase — Christa Faust –– noir. I’ve had this book in print since it came out in 2011 and was thrilled to find it in audio. The story is super dark, super violent and super fast-paced, so it fits the noir genre perfectly, although it is set modern day. The narrator did a great job. I can admit that the print cover is way way better than this audio cover.
GORGEOUS original artwork by Glen Orbik isn’t it just fantastic?
Getting Played — Audible sale purchase — Emma Chase — contemporary romance. This was a fun book, with great, endearing characters, steamy sexy times, and a clever plot. I loved it and the narration was top-notch. Highly recommended.
Make it Sweet — Audible purchase — Kristen Callihan — contemporary romance. BUY THIS BOOK. It is funny, sexy, sad, and totally swoonworthy. The sexual tension is this story is off the hook. Grumpy hero, sunshiny heroine, meddling family and serious life questions that aren’t glossed over at all. Narration was outstanding. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
WHAT I READ
A Court of Silver Flames — Sarah J Maas — I cannot even tell you how much I adored this book. You all know I’m a HUGE fan of hers, and she knocked it out of the fucking park with this one. It gave me such a book hangover that I had to switch to nonfiction. Not kidding.
The 5 Day Novel — Scott King — In a writing slump means I pull out one or ten of my books on the craft of writing. While I’d never b e able to finish writing a novel in 5 days, it definitely gave me some food for thought about my own writing process.
Fight Club — Chuck Palahnuik — I’ve seen the movie tons of times, it is truly one of my favorites. So that means I knew the spoiler in this one and it lost some of its punch–pardon the pun. While I enjoyed this book a lot….honestly it’s one of the few times I can admit that the movie is better.
WHAT I WATCHED
In addition to the following shows, I did watch a couple of hockey games. The Avs look good this year 👊
Greenland — pay-per-view — This was a doomsday/disaster movie and it was depressing as hell. Mr. James compared it to all those made-for-TV disaster movies of the 1970s.
The Old Guard — Netflix –– I didn’t know what to expect with this show, especially the “can’t die” aspect of the mythology. I enjoyed it enough that if they make a sequel I’ll watch it.
Space Sweepers — Netflix — Korean sci-fi drama — Mr. James thought if I enjoyed Korean romantic dramas I might like this, so I’m blaming this pick on him. Ugh. NO. The movie made no sense at all. Skip it.
The Painter and the Thief — Hulu — Documentary – the criminal who helped steal two of the artists painting in broad daylight was caught, but he was so high he didn’t even remember the crime, say nothing of what happened to the paintings. The artist befriended the man and the story is mostly about their friendship. I really liked it a lot.
American Gods — Starz — seasons 1 and 2 — this might be the most bizarre series I have ever watched. It’ is based on a Neil Gaiman novel (which I haven’t read) but it is so far out there you’ve really got to have an open mind and be content not knowing what’s going on most of the time. The acting is superb and the cinematography ranks up there as the best I’ve ever seen. It’s worth it for that alone. Watch at your own risk — it’s bloody, violent, weird, funny and creepy.
MUSIC THAT MADE ME HAPPY
Medicine at Midnight — Foo Fighters. I’m a rabid Foo Fighters fan and they released their 10th album this month. I love it as much as I love everything else they’ve done. And yes, I’m still old school that I buy the entire CD and don’t stream. It’s been great seeing them promoting this all over the place. I just love that damn band.
WHAT I CRAFTED
A slower month for me, but I can finally share the beaded piece I did for my middle daughter for Christmas. The first pic is the kit before I started, the second pic a close up of the beading and the last pic is how it turned out framed. I changed the beading colors on the outside of this one because it came with red and orange and I thought it looked clownish. I also added more color beads to the initial pattern to give it a more 3D look. The final framed image is in a 10X10 frame.
This next project is also from a kit, and is done on canvas. And again, I didn’t like the French phrase on the bottom, so I free-handed and added beads and stitching with black floss over it, but then it needed more on the top so I kept adding until I was happy. I definitely wanted to cover all the color markings. It is a small piece, only 3 X 3. I liked it because it had a bunch of different sized and shaped beads to work with.
There’s something about following a pattern that I prefer in crafts. Oh, I’m sure I’ll free-bead it some day and come up with my own designs, but for now I’m happy completing someone else’s pattern. This is another fully beaded piece from the same collection as the lily and the other rose I did as a gift. The sizing was just short of the frame I’d selected, so I opted to add a border all the way around, which added a ton more work. I also added more beads on top and nestled in where I felt it looked sparse. In hand it looks very 3D. These pics are the various stages, which I needed to show myself I was actually making progress on it.
In January, before I attempted the ribbon embroidery piece, I found a piece of fabric and practiced the stitches first, So I have this little thing that is unfinished because I don’t know what to do with it….
WHAT I COOKED
I know I had a cookbook release this month so this post should be chock-full of all the good things. However, I didn’t have a super successful month in the kitchen so I didn’t want to jinx myself.
First up is a dish I hated making and eating. This pork shoulder, chopped up and seasoned for carnitas had a ton of prep time and the results were underwhelming even when I used the saute function on the Instapot. Mr. James liked it and ate the leftovers and said I was too picky, but I’ll never make this again. Especially not after he smoked a pork shoulder the following week and the flavor was fantastic. I will stick to chicken Instapot recipes for now.
The hasselback chicken turned out pretty well so I will make it one again. Cream cheese/spinach mix is stuffed in the slices. The last pic is of the cooked chicken with roasted potatoes and burned Brussels sprouts. Yum right?. This is a hybrid recipe from Martha Stewart and Gina Homolka.
Tandoori chicken–marinated chicken thighs with roasted veggies, cooked entirely on a sheet pan. I liked this recipe a lot, because I already had the ingredients, it was easy to make and it cooks on one sheet. Yes, I was supposed to “crisp” the veggies but maybe not that much. Recipe is from Skinnytaste One and Done cookbook by Gina Homolka
And that is a wrap for me for February! As for the contest: leave a comment, and I’ll pick a winner for a signed copy of COWBOY BITES! The more comments this post gets, the more inclined I’ll be to give away TWO copies! So tell me about your month!
Thanks to everyone who read this until the very end 😘
XOXO
L~
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Roxanne Farrington said:
I love your books and Man Candy! Always brighten up a gloomy day!😍
Erin Dixon said:
Thanks for all you do I absolutely love all your work!!! Hope you have an amazing weekend!
Patty said:
You definitely did listen to a lot of books in February. I read a lot.
I love your crafts. My craft of choice is counted cross-stitch, adding a little crochet now and then.
Juli Hall said:
I love your man candy posts and your books.
Thanks for the chance
Ellen Bartel said:
February has been extremely slow at work, but we’ve been working on our powder room, changing the flooring, replacing the toilet and vanity. I watched Atypical, which we loved, Britannia, that was really good and watched You, that was a strange one but fun to watch. Also a movie called The Dig, based on a true story of treasure findings.
I don’t think I cooked anything new recently.
Jacey said:
I wish I could feel as motivated as you!! Love all your crafting and cooking!!
Marcie L. said:
Hello!
I always look forward to your newsletter. Also, my February went quick. I was just working and book blogging like I always do, and shopping from home…..AMAZON!
Thanks so much for the chance!
Chrissy said:
February seemed like such a long month. I was finally back in the classroom, which was great but a huge adjustment after months of teaching from home.
I love your beadwork and might need to try it out one of these days. I need something to take my mind off of everything going on in the world.
bn100 said:
fun crafts; didn’t do much
bn100 said:
didn’t do much
Dar said:
I think February is always the longest shortest month 😐
Joy said:
February flew by, busy with chasing my youngest around for basketball 🏀. Work, work and more work. Getting ready for graduation can’t believe I have a senior.
Caroline Simon said:
I worked on a quilt for my daughter. I’m sewing the binding on today. Hopefully I can deliver it next weekend.
Jennifer Beyer said:
I’m bummed about your carnitas. I love making them. They are such a versatile meat!
Julie Mayer said:
Love your recommendations. Ive never read Sarah J. Maas and I’ve been debating starting the ACOTAR series. Looks like I better get on that soon!
Karen Harbur said:
I agree completely, Robert Petkoff is an amazing narrator! I’m saving for Cowboy Bites and have been enjoying everyone’s pictures of their completed recipes. I cross stitch but haven’t tried beading, your projects turned out beautifully, I loved the white one.
Debra Wolsleben said:
I have just recently purchased audiobooks from Chirp and have not yet listened to any. I appreciate the heads up on some you listened to. Those beaded pictures are beautiful! I am undecided whether or not I like my instapot. Our results have been mixed. Hope March is kinder to you.
Mary Preston said:
I loved THE OLD GUARD too. I can see it as a TV series or a follow up movie.
I have added to my reading list thank you.
Mary C said:
February was a snowy month – at least the amount of snow for each storm never exceeded a foot, so it was manageable. I listened to the Harry Potter books with my nieces and nephews.
Anne Fortunato said:
I love your bead work. I’ve done counted cross stitch for years but have not been able to do much lately.
Jenny Black said:
It was a blah month. But I’ve just made the Chili from Cowboy bites for the 2nd time. Funny thing is that a few days after I had made it the first time my husband had some canned chili and has said the one i made was a lot better. This time I changed up a little thing here and there. In a few days I’ll be trying the roasted garlic mashed potatoes. I look forward to that one.
Jeanine Lesperance said:
I may have to try some shorter audio books. I have been listening to long ones lately and they take a long time to finish, even though I like them. On the flip side, I have been reading shorter novels.
Teri said:
I tokk note of some of the books to add to my To Read list. Thanks for the recs!
AnnaMarie Melchiorre said:
You are so talented. Your writing and your crafting are exceptional. Don’t stop either one.
Go McKays.
Teri C said:
I always look forward to your book recs. Thanks for sharing the good & the bad!
Ruthie Holt said:
Not enough days in February! Finished a 6-month long kitchen remodel. I am WAY more excited about finally cooking on a natural gas stove than I should be. 🔥 Work was crazy BUT the fun news is I was getting loose ends tied up because I get to retire next week. 🎉
pc said:
You’re amazing…so much done! I’ve been doing more audiobooks and kindle books. I love having physical books to read but my hands and eyes are feeling the mileage…the same goes for crafts and any projects need hand dexterity but I’m going to do the Cowboy Chili. 😉
Michelle D Holden said:
I think I purchased my 40th puzzle to do, mind you I still have not put the 39 I purchased before this one together yet. I work 4 10’s and am exhausted. The only books I read were yours, Cowboy Bites 5 times to get my review up and just enjoy it after the rush of the first read so I enjoyed it with each reread. I reread my all time favorite, Shoulda Been A Cowboy for probably the 450th time and then started Long Hard Ride again as well 😀
However I do love crafts and I purchased a lot of paper and rubber stamps to scrapbook and make cards (I have so many card making/scrapbooking items it looks like I owned a craft store that went out of business.
I have been ordering the funniest, naughtiest cards from “Muddy Mouth Cards” They are hilarious.
As for work they are changing our computer system over and after 16 years of using this system and having to “virtually learn” I feel like I’m going to lose my marbles. It makes me wish I could retire.
I am excited that the show Good Girls is coming back tomorrow night though 😀
Jeanne Stone said:
It was a hard month. Thanks for sharing!
Juliana Forrest-Lytle said:
I just wanted to say, I loved Cowboy Bites! Thank you for taking the time to revisit so many of our favorites and I can’t wait to try more of these awesome recipes. (My eight year old daughter is already a huge fan of the mug cake recipe 😊) .
Diane Amato said:
I love February (my birthday month)! We took our kids and granddaughter out to dinner to celebrate my birthday and my son finishing his 90 days probation period at a new job he loves.
I wish I crafted but I just don’t have the talent for it.
I’ve had to cut down on my baking because my husband gave up sweets for Lent however I made two loaves of zucchini bread and sent them to a cousin in Florida. Baking and reading relax me
Stacy G said:
I love your honest rewiews on books and movies. It is very appreciated. You should listen to Neil Gaiman’s American Gods audiobook. I’m glad I did before watching the series, it helps. The series is very bizarre but good at the same time.
Valerie Swiger said:
February brought a lot of Kindle reading while hubby prepped a bedroom for painting. Also cooked several Emily Bites’ soups (leftovers divided and frozen.).
Kaitlyn H said:
LOVED cowboy bites. Loved catching up with some of my favorite couples!!! Definitely glad that February is over – and ready for spring to arrive!
Teri M said:
OMG! How do you find the time for all of that!! Love Love that rose
Susan Dougherty said:
Thanks so much for your sharing of what you have been doing. I really enjoy reading it. I am always reading one book, and listening to another one. I really love audiobooks. February is a rough month for me, because my daughter, who passed away just a little over a year ago, her birthday is in February, but reading helps me get through those times.
Angie Malone said:
I mostly read this month, as usual. During the snow storm when I was at home for a week, I finally started watching shows on the dvr. I really love Escape to the Chateau! I also cleaned out my closet.
I agree that for the shortest month, February seemed pretty long!
Thanks for the chance!
Jamie Stahl said:
You are such a busy bee. I am always amazed at everything you do from writing to crafting to cooking!
Christine Sanders said:
Wow! You did so much in February! Beautiful bead & ribbon work! 💕
Lisa Rounsley said:
February brought a head cold so a lot of sleep and binge watching Sons of Anarchy. A little reading, but mostly sleep.
Amy Perrault said:
In February I was very busy painting an apartment & doing as much as possible to get it ready. I also got my last 3 tattoos near the end of the month so I now have 12. I also went to visit my parents which has been a while. We had finished a lockdown so it’s been nice being out. I’ve been reading a lot lately & my kids have been doing online schooling.
Sylvain Perrault said:
I have been working most of the month as well getting a unit ready for a new tenant. I got a new hood fan plus playing hockey. I went out with my family which was nice. I also bought some nice things for my wife & daughter & a few games for me.
Tambra Byrne said:
I totally agree with you that February was the longest month ever. Besides working this damn day job, I spent the month watching 42 hours of a genealogy conference that turned virtual instead of in person because of this stupid virus. It was presented last September and I have until March 15th to watch. I just happen to be one of those people that waits until the last minute (unless it comes to reading my books). My husband is retired and does all the cooking, so I don’t usually step foot in the kitchen.
Kellie M Rossow said:
February has always been and most likely will be the shortest/longest month. The first of the month was wonderful with my son’s 39th birthday, learning that a new grandbaby will be here this fall and the final decision to retire from education this year.
Uri hit Texas like a wall of bricks. This state was was not prepared for that Arctic cold front at all. Our East TX temperatures never dip into the single digits or teens. There might have been a day in the past where the temperature will decrease to 18/19 but only for a couple of hours, NOT 24 hours. Unfortunately, I lost 80% of my plants, succulents, cacti (in my greenhouse) and some trees. Uri made me angry but the storm was a teaching tool. It was good to see the tail end of the storm.
Fortunately, my husband and I only had short rolling blackouts and never lost water. Our Co-Op COO lives a mile down the road so luck was on our doorstep. Country living is good when you have friends and neighbors in high places…..lol.
After a deep breath and watching Uri haul rear east, the end of the month was balls to the wall. Hopefully, March/April/May will give us some breathing room and some light at the end of this tunnel.
Kathleen O said:
Not much happened in February, but I did read a lot of great book, one being The Poet and another was Firefly Lane by Kristen Hannah..
Danielle Cole said:
All of the food you cooked looks great! I try to find new recipes since the same ones over and over get a bit stale. Hope all is well in your neck of the woods!
Moran said:
I read Troublemaker by Kayley Loring last year and I really enjoy it. I discovered her books last year and I enjoy her writing style.
I have Make Sweet by Kristen Callihan on my wish list and I need to move it to the top of my list.
Kimbe said:
Had a trip to Indianapolis after they got of snow made for an interesting drive but got to see granddaughters. Reading and still purging house of items we don’t use anymore. Hoping March is a good month for all.🤗
LaKesha said:
I had a very slow and cold February. I was very happy to see March come and along with it a much need vacation. Not going anywhere, just going to sit and read. Kids will be with the in-laws and hubby has to work. I can’t wait!😎
Anne said:
Luke Daniels is probably my favorite male narrator (Susan Erickson for her outstanding work on the In Death series by J.D. Robb is my favorite female narrator) especially for his work on Kevin Hearne’s iron Druid books. The man makes a talking Irish wolfhound believable !
Might have to dig up that tandoori chicken recipe. Indian food costs the earth here.
Linda Farabaugh said:
February is my favorite month. My birthday is in February. Plus my two sons birthdays are also in February. Plus I like Valentine’s Day. We get our biggest snow in February around President’s day. I like a big snowstorm. One a year. It melts quick. Then after the snow is my birthday. Almost March by then. So it goes quick for me.
Kalli said:
Love love love all your books!!!!! Been reading them for 10 years!!!
Jennifer Leigh said:
I’ve been reading pretty much nonstop. I’m disabled and have nothing else to do. According to my Goodreads Reading Challenge, I’ve already read 71 books this year!😂 Thanks for the updates. Your Rough Riders series remains one of my favorites! I’m keeping my fingers crossed you continue the Legacy series!❤️
Yvonne Cruz said:
Gorgeous handwork.
Boy, you listened to a lot of audiobooks . I too enjoy listening to them
Ashley Hasting said:
You were definitely more productive than I was. I didn’t have much time to read or create anything, but I kept busy helping my daughter hustle some Girl Scout cookies!
Jennifer Tremblay said:
I love your books!! My February was spent helping kids with their virtual learning, dr appointments being canceled on me, and starting to get my physical health in shape. I have not been anywhere in a month and it is driving me crazy. I need a day out in the woods to recharge. Just keep swimming is my mantra. I have to keep going no matter the outcome of my appointments I will fight for me. 💖💖💖
Susan Craig said:
February is always tough. I am a tax accountant. I can’t wait for 4/15. Hang in there.
Sam McCarthy said:
Wow! I got worn out just reading your post!! Sounds like you accomplished a lot!”
Melinda Hennies said:
I am sk glad February is behind S it was so cold here in Minnesota..I continue to read alot ..I believe I just finished #25 of year..and I continue to make greeting cards and send to many friends who are not able to see people because COVID..I have sent happy mail for the past year.. here’s to Spring Nd BTW..Loved Cowboy Bites ❤
Lynne Lee said:
I kept reading as usual. I don’t watch as much TV as I use to because I would rather read. I have also suddenly become a big fan of The Bee Gees and have been listening to all their songs and watching interviews with them. I always enjoy seeing your crafts.
Marina said:
I am alwsys amazed by the things you manage to do within a month. You are so crafty.
In my case, it was work, work, work and more work. But I took tomorrow off so I am planning on some reading and sleeping 😉
Sandy Pochapin said:
I loved the pics of the ribbon embroidery. I don’t mind February so much, it’s when I was born.
Kay said:
I am still hibernating because February was darn cold in Michigan. I went to my closet and took out some old books of the Muddy gap gang. Love them still
Brenda Peterson said:
I love listening to audiobooks. I can listen while I am knitting. Though, I read Cowboy Bites on my ereader. LOVED IT! Just started listening to the Court of Silver Flames. Thank you for recommending this series awhile ago.
Sonya said:
Love your books. Decided to go back & reread some of my old favorites. I’m starting with “Cowgirl Up & Ride”. Had double jaw surgery 2 weeks ago. Can’t eat a whole lot right now but would love to have a copy of “Cowboy Bites”. Would love to try the recipes in 4 weeks when I can eat again!!
Leslie Smith said:
My school transitioned from hybrid learning back to full time. The constant changes are adding more stress. Both of my kids celebrated their birthdays last month…homemade cookie cakes and ice cream without guilt. You should try reading/listening to American Gods. Agree with you that it’s bizarre, but the idea of gods emigrating from their home lands along with humans is interesting and clearer in the text.
Happy March!!
Ashley said:
I got a new nephew this month best present ever
Maha A. said:
“Rough Riders “is my best series of all times. I wish you could continue writing more books in this series.
Sandy Marlow said:
February was my meltdown month. Was in pain of one form or another all of 2020 and then with the year being in isolation was imminent, well, it was just a bit much! LOL was on my exercise bike (part of my therapy for a knee replacement) and trying not to sob in a huge pity party. But afterward talked to a few friends and continued with my therapy – where there’s people!! – and all is well now. Glad you had a great month, Lorelei!
Lisa said:
I love Getting Played, Dean is so dang sexy. I also love Getting Schooled. Both audio versions are exceptional.
Brandi H said:
Thanks for the chance. February has been a month! I am glad it is over.
Brandi Forester said:
Your February was way more productive than mine!
Ginna Honeycutt said:
Rough Riders is my all time favorite series!
Kathleen Bylsma said:
I agree, a loooooong short month! February iis always tough for me because daylight iis increasing at five plus minutes a day but its generally the coldest month of winter.
Love your hand work! Always envious of such a fine skill and am so hapy to see its resurgence.
The cooking is very interesting. Im a big fan of tandoori!
Thanks for the lovely blog!!
Jessica said:
I loved these little bites of stories soo much! The Rough Riders series was my first dip into Western Romance and I literally recommend it to everyone. Like on BookTok I will leave a comment that people really need to get into this series.
Angie H said:
So many great books!! And your recipes look great, might have to check a couple things out, since I’m tired of the same thing over and over again!! Have a great spring!!
Reneé said:
I got my 1st and 2nd Pfizer vaccines and am finally feeling better about leaving the house for more than work.
Terry Cunningham said:
I love your books and just finished Cowboy Bites. Tried the cowboy steak already and it was great. Love rough riders series best
Gretchen Parker said:
Taking a break from spring cleaning and looking at online porn (The Container Store dot com) by re-reading some of your books. Looking forward to your next release.
Serena Kenton said:
I so look forward to your newsletter!
I’m happy February is over, ready to move forward to spring.
I will have to look into one of those instapots. Can’t wait to try some of the recipes from Cowboy Bites.
Jayme Maresh said:
Trying to read all you bookd
Anne Stevens said:
Wowza you did listen to sooo much! I always enjoy your blogs and recommendations. I listened to Warlord wants Forever last month and am HOOKED to that series and narrator now (on book 3 now)! And I agree that I love Christina Lauren so much, but their last few works haven’t blown me away like past ones. Enjoy March and thanks for the giveaway!!
Larri said:
February was a busy month for me. The sale of my house closed on February 1, then I moved across the country. I’ve been settling in, and doing all the things one must do when moving to a new state. I’ve been busy, but it’s been good.
Latifa Morrisette said:
February was stressful and March is definitely shaping up to be the same way. I love the crafting you did.
Petra R Crutchfield said:
February was super long. Lots of time reading and cleaning. Spending time with my kids.
Isabel cerulli said:
Doing some spring cleaning, trying to keep busy, love your books, Wish they were real so I can take a vacation there, lol 😁😀😇
Rochelle said:
Well the month of February was full. I got to see and hug my parents…they received their Covid shots so my dad let us hug him. They are so happy you would think they just got out of prison. With all the snow grandkids were out of school and some got to play in it for the first time. So that was fun for a short time, mostly because we had heat. We have a new baby girl in the family. And I’ve read or listened to several new books. Keep Sharp, Gut health, Fast feast repeat…so I’ve been at least walking since I read keep Sharp by Sanjay Gupta almost daily. I have sat to much this last year. I love your books I’ve been trying to get several of your books from the library. I’ve finish all but one book from the rough riders series. And I’ve listened to another series and I’m trying to get those from the library also. They do not have any of your books at BARD. Hopefully they will get some.
Pam Gomes said:
February, well it was busy. The most notable thing is that I started a new craft – a woven wreath. I saw this on the Lovely Indeed blog a few years ago and it stuck with me. I’ve had a home decorating bug and thought my version of the wreath would look good over our bed. We’ve lived in our house over 5 years and there is NOTHING on our bedroom walls. So I’m working on a smaller sample to see how this process works. I’m loving the colors and texture so far, but still figuring out how to cover some of the vertical yarn that you weave around. Looking forward to seeing how it comes out.
Jana Leah said:
Your beading projects are so pretty. I didn’t do anything special in February. Just lots of reading, but I like that. Thanks for the giveaway!
Joy Isley said:
I like your ribbon embroidery. Very nice
Rose Marie Wright said:
I am re-reading Blacktop Cowboy Series and then it will be the McKays. That is two series that are timeless. When I purchased Cowboy Take Me Away i waited about 6 weeks before I read it -because I knew the series would be over. After the reading I’m busy with the yard chopping out all the dead plants and pruning Rose bushes. I know its late But I will not work in yard with below freezing temps. Hope March is a better month but I would like to see Spring temps before Hot temps. We never seem to have Spring anymore.
Jennifer Hollar said:
I turned 39. I read/listened to 17 books (Donna Grant’s ‘A Cowboy Kind of Love’ was my favorite). And I decorated my Christmas tree for Valentine’s ❤️
Elizabeth KW said:
I’ve been a big audiobook listener for over 15 years. I’ve gotten very lucky about narrators! I listen to the sample, I read the reviews for what they say about the narrator. You are so right about Robert Petkoff!
flchen1 said:
I’m amazed at how much you fit into a month, Lorelei! I read a ton in February, including a few proofreads that will be coming out in the next month or so. Some of my faves were some of Kelly Hunter’s and Amy Andrews’ backlists. Also Shit Actually by Lindy West was hilarious–a collection of essays/reviews/recaps of iconic movies. Tried a few new recipes, including one for a Thai curry and another for Korean-style pork belly, which made the make-it-again list. The one-pan Tandoori chicken looks intriguing! Thanks for the suggestion!
flchen1 said:
I’m amazed at how much you get done in a month, Lorelei! I did read a bunch last month, including some fabulous titles off the backlists of Kelly Hunter and Cynthia Eden and Amy Andrews. Lindy West’s Shit, Actually was also hilarious–it’s a collection of essays/reviews/recaps of iconic movies. I love the looks of the Tandoori chicken one-pan meal–thanks for the suggestion! We tried a few new recipes last month, including one for a Thai curry that we would definitely make again!
Elisa A said:
February was both fast and slow for me. The first half, the quicker half, I was busy helping my DH work on renovations in our guest bedroom. The second half, we continued to work on the renos, but we were also quarantining ourselves for 2 weeks so we could go visit my mother-in-law for her 90th birthday. She lives by herself, so we really wanted to be there on her birthday. I planned every meal from home, and packaged all the herbs/spices and other ingredients, brought my own pressure cooker and tagine and other accessories to cook every meal while we were there. She is a meat & potato type cook, and she uses salt and pepper. That’s it. But she likes to try other cuisines. I made lamb tagine with couscous, curried veges, broccoli/cheddar soup, Chinese fried rice, bacon/onion grilled cheese, Greek salad, and more. She loved it all! I made sure to make extra every meal and froze all the leftovers for her. So she had many meals in here freezer when we left.
In February, I started to read Jasinda Wilder’s Falling series. It is sooooo heart-breaking! I’m a very slow reader, I’m only half way through the 2nd book. The story-line is a bit choppy, but she writes in such detail that I’ve cried along with the characters in the book!
For cooking/baking, I’ve gone back to my favs this past month. I made a lot of chocolate items. 🙂 Brownies, choc chip cookies, chocolate cupcakes, chocolate cream roll. For meals, it was all mindless standards – pasta, risotto, baked beans, tacos, roasted chicken, steaks on the BBQ, steamed fish and rice, roasted vegs, tortellini, chicken soup, etc.
Thanks Lorelei!
Take care!
Kristin Lidinsky said:
Always look forward to your newsletters. My February was pretty intense as I was retiring from a job and training my replacement. Living in Florida, we missed the terrible weather- our comes later. Just ordered Silver Tongue Devil. Now that I am retired, you have inspired me to take up some kind of needle work. Will check out the Sarah Maas book. Watching The Sinner Series on Netflix. Try it if you haven’t watched it.
Heather Cicio said:
Wow! You sure do keep busy! That Kresley Cole book sounds great! I put it on my TBR! And your crafts are beautiful! You are multi talented, that’s for sure! Thanks for sharing and for the awesome chance!!
Aprilp said:
My February was really busy. The company I work from moved to a new building. And Competitive Cheerleading has started doing in person events again so I spent several weekends out of town.
Ginger Connatser said:
February was snowy so I spent most of my time working, shoveling snow, and snuggled under the covers reading.
Judy Cohen said:
We had so much snow and cold weather that I barely left the house. Started rereading the Blacktop Cowboys series, and fell in love with Renner and Tierney and Kyle and Celia all over again.
I finally got my Covid shots, and I’m looking forward to getting out more.
Hopefully March will be a little warmer for all of us.
Michele said:
February was really tough for me as we approach the 1 year anniversary of the lockdown. I compensated by adding yoga (which I am very bad at) and experimenting with my new Foodi Flip air fryer. There were some spectacular failures but hubs was always a really good sport. Looking forward to April!
Kim B said:
Snow was a major factor in my February. The day before a trip to Indianapolis for doctor appointment they received their largest snowfall in several years made for interesting travel. It was worth it though since I got to see my 3 granddaughters who live there and. I love your crafts I’ve tried to get back into crafting but my patience isn’t there anymore.
Susan T. said:
While February came and went, I’m still in a book slump. Have been watching people thrifting at the GoodWill. Can’t believe the amount of things people donate. Hopefully I can come out of the book slump soon.
Juliana Forrest-Lytle said:
I love your monthly wrap ups. They not only keep us informed they remind us you are human (and awesome) no matter what! Thanks for these glimpses into your days and for the chance to win a signed Cowboy Bites. Btw, my 8 year old daughter loved the mug cake recipe 😊
SARAH TAYLOR said:
Love your crafts and I got a New Great Grandson in Feb. Now I am waiting for my New Granddaughter to be born in April if not this Month have a wonderful day!
Aly P said:
You had a really full month! I am rewatching old John Oliver episodes of Last week tonight… They are still so relevant.
Lisa said:
I love your blog. It’s always a nice variety.
Becky Bourque said:
I am a covert to audiobooks too because I drive a lot running my kids around and they are perfect for that. I love your suggestions and have listened to a few of them already and they were so good. I’ll be adding to rest my wishlist right now.
Going back to college in my thirties has been a lot with three kids and a husband so I don’t get to watch as many movies as I’d like to and I’m so not crafty. Lol But it’ll be worth it when I’m done.
Danielle mcdonald said:
This month is hard for me we are needing to find a place to live and its nearly impossible here in southern california
Nan D. said:
I definitely L.O.V.E. a signed copy of COWBOY BITES to add to my collection of signed books. Or ANY of your books. 🙂
I’m not a very crafty person. I’ve been working on a baby quilt for my great-grandson that was born LAST February. Yes. February of 2020! I’m just hoping to get it done before he starts college.
Mirele Dourado Pauly said:
wow, what a productive month you had. And I loved your craft work, it’s so, so pretty! You are very talented.
I basically studied, worked and read.
Thank you so much for the chance. I hope it’s international.
Have a wonderful rest of the week.
M.
Melissa said:
I love seeing your audiobook reviews! I agree that Christina Lauren’s books are now more women’s fiction than hot romance. I respect the authors’ choice to change style, but I miss their old writing style. I also loved Make it Sweet! It made me want all the desserts.
All I did this past month is work, listen to books and clean my house. I need to make time for more hobbies!
Cyndi said:
Hello.
I have never replied to one of your blogs before because it is emailed to me and I always read them on the fly. But it is time that I do because I wanted you to know that I look forward to them and read every word. I love your books and hearing about what you read, cook and craft. I also love your honesty and that you don’t apologize in advance for having an opinion.
I also very much enjoy the Man Candy Mondays. Please keep sending them.
Tiss Johnson said:
February was spent calving. Feeding cows, and trying to draft twin calves onto cows who’d lost their calves for whatever reason. We are presistant. took 3 weeks to draft one calf on. I’m busy crocheting when I’m not outside. GEtting ready for any craft shows that come along this year. I’m working on Scrubbies and dishtowels. And staying up til 1 or 2 am to watch the TV shows that I record, cause Morell doesn’t watch ANYthing other then sports or news.