Jan can you see me

Lets all have a collective laugh the best I could for a title this late in the game but it's the best I could do. And who doesn't like a good pun once in a while. So January 2025 what can I say. Hey Hey, did you see what I did there. Okay that's enough, I swear. There was a punch to the first day but a worthy laugh to say the least into the new year!

If you been around here for a while you know where to find me on the first day of each year. Its the one thing I look forward to each year. I couldn't tell you which city I will be each year and yet I will be but my will feet touch sand and ocean water on the first day is one tradition that will never end. The only debatable thing if the coffee will be in hand or not in the present moment walking on the sand and what place to eat at before going home. The only requirements on the first day of the New Year. And that's all I will say. But saying this while on my second cup of coffee before noon on a Sunday on my bed in April writing about January and heavily distracted by many episodes of Greys Anatomy.

The big thing that happened on the first day of the year didn't happen at the beach or at the Neptune's Net. Which by the way Neptune's Net was yummy as usual surprising crowed on the first day to find a spot. I guess everyone had the same idea as we did. Of course I had my usual fish and chips but also with their world famous clam chowder soup. One could never go wrong with either options if I say as foodie and everything is good there regardless what you choice off the menu. One other thing to say on the subject of food is ice cream heaven. Try LE CAFE DE LA PLAGE the line will be long regardless when you go but it will be worth a taste but there's no ocean view to add. I had the pistachio and I think a coffee flavor underneath.

Okay, now that's over the big thing you all want to know and I will try not make it to long winded for you all . So after the perfect first day of the year of course something would happen. I wouldn't think I could escape something not to happen even on the first day. This is including two Starbucks runs later even to add and all coffees had were fantastic. On the drive back home things were just rolling along no problem from Malibu and halfway home. Remember the keywords :rolling along" in this little story. Just driving on the highway and just passed county lines that we heard a poof just a little poof and a thug thug. And my dad and I both said looking at each other , "That wasn't the cups of water". Just a few moments prior from the elevation change the air in the bottles, I was getting rid of air in them. Then Poof happened and the comment we said that the tire light came the dashboard of my car at the same time. The timing is very important to this story. Mind you when the poof happened there's construction on the Highway that hasn't been finished yet and there's the section of this specific highway where it splits off away from any exits of this said highway. Mind you upon reflecting said memory of the moment I'm think about the movie Speed. If you know , you know why I'm thinking about it. So the next few moments there was an exit D and fifteen minutes left on run flat tires and conveniently without complete google search for the nearest auto zone, there was one about two minutes away. Of course turning into the parking lot of said auto zone the tire was completely flat at the worst location of places with a convertible with minimal light to see. These would the evening of day one at 5:27pm. And one bottle of fix a flat inflator and finding a huge nail in the tire . Of course there was no spare tire and no air pump in the trunk either. This is where the laughing started because we are at auto zone and there's only us in the parking lot and what does on do in this situation. Record a video to capture the memory.

And AAA was called they sent one tow then that tow got rerouted to another situation. More laughing happened then magically another tow truck called and they were on their way. Now come to find out that tow guy was from our little town and his name was Zack. I would say small world timing or is it fate at the same time. Ladies ,don't go thinking it was love story brewing from this story but it's a nice thought through. Also in-between us that would make a great story in the books. On the rest way home was rock music playing on the radio, I couldn't tell you what the titles of the songs. I can just tell you that it made laugh all the way home . Knowing full well I got three dogs and one loud JJ that would love to kill me the second I got home. As you know I survived the situation and they forgive me , kind anyway. Sometimes Fate of things leads to a story of our lives to remember that's what makes life unexpected. And we all have a special book we live every day ,each page is different, so are the chapters.

The lesson here is even if in life things can be shit, (And I said that ) you can be the worst situation physically, emotionally at wrong time, place. Look at the positive side of things no matter what. And always remember too laugh even if in said worst situation. Because you can cry, and yell but laughter will change the situation guarantee will also make others around you to laugh, smile to. One other thing if you need to cry but you are laughing to and there's people around say you aren't sad, just half malfunctioning. Hehe. This what I might of said in a worst untimely of events but it was the truth.

I have a lot of things to catch you all about things, life. Some things will be easy to say, some thing I will never say and some things can be left unsaid on a page or napkin. Give me some time I will catch up on posts. And a little prewarning right now these posts will get longer since I'm falling in love again.. with sharing. I been coming back to me for a long time, sometimes I feel like I should hide that a little longer but at the same time not to hide away. I did promise a story or two coming your way. I just have a tight grip on that one story because it means more to me even though I know it's ready to give out to the world the thing , I don't know what the world would say back is the lingering question of life.

I will se you all soon, that's only handful of you or a stadium of you. You all matter. That's where I leave you and I feel good about leaving at that note.

X's and O's

Cassie

A Round Of Many Book Reviews

Well here we are the long awaited Book reviews from Last Season that I ran out of time to share.

Let me first say this group of books are quite assortment of stories they don't all go together reading them in order that I read them in. But that's how I read them. Each novel have their own special touch to them in my eyes. I tried to read with a theme of the each season, starting with Magic lessons by Alice Hoffman for fall season then followed by The Book of Candlelight by Ellery Adams. Then I started with 365 days series by Blanka Lipinska which was a little saucy of the novels. And ended with A Virgin River Christmas by Robyn Carr for the winter season. With that being said let's get into the long waited book recommendations.

Magic lessons by Alice Hoffman

Magic Lessons by Alice Hoffman is the prequel to Practical Magic. Which if you loved the book and the movie version of Practical magic you are going to love Magic lessons to be completely honest, I say it's even better then Practical Magic in my opinion. It's one novel that you want to read every Halloween season by a warm fire. It felt rich in the sense, that you are back in the 1600s along side Hannah, Maria and Faith Owens. I thought each character bought into the storyline made a impact individually right where Practical Magic history began. Beginning with Hannah's story for Maria, Maria's path to her own discovery of lessons and ending with Faith's own twisted path. I liked how the novel was broken up into six sections; Transformations, Talisman, Divination, The Charm and The Remedy, Fate. The last two sections were by far my favorite sections of the novel because it seemed the story was unfolding still and yet coming full circle at the same time. "Gogo" was my favorite human character in the novel he truly loved Maria , in every way a woman should be loved from the very second they met. Maria saved him first and he saved her in return, time and time again ; they were fated match even Maria held back her love from him. Faith was a strong child to begin with and grew into a strong woman, that lost her way for a bit but she found her way through her own magic lessons. I can't forget to mention Cadin; Maria's familiar ,in my opinion he was closer to human than a crow and always shared his thoughts, his feelings in his own ways. Love is never a bad thing , love is fated and love conquers any force of the world. That's what I took from the beautiful novel. Also, who would've thought Maria and Ruth would be the best friends in the end. Yes, I gave a way a little hint. My favorite quotes from novel are

"Fall in love wherever you can " Page 387 Magic lessons

"Everything you do will comeback in threefold." Magic Lessons

The Book of Candlelight by Ellery Adams

The Book of Candlelight by Ellery Adams was chosen to finish up my theme of bookstore novels from my previous theme. And to be honest I might have collected a few more books about bookstores. This novel particularly apart of a five book series called Secret, Book & Scone Society. It's written in a way where you can pick up any part of the series and jump in ,which I love in it's self. This novel is definitely a cozy mystery novel that instantly falling in love with the characters and feel like you are right in Miracle springs. And by the end of the novel you would want to be part of the Secret, Book & Scone Society club. I particularly love Nora she's has the gift of Bibliotherapy which if you love book as much as I do. You know that books have power to heal people within , when they think no one in the world can understand what they are going through exactly. Book can be that silent understanding friend, we all need sometimes. I would say these characters seem like a unlikely group of friends but you can genuine relate to the ladies of Secret, Book & Scone Society club. And Miracle Springs is a place of a small town full of powerful people with stories and reading this novel was scratching just the surface of the little place. Chapter Seven :" The Greatest Secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places " Roald Dahl Another point I would like to share; each chapter had it's own quote about the inkling to what could happen in the chapter. The mystery part of the novel was about how Danny was killed the Clay pot maker that marked all his works with a little Red Bird. Let me say this, who would of thought the symbol of a Red Bird would caused such chaos between finding the killer and finding out unknown history to Danny about the full meaning behind that little Red Bird... One of my favorite things about the storyline is the story within the novel about Rose ,Chea and original meaning of the Little Red Bird. Chapter Seventeen: " Memory is the diary that we all , carry within us" Oscar Wilde I would of loved to meet Rose in another life, if that was possible.

365 Days series

365 Days series was the little dark and twisted saucy novels between novels. Let me be honest once I watched the first move I wanted to know more about the storyline in depth. And let me tell you the novel didn't disappoint at all once I had it in my hands . And once I had it in my hands I finished it between two days. It's the far edger version of fifty shades of grey in my opinion. More intriguing, steamer. Don Massimo is the type of untouchable and yet he knows exactly what he wants. But when it comes to Laura he comes undone professionally and personally , she drives him crazy. Laura is the women in his vision and whom made him want to live. Laura Biel is the prefect character to his opposite and his equal. She has a fighter sprit even though she thinks, she just a ordinally woman from Poland. I love how Laura was brought into the storyline to meet Massimo but maybe not exactly being kidnapped should of happened. But I think Massimo just wanted her in is hands quicker than she could slip away back to Poland. I think another character that I love and I can't forget to mention is Domenico, He's the perfect supporting character to a "T" specifically in pages 277 and 290. He brings a little comedy to all levels of the novel and turned to being Laura's best friend in Massimo world. I can't forget to mention Olga, we have that one bestfriend that you would anything for and you have most wildest memories with. From this book alone I loved the moment where Massimo left presents for Laura and showed her that he could gentle if she shows him how to. I am trying not to give away too much from the first novel.

This Day ( 365 days) Book two by Laura Lipinska.

This Day by Laura Lipinska took it up an notch in the steamy level and this one was more of a page turner then the last one was. Lipinska has the gift of absolute cliffhangers in both novels, leaves you wondering how, why. After finishing the second novel within a few day, I literally said ,"There has to be more", flipping through imaginary pages missing. I did gave you full warning in advance. Intoxicating is a perfect world to describe the novel at the beginning to end. I loved how the book picked up right where is the first cliffhanger was, without missing a beat you will feel like you right there in the same room. In the second novel you will find more in-depth information about each character. For Example Domenico is more of a firecracker then he was in the first one. Which I love seeing both sides of Domenico's full personally. Let me tell you there will be another family member besides Domenico and Massimo that you don't want miss out on. Ask yourself how would an Italian/Polish Christmas work out ? Let me tell you now, not how you think. The biggest twist of the novel is who turns out to be the mastermind behind kidnaping Laura and to be from the most unexpected person from from the first novel would also come full circle between the two novels. I would keep my lips sealed on who it is, you just have to read to find out for yourself! Side note another lovable new character is Nacho in the most wrong way; it's hard explain but you will love him. And you will ask yourself at the end , How many times can one women being so heavily guarded to be kidnapped multiple times?

P.s I don't agree with the reviews of people's perspective of Laura; I think they misread how the author wrote her to be emotionally in the second novel.

A Virgin River Christmas by Robyn Carr

My last book review from last year is A Virgin River Christmas by Robyn Carr that I read for Christmas. Every time I get my hands on A Virgin River novel by Carr, I instantly felt like I am home. It just has a home feel to it like you can relate to every single aspect of the series as if you lived in the same town you grew up in. This one was a special one to fall in love with, I couldn't put down the book and when I did, spent hours thinking about Marcie Sullivan and Ian Buchanan. Their story takes you through their emotions throughout the novel. Two broken souls with a special person ( Bobby Sullivan ) that binds them and their path together in the beginning, in the middle and to the ending of the beginning of them. A love between them was undeniable and they both knew it from the start. Through all the darkness they held between them brought their own light through each other too. Marcie is the type of character we all need in our lives and quite a firecracker of a strong woman. Meaning she knew he was the key factor to her healing, she tracked him, a Marine that didn't want to be found. Ian thought being "Dead" to the world would solve his problems and quiet his mind. And yet he was still himself in small doses without realizing it , He needed Marcie to pulled him back into the light and showed him that Bobby was proud of him to the very end. I think if she didn't get pass out in his outhouse in a middle of a snows storm, they wouldn't have the time they need to heal their missing piece of themselves. I would say the two most important tangible items the flipped the whole novel would be the baseball cards and her unread letters. I would also like to mention when they both got tipsy reading the letters together was a moment I wished I wrote. The was a bit of a tad cliffhanger in my opinion for Carr at the end which has been a first from the author that I have seen. If you never read a novel by Robyn Carr , I highly Recommend if you do. It doesn't matter which one you start with... I promise you will fall in love instantly.

I know this was long over over Due for me to post these book reviews. I hope my own little book reviews would intrigue you to pick one or two them to read this year. And each one of them are quite different in their own way and special. Please let me know which one or all them you picked up to read. Also I am reading another book currently The Stolen Lady by Laura Morelli which is a Historical Fiction based in the World War Two timeline. And that one would be the first book review of 2022. Again I hope you enjoyed these book reviews and more to come! If you haven't read my latest blog post of 2022 , it's linked below.

Love Misread.