by Laura Griffin is a incredibly action-packed read and I was mesmerized throughout the entire book. I always enjoy Ms Griffin's ability to craft an suspenseful read but somehow this particular story resonated deeply with me. It highlights the extent of sacrifice made by those who have chosen to serve our country at the expense of their lives and personal relationships and reminds us of the tremendous cost paid by those who remain at home and wait and worry about their loved ones who constantly put themselves in harm's way. It is an even more poignant read in light of the current events in news today and my admiration for all of those who serve here and in other countries is even greater after reading this tale in addition to a couple of fantastic military romance books by Jessica Scott (Because of You and Until There Was You). I am seriously behind in my reviews but those should be posted within the week if all goes well. Scorched combines realistic characters with a suspenseful plot that ratchets up the excitement until one gives a sigh of relief with the last page. I like the fact that both the hero and heroine are proactive, fascinating fighters and they make an excellent team and there are intriguing secondary characters who have their own story that begs to be told, hopefully in the relatively near future. Scorched will be released at the end of October, put it on your list of 'to be read' books, my copy is going on my 'keepers' shelf! My Night Owl review is at this link.
On a personal note, my propensity for entering contests netted me tickets to several concerts and we were able to attend the Earth, Wind and Fire concert at the Los Angeles County Fair yesterday. Fair admission was included and although I was miserable since I don't tolerate heat well, we revisited many of the exhibits that remind me of the fun of going to a County Fair. I was able to see the remarkably vivid multicolored roses that are evidently cultivated in The Netherlands, a zonkey (zebra/donkey hybrid) and a zorse (zebra/horse), the beautiful Clydesdale horses (which made me think of Chris Platt's book, Star Gazer), beautiful handicrafts and the amazing things which are deep-fried....including pineapple and pineapple upside down cake...on a stick! No, I didn't try them...it was a very long way from home and I feared the results if I didn't tolerate them, lol. I did drag my poor husband around the food carts until we found a crepe maker, it was delicious. And of course, I had to buy cotton candy (there is a reason my dentist shakes his head at me).
The concert was fabulous (except for the heat headache I had)...I don't have that kind of energy so it is remarkable watching some of the original members of the band (which has been around 41 years) bounce around the stage. They covered their most popular songs in an extensive medley and the crowd had an excellent time. It was a great experience even though it was a little annoying to intermittently smell the awful stench of someone's recreational drugs. Nonetheless, this group tries to make sure that their audience is satisfied and they are definitely showmen. Some of the notes weren't quite as pure as they used to be but it was a fantastic trip down memory lane!
