hot_roses6

Recently Finished
Lucky Stiff
Third book in the Lillian Byrd murder mystery series.

The Cartographers
When the MC's father dies, she finds an old road map in his things, the source of a massive fight years ago that resulted in him cutting ties with her and blackballing her from the cartography world. In trying to figure out why her father would have kept the map, she learns about not only the secrets of the map itself, but about her parents. I enjoyed this but it was very slow for the first half or so.

The Hanging Tree
A woman goes on a writing retreat at a remote manor and learns of a local legend about a young woman who was hanged as a witch on the property and decides that's what she wants her next book to be about. The book is told in dual timelines with the present being about her research and the past being the actual events. I liked this, but there was way too much romance focus in both the past and present.

Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant?
Graphic novel about the author's relationship with her parents, especially focused on caring for them in their final years. I really liked this a lot.

Huda F Cares? and Huda F Wants to Know?
Second and third books in the Huda F series of YA graphic novels about a very religious Muslim teen loosely based on the author's life. I continue to enjoy this series.

Hatsukoi no Tsugi vol. 3
Final volume in this companion series to Koi-iji. I liked this a lot.

1. All week I have consistently felt like it was one day further into the week than it was, and not for any reason I can pinpoint (like there wasn't anything that was on a different day than it usually is or anything), so there were a couple times today when I was like, glad it's Friday and then realized there was still another Friday, but now tomorrow is actually Friday for real and then the weekend! And in two weeks from today I will be on a plane to Japan!

2. It was so hot today I could barely take a half mile walk today at lunch, but I did stop and get a delicious teriyaki beef sandwich and freshly made lilikoi malasada while I was out.

3. Chloe really loves relaxing on Carla's bed, especially on the top half. She's got this nice window there, too.

1. Yesterday morning when I got back from my walk, I somehow lost the top to my airpods' outer case. It had to have fallen out either on the porch or inside the house, because it's very noticeable without it so it could only have been right after I put them back in my pocket after putting them in the case. I looked around a little but had to go to work, and Carla looked some more during the day and didn't find it, so I ordered a new case, which came today and I really love it. For one thing, the top is attached! I really like the variety of colors, so I ordered another one for my backup pair, and for Carla's ones as well. Right after that, Carla found the top to the old case in the living room in a tangle of power cords lol. But these new ones are cheap and I really do prefer the attached top. The one I thought I lost was a Star Wars Pride one from Disneyland, so I'll still use it seasonally (I also have a Mickey Halloween one).

2. I got my haircut today. Carla had an appointment, too, so it took longer than when it's just me and I didn't feel like going to Gardena just for a little bit in the afternoon, so I just worked from home the rest of the day. It was just web meetings in the afternoon anyway.

3. This morning when I got up, my PC would not turn on. The power cord is one of those that has a light showing when it's plugged in, so I could tell it was still getting power and that wasn't the problem. I thought maybe it was stuck in an update or something, so I went for my walk, but when I came back it still wouldn't turn on. I decided to unplug it from the power strip while I ate breakfast and then it finally came back on again! I really should do a backup of my files just in case...

4. Few things are cuter than cats covering their face coyly.