Red Rain (Nameless, #4)

Red Rain by Dean Koontz
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Another great installment. More is coming to light, piece by piece.

1/20/2026: Another terrifying, satisfying adventure. Good narration.

The Praying Mantis Bride (Nameless, #3)

The Praying Mantis Bride by Dean Koontz
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Super dark, but very enjoyable.

1/19/2026: I echo my original review, and add that I would like a full-length novel detailing the events told in the flashbacks of this tale. Good narration.

Quote Of The Moment…

 "Denial endures because it soothes."
-Nameless (From The Nameless Audiobook Series)

Thoughts…

Okay, so I know I haven't posted a lot of BTG content. As much as I love the show, storylines don't exactly move at a clip. In most instances, what I just said would be considered a good thing. There's absolutely nothing wrong with a slow burn. Problem is when the entire show has that philosophy, and where still waiting for payoffs from storylines started in the debut week.

Let me be perfectly clear, while pacing is definitely an issue, performances, (generally speaking), are not. It's obvious that everyone involved is doing their absolute best to keep viewers coming back. All kudos to the people running the ship behind the curtain as well. Fantastic job. Funny, this wasn't where my original post was going. Let me get back on track.

Along the same lines of waiting unnecessarily long for payoffs that don't seem to be coming, there has to be a concerted effort to create more of a character balance. Those who have read this blog know that I absolutely hate when one particular character eats a show. In this case, Dana Leslie Thomas.

I absolutely adore Trisha Mann-Grant, but Leslie desperately needs a trip to the back burner. She has her nose in every story, and is yet to suffer repercussions or consequences for anything she's done. How much longer can the Laura/Leslie/attempted murder situation dangle without resolution? Ridiculous! Don't have the inclination at the moment, but I could go on about the need for Leslie to get what's coming to her for six or seven more paragraphs without even trying. Something has to be done. My advice? Sooner rather than later, before the audience starts exiting stage left.

All right, that last sentence was a little dramatic. Forgive me. Let me end by talking about aspects of the show I'm enjoying. The Anita/cancer storyline, and Tamara Tunie's performance are top shelf. So much so that it's difficult to watch at times. Dani and Andre, while in need of a bit more depth, are still adorable, and worth rooting for. It seems to be taking forever, but I can't wait to see how Hayley's plot plays out. Marquita Goings is doing a bangup job.

That's all for now folks. Will try to post more consistently.
 

Photographing the Dead (Nameless, #2)

Photographing the Dead by Dean Koontz
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The twisty, dark, fascinating journey continues. Good narration.

Snowy Tree With A Twist!

 

Photo Credit: Latisha Todman

 Love how the flash disrupts the picture in a beautiful way.

In the Heart of the Fire (Nameless, #1)

In the Heart of the Fire by Dean Koontz
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Love it even more than I did reading it on my Kindle the first time. Fascinating, complex characters, and great narration. Cannot wait to continue this dark ride.

Quote Of The Moment…

 "Beauty lies in imperfections."
-Rowan (From The Eden Book Series)

Rebels Of Eden

Rebels of Eden: A Novel by Joey Graceffa
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Would give it 10 stars if I could! The perfect end to an incredible series. Absolutely unforgettable perfection. Great narration.

1/18/2026: Beautiful, poignant, thought-provoking, scarily timely. Perfect ending to a wonderful series.

Quote Of The Moment…

 "So many things can go wrong between promise and fulfillment."
-Rowan (From The Eden Book Series)

Quote Of The Moment…

 "If will and dreams could bring success, I would be a hero."
-Rowan (From The Eden Book Series)

Shadows Of Cacti!

Photo Credit: Latisha Todman

 Saw this shadow my cacti was casting, and thought it was really cool. Wasn't sure if the picture would come out, but glad it did. 

Elites of Eden

Elites of Eden by Joey Graceffa
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Second book just as amazing as the first. Love everything about this world. Great narration.

1/17/2026: The journey continues, with satisfying twists and turns that I don't remember from the other times I read/listened. So good. Can't wait to see how it ends.

Quote Of The Moment…

 "Just because you dodged one bullet, it doesn't mean the universe emptied the gun."
-Pamela to Dani

Rainbow Fish!

 

Photo Credit: Steven Dvorkin

April 17th!

 Had mentioned to Eric the other day that O-Town is coming to Foxwoods, and that I would love to go. Went back and forth for a little while before making a decision, but got the tickets! Going to be so much fun. Don't really care about the people on the bill with them, but can't wait to see my boys. Super excited to share this experience with my best friend. O-Town isn't normally a group Eric would listen to, but I genuinely think he is going to get swept up in the fun atmosphere, and have a good time. Will be the fifth time I've seen O-Town. Who knows, maybe I'll even get to meet them again. Going to be a great day trip with awesome food, fantastic company, a little gambling, some shopping, and a fun show to end the night. Can't come soon enough!

Quote Of The Moment…

 "If love is out of the question, there's no point to this affection."
-Think Twice-Celine Dion

Children Of Eden

Children of Eden by Joey Graceffa
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Just as enchanting as when I read the Kindle edition. Slightly more so, because of the great narration. I absolutely cannot wait to listen to the second book. I love Eden,and this cast of characters.

1/14/2026: Just listened to this again after almost six years, and love it just as much.

Quote Of The Moment…

 "The musical blows the just off your soul."
-Mel Brooks

The Love Potion

The Love Potion by Becky Monson
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This one didn't do much for me. Even the twist near the end kind of fell flat. Good narration.

A Very Inconvenient Christmas

A Very Inconvenient Christmas by Becky Monson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Walks the line between adorable and saccharine perfectly. Good performances.

The Birthday Party

The Birthday Party by Shalini Boland
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This one has been on my TBR for a while. Decided to give it a listen today, and was not disappointed. Got me from the beginning, with good narration, and a twist in the final moments that may have caused an expletive to escape my lips.

Animal Farm

Animal Farm by George Orwell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

As much as it breaks my heart to say it, this book could have been written last week. Terrifying how on the nose it is. On a lighter note, I don't think I have ever enjoyed listening to an audiobook so much. Masterful narration.

Quote Of The Moment…

 "Niceness is the performance of kindness."
-Trevor Noah

Hemlock Lane

Hemlock Lane: A Novel by Marshall Fine
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Slow, sad, but very well written. Interesting look inside a complicated family. Decent narration.

Quote Of The Moment…

 "The secret about pro wrestling being out is not an excuse for bad art."
-Shayna Baszler

Old Yeller

<Old Yeller by Fred Gipson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Can absolutely see why it's a classic, and enjoyed it very much. The only ding preventing a better rating is the violence against animals. Understand the time period and all, but was exceedingly uncomfortable. Good narration.

Happy Anniversary!

BTG debuted one year ago today. Still can't believe there's a new daytime drama on the block. It's surreal. Fascinating stories, intricate, tight writing, and stand out performances have guaranteed the freshman year of this soap was successful. As a matter of fact, ratings have continued to climb on a consistent basis. I can't imagine CBS being anything but thrilled with their decision to get on board this wonderful train. May I be making happy anniversary posts fifty years from now, and enjoying the show just as much.

Quote Of The Moment…

 "Passion makes me ravenous."
-David to Anna

Strange Yet Adorable…

Photo Credit: Jill Rock

 Saw these at Walgreens a couple of weeks back for Valentines Day. Aren't they adorable?! Nice to see something other than stereotypical assorted chocolates in a heart-shaped box. Definitely made me laugh.

Cornelius!

Photo Credit: Jill Rock

 Meet Cornelius! Eric and I rescued him from Michaels, the day we saw Earth, Wind & Fire. Finally got around to the painting part, and I love how he turned out. Confession time. Cornelius is not his original given name, but I can't remember what was. Doesn't really matter. He's adorable no matter what. 

Cronus

Cronus: The Time Traveler's Passport by P. Djèlí Clark
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Poignant, necessary, and unfortunately timely. Good narration.

Misunderstanding…

All Manner of Thing Shall Be

All Manner of Thing Shall Be by Olivie Blake
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

Complete waste of time.

A Visit To The Husband Archive

A Visit to the Husband Archive: The Time Traveler's Passport by Kaliane Bradley
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The writing style is beautiful, and paints images perfectly, but the story doesn't feel deserving. I did enjoy it, and wouldn't mind a continuation. Passable narration.

For A Limited Time Only

For a Limited Time Only: The Time Traveler's Passport by Peng Shepherd
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Heartbreakingly sad, yet hopeful. Decent narration.

Getting Back To It!

Some of you may have noticed that I haven't posted about my Pine Valley friends in a little while. Truth be told, I needed a bit of a break. While I love the characters like family, the storylines were getting pretty heavy, and it was starting to weigh me down.

Break is over, and I'm pretty excited to dive back into the lives of my favorite fictional people. When will the truth about who really shot Frankie come to light? The sooner the better, I think. This whole Proteus storyline really needs to pick up steam.

Not going to do a giant play-by-play right now, but I do want to wrap up by saying that I absolutely cannot wait to visit with Leo and Greenlee again. Erica better show Greenlee some respect when all the Frankie drama is over for keeping Enchantment above water.

Okay, I'm really done. Longer recap/opinion piece soon.

Christmas Presents From Eric: 2025

 Okay, so, I know the title is self-explanatory, but the gifts were amazing. The whiskey fudge is absolutely delicious, the Labyrinth calendar is iconic, the nutcracker is equal parts terrifying and weird, but let's talk about the ceramic Christmas tree. Don't know if I've ever posted about my desire to own one on this blog, but I have wanted to since I was little. Must have said this to Eric at least a dozen times over the years. Thought I knew what the present was by the shape of the box, (I was totally wrong), but was completely shocked when I saw it. So beautiful! So grateful to finally have one. That it came from my favorite person makes it all the more special. Eric puts a great amount of time and effort into the gifts he gives, and they never disappoint. Awesome Christmas morning exchanging presents, and making memories.

Making Space

Making Space by R.F. Kuang
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Unique, strange, and quite scary. Stilted narration.

3 Days, 9 Months, 27 Years

3 Days, 9 Months, 27 Years: The Time Traveler's Passport by John Scalzi
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Absolutely fantastic. Falling more and more in love with time travel stories. Good narration.

Quote Of The Moment…

"I wouldn't believe Paul Heyman if his tongue came notarized."
-Corey Graves 

Evidence Of The Affair

Evidence of the Affair by Taylor Jenkins Reid
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Absolutely delicious! Fantastic! Great narration.

Quote Of The Moment…

 "You can't change your own history, so don't try to sugarcoat it, or lie about it."
-Smokey Glow

Rest In Peace!

Photo Credit: Jill Rock

 Flynnigan has passed away. Wasn't looking well when I got up this morning, almost like he had bloat or something. Couldn't swim properly, and was listing to his side. There were several times in a few minute span that I was sure he had gone, but then he rallied and started eating. Hope he really enjoyed his last meal. He was a very good fish, and will be missed. May the next leg of your journey be a peaceful one, my friend. 

Christmas Presents From Family: 2025

Photo Credit: Jill Rock

Rocking horse and Wicked ornament from mom, and beautiful Siamese kittens from my sister. Wonderful gifts.

Quote Of The Moment…

 "I can't fight your fight, but I'm in your corner."
-Vernon to Anita

Captured Us Perfectly!

Found a Simpsons filter on an Instagram ad a couple of days before Christmas and did this. Loved it so much that I printed it out, framed it, and gave it to Eric for Christmas. Don't know how he feels about it yet, as I'm writing this in advance, and scheduling posting. Will be sure to let everyone know.

Happy Place

Happy Place by Emily Henry
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Perfect, to the point where it doesn't seem possible for something to be as much. Painfully beautiful. I love it more than I can say. Flawless performance.

12/23/2025: Still love it as much as I did the first time, but wish there wasn't so much sex. Kind of takes me out of the story in moments.

Provincetown: June 30, 2023

Photo Credit: Eric Bain

 Went back to Provincetown for my birthday in 2023. Lazy, calm, perfect day with my best friend. Absolutely nothing better.