Wednesday, June 30, 2021

Books to curl up with: GOOD WEDNESDAY ALL

Books to curl up with: GOOD WEDNESDAY ALL:   Good Wednesday all , hope you are all surviving the heat . Today I have a new author and her dragon book . FLAME AND FORM  book one in the...

GOOD WEDNESDAY ALL

  Good Wednesday all , hope you are all surviving the heat . Today I have a new author and her dragon book . FLAME AND FORM  book one in the Draghans of Firiehn by Jenna Elizabeth Johnson, 


                             BOOK BLURB 

 

 When Brienne intervenes on behalf of a draghan, a wild, fire-breathing beast from the realm of Firiehn, she only means to save the creature from a fate worse than death. What Brienne doesn’t realize, however, is that this monster is cru-athru, a shapeshifter capable of transforming into a man, one whose very presence heats her blood like draghan fire.


                          MY REVIEW 
     Brienne is running and hiding as she tries to get away from the man and the world that has done nothing but hurt her . When she comes across a dragon that has been hurt and been captured she wants to save the dragon from the fate worse then death . Things totally change when she finds out that this dragon is a shifter who is lost from his realm. With the help of her familiar she will get this man who lights a fire in her very soul back to his own realm . 

  This is a sweet twist on the dragon shifter book. We have two characters that are well written and complex. Brienne is haunted woman she has been through so much in her life . She is strong and fierce but also very scared . She is a warrior and will fight those that took two years of her life away from her. Dorran is a Draghan and is in a world that he doesn't belong in. He is sexy and sweet but there is something haunting him also . They are a sweet couple and they can over come anything . 

  This is the first book in a two book series . I sat down and started reading and was sucked in right away. The characters are well written and you will fall in love with them .  I would classify this story as a fantasy that weaves a great world. You feel like you are transported into the story and are fighting right along Brienne and Dorran.  I read this book in an evening and had a blast reading the book . I can't wait to read the second book in the series . So if you want a good fantasy book to add to your summer reading list this is one you should add .

Tuesday, June 29, 2021

Books to curl up with: HAPPY RELEASE DAY PAM GODWIN

Books to curl up with: HAPPY RELEASE DAY PAM GODWIN:  Good morning everyone hope everyone is doing good in this heat.  its Release day for LESSONS IN SIN by Pam Godwin                          ...

HAPPY RELEASE DAY PAM GODWIN

 Good morning everyone hope everyone is doing good in this heat.  its Release day for LESSONS IN SIN by Pam Godwin


                            BOOK BLURB 



 There’s no absolution for the things I’ve done.

But I found a way to control my impulses.

I became a priest.

As Father Magnus Falke, I suppress my cravings. As the headteacher of a Catholic boarding school, I’m never tempted by a student.

Until Tinsley Constantine.

The bratty princess challenges my rules and awakens my dark nature. With each punishment I lash upon her, I want more. In my classroom, private rectory, and bent over my altar, I want all of her.

One touch risks everything I stand for. My faith. My redemption. And even my life.

As if that could stop me. I need her pain, and her heart, and she needs my lessons in sin.

                 MY REVIEW 
 Magnus has been through a lot before becoming a priest of a girls school for those that need a little extra . He is tough and unyielding in his teachings and his discipline . Until the day that Tinsley came into his life . A rich girl who is unruly and spoiled rotten, She doesn't care what she does cause she knows that all she has to do is be pretty and the dutiful wife of whoever her mother wants to merge with. Until Magnus becomes her teacher under his guidance and his discipline she becomes more and comes into her own power . Will they be able to keep the love a secret from everyone and will it survive. 

 Let me introduce you to some characters that are unforgettable . Father Magnus Falke is one man that you want to fall to your knees and confess all your sins to . He is tall, sexy, brooding man that you can not say no to. Even though he is a priest he hides his own dark secrets from everyone . He tries to hide his dark cravings with a chaste life . Tinsley well she is a pampered princess who doesn't want to do what her mother wants . She is sassy , out of control young woman but there is a sadness and a loneliness to her that you want to hug away.. She really becomes a strong woman through out the book. These characters are very well written and complex and together they are combustible. 

 This is a book that when you start you can't put down , you will get sucked into the story from the very first pages . This stand alone is dark and sexy and the characters are so well written . You get a taboo romance with a bit of mafia undertones thrown in . This author has a way of writing that will have you on the edge of your seat all through the book . If you like books that are dark with a bittersweet love story all entangled in one this is the book for you. Check it out and add it to your summer reading list . 

Monday, June 28, 2021

Books to curl up with: HAPPY RELEASE DAY

Books to curl up with: HAPPY RELEASE DAY:  Good morning and HAPPY RELEAS DAY to Linda Thomas - Sundstrom and her new book LIGHTNING WOMAN part of the Wolves of the West series       ...

HAPPY RELEASE DAY

 Good morning and HAPPY RELEAS DAY to Linda Thomas - Sundstrom and her new book LIGHTNING WOMAN part of the Wolves of the West series 


                             BOOK BLURB



 Are the ghosts of Macy Lyons' past stronger than the promise of a future with her new lover?

Macy Lyons is a respected member of the wolf pack housed in an old Arizona tourist attraction. Her special Were abilities make her a good scout, and also enable her to see the ghosts that haunt the desert. When those ghosts lead her to a visiting lawman from another state, she must find out why...and if those ghosts have a hand in shaping her future.

Florida detective Logan Carter has chased a criminal all the way from Florida to Arizona, and now can use the help of the secretive wolf pack housed at Desperado to find the crazy werewolf he seeks. But will his attraction to Desperado's beautiful she-wolf scout be a help or a hindrance to his mission in a landscape so different from his own?


                         MY REVIEW
  Macy is a respected member of the wolf pack in the Arizona pack . They are based out of a tourist attraction in Desperado. . She is a tracker and good scout she also has a special ability to see ghosts . When a cop from Miami shows up on her door step she has to know the reason why and why she is so attracted to this man .  Logan has chased an insane wolf from  Florida to Arizona when he needs Macy's help . Will they be able to work together or will the pull of the attraction hinder the work that needs to be done. 

  Omg I seriously think that Macy and Logan are my favourite characters in this series . Macy is a strong woman who is confidant in herself but there is also an underlining sadness to her . She seems a little restless when we meet her. She knows there is more out there but she does not want to leave the pack they are her roots . She has an air about her that she is stronger then she lets on and she is one tough cookie . She can also see the ghosts of her ancestors which help her out so many times.  Now lets talk about my man Logan what can we say about him. He is strong and sexy and oh so lovable. He is  tough talking detective who is also a werewolf .He is on the job but we get to see his protective side when it comes to Macy . They are such great characters and they are well written and complex . 

  This is one of those books that once you start reading you just can't put it down . The characters will have you enthralled by the end of the first chapter . They are so well written and complex . The story moves at a fast pace and the author  takes us on a journey with twists and turns . There is a romance going on between the two main characters and you can feel the heat jumping off the page at you . Trust me you will feel the heat between them . Oh and there is a twist at the end of the book that will have shedding a tear or two . I love the twist on the werewolves this author does . It is  refreshing change to the werewolf story .So if you want a great story for your summer beach read check them out . You will not be disappointed at all 

Friday, June 25, 2021

Books to curl up with: FOR YOU SUMMER READING

Books to curl up with: FOR YOU SUMMER READING:    Good afternoon all , today I have the third book in the Jasper Falls series by Lydia Michaels . LOVE ME NOTS .                           ...

FOR YOU SUMMER READING

   Good afternoon all , today I have the third book in the Jasper Falls series by Lydia Michaels . LOVE ME NOTS . 


                               BOOK BLURB  




 Perrin is through with men. After dumping her cheating fiancé, she started a new career, and her life is finally on an upswing—until Gage comes to town.

Gage King, of King Construction, represents everything the small town of Jasper Falls is not. His big Texan upbringing disguises his secrets well. At first glance, he’s all luxury and a lavish lifestyle, but to a girl like Perrin Harris, he’s one big eye roll. When Gage tries to buy the land Perrin has her heart set on, she puts a plan into action. She will stop at nothing to get what she wants, but neither will Gage—and Gage wants Perrin.

                          MY REVIEW
 Perrin is working hard at getting her life back in order . She is managing the bar and everything is starting to go her way until Gage blew into her life . He is a big Texan that wants to build a store on things get a little well rocky. All Perrin sees is the rich boy with all the money and attitude the one thing she wants to stay away from . All Gage sees is the woman that is stronger then she believes she is and when they collide the sparks fly. 

   In the third book in the series we are introduced to Perrin and Gage. She is Maggie's sister and she is one sassy woman but she has been hurt by a man who she thought she loved . She is just one of the girls and just wants to expand her business and maybe have a day off now and then . Gage well he is the big Texan wind that blows on into Jasper Falls . He is sexy as sin and has that Texan accent that would melt any woman . He has a secret that he is hiding and is a sweet man with a heart of gold under the Texan money and bravado. They are a sweet couple that do have some sparks. 

   This is the third book in the series and I started reading it in an evening . This is a sweet insta love book. The characters were well written but there were moments through out the book I couldn't really connect with them . They never really had a lot of hoops to jump through like the authors other characters . I felt they got their happily ever after a little too easily. Don't get me wrong I did enjoy the story and can't wait to see where the author takes other characters in the series . So if you want a good story for the summer check it out.

Tuesday, June 22, 2021

Books to curl up with: ITS TIME TO GO BACK TO THE MAGIC AND MAYHEM

Books to curl up with: ITS TIME TO GO BACK TO THE MAGIC AND MAYHEM:    Good morning everyone, today I am taking you back to the Magic and Mayhem universe for a set of new books . Today I have DEMONS ARE FOREV...

ITS TIME TO GO BACK TO THE MAGIC AND MAYHEM

   Good morning everyone, today I am taking you back to the Magic and Mayhem universe for a set of new books . Today I have DEMONS ARE FOREVER by Marianne Morea 

                                

                   BOOK BLURB 



   What's a demi-demon to do when the Queen of all Witches decides you're her new it girl?

I'm Linzie Hellborne. A black leather wearing half-demon/half-witch neither side of my DNA wants to claim. I guess that makes me the perfect candidate for a covert mission to Bumfuck Bayou. An armpit in the middle of the swamp where nefarious activities have caught the attention of the Goddess. Or at least that's what the queen of all witches, the Baba Yaga, AKA Carol, believes after she and her buddy Roy Bermangoggleshitz ambushed me at my BFF Tabitha's wedding. My mission? Uncover the source of the shenanigans and report back. Tabitha warned dabbling with my dark side was dangerous. But I don't know which is worse, heading to a swamp to trap an illegal blood ring, or that my cover requires that I wear pastels. Either way, I'm headed to Mosquitoville to catch a different kind of bloodsucker. Care to come along?


                     MY REVIEW 
 What is a demi demon to do , I am LInzie Hellborne and welcome to my hell . When the queen of all witches wants you to head to Bumfuck bayou on a covert mission. Thinking that being half demon and half witch makes me the perfect candidate to head this up . So off to the bayou with the man who well basically broke my heart . The queen of the witches and her husband all to uncover a blood ring . Way out of my league especially when this girl wears black leathers and now i am stuck in pastels . Help me and let me get out of this alive . 

 Ok I love these characters, they are well written and complex . Linzie is a half demon half witch who sometimes has trouble controlling the demon side of her . She is sassy and right to the point sometimes but she only wants to belong and loved . Daniel is part demon and is a really nice guy actually . He may be cocky but underneath he is a sweet heart that just wants to be with the one he loves . Baba Yaga and Roy are back and funnier then ever . Baba is in an 80s state of mind in this one . I love these characters and love reading them . 

  This is such a fun book to read , I have never laughed so much . The characters are so well written and you will love to hate them . The author has great fun writing the characters . I sat down and read this book while tanning outside. It is a fun fast enjoyable read . I laughed so had throughout the book . This is a great addition to the Magic and Mayhem series . So if you want a fun read for pool side check it out . 

Monday, June 21, 2021

Books to curl up with: WELCOME TO MONDAY

Books to curl up with: WELCOME TO MONDAY:  Welcome to Monday everyone, today I have a new author to me .I am loving her writing so far . So lets go into the WILDERNESS by Lynn Burke ...

WELCOME TO MONDAY

 Welcome to Monday everyone, today I have a new author to me .I am loving her writing so far . So lets go into the WILDERNESS by Lynn Burke 


                             BOOK BLURB



 I’m an adrenaline junkie.

I get off on tempting fate—until the day I make a reckless misstep that claims three lives.

The Alaskan bush offers the perfect opportunity to overcome survivor’s guilt and find peace: Live off grid in seclusion where a mistake only threatens one life—my own.

My only tie to humanity is a feisty bush pilot who hates everything I am. Even though the connection between us blazes like a forest fire, she’s determined to keep her distance.

The backcountry has other plans, however, and I end up with her life in my hands.

Unknown to me, there’s a tenacious huntsman on her tracks, shadowing her every move, and one wrong choice leaves her vulnerable.

He takes what's mine.

A wild beast rises inside me, and the hunter becomes the prey. I will level mountains, fight the untamed wilderness, to save her—even if I leave a path of carnage behind me.

                     MY REVIEW 
 Two lost souls that are destined to be together . Brock is trying to run from his past as he tries to amend for the accident that happened to him as he was the pilot in the plane that crashed and killed its passengers. Jessie is the pilot that is flying him out to his cabin in the middle of nowhere. She is having her own problems with a stalker , the man who wants more then she is willing to offer him.  Brock and Jessie have one night of mind blowing sex and they were suppose to walk away but circumstance keeps bringing them back together and falling for each other . When she is taken it take all of Brock's wildness to bring her back safe and sound.

 This is an intense book and the characters are so well written and complex from the very start.  Brock is an intense alpha male that is at a cross roads in his life . He is cocky but also has a sweet side . But he is also running from a past that is haunting his every waking moment. He has a dark side that is scary and well really kind of a turn on . Jessie is a woman who is fighting her own demons and the dark memories of her past when her parents died. She trying to stand on her own two feet and doesn't trust anyone . All she wants is to get her dad's business back and get her stalker off her back . Both these characters are broken and want nothing to do with anyone. They need each other but won't let each other in until something bad happens . They find their way to each other and they are explosive together. 

 I was in a reading slump and a friend suggested this book to me . So I started reading it and boy I was invested in this book by the end of chapter one. The characters had me sucked in and caring for them cause they are so well written and complex . The author takes us on an emotional roller coaster with so many twists and turns . This is an intense book that could have you reading all night long . I just couldn't put it down . There is a twist at the end of the book that had me going OMG didn't see that one coming . So if you want a great angsty book that will have you reading well into the night check it out . I promise you will not be disappointed 


Friday, June 18, 2021

Books to curl up with: GOOD FRIDAY ALL ITS THE WEEKEND

Books to curl up with: GOOD FRIDAY ALL ITS THE WEEKEND:  WOOOHOOO its Friday and the start of the weekend . Today I have an anthology for you . Check out GIRLS OF MIGHT AND MACIC featuring stories...

GOOD FRIDAY ALL ITS THE WEEKEND

 WOOOHOOO its Friday and the start of the weekend . Today I have an anthology for you . Check out GIRLS OF MIGHT AND MACIC featuring stories from by    , o,  



                             BOOK BLURB


 Find your might. Discover your magic.

A disabled teen tracks down an elusive sea beast. A young, Indian detective finds a magical artifact. A Black teen who can see the dead solves a murder mystery. An Ethiopian girl discovers magical secrets when she is kidnapped by her teacher. A teen survivor of a deadly plague realizes she and her robot companion are not alone.

Across realms, worlds, and dimensions we bring you sixteen fantasy and/or science fiction tales that explore the tribulations of growing up. In Girls of Might and Magic, we aim to put characters of color, characters with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ characters front and center in stories about strength and resilience. Full of diverse characters and #ownvoices authors, the protagonists in these coming-of-age YA adventures will not only discover powerful magic but discover themselves along the way. Don't miss this magical collection of stories about witches, fae, ghosts, vampires, werewolves, jinn, and more!

The collection includes:

Heartburn by E. M. Lacey

Wind and Silk by Alice Ivinya

Faith by Sudha Kuruganti

Grace and Ghosts by K. R. S. McEntire

The Outside by C. C. Solomon

Daughter of Soil and Gold by Meghan Rhine

Check Yourself by Kat Zaccard

A Meeting in the Woods by Nicole Givens Kurtz

Pretty Young Things by LaLa Leo

Funnel Cake by Amanda Ross

Outcast by D. L. Howard

Serenity Dawn by C. I. Raiyne

The Cursed Gift by Courtney Dean

Chasing Waves by Kendra Merritt

Sight by Tamika Brown

Memories of Magic by Ashley Ford


                       MY REVIEW 
  This is a anthology of special stories  with a diverse cast of characters . Each story has a a special girl that is stronger then she realizes and won't let their disability stop them .  They are all unique with unique powers . Some of my favourite stories had me wanting more . 
Wind and Silk 
Fangying is a young woman who comes from a long line of singers . But she has a stutter and can't get around very well so she uses a wheelchair. She is married of to a man she doesn't know and taken to a place that is scary . She is unsure of herself but when the man she could love is hurt . She takes on new wings and finds the song inside of her .
 This story had me wanting so much more . The characters were great and I really felt I got to know these characters . 

another story that got me was 
Grace and Ghosts 
When a young girl can see ghosts after the tragic death of her mother . She feels shunned until a boy from school asks her to help find out the truth of his brother's death. 
 i truly enjoyed this book and the characters were developed and I feel like this story could be expanded into a full length paranormal mystery book . 

   Each story in this anthology was well written and had my attention through out . I can't believe there haven't been other anthologies written like this . There is some stronger stories and some that are just a little weaker . Over all this a great anthology that I think your teens would love to read . So if you want a fun read that has diverse characters with unique abilities this is the book for you . Check it out. 

Wednesday, June 16, 2021

Books to curl up with: GOOD WEDNESDAY ALL

Books to curl up with: GOOD WEDNESDAY ALL:   Good morning all welcome to hump day and one of the hottest days here on the ranch. Today I have book 6 in the Happily Never after series ...

GOOD WEDNESDAY ALL

  Good morning all welcome to hump day and one of the hottest days here on the ranch. Today I have book 6 in the Happily Never after series by Plum Pascal / |Hp Mallory . Let me introduce you to TINKER 


                           BOOK BLURB




 Tinkerbell has been left isolated on ‘Death Isle’ with only a crocodile shifter named Zegar for company. The only thing Tink enjoys are the many tales Zegar tells her about Peter Pan and his misfit crew of Lost Boys.

Imagine Tink’s surprise when none other than Pan, himself, arrives on Death Isle, telling Tink he’s come to return her to Fantasia, where she, as one of the Chosen Ten, is meant to help defeat her evil Uncle Septimus and the witch, Agatha.

Immediately, Tink is enraptured by Peter’s handsome face, his charisma, and his confidence. But, there’s also something about Quinn, Peter’s right-hand-man. As the brother of legendary Captain Hook, Quinn is quiet and brooding and Tink can’t help but want to unravel the mystery that surrounds him.

Accompanied by Peter, Quinn and Zegar, Tink will find herself in the fight for her life against Septimus and Agatha’s legion of monsters.


                         MY REVIEW 
 Tink has been on Death Isle for such a long time, the only companion the crocodile shifter that bit of Hook's hand , Zegar. He tells her tales of Pan and the Lost Boys . She thought of them as stories until the day that Pan shows up on the isle and says he is here to rescue her and take her Fantasia to be part of the 10 that are chosen to save their world and defeat Septimus and Agatha. When she is around Pan and Quinn she has feeling that they are destined to be more . So off they go to help save their world. Will they all come out with their hearts intact. 

  In the sixth book of the series we meet Tinker and the men in her life . Tinker is a little naive at the start of the book , she is trying to get off the isle but she knows she can't right yet .  At the beginning she is full of self doubt and scared of what could happen to her . As you watch her in the story she really starts to come into herself and really blossom .  Zegar is the legendary crocodile that ate Hook's hand and he reminds me of the grumpy best friend that has feelings for his best friend and doesn't know how to act on them. Pan is fun loving and sweet when you get right down to it but he does have his man moments that will make you laugh . Then there is Quinn who I think is my favourite . He is sweet and caring and kind of shy . He only wants to keep everyone safe and he wants to love Tinker with all his heart . They are such fun characters and very well written. 



  This was the book in the series I have been waiting for , I love Tinkerbelle and I really wanted to see where the author would take her . I must say she didn 't hold back , the characters were well written and complex. You really got involved with them and you will cheer for them and cry with them .  This is a fun fast read that you can read in an evening . I was kind of sad that we only got to meet two of the three men that are her mates but I am thinking that the third one was shown to us and has been in the entire book and just doesn't know it yet . I can't wait for book seven in the series . So if you want a fun summer read check out the HAPPILY NEVER AFTER SERIES  you will not be disappointed . 

Thursday, June 10, 2021

Books to curl up with: GOOD THURSDAY ALL

Books to curl up with: GOOD THURSDAY ALL:                                              Agent Zero by Janet Walden-West He owns the spotlight, she lives in the shadows. VEE:   My only...

GOOD THURSDAY ALL

 


                                           Agent Zero by Janet Walden-West

He owns the spotlight, she lives in the shadows.

VEE: My only purpose? Keep lethal cryptids in check, and our Company existence secret.
Sometimes a girl needs a night of karaoke and tequila though. Instead, after a vicious new cryptid species crashes the party, I end up saving and carting home a way arrogant, way hot chef. With Bruce Kantor now a temporary roommate it seems like the perfect time to indulge my forbidden civilian fascination—especially the friends-with-benefits part. But the feelings he ignites threaten my oath and mission.

BRUCE: Damn right I’m the bad boy of the culinary world.
I live for the limelight, and the legions of #BruceTheBastard fans love my temper as much as my food. After stomping out of one high-profile gig, all I’m looking for are directions to my next. What I get is a giant Komodo Dragon-wannabe, and Vee Ramirez, the most infuriatingly irresistible woman to ever hit my radar.

Even if we survive the relentless monster on my trail, our future is toast unless I can convince Vee there’s more to life than the Company.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


Janet Walden-West lives in the Southeast with a pack of show dogs, a couple of kids, and a husband who didn’t read the fine print. A member of the East Tennessee Creative Writers Alliance, she is also a founding member of The Million Words craft blog. She pens inclusive Contemporary Romance and Urban Fantasy. As a two-time Pitch Wars alum turned Pitch Wars 2019 Mentor, Sherrilyn Kenyon scholarship recipient, and Golden Heart® finalist, she believes in paying it forward by supporting burgeoning Southern writers. She is represented by Eva Scalzo of Speilburg Literary Agency.

Find more about her at janetwaldenwest.weebly.com or on social media.



Excerpt

Chapter Two

Vee
 “I’m not drunk, damn it.”

I steered us down the street. “You argue a lot.”

“The fuck I do.”

My laugh popped out. So much for not antagonizing him. We garnered a sympathetic eye roll from a couple crossing the road, probably assuming we were another couple out for some fun, and now I was stuck hauling my inebriated partner home.

He was leaning hard by the time we entered the garage. At least when I hit the fob, headlights blinked on the first level and only feet away.

I tapped the unlock button then maneuvered my load into the passenger seat, hand on top of his head to protect his skull.

“In you go. What are the odds you can tell me where you’re staying?” I asked as I buckled him in.

He flicked a wobbly finger at the dash. “GPS. House rental.”

“You seriously need GPS while sober in order to find your place?”

He shrugged, sliding lower in the seat. “Why bother learning? I’ll be leaving again anyway.”

I pulled up directions and enjoyed the novelty of being in a car instead of the SUV or Liv’s jacked up truck. The GPS took us a few miles out, into an area of gated communities and exclusive views. I wasn’t especially familiar with this section since it wasn’t a cryptid hotspot, thus we only patrolled it sporadically.

“Last house.”

I glanced over, surprised my passenger wasn’t passed out. He’d sunk down in the comfy seat, his head turned to watch me. The streetlights here were bright enough to see his hair was brown, not the dark blond it had appeared in the bar.

I drove to the end of the small enclave, pulling into a short driveway with a two-story glass and steel house. “Garage?”

When I didn’t get a reply, I checked in. His eyes were finally closed. I played with compartments and

screens on the dash until the garage door rose, lights coming on as we entered and the door silently lowering.

I let myself back into the house, gun out, did a fast sweep of the house, then repeated it on the deck circling the west side. Using the rail as a boost, I pulled myself to the roof, the memory of the creature shimmying up walls fresh. All I got for my effort was a great view, desert on one side, city on the other, a patchwork of light and neon under the stars.

The guy was still out when I opened the car, a dead weight as I finally managed to get him out. “We should discuss the merits of single-story homes and gym memberships, mister,” I muttered, hefting him up one slow step at a time on the free-floating staircase. Which wasn’t really fair. The chest against me was solid, a muscled arm draped over my shoulders.

But our night out, the first in weeks thanks to what felt like non-stop mission call-outs, was shot.