Author Archives: rachelauthorbarnard

Book Review: Flood of the Fire: A YA Epic Fantasy (The Outlawed Myth Book 4) by Evelyn Puerto

by in Author Tuesdays, Book Review and tagged , , , ,

Flood of the Fire: A YA Epic Fantasy (The Outlawed Myth Book 4) by Evelyn Puerto

A YA fantasy novel published by Open Water Books (11/15/2022)

Summary:

“Confronting people with the truth is one thing. Inspiring them to have the courage to face it is another.” (Kindle Location 706).

Tereka isn’t the Desired One. At least, that’s what she keeps telling everyone and herself. What will it take for Tereka to believe in The Prophecy and in herself? With Damira and the Emporer invading Tlefas, Tereka will have to find out who really is the Desired One and whether this invading army will finally bring peace and freedom. Or perhaps they are just another power-hungry force that wants to rule the land.

Keywords:

Fantasy, Travel, Journey, Risk, Attack, Flee, Hide, Town, Secrets, Power, Rulers, Magic, Amulets, Love, Friendship, Romance, Triumph, Battle, Conclusion

My Review:

After four books, the story of Tereka, the mystery of the amulets, the promise of The Prophecy, and the conclusion of the romance are finally coming to an end. I forgot how much I missed Tereka and her story after the third book. In fact, I forgot a lot about Tereka, her story, her romances and friendships, and the struggles of Tlefas. It was difficult to jump right back into her story and try to remember who the characters were and why I cared about them. But I did care about them. I cared about some of them a lot! As the protagonist once again, Tereka was most important to me, but I also was still very fascinated by Damira. There was a will she/ won’t she have a happy ending teeter-totter. You’ll have to read this final book in the Outlawed Myth Series to find out what happens to Damira and her power struggles with the Scorpion Amulets.

I appreciated and was fascinated with Damira and the way she viewed the world versus how her brother, her loved one, and her enemy viewed her. That was the strongest pull of this story for me. I really, really wanted to know what was going to happen to Damira.

This book was one long conclusion and I appreciated how every thread from the previous three books was wrapped up, from Kaberco to Iskra. However, the ending was not as strong as I wanted it to be, particularly with the wrap-up between Tereka and Naco. I wanted more buildup to their conclusion, even if it was the ending that I didn’t know I wanted. Again, you’ll have to read the book to find out what happens between the two. Meanwhile, Kemet butts back into the story and I enjoyed having him back in the story. Bringing back Kemet provided some great tension.

This novel was published by Open Water Books 11/15/2022 and is available on Amazon here.

TLDR Star Rating: 4.25

Links for more information:

Goodreads

Twitter

Evelyn Puerto’s Website

2022 Net Worth and Monthly Spending Update

by in Rachel Barnard and tagged , , , , ,

Here are some charts I made to compare my monthly spending over 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, and 2018. The purpose of these charts is to show changes in spending over time (across different categories).

Here are a few more fun numbers:

  1. I increased my spending 39% from 2021 to 2022, while increasing my income 22% (I increased my spending 12% from 2020 to 2021 while increasing my income 3.5% and I increased my spending 4% from 2019 to 2020 while increasing my income 3%)
  2. The house I bought in 2021 increased in value 37% since last year
  3. My credit score increased and then decreased when I moved so it’s roughly the same number as where it was at the beginning of last year
  4. Notable increases in spending from 2021 to 2022 include:
    1. Household/Clothing – 603% increase due to moving twice and not owning the furniture, electronics, household goods etc. for our own place
    2. Travel – 345% increase due to several once-in-a-lifetime trips including a week at Disney and the Starcruiser hotel and a trip to Turkey
    3. Entertainment – 182% increase due to buying tickets to more expensive events like seeing Kevin Hart perform
    4. Bills housing/utilities – 59% increase due to moving into our own place and not splitting rent costs with another person
    5. Bills phone – 15% increase by moving to a higher plan on T-mobile in order to maximize the purchase of two iPhones this year
    6. Misc – 225% increase
  5. Notable decreases in spending from 2021 to 2022 include:
    1. Health- 56% decrease from not re-upping on some vitamins I had been purchasing in the past and sticking with the one that makes the most difference in my gut health. I only went to a doctor one time and an eye doctor one time so no large medical bills
    2. Fitness – 16% decrease from using gift cards to purchase classes and using my Ambassador funds from working at one of the studios
    3. Gifts – 80% decrease because of how I calculate and what I determine to be a gift.
    4. Groceries – 18% decrease
    5. Transportation – 9% decrease due to lower car maintenance costs in 2022 (my partner and I have one car and share expenses)
  6. I did not meet my LLC goal of earning $5,000, but was able to earn just over $4000 for the year
  7. I still have $10,000 in my emergency fund but since my bills have increased, if I need to use that to live on it won’t go as far

The next  charts show my net worth split categories:

16% increase in my assets from 2021 to 2022
76% increase in my assets from 2020 to 2021
53% increase in my assets from 2019 to 2020

2021 Asset breakdown

Where Was Rachel in 2022 – A Blog Post in Pictures and Captions

by in Rachel Barnard and tagged , , , | 3 Comments

January

Built a custom closet shelving unit with my housemate Lorri

Visited the Space Needle for the first time since the floor was redone

Dined at the Loupe Lounge (revolving restaurant at the top of the Space Needle) for the first time since I was a toddler.

Dad got a jackfruit to try! I loved it.

February

Moved into a new apartment in Bellevue – our first place with just the two of us

I Ate vegan for a week 

Walked a neighbor’s Corgi – a dream come true!

Painted and gave away some more rocks

March

Volunteered as a pole pixy at Pole Sport Org’s competition

Completed a few puzzles

Started playing Wordles and nailed this guess-in-one for Spanish

Celebrated our 4th meet-anniversary at Din Tai Fung

April

Jon won company tickets to the Pokemon box to see Monster Trucks

Leveled up in Pokemon Go

My credit score bumped over 800

Jon took me out during one of his flight lessons

Jon’s work company rented the Woodland Park Zoo for their Spring Festival

May

We won May the Fourth Trivia and some pretty neat prizes!

We visited family and my house in FL

We booked The Chandrila Line Starcruiser Hotel at Disney

I made my own lightsaber

We spent the week going to all the Disney World parks and the Starcruiser Hotel.

June

I volunteered at the inaugural Seattle Donut Fest

I volunteered for the 10th time at Maple Valley Days

Divine Movement had a party for Ambassadors and Instructors at the skating rink

July

We watched fireworks from Jon’s office building in downtown Bellevue

I set up my pole in the park several times and invited friends to join

Joined the Pokemon Go Fest in downtown Seattle – guess which team we’re on

Had to walk my bike .25 with a flat up and off the bridge after using a fork to get the tube out of the gear mechanism (now I have a tool bag)

August

Watched and sat for a lot of local cats

Made my own Apprentice

Surprised Jon with a day at the races

Sought out new cuisines (Pani Puri) after watching Laal Singh Chaddha

Grew one cucumber from a pot on our porch with no sun

Went to the yearly Pokemon Party

September

Met up at the Bellevue Botanical Gardens with a college friend who moved locally

Tried out straps for the first time at Emerald City Trapeze

Worked on Duo Lyra with my friend Caitlin at Ascendance

Did some cat yoga at Meowtropolitan

House sat in Seattle for a cute little puppers

Performed on Lyra for the first time (as a cat)

October

Went to Turkey for the first time

Went to a traditional Hamam for the first time

Swam at a rooftop bar

Rode in a hot air balloon for the first time

Leveled up again in Pokemon Go

Went paragliding for the first time

Went to a soccer game in Istanbul

Didn’t win anything at the Kirkland car bingo

Took alatte art class for the second year in a row

November

Tried out flying trapeze for the first time (and managed a hand-to-hand catch)

Moved to Austin, TX

Ate BBQ for Thanksgiving

December

Spent a weekend getaway in Seattle for dim sum and to see Kevin Hart

Went to Jon’s Holiday party at Apple

Found several new studios near Austin for dance classes

Went to a Star Wars party at a local pub with our Grogus and won the costume contest

Wore my Oura ring all year

Tried out some new aerial classes – like sling, bungee, wall harness, and trampoline

Continued to score some impressive discounts on food with an app called Too Good to Go

House sat for a cuddly cat over Christmas

Happy New Year!

2022 Reading Challenge Books in Review and Recommended Reads

by in Rachel Barnard and tagged , , ,

I spent $5.48 on kindle books this year; $13.20 at Barnes and Noble; $35.91 for books from Bookshop; $103.90 at the Neverending Bookshop; $98.95 at Brick & Mortar for a total of $257.44 on books!

My favorite books I read this year:

  • The Matzah Ball by Jean Meltzer
  • A Cat Cafe Christmas by Codi Gary
  • Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley
  • Hook, Line, and Sinker (Bellinger Sisters, #2) by Tessa Bailey
  • It Happened One Summer (Bellinger Sisters, #1) by Tessa Bailey
  • Written in the Stars (Written in the Stars, #1) by Alexandria Bellefleur
  • Excuse Me While I Disappear: Tales of Midlife Mayhem by Laurie Notaro
  • Schooled by Ted Fox
  • Time of My Life (Time After Time #1) by Mary Frame
  • For Butter or Worse by Erin La Rosa
  • Wildseed Witch (Wildseed Witch, #1) by Marti Dumas
  • Well Met (Well Met, #1) by Jen DeLuca
  • A Little Too Familiar (An Uncanny Romance, #1) by Lish McBride
  • Queen of the Tiles by Hanna Alkaf
  • The Love Con by Seressia Glass
  • The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
  • Pumpkin (Dumplin’, #3) by Julie Murphy
  • Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo
  • Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
  • Gathering Blue (The Giver, #2) by Lois Lowry

My favorite Indie books that I read this year:

  1. Musical Games (Kinloch, #4) by Evie Alexander
  2. Ex Appeal (Ponto Beach Reunion, #3) by Cathy Yardley
  3. Strange Gods by Alison Kimble
  4. Kissing Games (Kinloch, #3) by Evie Alexander
  5. Delta (The Apex Cycle, #2) by M.T. Zimny
  6. Beta (The Apex Cycle, #1) by M.T. Zimny
  7. Always the New Girl by Kelly Vincent
  8. Boneyard by D.M. Darroch
  9. Gouda Friends (Ponto Beach Reunion, #2) by Cathy Yardley
  10. Hollywood Games (Kinloch, #2) by Evie Alexander
  11. Sting of the Scorpion (Outlawed Myth, #3) by Evelyn Puerto

Out of the 68 books that I read:

18 Indie Books
5 Nonfiction Books

Other reading stats:

I read 16 books for book clubs
I reviewed 20 books this year for a total of 423 reviews written lifetime

The books I read this year:

2021 Reading Challenge Blog Post

2020 Reading Challenge Blog Post

2019 Reading Challenge Blog Post

2018 Reading Challenge Blog Post

2017 Reading Challenge Blog Post

2016 Reading Challenge Blog Post

2015 Reading Challenge Blog Post

2022 Physical Activity – Dance, Health, and Fitness

by in Rachel Barnard and tagged , , , , ,

Aerial Dancing Highlights for 2022
2. I took 111 aerial classes total
3. I spent $1,439.83 total (I have some credit as an ambassador that I used towards some classes)
4. I spent 141.4 hours in class
5. I worked with 46 different instructors

Lifetime money spent (just for aerial classes): $9,432.24
2014 – $90
2015 – $422.21
2016 – $1777
2017 – $2594
2018 – $1465.74
2019 – $566
2020 – $225
2021 – $852.46
2022 – $1,439.83

Lifetime total aerial classes: 619
2014 – 6
2015 – 19
2016 – 109
2017 – 139
2018 – 92
2019 – 37
2020 – 35
2021 – 63
2022 – 111

Total time spent dancing +: 933.9 hours (38.9 days)
2014 – 10.5 hours
2015 – 37.5 hours
2016 – 173.5 hours
2017 – 226 hours
2018 – 144.5 hours
2019 – 55.5 hours
2020 – 55.75 hours
2021 – 89.25 hours
2022 – 141.4 hours

Class Breakdown at different studios for 2022
Ascendance – 39/111= 35%
Revolt – 15/111 = 14%
Divine – 25/111 = 23%
Bat City Circus – 6/111 = 5%
Emerald City Trapeze – 5/111 = 5%
Raven – 4/111 = 4%
Selenite Studios – 4/111 = 4%
Pole Fitness Seattle & Bellevue – 3/111= 1%
Sky Candy – 3/111 = 3%
Lache – 2/111 = 2%
Mora Pole – 2/111 = 2%
Versatile Arts – 2/111 = 2%
Jungle Movement – 1/111 = 1%

Class Type Breakdown for 2022
Lyra – 49
Pole – 30
Silks/Sling – 8
Straps – 5
Floorwork – 5
Trapeze – 3
Conditioning – 2
Flexibility – 2
Other – including Boudoir Striptease, Bungee Basics, Intro Harness, and Trampoline – 7

In other fitness accomplishments:

  • I biked 267.5 (bringing the total miles biked on my e-bike to 917.5)
  • I worked on partner/duo Lyra with a new friend
  • I tried out many new studios in the Austin area
  • I was able to do 10 chin-ups in a row
  • I was able to get my one-arm pull-up and incorporated it into a dance performance
  • I took several privates and worked on my fish flop, handspring, and choreo for my performance
  • I volunteered with PSO in Seattle again as well as with Misfits in Motion as a pole pixy

My favorite fitness photos from the year!

 

2021 Physical Activity Blog Post Breakdown
2020 Physical Activity Blog Post Breakdown
2019 Physical Activity Blog Post Breakdown
2018 Physical Activity Blog Post Breakdown
2017 Physical Activity Blog Post Breakdown
2016 Physical Activity Blog Post Breakdown
2015 Physical Activity Blog Post Breakdown

Book Review: Musical Games (Kinloch Series, #4) by Evie Alexander

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Musical Games (Kinloch Series, #4) by Evie Alexander

A Comedic Romance Novel published by Emlin Press (01/27/23)

Summary:

Sam wants more. Bigger roles. Better roles. Making up an excuse to leave behind her life as a small-time soap opera star for a week, she heads to Scotland to meet Hollywood’s big star Brad. She meets Jamie instead, a homebody who still loves with his mother, and works at his dead-end electrician’s job day in and day out. Jamie has never left Scotland and is perfectly content to continue living with his mother, even in his late twenties. Sam’s arrival shakes up his routine and he can’t stop thinking about her. Sam can’t stop thinking about Jamie but is determined to use Brad to get ahead in her career. Will she get sidetracked by Jamie or will he be the best thing to ever happen to her life?

Keywords:

Romance, Contemporary, Standalone, HEA, Scotland, Sweet, Sex Scenes, Humor, Opposites Attract, Hollywood, Scotland, Scottish

My Review:

Another book set in the Kinloch series! I love that the author brings us a new story and new depth to characters from the other books of the series. Jamie is sweet and broody while Sam is career and future-focused. This book felt like a gender role reversal where the man is the good-looking yet sexually inexperienced main character while the woman is the lively and hot breadwinner. 

While Jamie is the hunky male hero, you’ll have to go along with the fact that he is a sex God virgin. Don’t roll your eyes but everything he learned, he learned from reading raunchy romance novels. Jamie has never had a girlfriend, never been kissed, and never had sex before. He is also poor at communicating, assumes that Sam will see how much he has fallen for her without actually saying anything, and also believes she’s too good for him and won’t want to slow down her life to accommodate him in it. I thought the relationship aspects of Jamie and how he approached his infatuation with Sam as so believable. Of course, someone who was never in a romantic relationship before wouldn’t know how to communicate with their partner! Apparently, Jamie didn’t learn how to talk to Sam about his feelings from those same raunchy romance novels. This is the kind of book and the kind of relationship-inexperienced character that makes you want to yell, “just tell her how you feel, man!” 

The idea and main plot, just like the previous books in the series, were well-executed, simple, and clean yet there’s always something going on.

I am very drawn to the romance, the writing style, and the intriguing plot of the Kinloch Series.

If you love over-the-top dreamy protagonists – even flawed they seem so unattainable in their perfection – you will absolutely enjoy this book and this series.

I received an ARC and this is my honest review.

This novel will be published by Emlin Press on 01/27/2023 and is available on Amazon here.

TL;DR Star Rating: 4.50

Author Bio:

Evie Alexander is the award-winning author of best-selling sexy romantic comedies with a very British sense of humor. She takes a method approach to her work, believing her capacity to repeatedly fail at life and love is what has given her such a rich supply of material for her writing.

Her interests include reading, eating, saving the world, and fantasizing about people who only exist between the pages of her books. She lives in the West country with her family.

Links for more information:

2022: AMC A-List – Watched and Recommended Movies for the Year

by in Rachel Barnard and tagged , , , ,

Total cost paid for movies watched in 2022 in theatres: $295.88… total value =$1,167.40
Favorite movie of the year: Everything Everywhere All at Once
Total movies watched in theatres 2022: 70 (27 Dolby, 2 3D, and 5 Imax)
Total movies streamed at home 2022: 51
Movies I would rewatch: Everything Everywhere All at Once, Massive Talent, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
Worst movies of the year: Moonfall, Beast, and Bones and All
Biggest disappointment: Nope

Streamed movies I recommend that aren’t listed below rated 3.5 stars or higher on Letterboxd: The Banshees of Inisherin, The Fablemans, Enola Holmes 2, Wedding Season, Purple Hearts, Do Revenge, The Gray Man, Hustle, Metal Lords, The Adam Project, Kimi, Love Type D, Long Story Short, Downfall: The Case Against Boeing, I want you Back, Something from Tiffany’s

 

Total cost paid for movies watched in 2021 in theatres: $253.55… total value =$1,019.57
Favorite movie of the year: CODA (See my top ten list on Letterboxd here)

Total cost paid for movies watched in 2020 in theatres and VOD: $112.7… total value =$327.34
Favorite movie of the year: Soul

Total cost paid for movies watched in 2019 in theatres: $278.15… total value = $1,281.67

Total cost paid for movies watched in 2018 in theatres: $297.42… total value = $839.45

“*” indicates a movie I particularly enjoyed and would recommend.

 

January: $126.62 value… paid $23.05

  • *Sing 2 ($14.99)
  • *Nightmare Alley ($14.29)
  • *The 355 ($19.29) Dolby
  • Licorice Pizza ($14.29)
  • *Scream ($19.29) Dolby
  • *West Side Story ($14.29)
  • The Tragedy of Macbeth ($13.69)
  • *Belfast ($16.49) Dolby

February: $168.90 value… paid $23.05

  • Jackass Forever ($14.29)
  • Studio 666 ($14.29)
  • Moonfall ($20.79) Dolby
  • Death on the Nile ($20.79) Dolby
  • *Uncharted ($20.79) Dolby
  • *Marry Me ($14.29)
  • Blacklight ($14.29)
  • Cyrano ($14.29)
  • Dog ($14.29)
  • The Godfather 50 Years ($20.79) Dolby

March: $61.87 value… paid $23.05

  • *The Batman ($20.29) Imax
  • Morbius ($20.79) Dolby
  • *The Lost City ($20.79) Dolby

April: $146.01 value… paid $23.05

  • Sonic The Hedgehog 2 ($20.79) Dolby
  • *Everything Everywhere All at Once ($9.99)
  • Infinite Storm ($9.99)
  • Ambulance ($20.79) Dolby
  • Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore ($20.79) Dolby
  • Father Stu ($14.29)
  • *Massive Talent ($14.29)
  • The Bad Guys ($14.29)
  • The Northman ($20.79) Dolby

May: $100.94 value… paid $23.05

  • Men ($14.29)
  • Firestarter ($9.99)
  • *Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness ($20.29) Real D 3D
  • Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness ($14.29) at Disney Springs!
  • *Top Gun: Maverick ($20.29) Imax
  • *Top Gun: Maverick ($21.79) Dolby

June: $108.24 value… paid $23.05

  • Jurassic World Dominion ($21.79) Dolby
  • Crimes of the Future ($14.29)
  • *Lightyear ($21.79) Dolby
  • *Elvis ($14.29)
  • *The Black Phone ($14.29)
  • *Minions: The Rise Of Gru ($21.79) Dolby

July: $74.96 value… paid $23.05

  • Thor: Love And Thunder ($21.79) Dolby
  • *Where the Crawdads Sing ($14.29)
  • Nope ($20.79) Dolby
  • DC League of Super Pets ($18.09) Dolby

August: $108.04 value… paid $23.05

  • Bullet Train ($20.79) Dolby
  • Fall ($14.29)
  • Beast ($19.29) Dolby
  • Laal Singh Chaddha ($14.69)
  • E.T. – THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL – 40th Anniversary IMAX Release ($19.69) Imax
  • Three Thousand Years of Longing ($19.29) Dolby

September: $19.29 value… paid $23.05

  • JAWS (1975) ($19.29) Imax

October: $99.74 value… paid $23.05

  • Halloween Ends ($20.79) Dolby
  • Don’t Worry Darling ($14.29)
  • *The Woman King ($14.29)
  • *Black Adam ($21.79) Dolby
  • Amsterdam ($14.29)
  • *Ticket to Paradise ($14.29)

November: $74.94 value… paid $23.05

  • *The Menu ($12.59)
  • She Said ($12.59)
  • Bones and All ($12.59)
  • *Black Panther: Wakanda Forever ($13.59)
  • *Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery ($11.99)
  • Strange World ($12.59)

December: $77.85 value… paid $24.84 + 17.49 = 42.33

  • *Violent Night ($17.09) Dolby
  • *Avatar: The Way of Water ($18.09) Dolby
  • *Avatar: The Way of Water ($17.49) Imax 3D Purchased outside of A-list Reservation
  • The Whale ($12.59)
  • *Babylon ($12.59)

Goals and Accomplishments from 2022 and Future Goals for 2023

by in Rachel Barnard and tagged , , , ,

2023 Goals!!!

  • 2023 Describe yourself in 3 words: Impatient, Forgetful, Loving
    • 2022 Describe what you want more of in 3 words: Saving, Friendship, Experiences
    • Theme for 2023: Settling in
  • 2022 Describe yourself in 3 words: Self, Partner, New
    • 2022 Describe what you want more of in 3 words: Success, Happy Moments, Learning
    • Theme for 2022: Realize
    • Goals list of 2022
  • 2021 Describe yourself in 3 words: Driven, Busy, Challenged
    • 2021 Describe what you want more of in 3 words: Vacation, Attentive, Patience
    • Theme for 2021: Plan
    • Goals list of 2021
  • 2020 Describe yourself in 3 words: Anxious, Quick, Analytic
    • 2020 Describe what you want more of in 3 words: Patience, Deliberate, Calm
    • Theme for 202: Hygge
    • Goals list of 2020
  • 2019 Describe yourself in 3 words: Driven, Efficient, Restless
    • 2019 Describe what you want more of in 3 words: Calm, Accomplished, Considerate
    • Theme for 2019: Minimize
    • Goals list of 2019
  • Goals list of 2018
  • Goals list of 2017
  • Goals list of 2016
  • Goals list of 2015

 

Fitness goals 2022:

  • Take 4 handstand classes – I worked on handstand prep in some classes but never actually took a handstand class. I would like to take at least one next year!
  • Take floorwork advanced series – Unfortunately, I never got a chance to take this class due to scheduling conflicts 😦
  • Pass intermediate inversions into advanced inversions at Divine Movement Dance – I switched to mainly taking Lyra classes this year and didn’t attend enough pole classes consistently to finesse the two transitions that were holding me back (pike to superman and Allegra to pike)
  • 10 chin-ups/pull-ups – Accomplished 07/27/2022!
  • 1-handed pull-up – Accomplished and I put this move into my September Lyra performance
  • Handspring Ayesha – Still working on this move and will continue to try in 2023 whenever I take pole classes
  • 1000 miles total on my ebike – Seattle weather and a move kept me somewhat shy of this goal. As soon as my bike is fixed from moving damage, I’ll be able to hit this goal and then some! 267.5 miles total in 2022; 260 miles total in 2021; 390 miles total in 2020 for a grand total of 917.5 miles!
  • Floor limbo just because – After seeing someone do this on the grass at a party and on roller skates at a party, it piqued my interest but I never actually attempted to learn how to do it… Would be a neat party trick but I’d have to ask someone who knows what they’re doing if my body has what it takes to get there.
  • Go to every pole studio in Seattle – I took a class at all the studios: Divine Movement Kirkland, Divine Movement Seattle, Ascendance, Pole Fitness Seattle, Pole Fitness Seattle Bellevue, Raven Studios, Versatile Arts, Mora Pole Studio, and Emerald City Trapeze Arts. I went to a clothing exchange at Positive Spin but never got to take any classes there.

Fitness goals 2023:

  • Lyra – unassisted front balance
  • Pole – handspring ayesha
  • Floorwork – solid fish flop
  • Floorwork – work on a hand balance pose/transition that I can freestyle into/out of
  • Aerial – check out every studio in the Austin area
  • Aerial – perform at least once in some capacity!
  • Aerial – Work on the correct position for flying trapeze hand catch prep
  • Aerial – continue to explore other fun classes/workshops like duo lyra, bungee, trampoline, etc.
  • Aerial – volunteer/help out in a show/comp
  • 1000 miles lifetime on my ebike
  • 321 miles on our new stationary bike

 

Finances Goals 2022:

  • Build back up to $10,000 in my emergency fund – I reached $10,000 in April after my tax refund and LLC account reimbursement payout
  • Make $5000 from my LLC – Only made ~$3500

Finances Goals 2023:

  • Save enough to exercise stock options expiring in September 2023
  • Keep $10,000 in my emergency fund
  • $250,000 in assets

 

Misc. Goals 2022:

  • Career Development Training – Only did online webinars – I now have 25 RAC from RAPS as credits
  • Career development find a mentor – didn’t reach out to anyone specific
  • Take 2 cooking/baking classes – took the latte art class for the second time and loved it! I didn’t take any other cooking classes.
  • Pole Expo/Convention/Corgi Con – tabled for the year but will consider in the future if the dates/timing/budget are good
  • Take ASL classes along with my Duolingo daily Turkish studies – Tried out one app but didn’t want to pay for one more subscription. Stopped working on Turkish but did manage to make top 6% of learners on Duolingo!

Misc. Goals 2023:

  • Career Development Training
  • Take one cooking/baking class

Book Review: Ex Appeal (Ponto Beach Reunion Book 3) by Cathy Yardley

by in Book Review and tagged , , , ,

Ex Appeal (Ponto Beach Reunion Book 3) by Cathy Yardley

A Romance published by Montlake (11/01/22)

Summary:

Vinh is on the fast track to make it big, until suddenly one of his accounts loses millions and the only one to blame is him. Or is he being set up? Locked out of the company and the accounts, Vinh will have no choice but to turn to the one person he trusts to hack the hacker, retrieve the money, and clear his name. Will she still be mad at him for breaking up with her ten years ago when her life was suddenly turned upside down or can he convince her to help him?

Emily was on track to graduate college, get a great job, and put her tech skills to use. But that was ten years ago, before her dad died, she dropped out of college to support her mother, and set aside her dreams. Now she works a tech support job, lives at home, and is barely making ends meet. When Vinh comes to her with a proposal, she wants to turn him down, but she could really use the money. She’s kept up with her hacking skills but is still angry with Vinh for the way he broke up with her all those years ago.

Keywords:

Romance, Friendship, Contemporary, Second Chance Romance, Exes, Hacker, Forced Proximity, Dual POV, Popularity, Heartbreak, Career Focused, Tech Support, Finances

My Review:

Another great Ponto Beach Reunion book! I absolutely loved the deep dive into both Vinh and Emily. They have real problems and are still not over each other. Emily is angry at Vinh for what he did. Vinh is still in love with her. The forced situation and forced proximity are the perfect setup to let this romance simmer and stew. The author is an expert at setting up situations between the main characters. 

Both Emily and Vinh are relatable and full of personality. I loved every time they were together and all the time they spent apart. I was rooting for them from the very beginning, even before I learned more about their previous breakup. 

From previous novels, I didn’t like Vinh. He seemed cold and distant and completely career-oriented and nothing more. That all changed when I read the chapters from his POV. The author truly brings him alive. 

I love capable characters who find themselves in bad situations. Emily is an excellent hacker with skills she hasn’t let get too rusty. She just got stuck living paycheck to paycheck to support her mom and their living-beyond-their-means big house that their dad mortgaged into debt to afford. There is a believable reason for all the choices Emily has made in the last ten years but as a whole the current situation she’s in is so sad. As a strong, capable, intelligent person she is stuck. She’s not just stuck in her situation; she’s stuck in her head. There are both internal and external factors holding her back and she grows so much during the course of this story. You’ll be rooting for her and for Vinh the whole time. 

This novel was published by Montlake on 11/01/2022 and is available on Amazon here.

TL;DR Star Rating: 5.0

Links for more information:

Goodreads

Cathy Yardley’s Website

Book Review: Bloodless Ties (The Marionettes #3) by Katie Wismer

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Bloodless Ties (The Marionettes #3) by Katie Wismer

A Dark Urban Fantasy Novel published by Ahimsa Press (11/15/22)

Summary:

Valerie’s blood deal with James Westcott to free herself from the wendigo curse has trapped her in other ways. She’s far from home and everyone she loves thinks she’s dead, including Reid. With Westcott hiding more secrets, can Valerie figure out a way around the blood deal to get home without getting more involved?

Keywords:

Urban Fantasy, Vampires, Witches, Paranormal, Romance, Sacrifice, Blood, Attack, Mystery, Friendship, Family, Love, Gothic Fiction, New Adult

My Review:

In this third book of the series, we really get to see more of Valerie outside of the sphere of the Marionettes and the estate. The book focuses on her grief and how stuck she is within the blood deal she made at the end of the last book. She is hopeless but spirited. We really get to see her fighting inner strength and spirit laced with her grief. While reading the book, it feels like a lot of emotions are happening and you get caught up in Valerie’s feelings. After finishing this book, I realized that not a lot happened plot wise in this novel. I didn’t mind that though because I enjoyed getting more into Valerie’s head and I always enjoy the way the author writes descriptions and builds up this world of the Marionettes.

My favorite part about the Marionettes’ series is the character development and the writing style of the author. I loved getting more of Valerie as well as Connor and some of the new characters that were introduced, like Cam. I really, really like how well the author writes broody characters. I also quite enjoyed the way the author writes about werewolves. My favorite parts of the book were in their camp.

The ending felt like it was written at a different time than the rest of the book as the tone seems to change slightly, and it does feel a tad rushed. Get ready for more unanswered questions at the end because there is another book coming!

This novel was published by Ahimsa Press 11/15/22 and is available on Amazon here.

TL;DR Star Rating: 4.25

Links for more information:

Katie Wismer’s Website

Goodreads