Frolicking Bear - #FFFC #haiku @YvetteMCalleiro

 

Hello, beautiful readers! For this week's Fandango Flash Fiction Challenge, Melissa chose the hilarious picture below, so I decided to write a haiku and have a little fun with it.

(courtesy of Ryan Grewell on Unsplash)

a bear's dream reprieve

frolicking in spring water

with no shits to give

Want to write a poem or flash fiction for this picture? Join us here.

Nowhere Like Home - #TankaTuesday #nonet #home @YvetteMCalleiro

 

Hello, beautiful readers! It's been a while. I just got back from my cruise on Sunday. It was just the right mixture of relaxation and fun, especially since I'm still dealing with the renovations of my house. Our NCL cruise took us to Roatan (Honduras), Harvest Caye (Belize), Cozumel (Mexico), and Great Stirrup Cay (Bahamas). We visited native animals, ziplined, and snorkeled in Roatan. We snorkeled and enjoyed the island in Harvest Caye. In Cozumel, we took the Atlantis submarine 108 feet under the sea to explore the marine life and then did some shopping. And in the Bahamas, we snorkeled (again) and relaxed at the beach. And, of course, I spent some time reading on our balcony. Here are a few pics:

For this week's Tanka Tuesday poetry challenge, Willow invites us to write a nonet using synonyms for: the state of the world/our lives. It was so wonderful to disconnect from everything that is happening in my country and the world (as well as the chaos in my own home...lol). Ignorance truly is bliss...until reality catches up to you. 

A nonet is a poem with nine lines with descending syllables (9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1). There are variations of the form, which you can find here. I've chosen to go with the classic nonet. The chosen phrase lends itself to so much negative energy because the state of the world right now is quite sad, but I'm desperately trying to hold on to the calm and peaceful vibes of my trip, so I decided to focus on the state of my life instead, still chaotic but not so harrowing.

(courtesy of Bing Image Creator)

Nowhere Like Home

a whirlwind of construction chaos

cutting, drilling invade my peace

thick dust infiltrates my nose

each room's a working mess

the end is in sight

finished product

well worth it

home sweet

home

Would you like to write a nonet? Join us here.

June 2025 Book Reviews #bookreview #books #amreading #readingcommunity #BlackDaggerBrotherhood #prisoncamp #vampires #dragons @PTLPerrin @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! I'm in full summer mode. Unfortunately, the renovations are ongoing in my home, so my creative juices have not been flowing. I managed to read two books before my cruise and another two on the cruise. Here are my most recent reviews. All of them are 4 or 5 stars!

Mine (The Lair of the Wolven, Book 3)

by JR Ward

Genre: Paranormal Vampire Romance

Pages: 494 pages

Book Blurb:

The hotly anticipated thrilling conclusion of the Lair of the Wolven series from the #1 New York Times bestselling author J.R. Ward.

In this finale, Lydia and Daniel are bracing themselves for his inevitable decline but first, they must go on a rescue mission that will put both their lives in danger.

My Review:

The last book left off with an awesome cliff-hanger, but this story slowed back down at the beginning, which was a bit frustrating at first because I wanted to stay with the adrenaline of the previous book. Then the author worked her magic, adding layers and layers of twists and turns which kept me guessing and curious, and I loved it. 

I loved Blade's character so much by the end. He truly was a misunderstood, suffering soul, and I loved how he stayed true to his inner self. I loved that almost everyone got their happy ending, and I also love that my heart had to practically come out my throat for them to attain it. Lol! 

The last third of the book had me on pins and needles. The action scenes were fantastic, and I loved every minute of it! I loved how she wrapped up this mini-series and would definitely recommend it to others.

The Beloved (The Black Dagger Brotherhood series, Book 22)

by JR Ward

Genre: Paranormal Vampire Romance

Pages: 428

Book Blurb:

The daughter of a legend finds the love of a lifetime in this passionate, heart-wrenching installment in J.R. Ward’s #1New York Timesbestselling Black Dagger Brotherhood series.

Nalla, the blooded daughter of Zsadist, has led a sheltered life. Protected by her father and the Brotherhood, she is chafing against the walls of the very safety that has ensured her survival. One night, she gives in to her restlessness…and finds herself face-to-face with a male whose inner darkness rivals even that of her sire’s horrific origins.

Nate is a fighter with nothing to lose and nothing to live for. Tortured in a human lab as a young, then cursed with immortality, he is all vengeance and no purpose because he cares for no one—not even himself. The Brotherhood knows this all too well and following Nate’s deliberate violation of the cardinal rule in the war, they declare him a dangerous liability that must be dealt with.

When Nalla and Nate find themselves fighting side by side, daggers aren’t the only things that fly. A sizzling attraction is ignited, though Nalla knows her sire will never accept him—and on his side, Nate has made a secret bargain to end his own immortality. As the enemy closes in, and Nalla realizes she must choose between her mate and her sire, what starts with such passion may well end with eternal sorrow and no chance of a reunion—even in the Fade.

My Review:

I wasn't joking when I told you all that I love long book series! Lol! This is book 22 of the main series (there are spinoffs that I have also read), and I am absolutely in love with this series. I wasn't sure how I felt about the time jump that took place in Lassiter, but after reading this book, I'm totally okay with it. I love seeing the kids all grown up and finding their own ways, especially since the Brotherhood is still very much in the story line.

I cried so much with this story, especially during the second half. The love that these characters have for Wrath and one another is just so beautiful. I'm not real happy that the lessers are back, but I know they have their purpose. I did enjoy that we got to see a lesser who wasn't necessarily evil.

Nalla and Nate's story was fantastic. I always felt bad for Nate, and I hated how dark he was at the beginning of the story. Luckily, the love of a good female changes all that! And I loved Z's overprotectiveness and then acceptance of his baby girl's mate. 

For anyone new to the series, I highly recommend starting with book 1, Dark Lover, and then heading to Passionflix to watch the tv-adaptive season 1 of the series. After that, you'll definitely be hooked! :-)

Dark Lover (Black Dagger Brotherhood, Book 1)

by JR Ward

Genre: Vampire Romance

Pages: 490

Book Blurb:

Experience the start of J.R. Ward’s phenomenal #1 New York Times bestselling Black Dagger Brotherhood series.

DON'T MISS PASSIONFLIX'S THE BLACK DAGGER BROTHERHOOD SERIES

As the world’s only purebred vampire and the leader of the Black Dagger Brotherhood, Wrath has a score to settle with the slayers who killed his parents centuries ago. But when his most trusted fighter is killed—orphaning a half-breed daughter unaware of her heritage or her fate—Wrath must put down his dagger and usher the beautiful woman into another world.

Racked by a restlessness in her body that wasn’t there before, Beth Randall is helpless against the dangerously sexy man who comes to her at night with shadows in his eyes. His tales of the Brotherhood and blood frighten her. Yet his touch ignites a dawning new hunger—one that threatens to consume them both...

My Review:

I first read this book in 2008 and absolutely loved it. Since then, I have been hooked on the series and have read every book except the newest release. With the book now transformed into a series with Passionflix, I decided to reread it and fell in love with it all over again. I had forgotten a lot about how the Brotherhood began, and I enjoyed seeing the brothers' personalities in book one, especially knowing how much they have evolved throughout the series. I have watched the first three episodes of the new series and love how closely they follow the storyline and the dialogue. If you love vampire stories, flawed males who meet the women who complete them, and sexy characters, you will definitely want to read this book and the series. :-)

Sanctum (Dragon Build, Book 1)

by PTL Perrin

Genre: Young Adult Magical Realism

Pages: 292 pages

Book Blurb:

Two worlds separated by time and space, a frantic search, a powerful enemy, and a baby dragon... At sixteen, Gabri’s life is complicated.

When a nightmarish vision rips Gabri O’Connell from her home and family, she wakes up powerless in a freezing tower on a hostile planet.

Saved by a dragon and brought to Sanctum inside the planet, her rescuers don’t want her there.

Will a baby dragon be the key to her survival? Will Gabri ever see her family again?

My Review:

I loved this story! I first met Gabri, the main character, as a baby in the Tetrasphere series, where she and her mother helped save Terra, their planet, from exploding. This series begins when Gabri is almost sixteen, making this a completely new story. Some of the characters from the Tetrasphere series are in this story, but the focus of the story is Gabri. She begins having nightmarish visions of a shadow that calls her world destroyer. At first, she's transported through her dreams to the Shadow's world, but he then kidnaps her, locks her in a tower, and mutes her powers to communicate with her family.

Luckily, Gabri is rescued by others who live on the planet called Sanctum. While her family desperately searches for a way to locate her, Gabri is introduced to a completely new world, one in which she bonds with a dragon and an Aracai. Sanctum's time runs twice as fast as Terra's, and before she knows it, Gabri is bonding with more than just her bondmates. Unfortunately, the Shadow is not done with her, and danger finds her again.

This book is fantastic! The author is a queen of imagery and creating characters that are unique and well-developed. And I absolutely LOVE the dragons! I would definitely recommend this story to anyone who enjoys colorful worlds, dragons, magical powers, and great storytelling. :-)

Have you read any great books this month? I'd love to hear from you. :-)

My Amber Girl - #W3 #FFFC #XplorationChallenge #poem #poetry #poetrycommunity @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! School's out for summer! (yes, I sung that...lol) I am officially on summer vacation. My alarms are turned off (an absolute delight for me), and I am ready for a summer of relaxation and rejuvenation. Renovations are still taking place in my home and probably will be for a few more weeks. I have plenty of outings planned with friends, including this weekend. And next week, my sister and I are going camping for four days. So, I will be off the grid next week. I will be disconnecting from technology and absorbing all the wonderful energy nature shares with me. 

It's been a busy week, so I'm a bit behind in some of my prompts. I'm going to try to combine three different prompts today. The first one comes from Reena's Xploration Challenge #384. This week, Reena encourages us to use a question or an exclamation in our piece, not necessarily the symbols for the spirit of them. I've italicized my questions.

In this week's Wea've Written Weekly (W3), Bob asks us to write a poem inspired by his poem, "Mama's Voice in the Kitchen." In it, he explores grief, memory, and how everyday spaces hold strong emotions. Within our poem, we must use the word "still" at least twice and we must deliberately repeat a word, phrase, or sentence at least three times. I've bolded my repetitive phrase and the "still" words.

Finally, in Melissa's Fandango Flash Fiction Challenge, she shares with us the image below and encourages us to let it inspire us as we write. 

I chose to write a freestyle poem for this challenge. I didn't expect to get emotional while I wrote it, but it really took me back to my Amber girl's journey. Amber was a brown, American chihuahua, not as tiny as a Mexican chihuahua, and she had none of the attitude. She was my first and only dog that I have owned on my own. She was an incredible companion. 

(image courtesy of Getty Images on Unsplash)

My Amber Girl

I remember when I first met you

apart from your brothers and sisters

the runt of the litter

giving off shy vibes

but your eyes asked me to

pick you, love you

and I did

I remember your calm nature

as if you knew I needed

something to balance the anxiety

bombarding me

you always were my calm through my storms

your tail always wagging

your licks always loving

your cuddles always comforting

I remember when you got sick

when diabetes grabbed hold of you

and wouldn't let go

was it the many times you stole

from my chocolate stash

or just the unlucky spin of fate

that made your body

betray your sweet spirit

I remember how you slowly deteriorated

even with the medicines

and my love

how you spent more and more time

lying in my lap

your favorite place

how you never left my side

as if knowing I needed

every minute I could get with you

And I remember that last day

when you lay still in my arms

licking my tears off my face

were you aware I was 

choosing to put you out of your misery

while gutting my heart 

I held you as you took your last breath

and poured my love into you

until I had to let go

I hold my memories of you

in secure, compartmentalized boxes

I open the happy ones frequently

sometimes I look down at my lap

and imagine you lying there

sleeping soundly

sweetly dreaming

it's been seventeen years

since your passing

and I love you still

and always will

my sweet, Amber girl

Would you like to write a poem for any of these prompts? Click the links below:

Reena's Xploration Challenge #384

Wea've Written Weekly (W3)

Melissa's Fandango Flash Fiction Challenge

My Beach, My Sanctuary - #dVerse #haibun #beach #poem #poetry #poetrycommunity @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! This week on dVerse's Poetics, Melissa Lemay is taking us to a day "At the Beach With Picasso." Melissa shared three art pieces by Pablo Picasso that focus on the beach and encouraged us to write about a day at the beach. I didn't connect with any of the three paintings she shared, but I did find another Picasso painting that I liked, so I used that one instead. I chose to write a haibun, which is a paragraph of prose and a haiku.

(Seated bather on the beach by Pablo Picasso, c1929)

My Beach, My Sanctuary

I feel deeply connected to the beach. I don't know if it's because I'm a Pisces or an empath, but being at the beach resets my soul. I am blessed to live near a beach and try to visit it every weekend, weather permitting. My friends and I take our umbrellas and create a little camp. I dig my feet in the sand, grounding and letting the earth pull all the toxic energy from my body. I swim to the buoy and back when the waters are calm enough. I walk past thirteen lifeguard stands until I reach the jetty and then back again, soaking in the sun and watching other families enjoying their day. I listen to the seagulls begging for food, waves lapping upon the shore, and friends laughing at stories shared. My friends and I share wine and treats at "tea time." And after a full day of pure relaxation and joy, we pack up our belongings and head home, already looking forward to the next weekend when we get to enjoy it all over again.

soothing, rhythmic waves

ocean breeze rejuvenates

my sanctuary

Would you like to write a poem about a day at the beach? Join us here.

Political Overload - #MoonwashedWeeklyPrompt #dVerse #quadrille #tankaprose #poem #poetry #poetrycommunity @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! I'm combining two prompts today. The first is from Moonwashed Weekly Prompt where Eugi provides the following poem and invites us to use the words as inspiration. I've bolded and italicized the words I chose to use in my poem.

impulsive nature

lauds summer in floral dress

intoxicating

The second prompt is from dVerse's Poet's Pub - ...the sun'll come up. In this prompt, Lillian invites us to use the word sunrise in a quadrille, which is a poem with exactly 44 lines. I chose to write a tanka prose for my quadrille. 

(image created with Microsoft Bing Image Creator)

Political Overload

She missed the days when elected leaders ran the country without pomp and circumstance, when they just protected the country's values without needing constant attention.

impulsive chaos

darkens the hopes of many

summer is coming

sunrise on the horizon

new way forward is brewing

Would you like to write a poem for either of these prompts? Click the links below:

Moonwashed Weekly Prompt

dVerse's Poet's Pub - ...the sun'll come up

A Friendship's Journey - #TankaTuesday #GarlandCinquain #poem #poetry #poetrycommunity @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! Today is my day to host the #TankaTuesday poetry challenge, so I hope you'll stop by and visit me over there. This week, we are writing a cinquain. There are many variations to the cinquain. Each cinquain is made of five lines and has a syllabication pattern of 2-4-6-8-2. 

I decided to challenge myself this week and write my first Garland cinquain. It consists of six cinquains where the last stanza is made up of one line from each of the previous stanzas. The theme this week is focused on beginnings and endings with a bonus if we use a kigo word associated with summer. I've bolded and italicized my kigo words. I've also changed the text color of the lines that connect my Garland cinquain.

(image courtesy of @Ichigo121212 on Pixabay)

A Friendship's Journey

hello

friendly gesture

heartbeat of calming waves

beginning of a new friendship

smiles shared

sorry

one simple word

a vibrant sunrise

dispels the darkness of hurt

healed heart

strong hug

mends old mistakes

basks the soul in sunshine

allows forgiveness to heal

reset

fun times

fond adventures

watermelon moments

a bridge to future connections

true bonds

old age

sunset of life

so hard to say goodbye

frail fingers interlinked with love

special

hello

one simple word

basks the soul in sunshine

a bridge to future connections

special

Would you like to write a cinquain with us this week? Join us here.

Sea Turtles - #WDYS #haiku #poem #poetry #poetrycommunity @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! It's the last week of school, and I'm packing up my classroom and getting ready to turn off my alarm for two months. Truly, turning off my alarm is what I most look forward to during the summer. Lol! 

For this week's What Do You See? prompt, Sadje provides us with two images and invites us to let them inspire us. I chose the image below and wrote a haiku. 

(image credit; Adam Azim at Unsplash)

weary sea turtle

journey of a thousand miles

happy to be home

Would you like to write a poem for this photo? Join us here.

May 2025 Book Reviews #bookreview #books #amreading #readingcommunity #BlackDaggerBrotherhood #prisoncamp @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! In just one week, the school year will be over, and I am very much looking forward to summer break. I was able to sneak in some reading this month. I am still wrapped into my vampire series. It's just SO good, and I love living in a world that exists in over twenty amazing books. Passionflix has created a mini-series for the first book (Dark Lover) and they plan to turn at least eleven of the books into shows, so my friends and I are trying to read all the books already written before the first show comes out. If you aren't into vampires or werewolves, this month's book reviews won't be too interesting for you. Anyway, here are my reviews for this month. All reviews receiving three or more stars.

The Viper (Black Dagger Brotherhood: Prison Camp Book 3)

by JR Ward

Genre: Paranormal Vampire Romance

Pages: 365 pages

Book Blurb:

A heart-wrenching tale of love and betrayal in the Black Dagger Brotherhood world from #1 New York Times bestselling author J. R. Ward.

Framed for the grisly murder of his shellan, Kane is condemned to the notorious prison camp—unaware of the dark truth behind his arranged mating. Centuries later, when he is horribly burned while attempting to save others, he prays he’ll finally be reunited in the Fade with his mate…not knowing what revelations await him.

Nadya is a self-taught nurse who does what she can to ease the suffering of the prisoners. When Kane comes under her care, she cannot help but empathize with his condition for very personal reasons—and as the guards take him away one last time, she fears he is facing a terrible death.

After a daring rescue, Kane is offered a treatment that will change his very nature. Choosing life, for the time being, he goes back for the female who took such good care of him—but his duty to Nadya sets him on a collision course with his own past. When long-buried secrets are exposed, his self-destruction is inevitable…unless true love can save his soul.

My Review:

This story picks up where the previous one left off. Kane is taken to the wolven camp and must decide whether he wants to live or die. With thoughts of saving Nadya from the prison camp, he chooses to live. Unbeknown to him, his only way to survive is to transform into something of a hybrid. I had a little difficulty getting into the story at first because I didn't like the idea of Kane's personality and his dynamics with his friends changing. Luckily, the author made me fall in love with his character again.

Nadya is amazing, and I love the storyline she was given. I also enjoyed how Kane and Nadya's pasts collided. This story really brings a new sense of hatred for the glymera. I really loved the scenes with Callum and Apex, but I don't understand why the author hasn't written another book in this series since there are things that are unresolved. I can only imagine that she shifted this cliffhanger over to her other side series, Lair of the Wolven. So, I'm off to read those because I just have to know what happens to Callum. 

If you enjoy paranormal stories of vampires and were-animals with steamy scenes, you will love this series.

Claimed (Lair of the Wolven, Book 1)

by JR Ward

Genre: Women's Romance Fiction

Pages: 523

Book Blurb:

A heart-pounding new series set in the Black Dagger Brotherhood world, about a scientist fighting to save the gray wolves—and getting caught in a deadly trap herself...

Lydia Susi is passionate about protecting wolves in their natural habitat. When a hotel chain develops a tract of land next to the preserve, Lydia is one of the most vocal opponents of the project—and becomes a target.

One night, a shadowy figure threatens Lydia’s life in the forest, and a new hire at the Wolf Study Project comes from out of nowhere to save her. Daniel Joseph is both mysterious, and someone she intrinsically wants to trust. But is he hiding something?

As the stakes get higher, and one of Lydia’s colleagues is murdered, she must decide how far she will go to protect the wolves. Then a shocking revelation about Daniel challenges Lydia’s reality in ways she could never have predicted. Some fates demand courage, while others require even more, with no guarantees. Is she destined to have true love...or will a soul-shattering loss ruin her forever?

My Review: 

As you may already know, I am a huge fan of JR Ward's vampire series. I decided to take a chance on this wolven series, and I'm enjoying it. I love that the vampires are interwoven into this story (even though the connection isn't made until almost the end). This story follows Lydia as she tries to protect the wolves in the preserve. She's a scientist and is very passionate about her job at the Wolf Study Project. Daniel comes into her life, pretending to need a job as a handyman. The attraction between them is instant, but Lydia tries to keep her distance.

There are very few books that can throw me for a loop, but this one had such an amazing plot twist that I was stunned. For almost the whole book, I was thinking one thing, never suspecting the true hidden secret. I loved that she got me, though I wish it would have happened much sooner. This book was a bit slow-moving, but I still enjoyed it. It also ends on several cliffhangers. I know many people hate that, but I'm completely fine with it. I'm diving into book two now. 

Forever (The Lair of the Wolven, Book 2)

by JR Ward

Genre: Werewolf & Shifter Romance

Pages: 478

Book Blurb:

Lydia Susi and Daniel Joseph’s story continues in the Lair of the Wolven series from #1 New York Times bestselling author J.R. Ward.

For Lydia Susi, there is no sweet sorrow in saying goodbye to the man she loves. As a wolven hiding among humans, she’s used to being alone—until destiny gives her the kind of love she never dared to dream about. But after a sudden devastating diagnosis, grief is the only thing she sees in her future.

As an operative for a clandestine arm of the United States government, Daniel Joseph always expected to die an early death. He just assumed it would be out in the field—not in a laboratory hospital bed. With his time running out, he refuses a potentially lifesaving treatment to focus on making sure that Lydia finds her wolven clan.

Following an attack on the lab’s compound, Daniel fears his former boss is coming after the two of them. Marshaling his strength, he must call on all of his training to protect his love…even if it means her moving on without him.

My Review:

Although this book was a much slower pace, I still enjoyed it. I'm okay with slow moving books as long as they lead somewhere, and this one definitely did. The twists and turns toward the end were fantastic! I was so happy to hear Callum mentioned, and I really hope to hear more about him in the next book. 

This story picks up where Claimed left off. Daniel is still dying and refuses to take the experimental drug that might save his life. Lydia is struggling with letting him go. C.P. Phalen is struggling with her own issues and surprises. Gus is frustrated with his situation and looking for a resolution. And everyone is his/her own ticking time bomb.

Then, there's Xhex. I love that she is a part of this book, but I don't think her true purpose has been revealed yet. The scenes with her and John shredded my heart. The author really knows how to gut out the reader's heart and then mend it back together.

This story also ends on a crazy cliffhanger, and I cannot wait to see how it all gets resolved in the next book! All I know is Daniel better live!

What have you read this month? I'd love to hear from you. :-)

The End of a Nation - #XplorationChallenge #dVerse #Trolaan #poem #poetry #poetrycommunity @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! Today, I am combining two prompts again. The first comes from Reena's Xploration Challenge #383 where she shares the image below and encourages to use it for inspiration. The second challenge is from dVerse's Poets Pub - Poetry Form: Trolaan. This form is new to me, so I'm sharing the format below in case you also want to try it.

 My mind took a bit of a dark turn with this image. Here is what I created:

The End of a Nation

chaos has become the norm

causing people to be confused

corruption found in every form

constitution is being abused

harmful choices hurt communities

house and senate cower

hefty criminals given immunities

hope for future becomes dour

alarms are sounded to warn the masses

anger and resistance begin to simmer

apathy decimates the working classes

allies' hopes of unity look dimmer

loyalty to leader demanded above all

laws are no longer followed

lawlessness will lead to nation's fall

lines of constitution are hollowed

Would you like to write a poem for either of these prompts? Click the links below:

Reena's Xploration Challenge #383

dVerse's Poets Pub - Poetry Form: Trolaan