Rowena
Southern California | Team Wilson Gang
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My name is Rowena and I live in L.A. and am still waiting for my Prince Charming to come and find me. My best friend keeps singing, "Someday our Prince will come..." so Prince Charming, if you're looking for me, pass Crenshaw Blvd, don't turn left!

Welcome.

This is my personal blog so you'll find a lot of personal stories, things that made me laugh, cry and everything else in between. I'll talk books, review movies and talk about the TV shows that I'm watching.

For more bookish goodness, check out my book blog Book Binge.

OctoberPre-Season

Regular Season Begins

22: vs. San Diego Clippers | L 102-112
25: vs. Utah Jazz | W 95-86
27: vs. Charlotte Hornets | W 120-101
29: vs. Memphis Grizzlies | W 120-91

November

01: at Dallas Mavericks | W 119-110
03: at San Antonio Spurs | W 103-96
05: at Chicago Bulls | W 118-112
08: vs. Miami Heat | W 95-80
10: vs. Toronto Raptors | L 104-113
12: at Phoenix Suns | W 123-115
13: vs. Golden State Warriors
15: vs. Sacramento Kings
17: vs. Atlanta Hawks
19: vs. OKC Thunder
22: at OKC Thunder
23: at Memphis Grizzlies
25: at San Antonio Spurs
27: at New Orleans Pelicans
29: vs. Washington Wizards

December

03: at Denver Nuggets
04: at Utah Jazz
06: at Portland Trailblazers
08: vs. Minnesota Timberwolves
11: at Orlando Magic
13: at Miami Heat
15: at Atlanta Hawks
17: at Indiana Pacers
19: at Milwaukee Bucks
22: vs. Denver Nuggets
25: vs. San Diego Clippers
28: at Portland Trailblazers
29: vs. Dallas Mavericks

January

01: vs. Phoenix Suns
03: vs. New Orleans Pelicans
05: vs. Detroit Pistons
07: vs. New York Knicks
10: at Dallas Mavericks
11: at OKC Thunder
13: vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
15: vs. Orlando Magic
18: at Houston Rockets
20: at Boston Celtics
22: at New York Knicks
23: at Brooklyn Nets
25: at Philadelphia 76ers
28: vs. San Diego Clippers
31: vs. Portland Trailblazers

February

01: at Sacramento Kings
04: vs. San Antonio Spurs
06: vs. Houston Rockets
08: at Golden State Warriors
10: vs. Phoenix Suns
12: at Denver Nuggets
21: vs. Memphis Grizzlies
23: vs. Boston Celtics
25: vs. New Orleans Pelicans
27: at Golden State Warriors
29: at Memphis Grizzlies

March

01: at New Orleans Pelicans
03: vs. Philadelphia 76ers
06: vs. Milwaukee Bucks
08: at San Diego Clippers
10: vs. Brooklyn Nets
12: vs. Houston Rockets
15: vs. Denver Nuggets
16: at Utah Jazz
18: vs. Utah Jazz
21: at Charlotte Hornets
22: at Detroit Pistons
24: at Toronto Raptors
26: at Cleveland Cavaliers
28: at Washington Wizards
30: at Minnesota Timberwolves

April

01: vs. Indiana Pacers
04: at Sacramento Kings
05: vs. OKC Thunder
07: vs. Chicago Bulls
09: vs. Golden State Warriors
12: vs. Minnesota Timberwolves
14: vs. Sacramento Kings
15: at Phoenix Suns

Tag: The Weekly Recap

The Weekly Recap (142)

Posted November 11, 2019 by Rowena in Books, Features | 6 Comments

I wasn’t feeling too good this week so I spent a lot of it in bed, trying desperately to get better and to also read some damn books. Only one of those things happened and it wasn’t that I read some damn books. By Saturday, I was ready to get out of my bedroom and get out of my house. With my sister Helen being in town, we had us a sister weekend and it was great. All five of my sisters got together for lunch and we laughed the day away and really, it was the bomb. It was the best way to end a pretty crappy weekend, especially after missing three days of work and being all antsy about what I’m going to find when I get to work today.

My Lakers took an L last night so I really need to put last week behind me and turn things around. Wish me luck…

Now, onto the books…

What I’m Currently Reading

Open House by Ruby Lang
Published by Harlequin, Carina Press on November 11, 2019
Genres: Contemporary, Romance
Point of View: Third Person
Pages: 165
Format: eARC
Source: NetGalley
Add It: Goodreads

Love can take root where you least expect it.

Tyson Yang never imagined that one day he’d be the de facto spokesperson for an illegal community garden. But when the once-rat-infested-but-now-thriving Harlem lot goes up for sale, Ty can’t just let all their hard work get plowed under.

Even if he is irresistibly drawn to the lovely but infuriatingly stubborn real estate associate.

Magda Ferrer’s family is already convinced this new job will be yet another flop in her small but growing list of career path failures. But her student debt isn’t going anywhere, and selling her uncle’s historic town house and the lot nearby means a chance to get some breathing room.

Ty is her charming rival, her incorrigible nemesis, the handsome roadblock to her success.

Until one hot Harlem night blurs the hard line drawn between them, and the seeds of possibility in this rocky garden blossom into love…

This book is approximately 48,000 words

One-click with confidence. This title is part of the
Carina Press Romance Promise
: all the romance you’re looking for with an HEA/HFN. It’s a promise!

I picked up and put down a couple of different books last week so I’m picking up this book today in hopes that I’ll finally get something read. So far, so good. Wish me luck on the rest of the book.

What I Read

Nothing. You guys, I spent the entire week reading absolutely nothing. Nothing is catching my eye and everything I start, I’ve stopped reading. This isn’t a good place to be reading-wise since I’m so far behind in my Goodreads Challenge already so I’m really hoping and praying that shit turns around this week. I can’t keep taking these reading L’s.

What Made Me Laugh

There you have it, my week in review. How was your week?

6 Comments

Tags: Currently Reading, The Weekly Recap, Week in Books

The Weekly Recap (140)

Posted October 28, 2019 by Rowena in Books, Features | 4 Comments

This week was for Friday Night Lights (we lost), Pee Wee Football (we lost), Lakers basketball (we’re finally winning again, yippy skippy!), and a trip to Santa Clarita to visit my cousin’s husband who is in the hospital. It’s been a rough couple of weeks for my cousin and her kids so it was nice to get to spend some time with them and lift their spirits for a little while. If you guys can spare any prayers for Ka Seiuli, that would be great. One of my coworkers lost his Dad to the battle of cancer as well and that makes me super sad for him. It’s been a sad week all around but it’s the start of a new week and hopefully, things turn around.

Now, onto the books…

What I’m Currently Reading

A Madness of Sunshine by Nalini Singh
Published by Penguin, Berkley on December 3, 2019
Genres: Mystery, Suspense, Thriller
Point of View: Third Person
Pages: 352
Format: eARC
Source: NetGalley
Add It: Goodreads

New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh welcomes you to a remote town on the edge of the world where even the blinding brightness of the sun can’t mask the darkness that lies deep within a killer…

On the rugged West Coast of New Zealand, Golden Cove is more than just a town where people live. The adults are more than neighbors; the children, more than schoolmates. That is until one fateful summer—and several vanished bodies—shatters the trust holding Golden Cove together. All that’s left are whispers behind closed doors, broken friendships, and a silent agreement not to look back. But they can’t run from the past forever. Eight years later, a beautiful young woman disappears without a trace, and the residents of Golden Cove wonder if their home shelters something far more dangerous than an unforgiving landscape. It’s not long before the dark past collides with the haunting present and deadly secrets come to light.

Next up on my review pile is A Madness of Sunshine by Nalini Singh. I haven’t seen much about this book so far so I’m going into this one pretty blind. I’m only on Chapter 2 so we’ll see how this goes. This is completely new from Nalini Singh, so I’m mighty curious to see what she brings to the thriller and suspense world. Either way, I’m here for it.

What I Read

Blitzed (The Playbook #3) by Alexa Martin (eARC) | 3.25 out of 5
Four Days of You and Me by Miranda Kenneally (eARC) | 4.25 out of 5
Saving Grace by Julie Garwood (eBook) (Re-Read) | 5 out of 5

Getting Played (Getting Some #2) by Emma Chase (Audio) | 4.25 out of 5

I really enjoyed the books that I read this week. My favorite reads of the week go to Getting Played and Four Days of You and Me. Both books were fun and just what I was in the mood for so I adored them. My least favorite read of the week goes to Blitzed because it dragged a big for me. I wasn’t expecting the story to be so slow so it took me a lot longer to connect with the romance, the characters, and just everything.

Eye Candy Friday

Dean Walker
Getting Played (Getting Some #2) by Emma Chase

What I Reviewed

Moonlighter (The Company #1) by Sarina Bowen | 4.25 out of 5
The Play (Briar U #3) by Elle Kennedy | 4.25 out of 5
10 Blind Dates by Ashley Elston | 4 out of 5

What I Posted

The Weekly Recap (139)
The Wednesday Post (20)
Eye Candy Friday: Dean Walker from Getting Played by Emma Chase

What I Got

Crush, Interrupted by Zaida Polanco
Never Got Over You by Whitney G.
Getting Schooled by Christine C. Jones
Don’t Break Me by Ash Ley
Goddess of Spring (Goddess Summoning #2) by P.C. Cast

What I Got for Review

Open House (Uptown #2) by Ruby Lang
The Earl Takes a Fancy (Sins for All Seasons #5) by Lorraine Heath

What Made Me Laugh

There you have it, my week in review. How was your week?

4 Comments

Tags: Currently Reading, My Wishlist, The Weekly Recap, Week in Books, Weekly Reads

The Weekly Recap (139)

Posted October 21, 2019 by Rowena in Books, Features | 6 Comments

This week was a pretty eventful week for me, personally. Chase’s football game, a bunch of family fundraisers and yesterday, James the Mormon (who is not going to be going by that name anymore) came to our house for lunch before he spoke at a fireside for the kids. I was able to steal away for a couple of hours to have a proper catch up with my two besties and that was a lot of fun. On top of that, I got some books read and that also makes me happy.

Now, onto the books…

What I’m Currently Reading

Blitzed by Alexa Martin
Series: The Playbook #3
Published by Penguin, Berkley on December 3, 2019
Genres: Contemporary, Romance
Point of View: First Person
Pages: 320
Format: eARC
Source: NetGalley
Add It: Goodreads

Maxwell has finally met an opponent that he can't best in this new football romance from the author of Fumbled.

According to Brynn Larson, Maxwell Lewis is more trouble than he's worth. She doesn't care if he's a football god with a rock-hard body that brings most women to their knees. After an encounter that ends poorly, she's not interested in giving him a second chance. The last thing Brynn expects is for him to turn up at her bar months later, hat in hand. It doesn't matter if he brings more customers to her business--she's still not going on a date with him.

Maxwell knows he made a mistake. He'd been waiting to make his move on Brynn since the day he laid eyes on her and he was finally ready to go for it until he screwed up. He wishes he could tell her the truth about what happened that night, but he just can't. He can't tell anyone, so he'll make amends and hope she'll forgive him.

Brynn's not like other women, though. Playing for the Mustangs doesn't impress her and gifts make her scoff. Max will have to bring his A game if he hopes to win her over.

I thought I would have had time to finish this book over the weekend but I spent the time with my family instead of reading so I’m going to finish this one up today. Not much is happening right now so I’m hoping things pick up and that something happens other than Brynn being mad at Maxwell. Fingers crossed.