Hiya, reader friends!

Welcome to September: the last single-digit month of the year, and the month when fall begins in my part of the world.

I do enjoy fall, though the only pumpkin spice thing I really go for is the candles – and, to be fair, we burn pumpkin spice year-round in our house. It’s the change in the weather and the change in the light that I enjoy most. The cooler temperatures are always lovely after months of summer heat. But have you ever noticed the subtle shift in the light that happens as fall rolls in? I love the way the shadows change just so!

A FEW FIRSTS

August was a busy month for me, and it brought with it a few firsts. As someone who strives to seek adventure in everything, firsts are what I live for!

Our grand adventure this time came in the form of a cruise. That wasn’t a first – in fact, if we’re counting correctly, this was my 9th cruise and my husband’s 11th! This cruise, though, was extra special because it was our first trip to Cuba!

On our way down to the port, we usually like to take an extra day or two. This time, we decided to stay in Miami overnight before our departure day. Miami has become pretty old hat for us, so we spiced it up by spending the evening in the Wynwood District for the first time.

Our first cruise stop was Key West. We’d been to the Florida Keys several times before, so we decided to do something a little different on this visit.

My husband had been skydiving before, but this was my first time and I fell 100% in love with it. It’s something I’ve wanted to work up the courage to do for a long time, and it definitely falls squarely within my adventure value! I think maybe I should use this shot for all my profile pictures online for a while – what do you think 😂

Our Cuba visit ended up being a first within a first as it was also the first time we’d stayed overnight in a port. I didn’t know that would make such a big difference for me cruise-wise, but I really enjoyed the extra time in the port. When we got off the boat, I wanted to double-check, because it seemed like we must be expected to adhere to some sort of curfew. However, when I asked our cruise director, he laughed and said we didn’t have to get back on the boat until the all aboard call the next day if we didn’t want to. So cool! We ended up staying out late into the night just to experience Havana after dark.

AUGUST RECAP

Finished:

1. Blackout by Dannika Dark
2. This Kitten’s Got Curves by Alma Black
3. Awakened by Brenda K. Davies – currently free on Amazon

**Please note that anywhere I’ve listed free/Kindle Unlimited availability is accurate at the time of this post, but may not reflect current status or offers if you’re reading this at a later date**

My ratings and/or reviews for the books I finished are up on Goodreads. Go check them out and be sure to add me as a friend over there! You can also add or rate The Black Wolf Series if you’re so inclined (and I’d totally appreciate it).

SO, WHAT ABOUT SEPTEMBER?

1. Thorne Bay by Jeanine Croft – continuing my efforts to read books by my online author friends – yay!
2. All Fall Down by Christine Pope – I started this one in August but didn’t get a chance to finish it, so I’m keeping it on the list.
3. A Stone in the Sea by A.L. Jackson – I love A. L. Jackson, so I’m guessing that once I start this series, I won’t be able to stop, but I’m limiting my list to just Book One and Book Two (below) so I don’t put undue pressure on myself to speed through them.
4. Drowning to Breathe by A.L. Jackson

What are you reading this month? Comment below to let me know or tell me all about the best book you’ve read recently. I can’t wait to hear!