Walking: Mon., 30-Jan. > Sat., 25-Feb.
Here’s a screen shot of my Apple watch workouts that were recorded while walking. My goal is to walk for at least one solid 30-minute stretch per day. I’ve started turning on a “workout” for additional walks instead of just doing them, so there might be more than one per day.
Reading and walking are no longer tied together. It did not take me this long to read this fabulous book. I did read a number of non-M/M rereads during this stretch that won’t be featured in my #AmReading posts.
The cat in this picture is Chili, the feral cat I’ve been feeding and providing shelter for outdoors for a few years. She’s never let me touch/pet her and I’ve never been able to even trap her to get her spayed. But, she decided all on her own to sneak in through the garage when I either went out or returned from somewhere a couple weeks ago.
She still hasn’t let me touch her. Sheesh! Her comfort level has gone through a number of phases, and currently she’s hunkering down in the garage, having decided she’s still a bit too skittish around humans in the house. I’ve got food/water in there for her and that’s where the litter boxes are, so no worries. I think she comes upstairs to hang when I go to bed at night. She hasn’t tried to dash for it during subsequent garage door openings, so she apparently wants to stay. Basically, she’s one confused kitty at the mo’, wanting the cushier setup and treats the house kitties get, but not wanting to be around humans. At all.
What I #AmReading…
Brute by Kim Fielding
I tracked down this book after reading one of Holly Day’s (aka Ofelia Gränd) blog lists. Her lists are often damaging to my book budget, but I have no regrets!
This book grabbed me right from the beginning and never let go. Top notch writing and a gripping storyline…always a fabulous combination. And all managed without either character ever having to be a jerk to the other. The MCs (and even the kinda-but-not-truly villain) are likable and we can understand (though not necessarily like) the choices they made/make.
The Snippets
The second speaker is Prince Aldfrid, an important side character:
“I can talk. Your Highness.” Brute hoped that was the proper way to address him.
“Speaking and carrying things. A man of many talents indeed. And on hot days you can provide shade for all the mere mortals around you.”
Prince Aldfrid was smiling, and Brute couldn’t help but grin back. “And shelter when it storms, Your Highness.”
He had a nice laugh, Brute thought. Loud, as if he was used to having an audience, but it seemed genuine. And it was by no means a jeer. He laughed at Brute’s small joke the way friends laughed together in the tavern, the way Osred laughed when Osric did his imitation of Darius. He even clapped Brute familiarly on the arm. “Have you ever given thought to joining the Royal Guard?” he asked.
Scene introducing Warin, a young boy, and important side character. It’s interesting to see how various people react to Brute when they first meet him:
BRUTE WAS handed off to a half-grown boy with a shock of fiery hair. Once the boy decided that Brute wasn’t going to tear him limb from limb, he attacked his role with enthusiasm, preening as passersby watched him giving the monster the grand tour.
“She” is Alys, Warin’s older sister and another fairly important side character:
“What’s this then, brat?” she asked Warin, and Brute realized that they must be siblings. Fond ones, judging by the way she rumpled his hair.
“Brute.”
“Uh-huh. And what am I supposed to do with him?”
“Feed him, of course.”
She grinned, revealing a chipped front tooth. “Looks like he’s apt to eat the cupboards bare.”
“Lord Maudit says Brute’ll be staying in the Brown Tower now.”
Her eyes widened slightly. “Oh. I guess His Excellency’s run out of volunteers here, and now he’s having to hire one-pawed trolls instead.”
“I am not a troll!” Brute said indignantly.
“Course not. Trolls are better dressed.” Her smile was too warm for Brute to take offense, and he found the corners of his mouth twitching.
“Aric” is Brute, but Gray (the prisoner) is the only one who calls him that:
“Please don’t do this,” whispered Aric.
“Don’t what?” Gray reached up and cupped his cheek in one hand. “Don’t t-tell you my heart beats for you? Don’t tell you my s-soul sings for you? Don’t tell you that you’re hope to me, l-life to me, the c-center of my fucking universe?”
Brute/Aric is the “giant”:
“It’s a sad day when a giant needs guidance from a blind man so he can take a piss,” Gray said, but he didn’t sound sad at all.
Brute by Kim Fielding
GENRE: M/M Fantasy Romance
LENGTH: Novel / 266 Pages
Brute leads a lonely life in a world where magic is commonplace. He is seven and a half feet of ugly, and of disreputable descent. No one, including Brute, expects him to be more than a laborer. But heroes come in all shapes and sizes, and when he is maimed while rescuing a prince, Brute’s life changes abruptly. He is summoned to serve at the palace in Tellomer as a guard for a single prisoner. It sounds easy but turns out to be the challenge of his life.
Rumors say the prisoner, Gray Leynham, is a witch and a traitor. What is certain is that he has spent years in misery: blind, chained, and rendered nearly mute by an extreme stutter. And he dreams of people’s deaths—dreams that come true.
As Brute becomes accustomed to palace life and gets to know Gray, he discovers his own worth, first as a friend and a man and then as a lover. But Brute also learns heroes sometimes face difficult choices and that doing what is right can bring danger of its own.
About My #AmWalking / #AmReading Posts
I started out with this being a Sunday thing, but sometimes I’d rather not mash multiple books into a single post, so now, you never know when you might see one of these posts.
Rather than give a true “review,” which I’m not entirely comfortable doing as an author myself, I share snippets from books I’ve read and enjoyed, letting the authors’ words speak for themselves.
As you’ve possibly noticed, if you’ve been following along, I highlight snippets for reasons of my own which might veer from what is often seen. Sometimes my highlights have more to do with a paragraph simply impressing the heck out of me for its fabulous writerly technique, other times it has to do with the lovely way it gives subtle insight into the story/characters. Still other times simply because it made me laugh.
Anyway, I sometimes add a little commentary, but not always, which is not in any way, shape, or form, to be taken as unwritten commentary. Most likely it just means I’m short on time and/or context isn’t needed to understand what’s happening, and/or my brain doesn’t feel like putting out the effort in that particular moment.
Happy reading!
I’m glad you enjoyed Brute so much.🥰 I really hope that Chili soon starts to feel as comfy around you as he looks in his cosy bed😻
I wish Chili was a he. I’m worried she might be preggers. Again.
Dang..I had a brain burp, I’m sorry, heaven knows why I wrote ‘he’ 😳
Oh nooo…I do so hopes she’s not. 🤞😧🤞Again.😖
At least I might finally get a chance to get her spayed. Need her to lighten up a bit first. Cat bites from a cat that means business can be serious, so I don’t want to push it.
🍀Wishing you lots of luck🍀I do so hopes she’ll allow you to befriend her💚