Gift Idea Books for Valentines Day

Does your girlfriend or wife like to read?

If so, consider giving them a book – along with flowers and taking them out to dinner – for Valentine’s Day this year.

Here are some books published since 2020 you may buy for your girlfriend, wife, or self for Valentine’s Day.

The Push

The Push by Ashley Audrain: A novel that tells the story of a new mother struggling to bond with her baby and the dark secrets of love and obsession that threaten to tear her family apart.

There are over 36,000 ratings on Amazon with an average of 4.3 out of 5 stars.  You can click on the below link to learn more about the book. There’s no obligation to buy. It only provides more detailed information and reviews.

The Vanishing Half

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett: this novel tells the story of twin sisters who grow up in a small, southern black community, and the choices which lead them to different lives and experiences. It’s a story that explores the concept of identity, race, and family.

Amazingly, this novel has over 98,000 ratings on Amazon with an average rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars. You can click on the below link to learn more about the book. There’s no obligation to buy. It only provides more detailed information and reviews.

The Four Winds

The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah: a historical fiction novel that tells the story of a woman who must make a tough choice to save her family by leaving her Texas home during the Great Depression and start a new life in California. It’s a story of hope, resilience, and the unlikely friendships she forms along the way.

The Four Winds has over 129,000 ratings on Amazon with an average rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars. You can click on the below link to learn more about the book. There’s no obligation to buy. It only provides more detailed information and reviews.

The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race

The Code Breaker by Walter Isaacson: It’s the story of Nobel Prize in Chemistry winner Jennifer Douda. The book  explores the revolutionary technology of CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing and its implications for the future of humanity. It focuses on the work of biochemist Jennifer Doudna, who co-invented the CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing tool and has been at the forefront of research on its potential uses. It delves into the ethical, social, and scientific questions that arise from this powerful new technology and its potential to change the course of human evolution.

You can click on the below link to learn more about the book. There’s no obligation to buy. It only provides more detailed information and reviews.

The Sanatorium

The Sanatorium by Sarah Pearse: Set in a remote Swiss sanatorium, this psychological thriller published in 2020 a detective as she investigates a murder that occurred in the snowy peaks which bury secrets and lies.

This is book one on the Detective Elin Warner Series. You can click on the below link to learn more about the book. There’s no obligation to buy. It only provides more detailed information and reviews.

The Code for Love and Heartbreak

The Code for Love and Heartbreak by Jillian Cantor: A contemporary fiction novel, published in 2020, the book tells a story of love, loss, and the unexpected connections which can change everything.  Emma is a math genius. She and her coding club co-president, George are tasked with brainstorming a new project. The project’s results?  The Code for Love is born. It’s a contemporary romcom retelling of Jane Austen’s Emma.

You can click on the below link to learn more about the book. There’s no obligation to buy. It only provides more detailed information and reviews.

Disclosure: I am an Amazon affiliate. If you purchase using the links in the article I receive a small commission.

Valentine’s Day Thoughts

I went to the doctor yesterday afternoon. I have severe ear infection. That is causing my dizziness. I’ve had those since a kid. I also have a sinus and repository infection bordering on bronchitis. I was treated for pneumonia back in September and spent a week in bed.

I was treated December 18, December 24, and again January 19 for sinus infection, ear infection and bronchitis. I got another shot, some fourth different type on antibiotic, and a super duper cough medicine that has the warning – “DO NOT DRIVE OR OPERATE MACHINERY WHILE TAKING THIS MEDICATION. IT WILL MAKE YOU VERY DROWSY AND HAVE AN ACCIDENT”. Sounds powerful. It is okay to take at night and then drive during the day.

After the doctor, it was time to go to the pharmacy at the big box store. My experience forces me to offer a “Customer Service Tip”. The tip is set realistic expectations. I turn in an RX. It’ll be ready in 30 minutes I’m told. I check back in 50 minutes. I’m told by the same person it’ll be at least another hour. I am unhappy. If they had said 2 hrs initially and set my lower expectations, I wouldn’t have expected it ready.

The above story gets worse before it gets better. I am told to stand to the side while they get my RX ready. The person waiting on me leaves for lunch without telling me or anyone. I keep waiting impatiently. Finally, a lady I know comes on duty. She helps a couple of people then asks me whats up. I tell her my sad story. She apologizes for the poor service which someone provided. She then checks and finds my RX is ready. It has been ready for 45 minutes.

Apparently, the young man got it ready, but his lunch break time came along, and he just left. Insert scream of frustration here! He didn’t take the time to get it to me before going to eat. He didn’t tell anyone. And I dutifully waited to follow the last instructions I was given. They made sure I left before he returned from lunch. I guess they were afraid I might go postal on him when he returned.

They experience reminds me of when I worked as a senior training specialist for American Express back in the 1990s. I learned the average person with a good customer experience tells at most one or two people if they tell any. Have a bad experience and the horrors are shared with over 20 people.

Last night the new RXs caused me to have insomnia. I was after 4:30 AM before I went to sleep.

It is now Friday morning. It is 63.2 degrees on my front porch at 11:00 AM on Valentine’s Day 2014. After having trouble getting to sleep last night I slept until 9:20 AM. I got up, wished Benita Kepler happy Valentine’s Day, just as she left for work.

I bought a nice gift for her earlier this week for Valentine’s Day. Unfortunately, it is sitting on my desk at work, and I am on vacation today and Monday. Linda Lee Tritton that I work with can vouch that it’s there. She saw it and asked about it. I guess it is good intentions gone wrong. I am “resting and relaxing” today. I finally showered and got dressed. I had the music cranked up. I am headed to the Shops at Willow Bend to walk for an hour. Then I will head to my favorite Starbucks to write (12:45 to 3:30 PM).

Today’s writing goals:

  1. Write another chapter in the Bradbury Burroughs Raindome SF novel,
  2. Finish reading the Terry Burns book on writing,
  3. Work on final edits and organizing on my forthcoming book “Lonely and Feeling Blue”. It is a poetry collection due out next month,
  4. I have some book reviews that need finished. The first drafts are written – maybe they’ll get priority today,
  5. Review the registration info for April’s poetry conference “Poetry at Round Top”,
  6. Check out the details for All-Con 2014, Dallas , March 13-16, 2014, and
  7. Check out the details for the biggie – Dallas Comic Con May 16-18, 2014. Now with 4x the space on one floor! 600,000+ square feet of comic and pop-culture family fun. It’s guests will include guests Stan Lee, William Shatner, Nathan Fillion, and Robert Englund. It is a Dallas version of Comicon.

Well, it is time to get on with the day. Oh, the below video is a little something I made for my bride on Valentine’s Day.