Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Thursday Thirteen 289: Recently Read

Time to recap what I've been reading the last few weeks. While there are a couple romances in this batch, the bulk of it is YA and mystery. As always, click on any cover to find out more about that particular book.














BOOK NOTES:

* ROW 1: The romance selection. Two of these were read for mini reading challenges. Tactical Advantage is book three in Julie Miller's "The Precinct: Task Force" series. In Bed by Bronwyn Jameson was a double bonus for a challenge to read a book either set in Australia or written by an Australian. I'm ashamed to say how long this one was moldering in Mount TBR (sorry Bron!). Rafferty's Wife by Kay Hooper, is the third book in her older "Hagen" series. It fit a challenge to read a book by an author whose name only has three letters (KAY) and is also my "R" book for the "S-P-R-I-N-G" challenge.

* ROW 2: I figured it was time I caught up on some of the books on loan from my sister, and first up were books 3-5 of the "Kingdom Keepers" series by Ridley Pearson. These are young adult fantasy set in Disney theme parks and are fun, fast reads. Here's hoping I can get book six from them soon!

* ROW 3: Donna Andrews was the April Featured Author for the Cozy Mysteries group at Goodreads. Murder With Peacocks and Murder With Puffins are the first two books in her "Meg Langslow" series. I'm not sure how I feel about this series. I have the next two books in Mount TBR, so we'll see how I feel about those before continuing the series -- or not. Funeral Food by Kathleen Taylor is the first in her "Tory Bauer" series, and fit two different challenges (food on the cover and a book set in South Dakota).

* ROW 4: Wall-to-Wall Dead is book six in Jennie Bentley's "Do-It-Yourself" mystery series. Can't wait for book seven! Thread Reckoning is book three in Amanda Lee's "Embroidery" mystery series. Don't Judge is the third book in the "Gallagher Girls" series by Ally Carter. I'm on the hunt for books four and five!

* ROW 5: I plucked Mixed-Up Files off of my shelf for a re-read after hearing of E.L. Konigsburg's death last month. This is one I first read in 6th grade, and it stuck with me.


WHAT ARE YOU READING THESE DAYS?




LINKING TO: Thursday Thirteen



20 comments:

Alice Audrey said...

You really have gone on a YA kick. I remember you mentioned it before.

Heather said...

Alice: I can't explain the recent YA kick, other than that I got turned on to a few good series, and now I have to see them through. Still looking for Gallagher Girls 4 & 5, but found book 3 in Lois Lowry's "Giver" series yesterday. I'm sure that will be on the next "Recently read" post. *G*

Rekaya Gibson said...

Funeral Food looks and sounds interesting. Thanks for sharing.

The Food Temptress

Heather said...

Rekaya! Where have you been hiding, woman? Funeral Food was indeed interesting. It was edgier than your usual cozy mystery, and the chapter titled "Junior's Lesson" (Junior in this case being a woman named after her mother) was quite, um...interesting, to say the very least. Definitely not something I'd expect to find in a cozy, lol.

anthonynorth said...

That's a lot of YA.

Anonymous said...

Great list of books you've read... I so wish I read faster.

CountryDew said...

I read YA occasionally but favor fantasies when I do. Tamara Pierce is a favorite. Right now I'm on a nonfiction run, reading memoir and self-help, with a fiction book tossed in there for fun every now and then.

Jennifer Leeland said...

Mmmm You're not sure how you feel about the Donna Andrews books? I'm curious to know what your knee jerk reaction was. I love it when you post your recently read. I discover new stuff.

Mia Celeste said...

I've not read any of the books you've pictured. Currently, I'm into Karen McQuestion. I just finished Easily Amused and now I'm reading Favorite.


http://otherworlddiner.blogspot.com/2013/05/inspired-by-beginnings-thirteen-things.html

Hazel said...

Love the cover of Thread Reckoning, Rafferty's Wife and Murder with Peacocks. Funeral Food sounds quite interesting.

colleen said...

Lots of magazine and online articles. So many books I've not hear of.

Heather said...

Anthony: Just a bit, lol. I'm sure there'll be a few more titles in my next "recently read" post, too.

Heather said...

Hi Tania! Believe me, I often wish I could read faster, too. Then I might have a chance of some day conquering Mount TBR (snicker). ;-)

Heather said...

Anita: I confess, I rarely read nonfiction. I've never been big on memoir or biography, though my mom loved them.

Heather said...

Thanks, Jennifer! About the Donna Andrews books...I didn't dislike them, but at the same time, I didn't absolutly love them. A lot of people in the Cozy Mysteries group tout them as uproariously funny. While there is some humor, I didn't find them as madcap as others seem to. Maybe it's just me, maybe the mood I was in when I read them. In any case, since I only paid 50 cents each for the books, I will read the remaining two in Mount TBR and see if the series grows on me.

Heather said...

Hi Mia! I'm not familair with Karen McQuestion--will look her up on Goodreads!

Heather said...

Hazel: A good cover can really pull you in, can't it? Kay Hooper always gets some good ones, and I love those in Amanda Lee's series as well.

Heather said...

Colleen: You know, I've never been a big magazine reader. I don't subscribe to any, and there are very few I will pick up even once in while. Not sure why that is...

Paige Tyler said...

We have The Kingdon Keepers, but haven't read them yet! They look cool!

*hugs*
Paige

My TT is at http://paigetylertheauthor.blogspot.com

Unknown said...

I enjoy YA reads as well. Whenever my teen girls find a good read, they send it my way. Happy Reading!