Thursday Thirteen 445: Recently Read

Below are featured the latest books read, all but two of which were finished in 2016. I exceeded my goal in the Goodreads Challenge, finishing the year with 84/80 books read. I have set my 2017 goal at 80 once again. As always, click on any cover or link for more information.














ABOUT THE BOOKS:


ROW 1: The Cat, The Collector and The Killer is book seven of a favorite series by Leann Sweeney called "Cats in Trouble," and Grace Against the Clock is book five in the "Manor House" series by Julie Hyzy. I enjoyed both of these. Hooked on Murder is book one in the "Crochet" series by Betty Hechtman, who was the November Featured Author in the Cozy Mysteries group.

ROW 2: One Book in the Grave is book five in the “Bibliophile” series by Kate Carlisle. I have quite a few more to catch up on in this series. Three Bedrooms, One Corpse is book three in the “Aurora Teagarden” series by Charlaine Harris. I plucked this one out of Mount TBR after attending a discussion with Harris during the Wisconsin Book Festival (plus, it fit a mini reading challenge). Again, several more in the series — not to mention three other series by Harris— to catch up on. Passenger to Frankfurt was the December group read for an Agatha Christie group at GR. Though written in 1970, there were many passages that eerily described what has been happening in this country (and the world) recently. Too bad the general unrest and divisiveness around the world cannot be as easily resolved as it can in a novel.

ROW 3: The Visitor is the long-anticipated fourth book in the “Graveyard Queen” series by Amanda Stevens. I look forward to books five and six, and learning where the plot is going! Rest Ye Murdered Gentleman is book one of the "Year-Round Christmas" series by Vicki Delany, and was a good start to the series. The Nights Before Christmas is an older book by Vicki Lewis Thompson and was a nice, steamy read to heat things up for the holidays.

ROW 4: Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris is a book I had heard about at Goodreads, and which many recommended. Aside from the first story, "The Santaland Diaries," and one or two other shorter ones, I was greatly disappointed. It wasn’t as funny as I’d been led to believe — or maybe it just isn’t my brand of humor. In any case, I did not like it overall. Thankfully, the next two books read were much more to my liking. A Redbird Christmas by Fannie Flagg was a December 2010 group read for TNBBC, but I only recently came across a copy of the book. I’m surprised Hallmark hasn’t made this one into a movie, as it would fit their December lineup perfectly. Similarly, Starry Night by Debbie Macomber is a perfect fit for the holiday season. While Holidays on Ice may be destined for the library monthly used book sale, these two are definite keepers.

ROW 5: The Stranger by Albert Camus was the November group read for a Classics group at GR. This book read surprisingly fast and was often difficult to put down. In fact, I nearly finished it on the bus to work, and stood at the bus stop to read the last page. The novel is divided into two parts, and people were generally disturbed by how part two played out. Definitely thought-provoking!


Your turn: What are you reading?



LINKING TO: Thursday Thirteen

Teaser Tuesday 343: Starry Night

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted The Purple Booker. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

* Grab your current book or recent read.
* Share a few "teaser" sentences from somewhere in the book.
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away. You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title and author so that other participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teaser!


This week's teaser is from a Christmas romance, Starry Night by Debbie Macomber, which I read over Christmas.

She stumbled and fell face-first onto the ice.

Before she could right herself, the wolf was nearly on top of her.


(Chapter Two)

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Carrie Slayton, a big-city society-page columnist, longs to write more serious news stories. So her editor hands her a challenge: She can cover any topic she wants, but only if she first scores the paper an interview with Finn Dalton, the notoriously reclusive author.

Living in the remote Alaskan wilderness, Finn has written a mega-bestselling memoir about surviving in the wild. But he stubbornly declines to speak to anyone in the press, and no one even knows exactly where he lives.

Digging deep into Finn’s past, Carrie develops a theory on his whereabouts. It is the holidays, but her career is at stake, so she forsakes her family celebrations and flies out to snowy Alaska. When she finally finds Finn, she discovers a man both more charismatic and more stubborn than she even expected. And soon she is torn between pursuing the story of a lifetime and following her heart.

Filled with all the comforts and joys of Christmastime, Starry Night is a delightful novel of finding happiness in the most surprising places.

Teaser Tuesday 340: The Nights Before Christmas

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Jenn of Books and a Beat. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

* Grab your current book or recent read.
* Share a few "teaser" sentences from somewhere in the book.
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away. You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title and author so that other participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teaser!


This week's teaser comes from an older Christmas romance I recently picked up, The Nights Before Christmas by Vicki Lewis Thompson.

At last he brushed the mistletoe over her mouth. "In the beginning, there's always doubt."

(Chapter 8)

ABOUT THE BOOK:

All Suzanne Talbot wants for Christmas is Greg Stone. She's fantasized about the sexy handyman for months. And she's recently heard from other women in her building that leaky pipes aren't all Greg fixes. So she decides to go for it . . . and quickly learns just how good Greg is with his hands . . . .

All Greg Stone wants for Christmas is Suzanne Talbot. Only, Suzanne's so classy, so sexy, so damn tempting. Why would she want a simple guy like him? But once Suzanne makes the first move, Greg can't resist her. They come together in explosive, sensual encounters that are as mystical, as magical as the season itself. And now all Greg has to do is convince Suzanne that the nights after Christmas can be even better . . . .

Thursday Thirteen 431: Recently Read

Yes, it’s that time again — below are the most recent books I've delved into this year. This selection of books crosses multiple genres — mystery, romance, classics, young adult, and even a couple banned books. As always, click on any link or cover for more information. 
















ABOUT THE BOOKS:


ROW 1: I thought I had read the Irish Born trilogy by Nora Roberts years ago, when it was originally published, but apparently not. This series follows the lives of Irish sisters Maggie, a glass blower, and Brianna, owner of a B&B, and their previously unknown to them American half-sister, Shannon, an artist.

ROW 2: The Cozy Mysteries Featured Author Row . . . Juliet Blackwell was the CFA in July, and I managed to read two books by here, each from a different series. First up was Secondhand Spirits, first book in her Witchcraft series, about witches in San Francisco (no, not the Charmed ones). This book was okay, with two notable exceptions. First, there are no mountains in Wisconsin, as the author falsely stated within the first sixty pages. That sentence nearly had me throwing the book across the room. The second issue was her “just then-itus,” which I’m sure you all know by now annoys me to no end. I did enjoy Dead Bolt, the second book in her Haunted Home Renovation series. I immensely enjoyed Crime and Poetry by Amanda Flower, the Aug FCA. This is the first in her Magical Bookshop series, and I look forward to book two out later this year. Absolutely love the crow, Faulkner!

ROW 3: I was hoping to like Criminal Confections equally as much, but no. You’d think one couldn’t go wrong with a book about chocolate, but you would be wrong. There were numerous aspects of this book that annoyed me. Musseled Out (third in series) and Supernatural Born Killers (ninth of series) were much more to my liking.

ROW 4: Third Girl was the August book for the Agatha Christie group at Goodreads. While I had seen a movie version a few years back, I had not read the book before. It was interesting to note some of the changes made for the movie script, and which occasionally led to some confusion while reading the book. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer was the August group classics read. While I was familiar with some of the main points of the story — I remember a movie version when we were kids, and later in middle school, saw a scene of it enacted — I had never actually read the book, which is frequently challenged for language, violence, and age-inappropriateness. Neither had I previously read the September classic, The Call of the Wild. Good, but again one that is frequently challenged due to violence and age-inappropriateness.

ROW 5: Four years ago, I stumbled onto a YA series by Ally Carter about an all-girls school for spies, The Gallagher Girls. I managed to find all but the last one, United We Spy (which came out around the time I found book one of six) over the next few years, but this one eluded me. Then this past summer I stopped in at the library’s monthly used book sale and not only did I finally find a copy, it was in like-new condition. That, added to two recent releases found for a steal, totally made my day. The book was worth waiting for, though I had a bit of an “oops” totally Ally Carter's fault.

I always read on the bus to and from work, but am always aware of where we are . . . what major streets or familiar landmarks we are passing along the route. Except for one night. I was so into the action scene that I missed my stop, had even somehow completely blocked out the audio announcement of key stops. I suddenly looked up and felt a moment of panic when I didn’t instantly recognize where we were — and breathed a sigh of relief when I then heard the audio announce a certain street. Thankfully, I only had to walk back about six blocks — which would have been more of a relief had it not been after dark and the street better lighted.


Your turn: What have you been reading lately? Have you ever been so engrossed in a book that you forgot where you were, or missed a bus/train stop?



LINKING TO: Thursday Thirteen

Teaser Tuesday 326: Born in Fire

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Jenn of Books and a Beat. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

* Grab your current book or recent read.
* Share a few "teaser" sentences from somewhere in the book.
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away. You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title and author so that other participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teaser!


Yes, I am teasing something other than a mystery this week. I honestly forgot that I had Born in Fire by Nora Roberts. In fact, I actually thought I had read this entire trilogy, but no.

The sculpture stood on the far side of the room, fully three feet high, all bleeding colors and twisting, sinuous shapes. A tangle of limbs, surely, he thought, unashamedly sexual, beautifully human. He crossed to it to study it from a different angle.

(Chapter Five)

ABOUT THE BOOK:
Series: Irish Born trilogy #1

Three modern sisters bound by the timeless beauty of Ireland...

The eldest Concannon sister, Maggie, is a reclusive, stubborn and free-spirited glassmaker—with a heart worth winning.

Margaret Mary is a glass artist with an independent streak as fierce as her volatile temper. Hand-blowing glass is a difficult and exacting art, and while she may produce the delicate and the fragile, Maggie is a strong and opinionated woman, a Clare woman, with all the turbulence of that fascinating west country.

One man, Dublin gallery owner Rogan Sweeney, has seen the soul in Maggie’s art, and vows to help her build a career. When he comes to Maggie’s studio, her heart is inflamed by their fierce attraction—and her scarred past is slowly healed by love.

Thursday Thirteen 412: Recently Read

Here’s a look at what I’ve read since mid-February through last week. As always, click on any cover or link for more info.















ABOUT THE BOOKS:


ROW 1: The first two books are both by Julie Hyzy, and all three counted towards monthly mini challenges. One of the Hyzy books also counted towards a 2016 Ultimate category, a book set during summer.

ROW 2: More cozy mysteries for mini challenges. Sheila Connolly was the Featured Cozy Author back in Oct 2015. While I read two of her books then, I still have several in Mount TBR to go. This catches me up on at least one of her many series. An Early Wake also counted towards the 2016 Ultimate Challenge (book set on an island). With Wicked Stitch and The Stitching Hour, I am also now caught up on this series by Amanda Lee.

ROW 3: Jacqueline Winspear was the March Featured Cozy Author. I enjoyed this first book in her series, an historical mystery set during and after WWI, but wish it had come with a tissue warning. It also counted towards the Ultimate Challenge (book set in Europe), and I do want to track down the next book in the series. Major Pettigrew was a February group read and I quite enjoyed it -- would definitely recommend it (Ultimate: Book with a blue cover). Northern Lights was the February read for a Nora Roberts group, and also counted towards a mini challenge for oldest book in Mount TBR — I’ve been meaning to read it for more than a decade and am surprised it took me so long, seeing as it is set in Alaska.

ROW 4: Fire Touched is a recent release by Patricia Briggs (Ultimate: book published in 2016), and I enjoyed it as much as I have all her Mercy Thompson books. The first chapter had me in stitches. Abandoned is the prequel to Amanda Stevens' “Graveyard Queen” series, which I read in anticipation of the March publication of the fourth book in the series, which I do not yet possess. I look forward to reading it, and the next two books in the series, though. Hard Knocks is also a series prequel, this one by Lori Foster. I have not yet read any of the books in the “Ultimate” series, though a friend does have book one.

ROW 5: Walking is a classic short work by Henry David Thoreau, the text of which meanders as ones thoughts might on a long walk.


Your turn: What are you reading?



LINKING TO: Thursday Thirteen

Thursday Thirteen 397: Recently Read

Here's a look at what I've read in recent months. Unfortunately, due to working a second job, I have not had as much time to read as I normally would. A couple nights I've nearly fallen asleep on the bus home -- not a good thing -- never mind reading once I get there. Also, I had one book take up almost all of my November. Good thing I had such a HUGE cushion at start of that month, as making my 2015 reading goal will be pretty close now. I went from being eight books ahead to only two ahead by the time I finished that book, and am now three ahead -- but for how long? December be a-dwindlin' fast!

As always, click on any cover or title below for more information. Many of these have also been featured in Teaser Tuesdays, so be sure to check out that tag in the right sidebar as well. Happy reading!
















ABOUT THE BOOKS:

ROW 1: Sheila Connolly is one of my favorite cozy mystery writers, and was the October featured author in the Cozy Mysteries group. Bitter Harvest is book 5 in her Apple series -- I really liked the non-murder threads in this one, especially the stitching and genealogical aspects -- and Called Home was a free related short story. Scandal is book two in her Irish series. I have several more of her books to catch up on, including a museum series I've yet to start.

ROW 2: More cozy mysteries, this group all read for monthly mini challenges. Mr. Monk was also read for the 2015 Ultimate reading challenge (a book based on or that became a TV series), and Mr. Goldberg does an excellent job translating the well-known TV character to the page. I have a couple more of these in Mount TBR.

ROW 3: Yes, more mysteries, and all for monthly mini challenges. Joyce and Jim Lavene were the November featured authors in the Cozy Mysteries group. Sadly, Joyce passed away at end of October, so will be interesting to see which -- if any -- of their series are continued. I have a ton of their books to catch up on in Mount TBR, both older and more recent series.

ROW 4: This row is comprised of classics for group reads. Sons and Lovers was read in September, and also fit an Ultimate challenge criteria of a banned book. It was okay, but had a truly depressing ending, and took longer to get through than hoped. Treasure Island was a much faster read, and also fit a monthly mini challenge (book with a pirate, parrot or ship -- all three of which were found here). I liked Villette, though the beginning third, Book 1, was tedious. Thankfully, the pace picked up in Books two and three. Unfortunately, I spent almost all of November on this one, which drastically reduced my progress in the yearly Goodreads reading challenge. I started out eight books ahead of my goal of 100 and am now only two books ahead. A new part-time job the last couple months hasn't helped, either. I still need five books by end of month, so looks like this will be another close year.

ROW 5: Miss Amelia was a free romance novella downloaded from Barnes and Noble, and was actually pretty good. I could use a few more short, quick reads this month!




LINKING TO: Thursday Thirteen