It’s Monday, what are you reading? (4/11/22)

After my 55 hours of listening to The Fiery Cross, Diana Gabaldon’s fifth book in the Outlander series, I wanted to listen to something fun, lighthearted and quick. My book choices are always completely reliant upon mood unless I have an ARC commitment. I have one of those too and it’s a book that is totally different than what I’ve been reading lately. I hope I like it!

Thanks again to Book Date who started this discussion and asked book bloggers to join the conversation!

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From the same author who wrote one of my favorite romances last year, The Love Hypothesis, she continues her women of STEM novels with a few novellas. This was an enemies to lovers romance, one of my favorite tropes and while I wished it had been a full length novel I thought it was fun.

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This novel is a complete departure from my normal genre. A heist novel with some great characters it has started off quick and is pretty easy to follow. The one hang-up for me is that it’s from every characters point of view. That’s a lot of pov’s!

Give me a shout and let me know what books you’re reading right now!

Happy Monday and happy reading!

Deb

It’s Monday, what are you reading? (4/4/22)

My sister has brought up this fantasy series on Kindle Unlimited multiple times. She only recommends books if they were really good and I made the mistake of starting book #1 last Thursday and boy did I get sucked in! So I’ve spent all my free time reading this series this weekend. I’m on the last book in the series, immediately picking up the next when I finished the previous book. I both love and hate finding great new authors like this. Love it because she has a lot of books I can read, but hate it because I forget about all my other obligations and only want to spend my time reading. I’m going to list the first and second books below if you’re interested.

Thanks again to The Book Date for opening this conversation to book bloggers to talk about the books they read over the last week. It’s a fun conversation, join in!

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This fantasy novel series is fast paced with an underdog heroine. Arrow has been rejected by her people, treated horribly, but is the strongest War Mage her people have seen in over a century. This series shows Arrow fighting for peace between the Taellaneth, humans, and shifkin. There’s a lot of action, great character development, and world building. Be prepared to want to read all of them at one time1

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Book #5 is the last one in the series, whew! What a fabulous series! I’ve stayed up late reading every night and have been hooked in by these characters and Arrow in particular. It’s been great to see her growth into a woman who has confidence. She has come a long way. If you love fantasy novels you need to read this series. Seriously good.

This is what I’ve been reading for the last few days. Are there any books you’ve gotten hooked by?

Happy Monday and happy reading!

Deb

It’s Monday, what are you reading? (3/28/22)

If you’re an avid reader like I am you will fit in time for reading despite having a busy schedule. This week was a performance week which tightened up my schedule even more but I found time to read some light and fun novels. Let’s jump right to it!

Thanks again to Kathryn from Book Date who started this fun conversation and allows us to share what we are reading each week.

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I was in the mood to read a rock star romance and I turned to the author of a series I love, Kylie Scott. Her Stage Dive series was a lot of fun and very well written so I thought I’d start on the spin-off Dirty. I really enjoyed these characters and the story that was much more character driven than rock star drive.

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I am about a third of the way in on this ARC I received for Sari not Sari and I am loving this debut author’s writing style!

What books are on your nightstand waiting for you to finish working and get back to reading?

Happy Monday and happy reading!

Deb

It’s Monday, what are you reading? (3/21/22)

Isn’t it awesome when you have a bunch of free time and can read just any ol’ thing you want? I’ve been going through my library wishlist and checking out what sounds good as well as taking a look at what’s been on my Kindle and have read through a few great books over the last week. It’s been so fun!

Thanks again to Book Date for starting this conversation and allowing us all to share what we’re reading.

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I saw this book on a Goodreads list about great romances of 2022 and thought I’d give this author a try. It’s the third book in the series but I didn’t miss not reading books 1 and 2. It was a different kind of historical novel that I actually really liked. I may go back and read the other two books!

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This book has been on my Kindle for over three years. I didn’t read it during the Pandemic because it’s about a virus that kills off a majority of the world’s population but I picked it up yesterday to give it another try. It is very Nora Roberts in writing style and it was easy to get interested. I’ll admit, it’s kind of weird reading about a deadly virus but I’m going to power through and see where this book leads me. I know it’s a three book series so I’ll make my decision later on whether I continue reading the other books.

Have you read either of these books? What did you think? If they aren’t books you’d see yourself reading, please share what’s on your coffee table.

Happy Monday and happy reading!

Deb

It’s Monday, what are you reading? (3/7/22)

I think my re-watching of Bridgerton this weekend got a little bit in the way of my reading. I’m excited for the release later this month of Season 2! I watched it when it first came out and it’s funny what my brain remembered (not that much), and I forgot all the sex and naked chests. Wowie! I am now ready to see what season 2 brings. Despite that 8 or 9 hours of binge watching I did finish a contemporary romance by Meghan Quinn and started an oldie but goodie by Nora Roberts. Here’s the scoop.

*Thanks again to Book Date for starting this conversation!

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I’ll admit that this wasn’t my normal reading choice but I’ve read Meghan Quinn in the past and have found her stories have a sense of humor that I felt I needed this weekend. There were moments in this novel that were pretty funny and it was a quick read. Just what I was looking for.

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I was going through Nora Roberts books on my library app and there are so many of her romantic thrillers that I somehow skipped. High Noon came out in 2007 and so far it’s off to a great start.

Are there any shows that are keeping you from picking up that book you’ve been eyeing? This month there are a LOT of Netflix releases that I’m looking forward to and I bet you all have a few as well. Let’s hear them!

Happy Monday and happy reading!

Deb

It’s Monday, what are you reading? (2/28/22)

Good morning! Have you ever requested too many books and realized that you need to read and review several in the next five days in order to honor your commitments? This girl right here! Despite the weather being glorious, I sat this weekend out and read a few really good books! Seriously, not a stinker among them. (Thank goodness….) Truthfully, it was kind of nice to have the excuse to sit around and read. LOL Curious? Here is what I’ve been reading.

Thanks to Book Date who started this theme for bloggers to share what’s on their shelves. You can read her post here.

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I remember reading Lauren Kate’s Fallen series ages ago and was surprised to see that she had an adult contemporary romance novel. I scooped it up and was so glad I did! Unsurprisingly, her writing was still awesome, and the story was a slow burn romance, my favorite! This book is too cute you all, you need to give it a shot.

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It feels so good to be back in the world of the Others! Someone decides to play a trick on Vicki and her guests at the Jumble, dressing as Crowbones, the boogeyman of the Crow Guard. Do the indigene have a sense of humor? Not really, but they do know how to protect their own. This is one fabulous Urban Fantasy novel and I can’t wait to find out who dunnit.

Are you reading a book that you just can’t put down? It’s the best feeling in the world, isn’t it?

Happy Monday and happy reading!

Deb

This Chicks Sunday Commentary: My Top 5 Most Anticipated Book Releases- Mar’22

I know February is a short month, but seriously? Time is flying by this year! In already looking towards the March book releases I’m feeling like I’m falling seriously behind. There are too many books out there and too little time to read them. March has some amazing book releases, so I’m just going to add the five that are on my own radar.

#5 BOOK RELEASE

There is something about this synopsis that is drawing me in. It helps that the author is Lauren Kate because I know she will not let me down. By Any Other Name probably should be higher on my list except for a couple of much anticipated by me novels that are filling the top 2. Is this novel on your own radar?

Synopsis: What she doesn’t know about love could fill a book.
 
With a successful career as a romance editor, and an engagement to a man who checks off all ninety-nine boxes on her carefully curated list, Lanie’s more than good. She’s killing it. Then she’s given the opportunity of a lifetime: to work with world-renowned author and her biggest inspiration in love and life—the Noa Callaway. All Lanie has to do is cure Noa’s writer’s block and she’ll get the promotion she’s always dreamed of. Simple, right? 
 
But there’s a reason no one has ever seen or spoken to the mysterious Noa Calloway. And that reason will rock Lanie’s world. It will call into question everything she thought she knew. When she finally tosses her ninety-nine expectations to the wind, Lanie may just discover that love By Any Other Name can still be as sweet.

Click this link to purchase this book!* By Any Other Name

MY #4 BOOK RELEASE

Rebecca Serle’s novels touch my heart and boy One Italian Summer looks like it could be a tear jerker. I’m a big fan of this author and am eagerly looking forward to reading this novel.

Synopsis: When Katy’s mother dies, she is left reeling. Carol wasn’t just Katy’s mom, but her best friend and first phone call. She had all the answers and now, when Katy needs her the most, she is gone. To make matters worse, their planned mother-daughter trip of a lifetime looms: to Positano, the magical town where Carol spent the summer right before she met Katy’s father. Katy has been waiting years for Carol to take her, and now she is faced with embarking on the adventure alone.

But as soon as she steps foot on the Amalfi Coast, Katy begins to feel her mother’s spirit. Buoyed by the stunning waters, beautiful cliffsides, delightful residents, and, of course, delectable food, Katy feels herself coming back to life.

And then Carol appears—in the flesh, healthy, sun-tanned, and thirty years old. Katy doesn’t understand what is happening, or how—all she can focus on is that she has somehow, impossibly, gotten her mother back. Over the course of one Italian summer, Katy gets to know Carol, not as her mother, but as the young woman before her. She is not exactly who Katy imagined she might be, however, and soon Katy must reconcile the mother who knew everything with the young woman who does not yet have a clue.

Rebecca Serle’s next great love story is here, and this time it’s between a mother and a daughter. With her signature “heartbreaking, redemptive, and authentic” (Jamie Ford, New York Times bestselling author) prose, Serle has crafted a transcendent novel about how we move on after loss, and how the people we love never truly leave us.

Click this link to purchase this book!* One Italian Summer: A Novel

MY #3 BOOK RELEASE

From Rebecca Serle’s mother-daughter novel in my #4 spot to a young lady who travels on a vacation with her parents, trying to understand her relationship with her father. I love this author and she often touches my heart with her novels. I’m anticipating another great read.

Synopsis: Right after the sudden death of her mother—her first and most devoted fan—and just before the launch of her high-stakes sophomore album, Greta James falls apart on stage. The footage quickly goes viral and she stops playing, her career suddenly in jeopardy—the kind of jeopardy her father, Conrad, has always predicted; the kind he warned her about when he urged her to make more practical choices with her life. 
 
Months later, Greta—still heartbroken and very much adrift—reluctantly agrees to accompany Conrad on the Alaskan cruise her parents had booked to celebrate their fortieth anniversary. It could be their last chance to heal old wounds in the wake of shared loss. But the trip will also prove to be a voyage of discovery for them both, and for Ben Wilder, a charming historian, onboard to lecture about The Call of the Wild, who is struggling with a major upheaval in his own life. As Greta works to build back her confidence and Ben confronts an uncertain future, they find themselves drawn to and relying on each other.

It’s here in this unlikeliest of places—at sea, far from the packed city venues where she usually plays and surrounded by the stunning scenery of Alaska—Greta will finally confront the choices she’s made, the heartbreak she’s suffered, and the family hurts that run deep. In the end, she’ll have to decide what her path forward might look like—and how to find her voice again.

Click this link to purchase this book!* The Unsinkable Greta James: A Novel

MY #2 BOOK RELEASE

Mercy Thompson is one of my favorite urban fantasy characters. She never thinks twice about sacrificing herself for others, and in this novel she could be sacrificing herself for someone who has been stalking her. I can’t wait to see what Patricia Briggs does with the characters in this universe. She never disappoints.

Synopsis: Mercy Thompson, car mechanic and shapeshifter, must face her greatest fears in this chilling entry in the #1 New York Times bestselling series.

The vampire Wulfe is missing. Since he’s deadly, possibly insane, and his current idea of “fun” is stalking Mercy, some may see it as no great loss. But when he disappears, the Tri-Cities pack is blamed. The mistress of the vampire seethe informs Mercy that the pack must produce Wulfe to prove their innocence, or the loose alliance between the local vampires and werewolves is over.
 
So Mercy goes out to find her stalker—and discovers more than just Wulfe have disappeared. Someone is taking people from locked rooms, from the aisles of stores, and even from crowded parties. And these are not just ordinary people but supernatural beings. Until Wulfe vanished, all of them were powerless loners, many of whom quietly moved to the Tri-Cities in the hope that the safety promised by Mercy and Adam’s pack would extend to them as well.
 
Who is taking them? As Mercy investigates, she learns of the legend of the Harvester, who travels by less-trodden paths and reaps the souls that are ripe with a great black scythe. . . .

Click this link to purchase this book!* Soul Taken (A Mercy Thompson Novel Book 13)

MY MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK RELEASE FOR MARCH’22

I have read, listened to, and read again Anne Bishop’s novels that take place in the perfectly terrifying world of The Others. Crowbones finds us back in The Jumble with resort owner Vicki DeVine where she is faced with having to solve a couple of murders before the Others decide humans are more trouble than they’re worth. These novels are eery, creepy, and fantastically fun. I…. can’t…. wait…..

Synopsis: In this engrossing and gripping fantasy set in the world of the New York Times bestselling Others series, an inn owner and her friends must find a killer—before it’s too late.…

Crowbones will gitcha if you don’t watch out!

Deep in the territory controlled by the Others—shape-shifters, vampires, and even deadlier paranormal beings—Vicki DeVine has made a new life for herself running The Jumble, a rustic resort. When she decides to host a gathering of friends and guests for Trickster Night, at first everything is going well between the humans and the Others.
 
But then someone arrives dressed as Crowbones, the Crowgard bogeyman. When the impostor is killed along with a shape-shifting Crow, and the deaths are clearly connected, everyone fears that the real Crowbones may have come to The Jumble—and that could mean serious trouble.
 
To “encourage” humans to help them find some answers, the Elders and Elementals close all the roads, locking in suspects and victims alike. Now Vicki, human police chief Grimshaw, vampire lawyer Ilya Sanguinati, and the rest of their friends have to figure out who is manipulating events designed to pit humans against Others—and who may have put Vicki DeVine in the crosshairs of a powerful hunter.

Click this link to purchase this book!* Crowbones (World of the Others Book 3)

*Amazon Associate- if you purchase one of these books through one of the above links I’ll receive a small stipend.

There are so many other great books coming out in March that it was seriously hard to choose my top 5. I hope my choices helped bring some on your radar, but if you think I missed anything feel free to shout out your most anticipated book! There’s always room on my TBR (LOL!).

Have a great month of reading!

Deb

It’s Monday, what are you reading? (2/21/22)

After some wild weather last week, this weekend was cold and clear. Perfect to be out and about doing errands and having lunch with friends. Of course, it was also the perfect weekend to lay low and read that book you’ve been eyeing. What did I do? I a little bit of both!

Thanks again to Book Date for starting this fun post where we can share what’s on our shelves and what books have captured our attention.

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I have had this audiobook in my list for a couple of years and decided to give it a listen. What I didn’t expect was to be captured by the story immediately and love the narration by Lucy Price-Lewis! Oh my lord those French accents! The story of a young woman hired to look into the artwork found in an apartment that hasn’t been opened in 70+ years was thrilling and romantic. Give this audiobook a listen, it’s fantastic!

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I just started this one last night but I’m loving Lynn Painter’s style of writing and the humor has me laughing out loud. I can’t wait to get back into this fun novel!

I hope you were able to enjoy your weekend with a little time spent outside, but also were able to settle down at the end of the day with a good book. Share what you’re reading! I’d love to hear.

Happy reading and have a great Monday!

Deb

It’s Monday, what are you reading? (2/14/22)

Happy Valentine’s Day everyone! If like me you have to work today and can’t spend it with your sweetheart, at least you can put in your earbuds and listen to your favorite book boyfriend! Admit it, we all do that at work once in awhile. Sometimes it makes that long day just a little more bearable. Here is what I’ve been reading this week!

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I just finished the audiobook for the fifth book in the Iron Druid Chronicles series. This is such a fun irreverent series and I’m enjoying the ride. My favorite character? Atticus’s dog, Oberon. Voiced by Luke Daniels he sounds a bit like a smarty Scooby Doo. So funny!

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The seventh book in the Casey Duncan series, these mysteries are so enjoyable and the characters wild and weird. Casey is once again trying to solve an investigation in the city of Rockton. Will it be her last?

I’ll admit that in addition to these books I’m also listening to one of my favorite romance novels called From Lukov With Love by Mariana Zapata. About two figure skaters who partner, go to the Olympics, and fall in love. It’s an enemies to lovers and so, so good! The Olympics got me in the mood!

Are you reading a romance novel for Valentine’s Day? Let’s hear it!

Happy Monday and happy reading!

Deb

It’s Monday, what are you reading? (1/31/22)

Don’t you love it when your weekend has the perfect balance of getting out and doing things and having time to sit and read a good book? Me too! I was able to read a couple of good books and mentally get myself ready to start the new week. Here’s what was on my kindle.

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I can always count on Penny Reid to give me a charming love story with quirky characters. Usually I’m not a big fan of the marriage of convenience trope but Abby certainly needed the time to figure out where her head was at! This was a cute story, perfect for a weekend of reading.

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You know when you get a pick and then realize that it’s the second in a series that you haven’t read yet? Yeah, this one. Luckily it doesn’t seem like I need to have read the first novel to get the gist of the story. I literally just started it but so far so good!

It sure looks like I’m in the mood to read romance novels, doesn’t it? LOL. What genre of book are you currently reading?

Have a great Monday and happy reading!

Deb