It’s Monday, what are you reading? (2/5/23)

This post is all about sharing what I’ve been reading and starting a conversation about all of the great books that are out there and how little time we have to actually read them. I love it when I get a comment from one of you where my post has reminded you of a favorite authors most recent book, or even an old book that I’ve just gotten around to reading or re-reading. I have even gotten recommendations from you all about what books are on your radar, what’s worth your time, or what to skip. So, please keep the comments coming!

JUST FINISHED

This novel was a departure from my normal reading and I really enjoyed it! Elizabeth Zott is a chemist in the 50’s and strives towards equality in the laboratory despite men treating women like all they are good for is popping out babies and keeping their home clean. I’ll admit that at times I found her trials frustrating, but I admired her fortitude, friendships, and her little girl Mad. This was an interesting piece of fiction!

JUST STARTED

I listened to Julia Whelan’s most recent novel ‘Thank You for Listening’ while on vacation and was blown away by her writing and narration. This novel is actually the first she’s written, but not the first she’s narrated. She has around 400 books in her narration backlist. So far, I’m again, impressed by her writing and really enjoying the story. I can’t wait for the journey!

Have you read any great books lately? I’d love to hear about them. Please feel free to share in the comments.

Happy Monday and happy reading!

Deb

This Chicks Sunday Commentary: My Top 5 Most Anticipated Book Releases- Feb’23

There are a lot of great books releasing next month and surprisingly most of my Top 5 are in the mystery/thriller genre. I do like to read an occasional mystery, but not usually this many in one month. This should be interesting!! Here are my top 5.

#5 BOOK RELEASE

Despite the woman running and looking over her shoulder cover Desperate Acts looks to be an interesting thriller. A long ago mystery that resurfaces in present time and threatens the life of our heroine. I’m sure at some point she is running and looking over her shoulder but I’d expect this novel to be much more than that. I’m looking forward to seeing what that might be.

Synopsis: WILL SHE FIND THE ANSWER

Teenager Lia Porter shouldn’t have been anywhere near the railroad bridge that night. Sneaking home after a party in the fields outside Pike, Wisconsin, she glimpsed a woman in a leather jacket, running in terror. Lia puts the incident from her mind—until a body is found near the same spot fifteen years later, wearing the same jacket. The police rule it a suicide. Lia knows different. The woman she saw was trying to save her own life, not end it. But whatever she was fleeing from found her first . . .

BEFORE THE KILLER

The stranger who arrives at Lia’s store shares her suspicions. Hollywood stunt driver Kaden Vaughn has come home to Wisconsin to learn the truth about what happened to his brother’s fiancée years ago. The leather jacket, the timing—he believes the dead woman is Vanna, and that Lia may be the only person who can help. Together they retrace Vanna’s steps, but the more they dig, the darker the secrets become.

FINDS HER?

The killer is still out there, stalking the streets of Pike again, willing to do whatever is necessary to keep the truth locked in mystery. One by one, all those who know something about that night must be silenced, until there is no one left to tell . . .

Click this link to purchase this book!* Desperate Acts

#4 BOOK RELEASE

First, yes this is not a mystery. It’s a romance, but the synopsis sounds like there is a hint of mystery. AND he’s the sheriff! So, he must solve crimes that are mysterious. Seriously though, I did like the last novel in this series and Lucy Score typically writes fun rom-com’s. Can’t wait to dig in!

Synopsis:

Nash Morgan was always known as the good Morgan brother, with a smile and a wink for everyone. But now, this chief of police is recovering from being shot and his Southern charm has been overshadowed by panic attacks and nightmares. He feels like a broody shell of the man he once was. Nash isn’t about to let anyone in his life know he’s struggling. But his new next-door neighbor, smart and sexy Lina, sees his shadows. As a rule, she’s not a fan of physical contact unless she initiates it, but for some reason Nash’s touch is different. He feels it too. The physical connection between them is incendiary, grounding him and making her wonder if exploring it is worth the risk.

Too bad Lina’s got secrets of her own, and if Nash finds out the real reason she’s in town, he’ll never forgive her. Besides, she doesn’t do relationships. Ever. A hot, short-term fling with a local cop? Absolutely. Sign her up. A relationship with a man who expects her to plant roots? No freaking way. Once she gets what she’s after, she has no intention of sticking around. But Knockemout has a way of getting under people’s skin. And once Nash decides to make Lina his, he’s not about to be dissuaded…even if it means facing the danger that nearly killed him.

Click this link to purchase this book!* Things We Hide From the Light

#3 BOOK RELEASE

Mysterious car crash where one teen dies. True Crime podcast gives various scenarios on the crash and why it happened. A young girl was in the car and doesn’t remember anything. Spooky! I like it. Oh, and it’s by Melissa De La Cruz, so it def. deserves a look!

Synopsis: Friday night. The party of the summer. Four teens ride home together. Only one never makes it.

When high school sophomore Chris Moore is tragically killed in a car crash, Armstrong Prep is full of questions. Who was at the wheel? And more importantly, who was at fault?

Eighteen-year-old Spencer Sandoval wishes she knew. As rumors swirl that her ex, Ethan, was the reckless driver, she can’t bring herself to defend him. And their messy breakup has nothing to do with it – she can’t remember anything from that night, not even what put her in that car with Ethan, Chris, and Tabby Hill, the new loner in school.

The hunt for answers intensifies when a local true crime podcast takes an interest in the case, pushing Spencer further into the depths of this sinister mystery. Was it all just a night out that went very wrong? And is it a coincidence that all but Chris is on Armstrong’s esteemed honor roll, the Headmaster’s List? In a place ruled by pedigree and privilege, the truth can only come at a deadly price.

Set against the glitz and glamour of an elite LA private school, Melissa de la Cruz’s first YA thriller is an addictive mystery perfect for fans of Gossip Girl and A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder.

Click this link to purchase this book!* The Headmaster’s List

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

#2 BOOK RELEASE

Ok, you got me. Also not a mystery, but three out of the five is a LOT for me. End of Story is by Kylie Scott who is one of my go to author’s. I’ve read a couple this year with almost this same HGTV set up so I’m curious to see how her’s will be different.

Synopsis:

When Susie Bowen inherits a charming fixer-upper from her aunt, she’s excited to start living her best HGTV life. But when she opens the door to find that her contractor is none other than her ex’s best friend, Lars—the same man who witnessed their humiliating public breakup six months ago—she isn’t exactly eager to have anyone around whose alliance is with the enemy. But beggars can’t be choosers, and the sooner the repairs are done, the sooner she can get back to embracing singledom.

Things go from awkward to unbelievable when Lars discovers a divorce certificate hidden in a wall and dated ten years in the future—with both their names on it. It couldn’t possibly be real…could it? As Susie and Lars work to unravel the document’s origins, the impossibility of a spark between them suddenly doesn’t seem so far-fetched. But would a relationship between them be doomed before it’s even begun?

Click this link to purchase this book!* End of Story

MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK RELEASE!

I was lucky enough to get an advanced reader copy of this novel. It’s a great spin-off of a great series. Yes, there is a mystery and yes, it’s also a good one. But seriously, I’m just happy to be back in the same world as these characters.

Synopsis: New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong’s Rockton Novels had one of the most unique towns in crime fiction. Murder at Haven’s Rock is a spinoff, a fresh start… with a few new dangers that threaten everything before it even begins.

Haven’s Rock, Yukon. Population: 0

Deep in the Yukon wilderness, a town is being built. A place for people to disappear, a fresh start from a life on the run. Haven’s Rock isn’t the first town of this kind, something detective Casey Duncan and her husband, Sheriff Eric Dalton, know first-hand. They met in the original town of Rockton. But greed and deception led the couple to financing a new refuge for those in need. This time around, they get to decide which applicants are approved for residency.

There’s only one rule in Haven’s Rock: stay out of the forest. When two of the town’s construction crew members break it and go missing, Casey and Eric are called in ahead of schedule to track them down. When a body is discovered, well-hidden with evidence of foul play, Casey and Eric must find out what happened to the dead woman, and locate those still missing. The longer Casey and Eric don’t know what happened, the more danger everyone is in.

Click this link to purchase this book!* Murder at Haven’s Rock

These are my top 5 books for Feb. If you have an opinion, are looking forward to something else, or just agree with me, please comment below!

Happy Reading!

Deb

Happy Thanksgiving!

For those of you that live in the United States, Thanksgiving is a weekend spent with family, an overabundance of food, and maybe a little reflection.

When I look back at the last year I realize that I have so many things to be thankful for. I have a loving relationship with my husband and best friend; my family is healthy and happy; my career while different than it used to be is very fulfilling gives me a good work-life balance; I’m making new friends and enjoying getting out and about in our beautiful city; and my own health is on the upswing. Wow, that’s a lot, right? If you take the time to reflect on your own lives, I bet you’ll find that there are more good things than bad. Focus on those things that make you happy and brush off the regrets. Life is too short to spend your days filled with worry and sorrow. Put a smile on your face, hold the hand of a loved one, kiss your pup on the nose, and enjoy life. I’ve done a good job at doing this over the last year and my goal is to continue on the same path.

Cheers to you all! I am thankful for all of the people who read my blog and have the same love for books that I do.

Have a great weekend.

Deb

This Chicks Sunday Commentary: Can you compartmentalize your feelings for an author from the book’s they have written?

My entire last week was spent reading the same book. A 900+ behemoth and the sixth book in a series, The Ink Black Heart by Robert Galbraith aka J. K. Rowling. I love this series, but I’ll admit I too have mixed feelings about reading a book written by an author who has made transphobic remarks. I don’t agree with her remarks at all and knowing her feelings, it’s hard not to read one of her books without keeping an eye out towards any hidden agendas or feelings.

J. K. Rowling known for the uber popular Harry Potter novels in my eyes ruined her rep as a beloved novelist a couple of years ago and despite my anger towards her beliefs did not wait to pick up the most recent novel in the Cormoran Strike series. Do I feel bad about supporting this author by reading her novels? Yeah. How do I rationalize it to myself? I really don’t do much rationalizing although I didn’t purchase the book but borrowed a copy through the library, so I can feel kind of good about that. Why do I keep reading her books? I feel like I’ve developed a relationship with these characters and it’s hard to not read their story to its conclusion. I’m invested. Just like I”m invested in Harry Potter and the Fantastic Beasts movie franchise. But, I do feel like I should be shouting out my pro-trans and LGBTQ+ feelings just to disassociate myself from someone who uses her power for ill.

Here’s a question, are you better at separating yourself from authors, actors, politician’s, whomever! Do you sit quietly and stew? Join protest marches? Don’t buy their books and go to movies? How evil does someone have to get before it causes a reaction from you? I’ll admit, during a political season I will get off my couch and vote to try to keep someone I disagree with intensely from holding office but an author who lives a continent away? I am disenchanted, yes. I still picked up the book and read it- although I didn’t buy it. I will also be writing a review which is a way of supporting sales for that book, or not depending on what I thought of it. I wouldn’t vote her into our government, that’s for sure.

I use J. K. Rowling as an example because I’ve just finished this book, but there are many popular figures that this thought could be applied to. I obviously have mixed feelings and so I thought I’d just open this thought up for discussion, if any of you should like to make a comment and let me know your thoughts.

Deb

This Chicks Sunday Commentary: My Top 5 Most Anticipated Book Releases – Aug’22

I’m gearing up to go on vacation at the end of July and am not only putting together this post but also deciding what books I’ll be reading on my trip. I still haven’t read all of my Top 5 from July, so I’ll definitely start there, but this book list making got me thinking about what’s coming out in August. After taking a gander at various lists, here are my Top 5.

#5 BOOK RELEASE

I am loving me some women of STEM romances! Ali Hazelwood wrote one of my favorite romances last year and I can’t wait to read this one on my vacation. I was lucky enough to receive an ARC. Yay!

Synopsis: Like an avenging, purple-haired Jedi bringing balance to the mansplained universe, Bee Königswasser lives by a simple code: What would Marie Curie do? If NASA offered her the lead on a neuroengineering project—a literal dream come true after years scraping by on the crumbs of academia—Marie would accept without hesitation. Duh. But the mother of modern physics never had to co-lead with Levi Ward.
 
Sure, Levi is attractive in a tall, dark, and piercing-eyes kind of way. And sure, he caught her in his powerfully corded arms like a romance novel hero when she accidentally damseled in distress on her first day in the lab. But Levi made his feelings toward Bee very clear in grad school—archenemies work best employed in their own galaxies far, far away.
 
Now, her equipment is missing, the staff is ignoring her, and Bee finds her floundering career in somewhat of a pickle. Perhaps it’s her occipital cortex playing tricks on her, but Bee could swear she can see Levi softening into an ally, backing her plays, seconding her ideas…devouring her with those eyes. And the possibilities have all her neurons firing. But when it comes time to actually make a move and put her heart on the line, there’s only one question that matters: What will Bee Königswasser do?

Click this link to purchase this book!* Love on the Brain

#4 BOOK RELEASE

This release caught me totally by surprise and I’m so excited it’s coming out next month! I am all in on these thrilling mysteries and can’t see where Robin and Cormoran’s partnership takes them…

Synopsis: When frantic, disheveled Edie Ledwell appears in the office begging to speak to her, private detective Robin Ellacott doesn’t know quite what to make of the situation. The cocreator of a popular cartoon, The Ink Black Heart, Edie is being persecuted by a mysterious online figure who goes by the pseudonym of Anomie. Edie is desperate to uncover Anomie’s true identity.

Robin decides that the agency can’t help with this—and thinks nothing more of it until a few days later, when she reads the shocking news that Edie has been tasered and then murdered in Highgate Cemetery, the location of The Ink Black Heart.

Robin and her business partner, Cormoran Strike, become drawn into the quest to uncover Anomie’s true identity. But with a complex web of online aliases, business interests and family conflicts to navigate, Strike and Robin find themselves embroiled in a case that stretches their powers of deduction to the limits – and which threatens them in new and horrifying ways . . .

Click this link to purchase this book!* The Ink Black Heart

#3 BOOK RELEASE

This young adult sci-fi novel seems like a lot of fun. I’ve never heard of this author before but romantic sci-fi is in my zone, so I’m going for it and giving her a try. Anyone else excited about this novel?

Synopsis:

Vika Hale longs for a better life than that of a barmaid on a struggling planet, but her dreams have always seemed out of reach despite the mysterious benefactor who bankrolled her education. When the elusive billionaire dies and names Vika in his will, she’s whisked away to a glittering and glamorous new world as the ward of his heir. Suddenly, her wildest dreams don’t seem so impossible.

But when someone targets the will’s heirs in a series of terrifying bombings, Vika’s new life is thrown into uncertainty. Knowing that she may be next, Vika teams up with the one person she’d rather keep at arm’s length—her guardian’s mysterious new assistant, Sky Foster. She doesn’t trust Sky, but he may be the only one who can help her discover the bomber’s identity before she becomes the next victim. As Vika grows closer to Sky, she realizes she may not escape these new threats unscathed. Sky is keeping a secret and it’s one that could unravel everything.

Click this link to purchase this book!* The Stars Between Us

#2 BOOK RELEASE

I’ve been looking forward to another book by Elena Armas ever since reading The Spanish Love Deception last year. I was late to the table with that book and it landed in my top 10 romance novels for 2021. Will this one hit the right note? It looks just as fun and emotional so I have high hopes.

Synopsis:

Rosie Graham has a problem. A few, actually. She just quit her well paid job to focus on her secret career as a romance writer. She hasn’t told her family and now has terrible writer’s block. Then, the ceiling of her New York apartment literally crumbles on her. Luckily she has her best friend Lina’s spare key while she’s out of town. But Rosie doesn’t know that Lina has already lent her apartment to her cousin Lucas, who Rosie has been stalking—for lack of a better word—on Instagram for the last few months. Lucas seems intent on coming to her rescue like a Spanish knight in shining armor. Only this one strolls around the place in a towel, has a distracting grin, and an irresistible accent. Oh, and he cooks.

Lucas offers to let Rosie stay with him, at least until she can find some affordable temporary housing. And then he proposes an outrageous experiment to bring back her literary muse and meet her deadline: He’ll take her on a series of experimental dates meant to jump-start her romantic inspiration. Rosie has nothing to lose. Her silly, online crush is totally under control—but Lucas’s time in New York has an expiration date, and six weeks may not be enough, for either her or her deadline.

Click this link to purchase this book!* The American Roommate Experiment

MY TOP BOOK RELEASE FOR AUGUST 2022

This won’t win an award for best cover of the year but it may win for the novel most likely to get ex-athletes to read, this comeback athlete plot sure has me pumped to grab my tennis racket and see what I can achieve. cough, cough. 🙂 Seriously, though, Taylor Jenkins Reid is so talented and I can’t wait to see whether I will love Carrie Soto or hate her.

Synopsis:

Carrie Soto is fierce, and her determination to win at any cost has not made her popular. But by the time she retires from tennis, she is the best player the world has ever seen. She has shattered every record and claimed twenty Grand Slam titles. And if you ask Carrie, she is entitled to every one. She sacrificed nearly everything to become the best, with her father, Javier, as her coach. A former champion himself, Javier has trained her since the age of two.

But six years after her retirement, Carrie finds herself sitting in the stands of the 1994 US Open, watching her record be taken from her by a brutal, stunning player named Nicki Chan.

At thirty-seven years old, Carrie makes the monumental decision to come out of retirement and be coached by her father for one last year in an attempt to reclaim her record. Even if the sports media says that they never liked “the Battle-Axe” anyway. Even if her body doesn’t move as fast as it did. And even if it means swallowing her pride to train with a man she once almost opened her heart to: Bowe Huntley. Like her, he has something to prove before he gives up the game forever.

In spite of it all, Carrie Soto is back, for one epic final season. In this riveting and unforgettable novel, Taylor Jenkins Reid tells her most vulnerable, emotional story yet.

Click this link to purchase this book!* Carrie Soto is Back

What books have made your top 5 for August?

Happy reading!

Deb

This Chicks Sunday Commentary: My Top 5 Book Releases (June’22)

We are heading into my favorite time of the year. When Summer blockbuster movies and vacation book releases are headed on the way to consumers everywhere. In looking towards the June releases, again there are some that I am really looking forward to reading and cross all genres. Here are the books I’m most looking forward to being released in June.

#5 BOOK RELEASE

I’m totally on board with books about books and if our heroine is writing one…even better! This romance, set in a small town during their Shakespeare festival, looks super cute and perfect for taking the reader away from a hard days work.

Synopsis: To go for it or not to go for it? That is the question when two former high school flames return to their Shakespeare-obsessed hometown for a summer of theater and unexpected romance, in a laugh-out-loud rom-com from debut author Jessica Martin.

Literary agent and writer Miranda Barnes rolls into her hometown of Bard’s Rest with one goal in mind: to spend the summer finally finishing her YA novel, the next installment in her bestselling fantasy series. Yet Miranda’s mother, deep in the planning stages for the centennial of the town’s beloved annual Shakespeare festival, has other ideas. 
 
Before you can say “all’s fair in love and war,” Miranda is cornered into directing Twelfth Night—while simultaneously scrambling to finish her book, navigating a family health scare, and doing her best to avoid the guy who broke her heart on prom night.
 
When it comes to Adam, the veterinarian with a talent for set design and an infuriating knack for winning over Miranda’s dog, the lady doth protest too much. As any Shakespeare lovers knows, the course of true love never did run smooth, and soon Miranda realizes she’ll have to decide whether to trust Adam with her heart again.

Click this link to purchase!* For the Love of the Bard

#4 BOOK RELEASE

It’s time to return to the Hollows with my favorite troublemaker heroine, Rachel Morgan. Nothing made me happier than when Kim Harrison decided to continue on with one of my favorite fantasy series. When she releases a Hollows novel it automatically jumps into my TBR.

Synopsis: Rachel Morgan must keep her friends close—and her enemies closer—in the next Hollows novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Kim Harrison.

Rachel Morgan, witch-born demon, has one unspoken rule: take chances, but pay for them yourself. With it, she has turned enemies into allies, found her place with her demon kin, and stepped up as the subrosa of Cincinnati—responsible for keeping the paranormal community at peace and in line.
 
Life is . . . good? Even better, her best friend, Ivy Tamwood, is returning home. Nothing’s simple, though, and Ivy’s not coming alone. The vampires’ ruling council insists she escort one of the long undead, hell-bent on proving that Rachel killed Cincy’s master vampire to take over the city. Which, of course, Rachel totally did not do. She only transformed her a little.
 
With Rachel’s friends distracted by their own lives and problems, she reaches out to a new ally for help—the demon Hodin. But this trickster has his own agenda. In the end, the only way for Rachel to save herself and the city may be to forge a new understanding with her estranged demon teacher, Al. There’s just one problem: Al would sell his own soul to be rid of her. . . .

Click this link to purchase!* Trouble with the Cursed

#3 BOOK RELEASE

Lucy Score has become one of my go to authors for romantic comedy, so I just have to pick this one up and give it a read! The synopsis looks fun and I’m looking forward to a giggle or two while reading.

Synopsis: Can these opposites turn up the heat… without burning down the house?

House-flipping sensation and YouTube star Maggie Nichols can’t wait to dig into her next challenge. Arriving in tiny Kinship, Idaho, with only a cot and a coffeemaker, Maggie is prepared to restore a crumbling Victorian mansion in four months or less. She has her to-do lists, her blueprints, and her team. What she doesn’t have is time for sexy, laid-back landscaper Silas Wright.

The man takes flirtation to a whole new level. And he does it shirtless…sometimes pants-less. He and his service school-dropout dog are impressively persistent. But she’s not interested in putting down roots. Not when fans tune in to watch her travel the country turning dilapidated houses into dream homes. A short-term fling on the other hand could fit nicely into her calendar. After all, Maggie remembers what fun is like. Vaguely.

As their summer gets downright steamy, Silas manages to demolish the emotional walls she’s spent years building, sending Maggie into a panic. He’s the wrench in her carefully constructed plans. With the end of the project looming, she has a decision to make. But how can she stay when her entire career is built on moving on?

Click this link to purchase!* Maggie Moves On

#2 BOOK RELEASE

I love a good historical with hints of mystery and romance and The Last Dress from Paris looks like it has all of that and more. I can’t wait to dive into this luscious historical.

Synopsis: The secret is hidden within a collection of Dior dresses…

London, 2017. There’s no one Lucille adores more than her grandmother. So when her beloved Granny Sylvie asks for Lucille’s assistance with a small matter, she’s happy to help. The next thing she knows, Lucille is on a train to Paris, tasked with retrieving a priceless Dior dress. But not everything is as it seems, and what Lucille finds in a small Parisian apartment will have her scouring the city for answers to a question that could change her entire life.

Paris, 1952. Postwar France is full of glamour and privilege, and Alice Ainsley is in the middle of it all. As the wife to the British ambassador to France, Alice’s job is to see and be seen—even if that wasn’t quite what she signed up for. Her husband showers her with jewels, banquets, and couture Dior dresses, but his affection has become distressingly elusive. As the strain on her marriage grows, Alice’s only comfort is her bond with her trusted lady’s maid, Marianne. But when a new face appears in her drawing room, Alice finds herself yearning to follow her heart…no matter the consequences.

The City of Light comes alive in this lush, evocative tale that explores the ties that bind us together, the truths we hold that make us who we are, and the true meaning of what makes someone family.

Click this link to purchase!* The Last Dress from Paris

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

#1 BOOK RELEASE FOR JUNE’22

There’s something special about Katrina Leno’s stories. They are just magical. This novel looks like it has all of the elements to be another great young adult novel.

Synopsis: From critically acclaimed author Katrina Leno comes a tender love letter to books and summertime, with a touch of magic.

Anna Lucia Bell believes in luck: bad luck. Bad luck made her best friend stop talking to her. Bad luck caused her parents’ divorce. Bad luck is forcing her mother, Miriam, to sell the family’s beloved bookstore. And it is definitely bad luck that Anna seems to be the only person in the world Miriam is unable to recommend a life-changing book.

When Anna finds out that she and her mom are spending two months in a New England seaside town called Rockport, she expects a summer plagued with bad luck too. But Rockport has surprises in store for Anna, including a comet making its first appearance in over twenty years and two new—but familiar—friends.

In what will prove to be the most important summer of her life so far, Anna learns about love, herself, and the magic that an ordinary summer can bring.

Click this link to purchase!* Sometime in Summer

I hope there are some books your anticipating that will launch your summer reading!

Enjoy.

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.

JUST FINISHED

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.

JUST STARTED

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

Happy New Year!

It’s kind of strange hitting the New Year before your friends and family at home, but that’s what has happened this year as my husband and I are traveling through Egypt.

Do you start a new resolution every year? To be honest, I don’t usually but this year I am. I have had trouble with my back over the last year so my #1 goal for this year is to just move. Whether that is a walk down the street, through the mall, doing my exercises, etc. Every day I need to do something if only for 20 or 30 minutes. Move is my word of the year! It has been a challenge on this trip as I was in not so great shape before getting to a country that requires you to walk everywhere! It’s a great time to start the habit though.

I hope that your New Year brings you the movement and change you are looking for and if you are happy as you are, I think that is great as well! Happy New Year to all of you! May 2022 bring you all that you desire to be happy and healthy.

Deb

Happy Thanksgiving!

The stresses of life exacerbated by the ongoing stress of a pandemic is our reality. Life is moving forward, and hopefully we are living all of our lives to the fullest and appreciating the differences in our friends and neighbors. I am thankful to be surrounded by a community who is supportive, by a family who loves me, and by friends who might not agree on every single thing but agree that friendship beats taking a stand over our differences. I am thankful also to each of you who read my reviews, share that you like what I’ve written, and even occasionally make comments engaging me in conversation.

Even if you don’t celebrate this day like we do in the US, take a moment to reflect on your own life and the things that bring you joy, comfort, and well being. I wish you the best on this day and for all days moving forward. Peace, to all of my brothers and sisters who are finding a quiet moment to reflect, exchange kind words, and find a quiet 30 minutes to read.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Deb

It’s Monday, what are you reading? (11/15/21)

I have a few weeks in between ARC’s and am reading entirely for pleasure this week. I’ve started up an old Kristen Ashley series and have read a couple from the Burg, which is fun to revisit. I’ve also just finished a book by Helena Hunting, not an author that I’ve read a lot of and was pleasantly surprised. Let’s get to it!

JUST FINISHED

The first in the All In series, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked the characters. Lainey had anxiety issues which our hero RJ handled extremely well. He was the type of guy who likes to be needed. The basis of the book is that they met and he didn’t tell her that he was a pro hockey player and that lie caused difficulties down the road. It was a kind of simple story but when the characters are interesting that can make a simple story interesting.

JUST STARTED

I can honestly say that I don’t remember this book at all. I often revisit KA’s novels, but I don’t think I’ve read since it initially came out in 2011! I do enjoy this author’s earlier books when they had a heck of a plot AND a romance. This novel seems to follow that format as well and I’m digging in and will enjoy it fully.

Do you ever revisit favorite books or series? Which books do you like to re-read. Let me know in the comments.

Happy Monday and happy reading!

Deb