Tag: goodreads

This Chicks SundayCommentary: September Wrap Up!

Even though the weather is still warm the leaves are starting to turn in Nashville, making me feel like fall MUST be around the corner (my fingers and toes are crossed!). September is gone, gone, gone and that means it’s time for a monthly wrap up post. Here’s what happened on The Reading Chick last month.

I only gave one book a five rating last month but I enjoyed so many! Here are a few recommendations. If you’ve read them please let me know if you agree with my rating!

A Murder in Time by Julie McElwain

A Murder‘A Murder in Time is part mystery with a hint of romance. The Duke is not Kendra’s romantic partner, but instead it’s his nephew that she ensnares. The tension between the two of them is intense but really the story revolves around solving the mystery of who among their peers is the killer. This novel held my interest and truly I didn’t want to put it down.’

The Dinner List by Rebecca Serle

The Dinner List

‘This book made me reflect upon my own list of five people I’d like to sit down to dinner, dead or alive. Should I sit Jon Bon Jovi next to Abraham Lincoln or Margaret Thatcher? Or maybe I should ask Candice Bergen if she’s available? Regardless, I don’t think it would be as interesting as Sabrina’s journey was in this book.’

The Hot Shot by Kristen Callihan

The Hot Shot

‘I loved the slow build up of Chess and Finn’s friendship. I am a firm believer in being friends before becoming lovers and Kristen Callihan hit that trigger for me. Finn is a self described one night stand man and even though Chess finds him attractive she determinedly put him in the hands off category and Finn has his work cut out for him to make her see him in another light.’

The Changeling by Molly Harper

The Changeling

‘If you’re jonesing for a quick Harry Potter-esque novel I think you’ll enjoy The Changeling. At times I expected Hermione would walk around the corner of this girls school and join in the fun!’

This Chicks Sunday Commentary Posts: (click the link to read)

This Chicks Sunday Commentary: August Wrap-Up!

This Chicks Sunday Commentary: Uppercase Box September ‘18 Reveal!

This Chicks Sunday Commentary: What? My Review got Blocked?

Are you familiar with my Blogger to Blogger series? I ask the same 10 questions to different bloggers and share their answers. Their words and the pictures they share have really surprised me! We all have this love of books but are all so different! You can really see that diversity in their answers. In September I highlighted 2 bloggers. If you didn’t get a chance to read their interviews, please click the link if you’re interested.

Blogger to Blogger Series: An Interview with Trang and Lashaan with @Bookidote

Blogger to Blogger Series: An Interview with Lynne @Fictionophile

I have noticed that the number of books I’ve been reading has slowed down. I think it’s a mixture of a busy schedule, moving into a new apartment, and just being generally exhausted. I have tried to give myself a break and not set such stringent rules on my reading and you know? I’m a bit happier with my life! I doubt anyone cares if I put out 3 or 4 posts a week. So I backed down by one and it’s so much more manageable and I’m back to enjoying blogging again!

Anyway, the above reviews and posts are the highlights of my blog for the past month. I hope you all have enjoyed this September Wrap Up.

Keep reading, writing and living life to your greatest potential. Most of all be HAPPY!

Deb

 

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Friday YA: Save the Date by Morgan Matson

Taking place over one weekend, Save the Date explores the relationships of the Grant family as seen through the eyes of the youngest daughter, Charlie. As one of five children, Charlie has really looked forward to her oldest sister Linnea’s wedding at their family home this weekend. It will be the first time her whole family has been together in the last year and a half and she misses them horribly.  Of course, nothing goes as planned and Charlie’s envisioned family reunion does not go as planned.

Charlie’s mother is being honored for the retirement of the comic strip she has created and written through Charlie’s entire life. The antics of the kids in the comic strip mirrored the antics of her own children. This weekend wedding opens up Charlie’s eyes to the fact that some of her own memories are actually memories of things that happened in the comic strip and not exactly as it happened in real life. This awareness of what actually had been changes Charlie’s visions of what her future could be helping her make some decisions that she had been postponing.

I found this novel so refreshing because it was about a whole family. There was such a huge cast of characters to keep track of, but in the center of it all was Charlie, who seemed to be the one that grounded everyone. I don’t mean to give her more importance than her older siblings, but they all had flaws and Charlie’s only flaw seemed to be that she had glorified their family but in my own experience I think seeing everyone for who they are is actually a part of growing up. Even though this novel took place over a weekend, Charlie grew up a lot.

I enjoyed this novel a lot. It was an easy read with a lot of humor. This families antics actually reminded me a bit of my own family and I wonder if everyone who reads it won’t see a bit of themselves in one of these characters. There are a lot to choose from, after all! ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase*! Save the Date

Copyright 2018 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate

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This Chick Read: Scandal Above Stairs (A Below Stairs Mystery #2) by Jennifer Ashley

When Kat’s employer asks for her help in solving the disappearance of some artwork from her friends home, Kat discovers there are a series of thefts occuring in the upper echelons of society. While investigating she is surprised to find her friend (and love interest) Daniel McAdams ensconced in a pawn shop fencing stolen goods. When a man turns up dead in his shop Kat ends up investigating more than stolen goods and once again finds herself in the drawing rooms of the elite, when all she wants is to be quietly cooking in her kitchen.

This series takes place at the turn of the century in London, in a time where upstairs downstairs lines are drawn severely. As the head cook responsible for feeding not only the family that lives there, but the 20 or so servants who work in that house, I am amazed that Kat can find the time to investigate the crimes she finds herself embroiled in. A couple of months have passed since the previous novel and she has not heard a word from Daniel. When she finds him at the center of her investigation, she’s pretty relieved and we see how much she is starting to care for him. The mystery that is Daniel McAdams is slowly being unveiled, but we still don’t know exactly who he is working for, but I’ll admit to loving his roguish charm and the twinkle in his eye as he makes Kat forget she’s mad at him.

This mystery was very well plotted out, but it’s the characters that keep me coming back to these novels. As I learn more about them, I care more about how their lives are enmeshed and I’ll admit that I find it fascinating to read about the lives of the servants in a big London house. It’s very Mansfield Park, although not as boring. LOL.

If you love historical mysteries and haven’t read the first novel Death Below Stairs, please read it! These are not lively books, but the mysteries are very good and Jennifer Ashley really knows how to write great characters. I know you’ll get caught up in their daily lives and will want to see how all of the relationships will pan out- oh, and you’ll also help catch a killer or two. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Death Below Stairs

Click this link to purchase!* Scandal Above Stairs (A Below Stairs Mystery)

Copyright 2018 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate

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Friday YA: The Changeling (Sorcery & Society #1) by Molly Harper

Sarah Smith thought herself unmagical. After all, she was a Snipe (kind of like a muggle), growing up serving as a maid in the Winters household. Until one day she stops a vase from falling by levitating it.  Suddenly Sarah Smith becomes Cassandra Reed, cousin of the Winter family. Elevated into magical society and sent off to boarding school. Talk about culture shock! Cassandra must hide who she really is, and somehow look as if she’s lived in this world her whole life. If anyone finds out she was once a Snipe, their whole society might crumble. But would that really be a bad thing???

I thought The Changeling was a lot of fun. It didn’t take itself too seriously and I was allowed to enjoy each moment in the story without overthinking the plot. Cassandra was ok as a heroine. She spent the first half of the book in shock and when she finally accepts her role her character started to grow and become interesting. Her experience as a Snipe, living unnoticed among the magical society made her see their world through cynical eyes, although those eyes did not always see things very clearly. I enjoyed the good vs evil sub plot and I was kept guessing on the bad guy.

If you’re jonesing for a quick Harry Potter-esque novel I think you’ll enjoy The Changeling. At times I expected Hermione would walk around the corner of this girls school and join in the fun! ❤️❤️❤️❤️

I was given an ARC of this book through NetGalley for my honest review and it was honest!

The Changeling.jpg

Click this link to purchase!*Changeling: (Sorcery and Society Book 1) (Volume 1)

Copyright 2018 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved.

*Amazon Associate

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This Chick Read: Rocky Mountain Cowboy Christmas (Rocky Mountain Cowboys) by Katie Ruggle

Katie Ruggle excels at building fun characters who live on the edge of society. Those oddball characters that are slightly dorky and immediately endear you to them. Camille Brandt has always had trouble talking to people. She second guesses what she should say and do in social situations so tries to avoid them as much as possible. When Steve Springfield moves back to town with his four kids, Camille’s crush from high school immediately blooms again. Watching her face her struggles trying to speak normally made Camille so identifiable. Who hasn’t felt like that at one point in their life? I rooted for her so hard!

You may recognize Steve Springfield from the Search and Rescue series. He’s a firefighter and was always in the story but on the peripheral. It was so nice to get to know him and all of his kids! I know the Rocky Mountain Cowboy series will probably be about all of Steve’s brothers, but I want some YA books about Steve’s kids. They were so fun and unusual. Zoe is an inventor- blowing things up occasionally, Micah is the hermit artist, Will the adopted joyful oldest son, and Maya the youngest and sweetest little thing. Seriously these kids rocked and need their own stories!

Rocky Mountain Cowboy Christmas was a great start to this series. Katie Ruggle has proven herself again with some great characters, a solid love story, and of course she throws in just a hint of danger adding that tension that works so well in her novels. This was my first Christmas novel of the year and even though we are only approaching October, I was in the Christmas spirit right away.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❣️

I was given an ARC of this novel for my honest review and it was honest!

Rocky Mountain

Click this link to purchase!* Rocky Mountain Cowboy Christmas (Rocky Mountain Cowboys)

Copyright 2018 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate

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This Chick Read: The Hot Shot (Game On #4) by Kristen Callihan

Chess Copper is photographing players from her local pro football team naked for their annual charity calendar. Tough job but someone’s got to do it! When she meets Finn, the QB for the team there is instant chemistry, but a miscommunication gets their relationship off on the wrong foot. As she tries to make him more comfortable with the shoot, she see’s that he’s actually just a bit nervous and through their conversation realizes that behind that pretty face is a really nice guy that she might want to get to know better. There’s one problem. Chess is looking for a relationship and Finn is a no strings attached kind of guy…at first.

I loved the slow build up of Chess and Finn’s friendship. I am a firm believer in being friends before becoming lovers and Kristen Callihan hit that trigger for me. Finn is a self described one night stand man and even though Chess finds him attractive she determinedly put him in the hands off category and Finn has his work cut out for him to make her see him in another light. When tragedy hits and Chess needs a place to stay their close quarters help speed things along from friendship into love.

It’s been a couple of years since I’ve read one of the Game On books, but when a couple of characters showed up in this novel I could easily remember their story. It helped a bit that this novel’s timeline paralleled Dex and Fiona’s from the Game Plan. It was kind of fun to listen to Dex talk about his budding relationship when we already knew how that relationship turned out.

If you are a fan of this series you will like The Hot Shot. Was it my favorite? No, I still like The Game Plan the best. However, I liked Finn and Chess together and really rooted for them to find their happily ever after and was happy when they did.

❤️❤️❤️❤️

The Hot Shot

Click this link to purchase! The Hot Shot

Copyright 2018 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

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This Chicks Sunday Commentary: Uppercase Box September ‘18 Reveal!

Last week was the week that I received my surprise YA novel in the mail from Uppercase Box. I love coming home to that package sitting on my doorstep!

This month it looked kind of bulky which means it was filled with fun bookish items!

I found out that what made the extra padding in the Uppercase bag was this gorgeous cotton scarf. I love all of the stacks of books although they aren’t as large as my own TBR!

The other items in the bag are all related to the book, so Unfortunately that shortens my big reveal. Oh well, here is the book of the month!

Ignite the Stars by Maura Milan- signed!

Synopsis:

Everyone in the universe knows his name. Everyone in the universe fears him. But no one realizes that notorious outlaw Ia Cocha is a seventeen-year-old girl.

A criminal mastermind and unrivaled pilot, Ia has spent her life terrorizing the Olympus Commonwealth, the imperialist nation that destroyed her home. When the Commonwealth captures her and her true identity is exposed, they see Ia’s age and talent as an opportunity: by forcing her to serve them, they will prove that no one is beyond their control.

Soon, Ia is trapped at the Commonwealth’s military academy, desperately plotting her escape. But new acquaintances—including Brinn, a seemingly average student with a closely-held secret, and their charming Flight Master, Knives—cause Ia to question her own alliances. Can she find a way to escape the Commonwealth’s clutches before these bonds deepen?

In this exhilarating edge-of-your-seat sci-fi adventure—perfect for fans of The Lunar Chronicles—debut author Maura Milan introduces our world to a thrilling new heroine.

What a colorful box! I’ll admit this book hadn’t been on my radar at all but I like science fiction and it looks interesting!

Have any of you read this book? What did you think?

Thanks for reading my reveal!

Deb

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Blogger to Blogger Series: An Interview with Annie @themisstery

My first impression of The Misstery blog is that the feel of her site is very film noir-ish. The picture (I’m assuming it’s Annie!) of the young woman reading on her back in bed is in black and white. Not to be gruesome, but I could very easily see that picture as a crime photo in my mind! Very cool and definitely sets the mood for her blog that is mostly reviews of mystery novels. Annie does veer away occasionally with wrap up posts, discussions and a few reviews in other genre’s but for the most part she stays true to her name. If you haven’t checked out Annie’s blog, please check it out!

Annie @themisstery

Here are Annie’s answers to my 10 questions! Annie was having trouble with her phone and couldn’t send me any photo’s, but her descriptions are vivid and I don’t have any trouble imaging what she’s describing!

Misstery logo

Blogging is universal and even though we inhabit the same community, we don’t always live in the same country. What country do you live in?

I live in Barcelona, Spain. Most of the bloggers I interact with are from the UK or US, though. I also have blogger friends from Kenya, France, Belgium, etc.

What is the view outside your front door?  

I actually have a library in front of my flat! I never go there, though. I prefer to buy books and I usually read in English and mostly of the library books are only in Spanish. Also, I have an Italian restaurant on my right and a Bolivian restaurant on the left.

Most blogs have a fun story of origin. Please share the story behind your blogs name and/or why you started blogging.

As everyone, I started blogging because I wanted to share my love for books with others who share my same passion. I actually started blogging in Spanish but quickly realized that I was reading different books than my fellow Spanish bloggers. So I decided to go International and it was the best decision ever!

My blog name is still one of my favorite things. Misstery. I think it’s pretty self-explanatory given how much I love mysteries!

Describe where you write your blog.

I usually write my posts while sitting on the armchair. It’s so comfortable that I could spend my whole day there.

Misstery armchair

Most of us have a stack of books sitting next to our couch or bed waiting to be read. What books are in your stack? 

I have plenty of books to read, but I keep them all on the shelves. There are like +50 that I still haven’t read!

Processed with VSCO with c4 preset

If you have had a bad day and want to spend an hour reading a book, what is your go to genre or favorite book that will lift your mood?

My go-to books are police procedurals. I know I will always get hooked. They’re also my happy place, which I know sounds weird for some.

When you aren’t blogging, how do you spend your time? Work, Play, School?

I work 8-5 so that’s a big part of my day, although I’d rather be at home, for sure. Maybe someday…

My favorite blog post banner

What is your favorite blog post you’ve ever written? 

My blogger routine post! Although that has changed over this year!

My Book Blogger Routine

Have you ever met one of your favorite authors? If so, what did you say to them? Looking back, what do you wish you had said instead?

I have! I met Dennis Lehane last year, and also Don Winslow. 5 years ago, I met Kate Morton, too.

I told them I loved their books.

To Dennis, I told him that Patrick Kenzie was one of my favorite characters ever. He’s so serious, but it was a conference and I loved what he said.

 

Don Winslow was super nice and I loved his vision. Kate Morton was super sweet too, and she signed all the books I brought.

 


If you could sit down with an author for a slice of cake and a question,  who is the author, what kind of cake would you serve, and what is the first question you’d ask?

I think Agatha Christie, even though she’s dead. Cheesecake and I would ask her what’s the best way to come up with such twisty stories!

 

 

I occassionally love a good mystery and would have loved to know the first three books Annie is going to read next! It’s a little voyeuristic to view your TBR isn’t it? LOL.

I think Annie is the first blogger I’ve met from Spain and find it really interesting that she found that she wasn’t reading the same books as other Spanish bloggers. I know I am thankful she went international so I could enjoy her blog!

Thanks Annie for participating in my Blogger to Blogger series!

Deb

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Friday YA: Listen to Your Heart by Kasie West

Kate Bailey doesn’t really like people. OK, let me clarify. She doesn’t dislike them, she’s just kind of a loner. She’d rather be out on the lake then with a group of people, unless they are lake people. When her best friend Alana talks her into taking a podcast class at school, she agree’s half-heartedly. Their first assignment is to offer one suggestion each for the topic of their class podcast that year. Surprise! Kate’s topic, an advice podcast is the winner and Kate finds herself co-hosting, which is completely at odds with her loner personality. Suprisingly, she finds her caustic sense of humor plays well on air and their podcast becomes a hit and one day a young man calls in asking for advice on a crush….

Our young heroine has a lesson to learn, and in Kate’s it was that there is more out in the world to discover beyond lake life. Even though Kate is kind of loner, she isn’t really because her family is huge. Her parents, aunts and uncles all live on a block together so she’s surrounded by family, cousins et. al at almost all times. So for a loner, she surprisingly is pretty social. When she drives her cousin to her weekly tutoring sessions she gets to know Diego, the boy her best friend is crushing on. As she gets to know him, she develops her own crush. Due to the girl code and first dibs, she doesn’t do anything about it.

I didn’t think this was the best Kasie West novel I’d ever read, but it wasn’t the worst either. I did really enjoy the podcasts, and the supporting characters were energetic and fun. Which was good because Kate was not a ball of energy. She did have a good heart though and in the end, she did learn her life lesson, having fun with the podcast and expanding her horizons. Listen to you Heart was a quick read, so if you have a few hours on a rainy Saturday it will be the perfect book to spend your time.

❤️❤️❤️❤️

LIsten to Your Heart

Click this link to purchase!* Listen to Your Heart

Copyright 2018 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate

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This Chick Read: The Seven 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton

You are dropped into the body of a series of seven strangers and told that unless you solve the mystery of who killed Evelyn Hardcastle, you are doomed to relive this day, in these bodies, over and over until you or someone else answers that question. Interesting premise, right? As our hero inhabits each person we learn a little bit more about him, as well as the person he’s inhabiting and how all of the people in this book are connected. It’s a mystery within a mystery and whether our main character solves this mystery or loses his memories to start anew again keeps me reading until the end!

The first couple of characters our hero inhabits and the people he comes in contact with are really interesting. It took me a little while to catch on to what kind of mystery I was reading, but once I realized that every person was a clue, I started to pay more attention to the details of what was not only going on with our hero, but also the other characters in the book. As each person goes to sleep, he pops into another person starting another day seeing through their eyes. I thought one of the most interesting bits about how this mystery played out was that our hero had to dominate the personality of each person he inhabited. Over time, it became easier for the other personality to overcome him making his job of using that character to move forward to solve the mystery more challenging. As the day wore on and the approach of Evelyn’s death was closer, the characters became more demonic and terrifying in personality.

This was a very well thought out mystery! How did the author keep track of all of these characters timelines, intertwine them and still make it all cohesive? Truly, the skill involved was pretty amazing. I will admit a couple of the characters were duds for me, and I sped through their scenes a little quicker than I’d normally like in a mystery novel, I usually savor the details. However, the resolution of this mystery was satisfying, fascinating, and felt true to the characters I’d just spent days reading and getting to know. I’m willing to forgive a little slowness in the middle for that feeling of satisfaction and resolution at the end. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

I was given an ARC of this novel through NetGalley by the publisher for their honest review, and it was honest!

Seven Deaths

Click this link to purchase!* The 7 ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

Copyright 2018 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate

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