Bookish Travels—June 2023 Destinations

I saw this meme on It’s All About Books and thought, I like this!! So, I decided to do it once a month also. Many thanks to Yvonne for initially posting this!!

This post is what it says: Places I travel to in books each month. Books are lovely and take you to places you would never get to. That includes places of fantasy too!!

Bon Voyage!!

Please let me know if you have read these books or traveled to these areas.

Countries I visited the most: United States, England, Italy, France

States I visited the most: California, Louisiana, New York, Hawaii, Arizona, Washington

Cities I visited the most: New Orleans, Los Angeles, London, San Fransisco, Paris, New York City, Maui, Tucson


Middle Earth

The Hill, Bag-End, Under-Hill, Bywater, Lone-lands, Misty Mountains, Rivendell (Last Homely House), Mirkwood, Carrock, Forest River, Long Lake, Lake-Town, Lonely Mountain, Ravenhill, Running River, Esgaroth

United States

Florida (Key West)
California (Berkeley, San Francisco, Los Angeles), Louisiana (New Orleans), Arizona (Tucson)
Maryland (Baltimore), Vermont (Westridge), Hawaii (Maui), Louisiana (New Orleans), South Carolina (Myrtle Beach),
Georgia (Clay Creek, Elijay)
Unknown State (Norfolk Falls)
Maine (Mistport), California (Los Angeles)
Tennessee (Nashville)
West Virginia (Jasper Creek, McCray)
California (Los Angeles), Iowa (Ames)
California (San Fransisco, Los Angeles, Monterey, The Island)
Pennsylvania (Pittsburg)
Kansas (Witchita), California (Laguna Beach, Los Angeles)
Washington D.C.
New York (New York City), New Jersey (Camden), Nevada (Las Vegas)
New York, Pennsylvania
New York (New York City), California (Los Angeles)
Montana (Helena), Washington D.C., Virginia, Maryland, Washington (Seattle)
Vermont, Minnesota
New York
Hawaii (Oahu, Maui), Arizona (Phoenix, Tucson), Texas (Dallas)
Washington (Raven Creek)

Austria

Vienna

England

London
London
Bristol, Easton, Bath
Regency London

El Salvador

El Mozote, San Salvador, Antigo Cuscatlan, Chalchuapa

Mexico

Nogales

Ellipsis

Herosi

Greece

unnamed island

Canada

Ontario (Toronto, Milton, Root Island)

Scotland

Byker, Brixton, Tynemouth, Newcastle

Ireland

Dublin, Navan, Bray

Italy

Siena, Bologna, Naples, Rome, Tuscany
Venice, Isola di San Michele
Lazio region

Switzerland

St. Moritz

The Czech Republic

Prague

Jamaica

Irwin, Montego Bay, Greenwood, Negril

France

Paris
Paris
Paris

Australia

Aybourne

Tergonian Empire

Hell’s Labyrinth

Sisly

Taormina, Cefalu, Catania, Palermo, Monreale, Agrigento, Erice, Segusta, Selinunte Island, Ortygia, Vulcano Island, Stromboli

Philippines

Manila

Romania

Cluj-Napoca, Codrinesa, Ascunsylvania

June 2023 Wrap Up

Here is what I read/posted/bought in June.

As always, let me know if you have read any of these books and (if you did) what you thought of them.


Books I Read:

Kindle Purchase
ARC from Crooked Lane Books
ARC from Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Ballantine Books
ARC from St. Martin’s Press
Free Kindle Purchase
Free Kindle Purchase
ARC from St. Martin’s Press
Non-ARC from author
Free Kindle Purchase
Free Kindle Purchase
Non-ARC from author
Free Kindle Purchase
Free Kindle Purchase
ARC from St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books
ARC from St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books
ARC from St. Martin’s Press
ARC from Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Bantam
Free Kindle Purchase
Non-ARC from author
Kindle Purchase
Kindle Purchase
Kindle Unlimited Purchase
Kindle Purchase
ARC from St. Martin’s Press
Non-ARC from author
ARC from St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books
Non-ARC from author
Non-ARC from author
ARC from Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Dell
Non-ARC from author
KU Purchase
Non-ARC from author
KU Purchase
ARC from author

Books I got from NetGalley:

Invite from Atria Books
Invite from St. Martin’s Press
ARC from Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Del Rey
Wish Granted from Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Bantam
ARC from SMP Influencer Program
Invite from Crooked Lane Books
ARC from SMP Influencer Program
Wish granted from Soho Press, Soho Teen
Wish granted from Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Del Rey

Books I got from Authors/Indie Publishers:

Non ARC from author
Non-ARC from author
ARC from Author
ARC from Author
ARC from Author
Non-ARC from PubVendo

Giveaway Winners


Books Reviewed:

The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer—review here (5 stars)

Kill Your Darlings by L.E. Harper—review here (5 Stars)

Her Latent Charm by Dana C. Brentson—review here (4 stars)

The New Mother by Nora Murphy —review here (3 stars)

Skyseeker’s Princess by Miriam Verbeek—review here (4 stars)

A Clue in the Crumbs by Lucy Burdette—review coming August 8th (4 stars)

The Wind Knows My Name by Isabel Allende—review here (4 stars)

Identity by Nora Roberts—review here (4 stars)

The Girls of Summer by Katie Bishop—review here (4 stars)

The Celine Bower Story: Chronicle One by Carly Brown—review here (4 stars)

The Moonshine Messiah: A Mountaineer Mystery by Russell W. Johnson—review here (4 stars)

A Crown of Ivy and Glass by Claire Legrand—review here (4 stars)

Speak of the Devil by Rose Wilding—review here (3 stars)

A Stolen Child by Sarah Stewart Taylor—review here (4 stars)

Sally Brady’s Italian Adventure by Christina Lynch—review here (4 stars)

You Can Trust Me by Wendy Heard—review here (4 stars)

Jam Run by Russell Brooks—review here (4 stars)

How the Murder Crumbles by Debra Sennefelder—review here (3 stars)

Hotel Laguna by Nicola Harrison—review here (4 stars)

A Dream of Shadows by Peter Eliott—review here (4 stars)

What the Neighbors Saw by Melissa Adelman—review here (3 stars)

Forgive or Forget Me by Ann Einerson—review here (3 stars)

Shadowed Deliverance by Reily Garrett—review here (4 stars)

Will They or Won’t They by Ava Wilder—review here (3 stars)

Trust No One by Margaret Watson—review here (4 stars)


May:

Scavenger Hunt (a book turned into a movie/TV show you’ve seen): The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

2023 ABC Challenge (E): Ellipsis by Jacob L. White

Romancepoly 2023! (Read a book where either the cover is blue, black, or silver or it is a winter holiday book): Black Kiss by Dori Lavelle

2023 TBR Prompts (a book that has been turned into a TV series): Lovin’ on You by Fabiola Francisco

June:

Buzzword Reading Challenge 2023 (books with “other” in the title): The Other Side of Goodbye by Ben Follows

2023 Sami Parker Reads Title Challenge 2023 (a book that has the name of a month in the title): Every Day in December by Kitty Wilson

Cover Scavenger Hunt 2023 (a tree): My Dead World by Jacqueline Druga

The StoryGraph’s Onboarding Read Challenge 2023 (Read a book published in the last three years that fits your reader profile): How to Train Your Viscount by Courtney McCaskill

The StoryGraph Reads with World 2023 (Norway): Paradise Rot by Jenny Hval

The StoryGraph’s Genre Challenge 2023 (a popular science book): Factfulness by Hans Rosling

Beat the Backlist 2023 (giving an author a second chance): Spirit of Denial by Kate Danley

Scavenger Hunt TBR Book Challenge (What object did you first see on the cover of the last book. Find another book with the same object on the cover): The Bronzed Beasts by Roshani Chokshi


Books I bought*:

*Normally, there won’t be a lot of books on here. But, I am going through my Goodreads shelves and downloading any free books I am coming across from books already shelved. This is an ongoing project, and I should be done by September.

Let’s Play a Game by Lindsay Murray (free Kindle purchase)

The Girl in the Scarlet Chair by Janice Tremayne (free Kindle purchase)

How to Rope a Wild Cowboy by Anya Summers (free Kindle purchase)

Romancing the Princess by C.K. Brooke (free Kindle purchase)

My Twist of Fortune by Piper Rayne (free Kindle purchase)

Grace on the Horizon by Emma Lombard (free Kindle purchase)

A Girl with A Knife by Alina Rubin (free Kindle purchase)

Stone Heart by Katee Robert (free Kindle purchase)

Dead Draw by Layla Reyne (free Kindle purchase)

A Quest of Heroes by Morgan Rice (free Kindle purchase via BookBub)

In Her Defense by Margaret Watson (free Kindle purchase via BookBub)

Fencing You In by Cheyenne McCray (free Kindle purchase via BookBub)

Strip Search by Erin McCarthy (free Kindle purchase via BookBub)

Bad Night Stand by Elise Faber (free Kindle purchase via BookBub)

Her Morning Star by Violet Cowper (free Kindle purchase via Goodreads newsletter)

Her Venetian Beauty by Violet Cowper (free Kindle purchase via series)

Slashtag by John Cohn (free Kindle purchase via blog post)

White Lines by Tom Fowler (free Kindle purchase via BookBub)

Tempt Me at Midnight by Lauren Royal (free Kindle purchase via BookBub)

Okami by Renee Ahdieh (free Kindle purchase via series)

Danger’s Kiss by Glynnis Campbell (free Kindle purchase via BookBub)

Count Your Blessings by Sharon Sala (free Kindle purchase via series)

The Lightness of Water by Toni Cabell (free Kindle purchase via blog post)

The Final Play by Amie Knight (free Kindle purchase via BookBub)

Reckoning by Shelby Gunter (free Kindle purchase via series)

Opposites Attract by Camilla Isley (free Kindle purchase via series)

Cupcakes, Trinkets, and Other Deadly Magic by Meghan Ciana Doidge (free Kindle purchase via BookBub)

Fireball by Lainey Davis (free Kindle purchase via BookBub)

The Art of Stealing a Duke’s Heart by Ellie St. Clair (free Kindle purchase via BookBub)

Seven Sisters by M.L. Bullock (free Kindle purchase via Goodreads newsletter)

P.S. Never in a Million Years by J.S. Cooper (free Kindle purchase via BookBub)

In Too Deep by Mara Jacobs (free Kindle purchase via BookBub)

This is War by Kennedy Fox (free Kindle purchase via BookBub)

Hotel Laguna by Nicola Harrison

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Date of Publication: June 20th, 2023

Genre: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Romance, Adult, Adult Fiction, World War II

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

In 1942, Hazel Francis left Wichita, Kansas for California, determined to do her part for the war effort. At Douglas Aircraft, she became one of many “Rosie the Riveters,” helping construct bombers for the U. S. military. But now the war is over, men have returned to their factory jobs, and women like Hazel have been dismissed, expected to return home to become wives and mothers.

Unwilling to be forced into a traditional woman’s role in the Midwest, Hazel remains on the west coast, and finds herself in the bohemian town of Laguna Beach. Desperate for work, she accepts a job as an assistant to famous artist Hanson Radcliff. Beloved by the locals for his contributions to the art scene and respected by the critics, Radcliff lives under the shadow of a decades old scandal that haunts him.

Working hard to stay on her cantankerous employer’s good side, Hazel becomes a valued member of the community. She never expected to fall in love with the rhythms of life in Laguna, nor did she expect to find a kindred spirit in Jimmy, the hotel bartender whose friendship promises something more. But Hazel still wants to work with airplanes—maybe even learn to fly one someday. Torn between pursuing her dream and the dream life she has been granted, she is unsure if giving herself over to Laguna is what her heart truly wants.


First Line:

I stepped off the coach, directly in front of the boardwalk, and was immediately struck by the colors.

Hotel Laguna by Nicola Harrison

Having just been let go from her riveting job, Hazel has nowhere to go. Unwilling and unable to go home to Kansas to conform to the life of a housewife and mother, Hazel decides to stay in California. Landing in Laguna, Hazel becomes the assistant to the reclusive artist Hanson Radcliff. Hazel didn’t expect to fall in love with the free spirit of Laguna, and she most definitely didn’t expect to become a vital member of the community. Laguna was only supposed to be a temporary place for Hazel to regroup and refocus on her plans- working on airplanes and eventually flying them. Will Hazel put down roots in Laguna? Or will she drift onto the next town, looking for her dream?

I have mentioned this before, but I am fascinated with anything World War II. I read anything that I can get my hands on it. But I rarely have read anything about what happened after World War II. So, when I read the Hotel Laguna blurb, I knew I needed to read it. Also, I am a massive fan of anything that Nicola Harrison writes. I am glad that I read this book because it was excellent!!

Hotel Laguna is a fast-paced book that is primarily set in the town of Laguna, California. The pacing of this book fits the storyline. But the book lagged a tiny bit toward the middle of the book. It didn’t affect my enjoyment of the book.

The main storyline in Hotel Laguna centers around Hazel. This was a well-written storyline that kept my attention on the book. Not only did I enjoy reading about Hazel’s past (and found her riveting experience fascinating), but I also liked seeing how her relationships with several of the characters in the book shaped her.

Several secondary storylines fed in and bolstered the main storyline. The main secondary storylines that stood out to me were the storyline about Hanson, Isabella Rose, the painting, and the scandal. The other storyline that stood out was the one with Jimmy, the hotel, and the Laguna community. Both storylines were well-written, and they added depth to the main storyline.

Hazel was an interesting character, and I liked that she didn’t always make the best choices. But she was a good person, and she did try for a long time to stay in a situation that didn’t make her happy. Hazel also did try to let her fiance down lightly when she couldn’t make things work anymore. And after that nasty letter from her fiance’s mother, she continued sending them money (for his funeral expenses). And in the present day (aka 1946), Hazel still didn’t make the best choices, but her heart was in the right place.

Hanson Radcliff was a compelling character, also. He was much older than Hazel, and I thought he didn’t care for her for most of the book. It wasn’t until the last half of the book that I saw that he cared for her like a daughter. I was slightly irritated that the author dragged out his story with Isabella Rose and the painting

There was a slight mystery angle in Hotel Laguna. It centered around the missing painting that Hanson did of Isabella Rose and where he hid it. There was a neat twist toward the end that I saw coming. Even though I saw the twist coming, it was still interesting to read.

The end of Hotel Laguna was bittersweet. But I don’t think that I would have written it any differently.

I recommend Hotel Laguna to anyone over 16. There is mild language, mild violence, and nongraphic sexual situations.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley, and Nicola Harrison for allowing me to read and review Hotel Laguna. All opinions stated in this review are mine.


If you enjoyed reading this review of Hotel Laguna, then you will enjoy reading these books:


Other books by Nicola Harrison

WWW Wednesday: June 14th, 2023

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words.

The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?


What I am currently reading:

Since childhood, Nila Carter was made to spend every weekend at the family cabin. In her teenage years she believed it to be a prison. As an adult it became her sanctuary and means to survive.

When a mysterious outbreak occurs in India, Nila’s brother, Bobby, a virologist with the CDC, places the family on a precautionary alert to be ready to bug out. Unlike anything he’s ever seen, the rabies-like virus is not only deadly but causes extreme violent behavior in anyone who becomes infected. Following her brother’s advice, Nila begins to stockpile.

After months of preparing, just as it seems the virus is over, everything implodes and Bobby informs them to leave the city. With her family, Nila heads to the mountains and to her father’s isolated cabin. There she is eventually joined by friends and strangers, all hoping to safely stay clear of the virus that grips the world.

While there, the group forms a tight bond, feeling secure that they will beat the extinction event and in due course return home. As time moves on, Nila quickly learns there are things they cannot run from.


What I recently finished reading:

Summer and Leo would do anything for each other. Inspired by the way each has had to carve her place in a hostile and unforgiving world, and united by the call of the open road, they travel around sunny California in Summer’s tricked-out Land Cruiser. It’s not a glamorous life, but it gives them the freedom they crave from the painful pasts they’ve left behind. But even free spirits have bills to pay. Luckily, Summer is a skilled pickpocket, a small-time thief, and a con artist–and Leo, determined to pay her own way, has learned a trick or two.

Eager for a big score, Leo catches in her crosshairs Michael Forrester, a self-made billionaire and philanthropist. When her charm wins him over, Leo is rewarded with an invitation to his private island off the California coastline for a night of fabulous excess. She eagerly anticipates returning with photos that can be sold to the paparazzi, jewelry that can be liquidated, and endless stories to share with Summer.

Instead, Leo disappears.

On her own for the first time in years, Summer decides to infiltrate Michael’s island and find out what really happened. But when she arrives, no one has seen Leo–she’s not on the island as far as they know. Plus, there was only one way on the island–and no way off–for the coming days. Trapped in a scheme she helped initiate, could Summer have met her match?


What I think I will read next:

he only one who can help her is the man who broke her heart.

Four years ago, Lady Caroline Astley took one look at Henry Greville, Viscount Thetford, and fell horribly in love, in that particular way you can only fall in love at the age of fifteen.

He didn’t just reject her.

He humiliated her.

But now, in a stroke of rotten luck, he’s the only one who can help her.

It turns out that the “paste” pendant she borrowed from her sister, Anne, was no fake. It’s actually an ancient Egyptian amulet, and now Anne wants to auction it off to save hundreds of widows and orphans. What Caro can’t bear to tell her sister is that the necklace was stolen from right around her neck.

Caro has a few clues, but she doesn’t know an amulet from an obelisk, and the trail has gone cold. Guess who grew up in a house stuffed with Egyptian artifacts? Caro may despise Henry, but she needs him if she’s going to track down the thieves. Which begs the question of which is worse: letting down the orphans or risking her heart all over again.

If you like sizzling Regency romance that makes you laugh and makes you swoon, give How to Train Your Viscount a try!

Note:How to Train Your Viscount falls on the comedic end of the Regency spectrum; you might call it a Regency rom-com. The love scenes are red hot. Our hero’s mother wishes to regretfully forewarn the reader that her son utters several shocking obscenities during the course of the novel.

A lyrical debut novel from a musician and artist renowned for her sharp sexual and political imagery

Jo is in a strange new country for university, and having a more peculiar time than most. A house with no walls, a roommate with no boundaries, and a home that seems ever more alive. Jo’s sensitivity, and all her senses, become increasingly heightened and fraught, as the lines between bodies and plants, and dreaming and wakefulness, blur and mesh.

This debut novel from critically acclaimed artist and musician Jenny Hval, presents a heady and hyper-sensual portrayal of sexual awakening and queer desire. A complex, poetic and strange novel about bodies, sexuality and the female gender.

Factfulness: The stress-reducing habit of only carrying opinions for which you have strong supporting facts.

When asked simple questions about global trends—what percentage of the world’s population live in poverty; why the world’s population is increasing; how many girls finish school—we systematically get the answers wrong. So wrong that a chimpanzee choosing answers at random will consistently outguess teachers, journalists, Nobel laureates, and investment bankers.

In Factfulness, Professor of International Health and global TED phenomenon Hans Rosling, together with his two long-time collaborators, Anna and Ola, offers a radical new explanation of why this happens. They reveal the ten instincts that distort our perspective—from our tendency to divide the world into two camps (usually some version of us and them) to the way we consume media (where fear rules) to how we perceive progress (believing that most things are getting worse).

Our problem is that we don’t know what we don’t know, and even our guesses are informed by unconscious and predictable biases.

It turns out that the world, for all its imperfections, is in a much better state than we might think. That doesn’t mean there aren’t real concerns. But when we worry about everything all the time instead of embracing a worldview based on facts, we can lose our ability to focus on the things that threaten us most.

Inspiring and revelatory, filled with lively anecdotes and moving stories, Factfulness is an urgent and essential book that will change the way you see the world and empower you to respond to the crises and opportunities of the future.

What if crying out for help made you a target?

Within hours of arriving in Montego Bay, Eddie Barrow and his friend Corey Stephenson witness a gruesome murder outside a bar. When the victim’s sister reaches out for help, they learn of machinations to conceal foreign corporate corruption and a series of horrific sex crimes. However, Barrow and Stephenson’s commitment to solving the case is put to the test once they find themselves in the crosshairs of a ruthless criminal network—one that extends beyond the shores of Jamaica.

In 1942, Hazel Francis left Wichita, Kansas for California, determined to do her part for the war effort. At Douglas Aircraft, she became one of many “Rosie the Riveters,” helping construct bombers for the U. S. military. But now the war is over, men have returned to their factory jobs, and women like Hazel have been dismissed, expected to return home to become wives and mothers.

Unwilling to be forced into a traditional woman’s role in the Midwest, Hazel remains on the west coast, and finds herself in the bohemian town of Laguna Beach. Desperate for work, she accepts a job as an assistant to famous artist Hanson Radcliff. Beloved by the locals for his contributions to the art scene and respected by the critics, Radcliff lives under the shadow of a decades old scandal that haunts him.

Working hard to stay on her cantankerous employer’s good side, Hazel becomes a valued member of the community. She never expected to fall in love with the rhythms of life in Laguna, nor did she expect to find a kindred spirit in Jimmy, the hotel bartender whose friendship promises something more. But Hazel still wants to work with airplanes—maybe even learn to fly one someday. Torn between pursuing her dream and the dream life she has been granted, she is unsure if giving herself over to Laguna is what her heart truly wants.

“It is not often that a man steps through a doorway knowing that he has just made the best and worst decision of his entire life.” So declares notorious criminal, Vazeer the Lash, at the start of A Dream of Shadows. Raised in Hell’s Labyrinth, the corrupt city where crime and violence are the order of the day, Vazeer has lived on a knife’s edge his entire adult life working as a contract smuggler. Having turned himself into an educated man, Vazeer longs to retire from his nefarious career, which has always been at odds with the more cultured side of his personality.

His chance comes when he is paid a fortune to bring down The Raving Blade, one of Hell’s Labyrinth’s most infamous and sadistic power brokers. Vazeer joins a rogue’s gallery of expert Shadow Bidders, each a master of a unique set of unsavory skills, to complete one last contract. Among them are a brilliant actress who finds herself playing a key role in a criminal world where she doesn’t belong, and a calm, mysterious assassin, who draws events ever forward towards a series of increasingly dire consequences.

With life and death hanging in the balance, a dangerous romance unfolds. Secrets are revealed and violence erupts, irreversibly blurring the line between good and evil.

Perfect for fans of George RR Martin, Joe Abercrombie, and Patrick Rothfuss, A Dream of Shadows marks the start of a thrilling new literary fantasy series from Peter Eliott.

June 2023 TBR

Here is what I am planning on reading for June. Please let me know if you have read any of these and what you thought of them!!


NetGalley


Indie Authors/Publishers


Reading Challenges:

January 2023 Wrap Up

January was a busy reading month for me. Because of that, I could complete all my reading challenges for the month!! Woot!!

It was also a busy month, personally, for me. The highlights of this month are:

  • Miss B left her dual high school and college credits program.
  • Snickers going to the emergency vet with a bloody eye. She came home with a torn tear duct and a torn lower lid.
  • BK going back to traveling each week
  • And my not-so-great, horrible week last week.

BK and I have been watching Game of Thrones (we’re on season 7), and we started watching The Last of Us.

I have been experimenting with new cooking recipes. I made a Greek Lemon Chicken Orzo soup with Miss R last week.

As always, let me know if you have read any of these books and (if you did) what you thought of them.


Books I Read:

KU Purchase—No Review
From Author
Kindle PurchaseNo Review
Free Kindle Purchase—No Review
From Publisher—Review coming February 17th
From Publisher
From Publisher
From Publisher
Free Kindle Purchase—No Review
KU Purchase—No Review
From Publisher
From Author
From Publisher
From Publisher
From PublisherReview coming July 11th, 2023
KU Purchase—No Review
Kindle Purchase—No Review
From Author
Kindle Purchase—No Review
From Publisher
From Publisher
From Publisher
KU purchase—No Review
Free Kindle Purchase—No Review
From Author
From Publisher
Kindle Purchase—No Review
From Publisher—Review Coming February 2nd
From Publisher—Review coming February 3rd
Free Kindle Purchase—No Review
Free Kindle Purchase—No Review
Free Kindle Purchase—No Review
From Author—Review coming February 3rd

Books I got from NetGalley:

Wish Granted from Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine/Bantam
Limited Time Read Now from SMP
Read Now from Crooked Lane Books
Read Now from John Hunt Publishing
Invite from SMP
Read Now from Crooked Lane Books
Read Now from Crooked Lane Books
Read Now from Crooked Lane Books
Read Now from Crooked Lane Books
Read Now from Crooked Lane Books
Wish Granted from Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine
From SMPG
Invite from SMP
Read now from Crooked Lane Books
Wish Granted from Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Del Rey
Wish granted from Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine/Del Rey
Limited Time Read Now from St. Martin’s Press/St. Martin’s Griffin
Invite from Saint Martin’s Press

Books I got from Authors/Indie Publishers:

From Author
From Author
From Novel Cause
From Author
From Author
From Author

A Paroxysm of Fear by Chad Miller

From Author

Giveaway Winners

Paperback—Won from a giveaway. Not sure which one….lol
Kindle—Won from Goodreads Giveaway
Kindle—Won from Goodreads Giveaway

Books Reviewed:

Fatal Intent by Tammy Euliano (review here)

Misfire by Tammy Euliano (review here)

The Bandit Queens by Parini Shroff (review here)

The Family Game by Catherine Steadman (review coming February 17th)

All the Dangerous Things by Stacy Willingham (review here)

The Nightmare Man by J.H. Markert (review here)

The Rom-Com Agenda by Jayne Denker (review here)

Son of the Poison Rose by Jonathan Maberry (review here)

Emily Wilde’s Encylopedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett (review here)

The House in the Pines by Ana Reyes (review here)

Shadowed Visions by Reily Garrett (review here)

The Things We do to Our Friends by Heather Darwent (review coming February 27th)

The Devil You Know by P.J. Tracy (review here)

Hello Stranger by Katherine Center (review coming July 11th)

A Body Washes Ashore by Bradley Pay (review here)

All Hallows by Christopher Golden (review here)

A Guide to Being Just Friends by Sophie Sullivan (review here)

One Duke Down by Anna Bennett (review here)

Murder Up to Bat by Elizabeth McKenna (review here)

Dead and Gondola by Ann Claire (review here)


Reading Challenges

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (for Cover Scavenger Hunt 2023—a bird)Finished 1-1-2023

A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth (for The StoryGraph Onboarding Challenge—-Read a book with more pages than the longest book you read in 2022)—Finished 1-17-2023

Tender is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica (for The StoryGraph Read the World—Argentina)—Finished 1-17-2023

The Tea Dragon Society by Kay O’Neill (for The StoryGraph’s Genre Challenge—a contemporary or literary fiction novel with disability rep)—Finished 1-24-2023

The Reader by M.K. Harkins (for Beat the Backlist 2023—a backlist book)—Finished 1-24-2023

The Shape of Thunder by Jasmine Warga (for Scavenger Hunt TBR Book Challenge—Read the most recently added book to your TBR)—Finished 1-3-2023

Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston (for Scavenger Hunt—a book written by a woman using a male perspective)—Finished 1-19-2023

The Nightmare Man by J.H. Markert (for Popsugar Reading Challenge 2023—a book you meant to read in 2022)—Finished 1-5-2023

Lost Soul by Adam J. Wright (for 2023 TBR Toppler—a TBR vet)—Finished 1-3-2023

In Our Blood by William J. Goyette (for 2023 Monthly Themes—books that make you feel cold)—Finished 1-10-2023

Before the Coffee Get Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi (for 2023 Reading challenge—a translated work)Finished 1-11-2023

All Hallows by Christopher Golden (for 2023 ABC Challenge—A)—Finished 1-19-2023

The Family Game by Catherine Steadman (for Romanceopoly 2023!—read a thriller or mystery where one of the main characters are a detective or private investigator)—Finished 1-3-2023

Hello Stranger by Katherine Center (for 2023 TBR Prompts—a 5-star prediction)—Finished 1-16-23

WWW Wednesday: March 31st 2021

IMG_1384-0

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words.

The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?


Personal:

So, I still have that flipping bladder infection. Cue in long, frustrated scream. If this new round of antibiotics don’t work, then off I go to a specialist. I am not very happy and very frustrated.

My garden is doing well. Nothing has sprouted yet (knock on wood). My bird feeders, though, are a whole different story. I am getting a ton of birds….and squirrels. I ended up getting a squirrels feeder, hoping that it would keep them out of my feeders. Nope. Instead, I have a heavily pregnant squirrel using my deck feeder as her personal buffet. I have named her Mama and can’t wait to see the babies!! I also have an opossum visiting. I caught it on camera sitting on my back deck. I think it was debating on going after the suet feeder….lol. I don’t mind them. They keep the ticks and bugs down in the yard. Plus, they eat mice and rats, which make them my best friends (I have a mice/rat phobia).

I made the decision last week to send Miss R back to school 4 days a week. I had noticed that she wasn’t as into her virtual lessons as she was. Plus, it seemed that she was missing out when there was a substitute. So, after talking with BK, I decided to send her back after Easter break. After getting the OK from the teacher/principal, I told her. It was like someone flipped a switch. She has been so excited to do her schoolwork and all she talks about is going back to school.

I made the non refundable deposit for Miss B’s driving school. It took me and the instructor about a week of going back and forth before we finally connected. So, for a week in July, she will be going to driving school, 9-5. Then she will start driving (6 hours on the road). She is super nervous but also excited.

I am still watching The Magicians. I was a little iffy about it for the first couple of episodes but I have gotten into it. Unfortunately, Miss B has decided to watch Criminal Minds by herself. She says its because she wants to “absorb the episodes.” Don’t ask me to translate….lol. BK and I have started watching The Irregulars. I really like it even though I got freaked out by the first episode.

I made Slow-Cooker Sesame Chicken with Cashews this past week. It was alright. The kids weren’t crazy about it. It tasted fine but the chicken was dry. So, I will not be making this again.

Blog

I changed my theme for the blog. I had Rosalie originally but changed to Independent Publisher 2. I am liking this theme a whole lot better than the Rosalie one. There were a lot more options for customization.

I started going through my posts again. I am slowly, but surely, updating links/covers/blurbs or just taking posts down for books that aren’t even on Goodreads/Amazon anymore. Its tedious, but needs to be done.

I am not sure if I like the new changes that WordPress pushed through earlier this week. I am used to having the admin page open up to a different window, not having it all on one page. But, I will get used to it. I don’t have a choice.

Reading

I didn’t do so great reading since last week’s WWW. I think I read 2 books between Thursday and yesterday? I was stuck on a book that I got from the library. I thought that I was going to love it. Instead, I was “eh” about it and it took me 3 days to finish. So disappointing when that happens.


What I Recently Finished Reading:

Book Cover
When headstrong West Indian heiress Patience Jordan questioned her English husband’s mysterious suicide, she lost everything: her newborn son, Lionel, her fortune—and her freedom. Falsely imprisoned, she risks her life to be near her child—until The Widow’s Grace gets her hired as her own son’s nanny. But working for his unsuspecting new guardian, Busick Strathmore, Duke of Repington, has perils of its own. Especially when Patience discovers his military strictness belies an ex-rake of unswerving honor—and unexpected passion . . .

A wounded military hero, Busick is determined to resolve his dead cousin’s dangerous financial dealings for Lionel’s sake. But his investigation is a minor skirmish compared to dealing with the forthright, courageous, and alluring Patience. Somehow, she’s breaking his rules, and sweeping past his defenses. Soon, between formidable enemies and obstacles, they form a fragile trust—but will it be enough to save the future they long to dare together?

I was so disappointed by this book. I had seen a couple of reviews by people that had loved it and thought to myself “Well, this seems like something I would like to read.” It is a favorite genre with a twist. Plus, having a POC as a main character for that era was brilliant. Then I read the book and cringed. I couldn’t get into the romance between Patience and Busick. The plotline bored me. I called the ending. It was a relief when the book ended.


What I am currently reading:

Book Cover
It’s 1927 when Olive McCormick moves from Minneapolis to New York City determined to become a star in the Ziegfeld Follies. Extremely talented as a singer and dancer, it takes every bit of perseverance to finally make it on stage. And once she does, all the glamour and excitement is everything she imagined and more–even worth all the sacrifices she has had to make along the way.

Then she meets Archie Carmichael. Handsome, wealthy–the only man she’s ever met who seems to accept her modern ways–her independent nature and passion for success. But once she accepts his proposal of marriage he starts to change his tune, and Olive must decide if she is willing to reveal a devastating secret and sacrifice the life she loves for the man she loves.

Words can’t begin to describe how much I am enjoying this book. Olive McCormick (aka Olive Shines) is unusual for the era that book is set in. She is a strong woman who is living her life the way she wants. I am about 20% into the book and so much has happened. I can’t wait to see what the rest of the book will be like!!


What books I think I’ll read next:

I was pretty set with the books I had on the list for next week. It was going to be a repeat of last week’s books. Then, last night, a library book came off hold, unexpectedly. So, I had to tweak things a little bit. The library book is first and then the books from my TBR.

Book Cover
After the first season of her true crime podcast became an overnight sensation and set an innocent man free, Rachel Krall is now a household name―and the last hope for thousands of people seeking justice. But she’s used to being recognized for her voice, not her face. Which makes it all the more unsettling when she finds a note on her car windshield, addressed to her, begging for help.

The small town of Neapolis is being torn apart by a devastating rape trial. The town’s golden boy, a swimmer destined for Olympic greatness, has been accused of raping a high school student, the beloved granddaughter of the police chief. Under pressure to make Season Three a success, Rachel throws herself into interviewing and investigating―but the mysterious letters keep showing up in unexpected places. Someone is following her, and she won’t stop until Rachel finds out what happened to her sister twenty-five years ago. Officially, Jenny Stills tragically drowned, but the letters insists she was murdered―and when Rachel starts asking questions, nobody seems to want to answer. The past and present start to collide as Rachel uncovers startling connections between the two cases that will change the course of the trial and the lives of everyone involved.

Electrifying and propulsive, The Night Swim asks: What is the price of a reputation? Can a small town ever right the wrongs of its past? And what really happened to Jenny?
Book Cover
A lightless tower maze…

…Four powerless teens. Or are they?

Each child in Valkryion has one chance to prove their magical prowess or they must face the most feared abomination ever created: the Depths.

A group of teens find themselves cast into the lightless labyrinth meant to channel the hidden potential in their Signets and lynths.

The one rule for those downcast is simple – descend further into the Depths to try to escape while mastering the environment to defeat all that stands in their path. With descent comes more challenges and enemies intended to either make the teens more powerful or snap them from existence.

Rules are meant to be broken, but can the teens break free from contained chaos?

Magic. Awe. Discovery. Wonder.

Enter the Depths NOW.
Book Cover
How far will a man go to protect his family? Mason Seaforth is about to find out.

Mason Seaforth, a mild-mannered accountant. wakes up the morning of his 20th wedding anniversary to find that his wife, Sami has disappeared. A search of Sami’s computer uncovers a past she has buried for more than 20 years.

Together with their strong-willed friend, Marcie Kane, Mason leads an investigation that takes them from the home he and Sami share in Gulfport, Florida to a casino in Gatineau, Quebec. As he and Marcie close in on Sami’s whereabouts, so do Aaron Marshall and his enforcer, Greg Johnson, AKA, “The Force” – deadly serious men willing to kill the entire Seaforth family to protect Sami’s secrets.

Action-packed crime thriller with suspenseful storytelling and a surpising twist.

Mason is thrust into a race against Marshall and Johnson, thrown into a life that is meant for other people. He must put his quiet job on hold and quickly learn how to handle a Glock 17. Each decision he needs to make is deadlier than the last, and one wrong move could result in the death of his family.
Book Cover
It’s been 20 long years since a night of horror where Detective Jess Antler’s 10-year-old brother Billy was abducted. Despite Jess seeing the intruder face to face, neither he or her brother were ever found. After enduring a terrifying adolescence at the hands of her abusive Aunt, Jess has learnt to push away her feelings about her brother, and her drive to find him.

As everyone says, Billy’s never coming back. It’s time to move on.

However after uncovering Billy’s secret diary, Jess begins to unravel the mystery further and discovers shocking truths about her family and what Billy was really mixed up in.
Book Cover
Cursed with the ability to weave thread into gold, Brie has learned to trust no one. Her parents keep her around so they can gamble their money away and now her boyfriend’s only staying because he’s got a collection of game systems to grow.

When Brie grabs the attention of Stilt, the new guy in town, it changes everything. Brie is a Legend—a character in a fairytale—and she belongs in a realm of magic called Fable. But when she crosses over to the new world with Stilt, she soon learns that the cruel ruler of the realm has taken an interest in her ability-and it could cost Brie her life.

Stilt promises that he can help her escape, but in return, he asks for something that she might not be able to give. Can Brie put her trust in Stilt or will she die at the hands of greed?

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? a place to meet up and share what you have been, and are about to be reading over the week. It’s a great post to organize yourself. It’s an opportunity to visit and comment and er… add to your groaning TBR pile! So welcome in everyone. This meme started on J Kaye’s blog and then was hosted by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at The Book Date.

Jen Vincent, Teach Mentor Texts, and Kellee of Unleashing Readers decided to give It’s Monday! a kidlit focus. If you read and review books in children’s literature – picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels or anything in those genres – join them.


What I am Reading Now:

Book Cover
When headstrong West Indian heiress Patience Jordan questioned her English husband’s mysterious suicide, she lost everything: her newborn son, Lionel, her fortune—and her freedom. Falsely imprisoned, she risks her life to be near her child—until The Widow’s Grace gets her hired as her own son’s nanny. But working for his unsuspecting new guardian, Busick Strathmore, Duke of Repington, has perils of its own. Especially when Patience discovers his military strictness belies an ex-rake of unswerving honor—and unexpected passion . . .

A wounded military hero, Busick is determined to resolve his dead cousin’s dangerous financial dealings for Lionel’s sake. But his investigation is a minor skirmish compared to dealing with the forthright, courageous, and alluring Patience. Somehow, she’s breaking his rules, and sweeping past his defenses. Soon, between formidable enemies and obstacles, they form a fragile trust—but will it be enough to save the future they long to dare together?

I am about halfway through A Duke, the Lady, and a Baby and I am not sure about how I feel about. I am loving the story but the characters, I am “eh” about. The romance I am a little “eh” about too. I am hoping that the second half of the book makes me settle on if I like it or dislike it. I don’t like being up in the air about a genre that I usually love.


What I plan on reading this week:

On last week’s WWW, I made an ambitious goal to read five books by next Wednesday. Well, it didn’t quite happen. Without getting into it, my weekend was very full. Plus, we had some severe thunderstorms come through the area (at night). Miss R is terrified of them and ended sleeping in my bed Saturday and Sunday night. And since I read at night, it didn’t happen. I am hoping to read at least three of these books this week.

Book Cover
It’s 1927 when Olive McCormick moves from Minneapolis to New York City determined to become a star in the Ziegfeld Follies. Extremely talented as a singer and dancer, it takes every bit of perseverance to finally make it on stage. And once she does, all the glamour and excitement is everything she imagined and more–even worth all the sacrifices she has had to make along the way.

Then she meets Archie Carmichael. Handsome, wealthy–the only man she’s ever met who seems to accept her modern ways–her independent nature and passion for success. But once she accepts his proposal of marriage he starts to change his tune, and Olive must decide if she is willing to reveal a devastating secret and sacrifice the life she loves for the man she loves.
Book Cover
A lightless tower maze…

…Four powerless teens. Or are they?

Each child in Valkryion has one chance to prove their magical prowess or they must face the most feared abomination ever created: the Depths.

A group of teens find themselves cast into the lightless labyrinth meant to channel the hidden potential in their Signets and lynths.

The one rule for those downcast is simple – descend further into the Depths to try to escape while mastering the environment to defeat all that stands in their path. With descent comes more challenges and enemies intended to either make the teens more powerful or snap them from existence.

Rules are meant to be broken, but can the teens break free from contained chaos?

Magic. Awe. Discovery. Wonder.

Enter the Depths NOW.
Book Cover
How far will a man go to protect his family? Mason Seaforth is about to find out.

Mason Seaforth, a mild-mannered accountant. wakes up the morning of his 20th wedding anniversary to find that his wife, Sami has disappeared. A search of Sami’s computer uncovers a past she has buried for more than 20 years.

Together with their strong-willed friend, Marcie Kane, Mason leads an investigation that takes them from the home he and Sami share in Gulfport, Florida to a casino in Gatineau, Quebec. As he and Marcie close in on Sami’s whereabouts, so do Aaron Marshall and his enforcer, Greg Johnson, AKA, “The Force” – deadly serious men willing to kill the entire Seaforth family to protect Sami’s secrets.


Action-packed crime thriller with suspenseful storytelling and a surpising twist.

Mason is thrust into a race against Marshall and Johnson, thrown into a life that is meant for other people. He must put his quiet job on hold and quickly learn how to handle a Glock 17. Each decision he needs to make is deadlier than the last, and one wrong move could result in the death of his family.
Book Cover
It’s been 20 long years since a night of horror where Detective Jess Antler’s 10-year-old brother Billy was abducted. Despite Jess seeing the intruder face to face, neither he or her brother were ever found. After enduring a terrifying adolescence at the hands of her abusive Aunt, Jess has learnt to push away her feelings about her brother, and her drive to find him.

As everyone says, Billy’s never coming back. It’s time to move on.

However after uncovering Billy’s secret diary, Jess begins to unravel the mystery further and discovers shocking truths about her family and what Billy was really mixed up in.
Book Cover
Cursed with the ability to weave thread into gold, Brie has learned to trust no one. Her parents keep her around so they can gamble their money away and now her boyfriend’s only staying because he’s got a collection of game systems to grow.

When Brie grabs the attention of Stilt, the new guy in town, it changes everything. Brie is a Legend—a character in a fairytale—and she belongs in a realm of magic called Fable. But when she crosses over to the new world with Stilt, she soon learns that the cruel ruler of the realm has taken an interest in her ability-and it could cost Brie her life.

Stilt promises that he can help her escape, but in return, he asks for something that she might not be able to give. Can Brie put her trust in Stilt or will she die at the hands of greed?

So here are my books that I am reading/plan on reading this week. Have you read any of these books? Let me know!!!

WWW Wednesday: March 24th 2021

IMG_1384-0

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words.

The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?


Personal

My bladder infection still isn’t going away. It has been better (I feel 100% better than I did last week) but it hasn’t gone away. I do have a Drs appointment tomorrow and I will be letting her know then.

I do have news other than my health. I got my Covid shot on Saturday. Shots for people in group 4 (high risk medical, people in group homes/jails, and other public servants) opened up on Wednesday. Since I have an autoimmune disease and I am obese, I qualified (the only time being fat worked for me….lol). I started trying Wednesday and kept missing the appointment window. I ended up lucking out on Friday and got my shot on Saturday. My arm hurt like heck on Sunday and I was super tired. But, by Monday, I was back to myself.

I started planting on Sunday (fun thing to do with a sore arm). BK built me a raised planter box on Saturday. I was thrilled about that because now I don’t have to worry about groundhogs or rabbits getting into my vegetables. I do have to worry about the stray cat we are trying to adopt using it as a litter box (so far, he’s been avoiding it). I planted in that 2 types of peppers and 2 types of lettuce. On our deck, in planters, we went nuts. We planted two types of tomatoes (beefsteak and grape), catnip (we plant every year), cat grass (2 containers), chives, dill, sage, cilantro, rosemary, basil, parsely, two types of blueberry bushes (they are made for planters), a starter kit for jumbo water melons, jalapenos, and sweet peas (Miss R wanted them). I also have sunflowers to grow on the fence in the backyard. Keeping my fingers crossed for no frost or colder weather.

The school district has decided to let grades 6-12 go back to school 4 days a week. I was emailed and called by both the middle and high school (plus the district itself). Miss B is super excited because she’s going all the time. Mr. Z has opted to stay home and finish out the year (he is going back in the fall). Miss R is jealous because she wants to go back full time (I opted to keep her home and finish out the school year. It ends the end of May).

Miss R is starting Drivers Ed in July. I am still in shock that she will be driving soon. BK and I are discussing what type of car to get her. He wants a beater and I want something that is a little more reliable. We’ll see what the compromise is….lol.

BK started traveling for work again. He has flights booked out unto the end of April. This week was the first time he has been away from home in a year. Put it this way, he came home from NYC right before they shut it down and he hasn’t been out since. I do have mixed emotions about it. But I figure we are both halfway protected (he got his first shot when Group 3 opened up).

Since BK has started traveling, I have started watching shows that I like. I am still watching Expedition Unknown (I am fascinated with it). I also have started watching The Magicians and resumed watching Bridgerton on Netflix. On top of that, Miss B and I are watching Criminal Minds together. Since she wants to be in law enforcement (she is leaning towards being a federal agent), I felt that Criminal Minds would be a great show for her to watch. She is fascinated with what they do. If I knew it wouldn’t be too much for her, I would have her watch Mindhunters too. But it is too much for even me to watch at some points.

I made 5 Ingredient Slow-Cooker Balsamic Chicken for supper on Monday. It was freaking delicious. The kids were iffy about it (of course). I had to serve the chicken next to the pasta and then had to put the tomatoes on the side too. They also didn’t want anything to do with the Balsamic Vinaigrette. But, they ate it!! That’s all I can ask for….lol.

Blog

I posted 2 reviews last week!! I couldn’t even believe it when I posted them…lol. I haven’t been working on updating my old posts either. I am hoping to start doing that maybe by the end of this week.

Reading:

Well, I have offically gotten over my reading slump. I have read 5 books since last week’s WWW. Yay me!!!!

I have fallen way behind in all of my reading challenges. So, I am working to catch up.

I am in the middle of going through my Goodreads shelves and adding any books that are in series to my Want to Read shelf. I won’t lie, it is a huge undertaking but I am chipping away at it.


Book Cover
A Thriller That Won’t Let Go
Gino Cataldi is a man hanging on by a thread. Cancer took his wife, and drugs put his son in rehab. All he has left is his badge. 

When a teenage girl is kidnapped it brings back nightmares from the worst case he ever worked—the one that tore his life to shreds and forced him out of Philadelphia.

Gino doesn’t want this case but he knows he has to take it. Not just to save the girl, but to earn redemption for what went wrong in Philly. 


What do you do when you’ve lost everything?

Gino—a cop who pushes the limits of the law…
Lonny—a good man struggling to feed his family…
Scott—a biotech executive who has everything a man could want…
A band of ruthless kidnappers…

They all come together in a thriller you won’t be able to forget.

Everyone has decisions to make. This one could cost Gino his badge—and a young girl her life.

I won’t lie and say that this was one of my favorite books to read (it wasn’t). But it did have an appeal. It was gritty. It wasn’t a pretty book to read. There were a couple of twists that took me by surprise and the end wasn’t what I thought it was going to be.


What I am currently reading:

Book Cover
It’s 1927 when Olive McCormick moves from Minneapolis to New York City determined to become a star in the Ziegfeld Follies. Extremely talented as a singer and dancer, it takes every bit of perseverance to finally make it on stage. And once she does, all the glamour and excitement is everything she imagined and more–even worth all the sacrifices she has had to make along the way.

Then she meets Archie Carmichael. Handsome, wealthy–the only man she’s ever met who seems to accept her modern ways–her independent nature and passion for success. But once she accepts his proposal of marriage he starts to change his tune, and Olive must decide if she is willing to reveal a devastating secret and sacrifice the life she loves for the man she loves.

I am pretty excited to read The Show Girl. I have read books by Nicola Harrison before and have enjoyed them. I didn’t get that far into The Show Girl….just the first couple of pages. So far, I like it.


What books I think I’ll read next:

I am pretty excited to read all of these books. They have all been on my TBR since 2018 and have just sat there for 3 long years. The book I am most excited to read is You Won’t Find Him. I am hoping to get to all of these books this week.

Book Cover
A lightless tower maze…

…Four powerless teens. Or are they?

Each child in Valkryion has one chance to prove their magical prowess or they must face the most feared abomination ever created: the Depths.

A group of teens find themselves cast into the lightless labyrinth meant to channel the hidden potential in their Signets and lynths.

The one rule for those downcast is simple – descend further into the Depths to try to escape while mastering the environment to defeat all that stands in their path. With descent comes more challenges and enemies intended to either make the teens more powerful or snap them from existence.

Rules are meant to be broken, but can the teens break free from contained chaos?

Magic. Awe. Discovery. Wonder.

Enter the Depths NOW.
Book Cover
How far will a man go to protect his family? Mason Seaforth is about to find out.

Mason Seaforth, a mild-mannered accountant. wakes up the morning of his 20th wedding anniversary to find that his wife, Sami has disappeared. A search of Sami’s computer uncovers a past she has buried for more than 20 years.

Together with their strong-willed friend, Marcie Kane, Mason leads an investigation that takes them from the home he and Sami share in Gulfport, Florida to a casino in Gatineau, Quebec. As he and Marcie close in on Sami’s whereabouts, so do Aaron Marshall and his enforcer, Greg Johnson, AKA, “The Force” – deadly serious men willing to kill the entire Seaforth family to protect Sami’s secrets.

Action-packed crime thriller with suspenseful storytelling and a surpising twist.

Mason is thrust into a race against Marshall and Johnson, thrown into a life that is meant for other people. He must put his quiet job on hold and quickly learn how to handle a Glock 17. Each decision he needs to make is deadlier than the last, and one wrong move could result in the death of his family.
Book Cover
It’s been 20 long years since a night of horror where Detective Jess Antler’s 10-year-old brother Billy was abducted. Despite Jess seeing the intruder face to face, neither he or her brother were ever found. After enduring a terrifying adolescence at the hands of her abusive Aunt, Jess has learnt to push away her feelings about her brother, and her drive to find him.

As everyone says, Billy’s never coming back. It’s time to move on.

However after uncovering Billy’s secret diary, Jess begins to unravel the mystery further and discovers shocking truths about her family and what Billy was really mixed up in.
Book Cover
Cursed with the ability to weave thread into gold, Brie has learned to trust no one. Her parents keep her around so they can gamble their money away and now her boyfriend’s only staying because he’s got a collection of game systems to grow.

When Brie grabs the attention of Stilt, the new guy in town, it changes everything. Brie is a Legend—a character in a fairytale—and she belongs in a realm of magic called Fable. But when she crosses over to the new world with Stilt, she soon learns that the cruel ruler of the realm has taken an interest in her ability-and it could cost Brie her life.

Stilt promises that he can help her escape, but in return, he asks for something that she might not be able to give. Can Brie put her trust in Stilt or will she die at the hands of greed?

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? a place to meet up and share what you have been, and are about to be reading over the week. It’s a great post to organize yourself. It’s an opportunity to visit and comment and er… add to your groaning TBR pile! So welcome in everyone. This meme started on J Kaye’s blog and then was hosted by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at The Book Date.

Jen Vincent, Teach Mentor Texts, and Kellee of Unleashing Readers decided to give It’s Monday! a kidlit focus. If you read and review books in children’s literature – picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels or anything in those genres – join them.


What I am Reading Now:

The Last City of America
A virus stole fertility from many people long ago, ending society over several generations. The United States became the Seven Cities of America.

Chicago, cut off from the other cities, ruled in darkness, is home to the scientist who created the virus. Hateful of humanity, hateful of himself, the dying scientist passes his knowledge on to his apprentice, who he believes will use it to damn all life to everlasting misery.

The apprentice, Harold, his own past stained with unforgivable acts, does not share his master’s hatred. But he wants this knowledge, and would shamelessly kill innocents to get it. But to what end, he struggles to realize— all the while wondering if humanity, worthless as it seems, deserves compassion more than he deserves omniscience.

As Harold struggles with his future and his identity, Chicago’s ruler, the host, learns of the knowledge he has. Harold is has to flee his home.

The host, Grakus, is on a journey of his own— to prove that humanity should never have existed, to guide it to its destiny of self-destruction. He will not allow the apprentice to thwart his delicate plan to do so.

But the apprentice will not allow the host to steal his decision before he’s had the chance to make it.

The Last City of America is a character-driven epic touching every corner of America, exposing every level of its beauty. The individual emulates humanity, and humanity’s faults are written in the individual. The two walk with one another into the final decision. Cities fall one-by-one to man’s ignorance. The world is ending. This time forever. Two hands reach out to save it: good and evil.

This is the story of how we will be remembered.

I started The Last City of America last night and are about 18-20% into it. I am not sure how I feel about it. It goes between 1st person and 3rd person and the chapters are from the viewpoint of different characters in the book. The beginning was slow to start and it is still slow going right now. Hopefully it will pick up.


What I plan on reading this week:

Cold-Hearted Rake (The Ravenels, #1)
A twist of fate…

Devon Ravenel, London’s most wickedly charming rake, has just inherited an earldom. But his powerful new rank in society comes with unwanted responsibilities… and more than a few surprises. His estate is saddled with debt, and the late earl’s three innocent sisters are still occupying the house… along with Kathleen, Lady Trenear, a beautiful young widow whose sharp wit and determination are a match for Devon’s own.

A clash of wills…

Kathleen knows better than to trust a ruthless scoundrel like Devon. But the fiery attraction between them is impossible to deny—and from the first moment Devon holds her in his arms, he vows to do whatever it takes to possess her. As Kathleen finds herself yielding to his skillfully erotic seduction, only one question remains:

Can she keep from surrendering her heart to the most dangerous man she’s ever known?

This was a book that came off hold from the library. I am pretty excited to read it (any Regency/Victorian era romances are my jam) and hope to start reading within a couple of days.

A Cowboy Kind of Love (Heart of Texas #6)
Who wants to rodeo again?

Jace Wilder has been rebuilding his life since the love of his life, Taryn, up and left town unexpectedly. But when she mysteriously returns, Jace’s dependable world comes crashing down. Taryn is hiding a dangerous secret, and no matter how hard he tries, Jace can’t stay away―especially when Taryn is at risk. And especially when the attraction he thought he’d buried long ago is back and hotter than ever. Will he be able to trust Taryn again?

Taryn Hillman’s world fell apart one horrifying night, and it’s never been the same since. When she sees a small chance at untangling herself, she takes it, though it means returning to Clearview – and seeing Jace again. But when he vows to protect her, will Taryn take a chance, and this time, never let him go?

I love Donna Grant and was super excited when SMP reached out to me with a review request for this book!! I can’t wait to read it.

The Show Girl: A Novel by [Nicola Harrison]
Nicola Harrison’s The Show Girl gives a glimpse of the glamorous world of the Ziegfeld Follies, through the eyes of a young midwestern woman who comes to New York City to find her destiny as a Ziegfeld Follies star.

It’s 1927 when Olive McCormick moves from Minneapolis to New York City determined to become a star in the Ziegfeld Follies. Extremely talented as a singer and dancer, it takes every bit of perseverance to finally make it on stage. And once she does, all the glamour and excitement is everything she imagined and more—even worth all the sacrifices she has had to make along the way.

Then she meets Archie Carmichael. Handsome, wealthy—the only man she’s ever met who seems to accept her modern ways—her independent nature and passion for success. But once she accepts his proposal of marriage he starts to change his tune, and Olive must decide if she is willing to reveal a devastating secret and sacrifice the life she loves for the man she loves.

Again, another SMP request (they are good to me!!). I was drawn in by the cover and the blurb cemented my decision. I grew up hearing about Ziegfeld Follies (my grandmother was a huge fan of their radio program). I am hoping that this book lives up to my expectations!!

These next 3 books are a “I might read if I get through the first book in record time” (its 627 pages). If I don’t get to them this week, I will next week.

Flesh and Blood (The Vampires of Shadow Hills #1)
For fans of Twilight and A Shade of Vampire comes a new addiction impossible to put down.
“It’s like Riverdale meets Big Little Lies meets Romeo and Juliet, but with vampires!”
What if you can’t trust your own family?


Robyn’s parents are ruining her life. As if their constant bickering and embarrassing behavior wasn’t bad enough, they’ve forbidden her from hanging out with her crush just when a flirty new girl moves to their block. Strangely enough, Robyn’s parents look the other way when her big brother breaks curfew… even after a local girl’s violent murder.
With the neighborhood on high alert, strange sightings are on the rise and the accusations begin to fly. Between her brother’s nighttime excursions and her parents’ odd behavior, Robyn starts to worry that the killer may be living under her own roof. In a town where neighbor has turned against neighbor, deciding whom to trust with her dark fears could be a matter of life and death…
Flesh and Blood is the first book in a fun and frightening series of romantic paranormal mysteries. If you like terrifying thrills, flesh and blood characters, and vampires without the sparkle, then you’ll love Willow Rose’s tale of suburban terror.
Blue
Blue Williams shines no matter the circumstance.
-Prettiest in her hometown
-Most talented cheerleader on her high school squad
-Valedictorian of the senior class
-Prom queen and runner up for Miss Teen Colorado
And the list goes on…


That’s until college, when she finds out nobody recognizes her, and if they do they couldn’t care less. Blending in is something Blue has longed for her entire life. Living in a dorm with a set of new friends is just what she needed to escape her stale life back home. For the first time, she’s seen for her talent and not her name or looks.

Cheer is her number one priority, considering a full-ride scholarship landed her at a prestigious university, and she intends to take advantage of it. A true beauty inside and out, Blue’s heart has always pumped competitive blood.

Until one night changes her forever…the beauty is gone, and all she has left are nasty, ugly memories. The man who saved her has a story of his own, with ninety percent of his body scarred.

What happens when the Beauty falls for the Beast?
House of Enchanted: The Revelations of Oriceran (Soul Stone Mage, #1)
The Kingdom of Virgo has lived in peace for thousands of years…until now.
The humans from Terran have always been real assholes to the witches of Virgo. Now a silent war is brewing, and the timing couldn’t be worse. Princess Azure will soon be crowned queen of the Kingdom of Virgo.

In the Dark Forest a powerful potion-maker has been murdered.

Charmsgood was the only wizard who could stop a deadly virus plaguing Virgo. He also knew about the devastation the people from Terran had done to the forest.

Azure must protect her people. Mend the Dark Forest. Create alliances with savage beasts. No biggie, right?

But on coronation day everything changes. Princess Azure isn’t who she thought she was and that’s a big freaking problem.

Welcome to The Revelations of Oriceran.

A magical world tied to Earth, and nothing like it.