Before we talk about what we’re reading this week, I’m going to talk about Monday’s Distractions. From the small number of comments on Monday’s post, I think we’re okay for right now. While some of us are still trying to stay home, others are back out in the world, going to work, taking care of life. I’m going to discontinue Monday’s Distractions, unless the world shuts down again. But, don’t worry. We’re still doing What Are You Reading?, and Friday’s giveaways are still on track.
What are you reading this week? We all know I’m addicted to Heather Graham’s Krewe of Hunters books – suspense, some history, some romance, and the paranormal. Great combination for me. I’m reading the latest in the series, Seeing Darkness. Not far enough in to know if it moves up the coast from Salem, Massachusetts. A serial killer has been stabbing and leaving women’s bodies in historical cemeteries, appearing to move up the coast. While a member of the FBI’s elite Krewe of Hunters team arrives in Salem the day before a young woman dies, a historian “sees” the murder when she’s undergoing a regression session.
How about you? What are you reading? I hope you found a good book or two this week.
Good morning. I read some of the early Krewe of Hunters books but couldn’t stay interested in the series. This week I caught up on some of my ARCS.
SOUTH OF THE BUTTONWOOD TREE by Heather Webber. It’s magical realism set in a small southern town which isn’t something I read a lot of. It took me a few chapters to get into the story since it goes back and forth between several characters but I wound up enjoying the story. It’s definitely darker than her previous book, Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe.
PENNED IN by Lynn Cahoon is a novella in her Farm To Fork series. In this one Angie Turner and her restaurant crew are going to spend the night in an old prison that’s said to be haunted as part of a team building exercise. Of course there’s a murder while they are locked in for the night. I liked this but I think it will work better for people who’ve read the rest of the series.
NACHO AVERAGE MURDER by Maddie Day, the latest book in her Country Store mystery series.This was disappointing for me. Robbie goes back to California for her high school reunion so the restaurant and all of the regular characters were missing from the book. And while the mystery was OK I missed the interplay between the usual group of characters.
This week I finished SORRY I MISSED YOU by Suzy Krauss. It was a quirky read about three women from different generations each renting a floor of a house that may or may not be haunted. A damaged letter arrives in their shared mailbox and each tenant assumes it's for her. The trio stakes out the coffee shop named in the letter trying to figure out who it is intended for. Although very different, they form a friendship and come to terms with their own haunted pasts. This was quick and different and I enjoyed it.
Next LIFT AND SEPARATE by Marilyn Simon Rothstein. Marcy Hammer learns that her husband of 33 years has cheated. She has to figure out what she wants and start over again. While the theme was sad, this was written with some humor. I enjoyed it also.
Now I am reading LAST COUPLE STANDING by Matthew Norman. What is most exciting about this is that it is a book checked out from my library! Because my local branch happened to own a copy, I was able to make an appointment for touchless delivery. It is nice to see that the library is working very hard to get back to the new normal.
Happy Reading!
in TINY IMPERFECTIONS by Alli Frank and Asha Youmans, almost-40 Josie had a fantastic modeling career as a younger woman, but now she loves her job as Admissions Director at an exclusive K-12 school. All of the parents, even those of prospective kindergartners, think their children are the ideal students for the school, but Josie has learned how to deal with even those who are over the top. The headmistress, of course, would like her to give preference to the families who can make big cash contributions to the school. Josie is also the single parent of Etta, a straight-A senior and a talented dancer who has her eye on Juilliard and has her great-aunt Viv (who has raised Josie and is in her 50th year of being the head cook at the school) in her corner, while Josie would prefer a university that would prepare her daughter for a more practical career. I've mentioned before that I appreciate a good school-based story, and I definitely loved this one. The style is breezy, but still has substance. The co-authors are both experienced educators, which lends authenticity to the plot.
In BEACH READ by Emily Henry, romance writer January moves to a house left to her by her recently-deceased father–temporarily, she thinks–until she can sell it. She only recently learned that her beloved father had been living a dual life–staying in this house off and on with another woman while her mother struggled with two bouts of cancer. To make it worse, she finds that her next-door neighbor is someone she knew–and disliked–in college, a published author himself. Both are wrestling with their works-in-progress and, although Gus's novels are the polar opposite of romances, they decide to switch assignments. Along the way, of course, their relationship evolves. I enjoyed this book and feel that the debut author shows promise. However, it's another example of a misleading title.
Michael Connelly brings back investigative journalist Jack McEvoy (seen in The Poet, 2003, and The Scarecrow, 2009) as his protagonist in FAIR WARNING. Jack discovers he is a person of interest in the murder of a one-night stand who had her neck viciously broken in an "internal decapitation." As he investigates, he discovers more women killed in the same way, and he believes a Dark Web character called Shrike is responsible. What the women all have in common is their use of a "bargain" DNA testing service that keeps its prices low by selling anonymous data to researchers and other companies. The look into the largely unregulated DNA testing market is scary and makes for a great thriller. My only quibble is with Jack's relationship to a former love, Rachel, who ended their relationship when it caused her to lose her job as an FBI profiler. I didn't feel any sparks there at all.
Sharon, I'm so glad your library is starting to make books available. My mother picked up her first library book yesterday, and she was very pleased. We've been doing curbside for several weeks now, and I know our customers are happy. I thought your selection was interesting because I wasn't familiar with any of those titles.
Good morning, Margie! Totally agree with you about Beach Read. Loved the book and the characters. Thought the title and the assumption this was a summer beach read was way off.
I hope you're settling in!
The days are blending together even though I'm working from home. I remembered it was Thursday last week late in the day, and I thought I came and posted, but later it wasn't there. Sorry I didn't check in.
Anyway….
Today, I'm starting NACHO AVERAGE MURDER by Maddie Day, the newest in her Country Store Mysteries. This one takes place out of the usual setting as the main character has headed to Santa Barbara. I'm about 15% into it and so far I'm enjoying it.
I have had a very good week of reading. Good thing, since I seem to be having a phase of insomnia. It happens, but it passes, so I just make good use of those quiet hours to read or write.
All the Devils Are Here by Louise Penny (ARC) – I finished this very late last night, had a good cry and then went back to re-read the last chapters. This may, in my honest opinion, be Louise Penny's best. Seriously.
28 Summers by Elin Hilderbrand – I'm a fan of Elin Hilderbrand and have been looking forward to reading this one. It was worth the wait.
Dance Away With Me by Susan Elizabeth Phillips – I love love love this book.
Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam (ARC) – Wow. Mesmerizing, frightening, hard to read, impossible to put down. And maybe a little too timely.
One Summer in Paris by Sarah Morgan – Lovely and heartwarming. More than I expected.
Hidden Lake by Ruhi Choudhary (ARC) – 1st book in a new series with a flawed, interesting female detective. Already waiting for #2.
The Paper Girl of Paris by Jordyn Taylor – A YA novel I picked up on a whim and fell in love with.
Now. What's next? I always have a hard time finding something to interest me after reading a Louise Penny novel. She's a hard act to follow. So, essays and poetry it will be for a few days.
xxoo
Mark, I always wonder how those books are when the amateur sleuth is out of the community readers have grown to love. Good to know you're enjoying Maddie Day's book.
Louise Penny's best, Kaye? Really? I hope I get a copy soon when weekends still seem to be mine. I'm looking forward to it.
And, I need to check the summary of Susan Elizabeth Phillips' book to see if I want to go on the waiting list.
It looks like you had a good streak, but you're right. It's always hard to read the next book after Louise's.
All e-books this week:
One Room at the Inn; short Christmas romance story.
Crecy; A kid who just happens to be bigger, stronger, fater, and smarter, than almost anyone else rises to the top of the British army.
Abandoned; When a former astronaut commits suicide, a reporter finds a secret on a missing space station.
In Twilight's Hush; A jerk police detective is assigned to a cold case, and TV psychic tries to horn in.
Bounty Hunter: Dig Two Graves; Post-apocalyptic western about bounty hunters who try to stop a land hog from taking over.
A Touch of Defiance; An FBI agent and his mafioso cousin fight terrorists.
The Adventures of Rockford T. Honeypot; A chipmunk rises to riches. Sort of like an Uncle Scrooge story.
I'm currently reading The Guest List by Lucy Foley. A little over half way thru and enjoying it. Character-driven with suspense, atmosphere, and a tiny bit creepy, and with several points of view. The writing is excellent.
This past week has had three good ones and one that is so-so. Started with Debra Sennefeld's second book in the Hope Early series, The Hidden Corpse. Entertaining with good characters, a few surprises with some of the cast of characters a nice mystery and a bit of romance.
Next was the second in Elizabeth Spann Craig's series, Overdue. I believe that Lesa recommended the first in the series. A librarian, Ann Beckett and a wonderful Library cat named Fitz. Lots of action takes place in and around the library.
The third was so-so – bought it at our Friends of the Library book sale for 25 cents – Rebecca Alder Cinco de Murder. It was the thrid in a three book series. Will not be reading the first two. Takes place in Texas.
The fourth book was an oldie but goodie – The Case of the Lonely Heiress by Erle Stanley Gardner – featuring the usual cast of characters and the usual ending. Amazed at how Perry solved it within the last 20 pages and explained it eloquently. Written in 1948 and was the 31st Perry Mason. It was an e-book for a very inexpensive price.
The Adventures of Rockford T. Honeypot. I pick that one, Glen. Interesting selections.
Oh, good to know, Jane. I'm on the library's waiting list for The Guest List.
Netteanne, I picked up a couple Erle Stanley Gardner's lately as well. Those are still good books. I'm just happy I didn't recommend Cinco de Murder.
Curbside pickup continues at the Dallas Library and I am glad for it. Hoping they can stay with it despite the fact the case counts here are soaring.
My current read is not a library book. I am reading a ARC digital version of NEVER THE CRIME by Frank Zafiro and Colin Conway. This police procedural is a sequel to CHARLIE-316 which I reviewed several months ago.
By the way, my review of ONE LAST LIE by Paul Doiron is up on the blog today.
I posted my list early this morning but I think it went into needing moderator approval
I hope Dallas can continue curbside pickup as well, Kevin. I don't think the library books are the problem.
Sandy, I'm glad you said that. I missed it this morning. And, I didn't mean to have comment moderation on for Thursday. I realized that on my drive to work this morning. I'm a big fan of the paranormal/mystery/romance combination. Even though some of it is formulaic, I like the various cities and the different histories.
I wondered about the Maddie Day. I usually feel the same way you do. Not a fan when the regular characters are missing.
I loved Brit Bennett’s fabulous novel, THE VANISHING HALF: beautifully written it is engrossing, evocative, entertaining and very deserving of the accolades it is receiving. The story follows the journeys of twin sisters (one of whom decides to pass for white) and their daughters while exploring themes of community, colorism, race/identity, gender/identity and opportunity/privilege in America.
Reading Princess, Thanks for summarizing the themes of THE VANISHING HALF. Of course, I bought it for the library, but I had only read reviews in journals until now. Thank you.
.I love the Krewe books and looking forward to this one. I just go Ghosts of Harvard on Overdriver this morning. The library curbside pick-up gave me Close-up…I like this series set in Burning Cove. Now I see other books to put on my list from those posted here.
Sorry I missed yesterday but was in the hospital from 6 am until the afternoon, then just needed a nap. I hope this is the end of this.
Anyway, books (in case anyone wants to know):
Your review of the Linda Castillo story got me checking the earlier ones, and I was able to get the first two – "Long Lost" and "A Hidden Secret" – from the library. Good when you want something short and fast. I had already read the third story, but had to buy the fourth as the library doesn't have it.
I read IF IT BLEEDS, Stephen King's latest collection, of four longer stories. As usual, I liked some more than others.
I read THE LAST EMPEROX, the finale in John Scalzi's Interdependency trilogy, which I enjoyed as much as the earlier ones.
I've started the latest Andrea Camilleri book about Sicilian Insp. Salvo Montalbano, THE SAFETY NET.
I'm reading Killman Creek by Rachel Caine, part of a thriller series designed to keep me turning the pages while cringing at the horror of the situation the main character is trying to escape.
Gram, You'll have to let us know what you think of Ghosts of Harvard. I'm curious. (Not curious enough to read it, but wonder how others like it.)
Jeff, As you said, I hope that's the end of your health problems. I wondered what happened to you yesterday. I thought maybe I still had the moderator post on. (It's on today.) I'm trying to be a little random about it, but so few comment on contest day that it's a good time to have it on. Try to discourage some of those random spammers.
I just like Linda Castillo's writing and her characters.
On audio I am listening to The Half Sister by Sandie Jones. In print, I am reading The Last Affair by Margot Hunt. I am hoping to start The Guest List by Lucy Foley this weekend.