It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (March 16, 2015)

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? is a meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey

It’s Monday!  What Are You Reading, is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week.  It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some woOnnderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.

Other Than Reading...

Last week was quite busy. Monday night there were Parent-Teacher conferences. Since it was set up arena-style with all teachers at tables in the gym, I managed to see six or seven sets of parents and students. This might be a record for me. I don't think I've seen so many at one session in all my 39 years of doing this.

On Wednesday, I had a chance to catch up with a friend that I haven't seen in months. We were celebrating her birthday. We had a chance to catch up on our lives both before and after a delicious dinner at Texas Roadhouse.

On Thursday, I had the afternoon off work to take a tenant to court. We had a settlement hearing that was a complete waste of time. We couldn't come to an agreement about how he would pay his delinquent association dues. Now we have a second, binding hearing on June 23. Since that is well into my summer vacation, I'll be driving 250 miles to come back for the case which is scheduled to last about 30 minutes.

I also picked up my new glasses on Thursday and have been trying to get used to them since. I got two pairs; one is fine now but the other needs to be adjusted more.

Friday was a day off. So I scheduled an oil change and my tax appointment to get those checked off my to-do list. In between the two, I walked around the Mall and treated myself to a seafood lunch at Red Lobster. My tax appointment was also quick because I have a relatively simple financial life. I was pleased to find out that I was getting a pretty good refund again this year.

On the way home from taxes, I did my grocery shopping so that I didn't have to go anywhere the rest of the weekend. I happily settled in on my couch and read, read, read.

Read Last Week

 

Dear Hank Williams by Kimberly Willis Holt was an excellent middle grade novel told completely in letters. I have to admit that I cried - make that sobbed - for the last thirty pages. My review will be posted on April 16 for this April 14 release.

Written in Red by Anne Bishop was next on my stack. I loved this urban fantasy so much that I threw away my schedule, purchased, and read the next two books in this series. My review will be posted on April 16. 

 

Murder of Crows by Anne Bishop is the second book in the Others series and was just as amazing as the first book. My review will be posted on April 18.

Vision in Silver by Anne Bishop is the third book in this trilogy and was a satisfying conclusion. I loved it and would love to read more about these characters and this world. My review will be posted on April 23.

 

Then, because my plans for the week were already in disarray,  I decided to read two novellas that had been sitting on my Kindle for a while. 

Lucky Break by Chloe Neill comes just before Dark Debt which is also on my TBR pile. It tells the story of what happens when Ethan and Merit try to take a simple vacation. I didn't blog about this one but I did post brief reviews on LibraryThing and GoodReads.

Hard Knocks by Lori Foster introduces her new Ultimate series. I have read the first two novels in the series and wanted to read the beginning. It was a nice romance but didn't have any of the suspense aspects that the novels have. I didn't blog about this one but I did post brief reviews on LibraryThing and GoodReads.

Last this week, I went back to my YA review stack and grabbed Every Last Promise by Kristin Halbrook. It was an entertaining story with an interesting style. The chapters alternated between the past and present and slowly unfolded the events that happened last Spring while showing the consequences in the Fall. My review will be posted on April 15.

Currently

The Next book on my YA review stack is Archie Greene and the Magician's Secrets by D. D. Everest. I have just begun this one and am still torn about whether it is a rip-off of Harry Potter or just a homage. I am at the 25% mark and have noticed a huge number of similarities.

Next Week

Because last week I binged on adult books, I need to binge on young adult books to get my calendar balanced again.

Darkmouth #1: The Legend Begins by Shane Hegarty is the start of a new middle grade fantasy series. It will be released on April 21. I got it from Edelweiss.

The Secrets We Keep by Trisha Leaver is a young adult contemporary story that I got from Macmillan. It will be released on April 28.

Flirty Dancing by Jenny McLachlan is also a young adult contemporary from Macmillan. It will also be released on April 28.

Drive Me Crazy by Terra Elan McVoy is a middle grade contemporary story that I got from Edelweiss. It is also being released on April 28.

After catching up on YAs, I have Deadly Spells by Jaye Wells on my stack. This is the third book in the Prospero's War series. It is also one of my 2015 purchases.

Reviews Posted

• Shadow Scale by Rachel Hartman
• Boys Don't Knit by T. S. Easton
• The Orphan Queen by Jodi Meadows
• Echoes by Laura K. Curtis
• The Dragon Conspiracy by Lisa Shearin

Want to See What I Added to My Stack Last Week

• Inside of a Dog
• Ms. Martin Teaches Media

I still have to read 9 adult books that I purchased in 2015 to keep my New Year's Resolution of reading what I buy.

This week should be a quieter one for me. I do have Thursday afternoon off again this week. This time I am driving up to St. Paul to have an appointment at the Teacher Retirement Association to look into retiring at the end of this school year.

Our girls' basketball team has also made it to State this year. The Quarter Finals are on Wednesday evening at 6 PM on the University of Minnesota-Minneapolis campus. I would guess that the high school will be very excited this week. I know there is a fan bus going but I am not going to be on it. My days of voluntarily riding a school bus are long past. I'll be rooting them on from the comfort of my home.

What are your plans for the week?