It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (December 25, 2023)

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? is now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date.

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 wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.

I will be combining my YA and adult reading and purchases on this one weekly roundup.

Want to See What I Added to My Stack? links to Stacking the Shelves hosted by Marlene at Reading Reality.

Other Than Reading...

Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays or whatever greeting you employ! As I'm writing this on Sunday afternoon, I'm listening to a light rain falling. For the first time in my memory, we won't be having a white Christmas here in Duluth, Minnesota. Some snow might mix in with the rain late on Christmas Day, but we aren't expecting any measurable snow. 

It's quiet here. My brother is at work and scheduled until Target closes at 8PM. I'll be continuing to listen to my current audiobook. 

We have all ingredients for tomorrow's Christmas dinner but nothing that needs to be done in advance. The ham is thawing in the refrigerator. We even have a julekage ready. I'm expecting a quiet week with lots of end-of-the-year blogging to do. LibraryThing distributed their end-of-the-year summary, but it isn't accurate for me. I'm still reading and adding books to my collection and expect to do the same this coming week too. 

Currently I'm two books away from my latest Goodreads goal which will be easily met and exceeded this coming week. 

Plans for this week include finishing my January review copies, finishing my State of the Stack for December, preparing my 2024 reading log on Google Docs, setting my 2024 Goodreads goal, and updating LibraryThing for January. I'll also be making my December reports and looking at my year as a whole. And I will also be setting up my blog February posts which will be mainly review books. I have spaces to choose seven audiobooks which will be easy since I have 206 marked TBR in my LibraryThing account. 

Read Last Week

If you can't wait until the review shows up on my blog, reviews are posted to LibraryThing and Goodreads as soon as I write them (usually right after I finish reading a book.)

• Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands by Rebecca Fawcett (Review; January 16) -- This was an engaging historical fantasy. I loved the worldbuilding. My review will be posted on January 10.
• Deadly to the Core by Joyce Tremel (Review; January 16) -- This first in a new cozy series stars a recent widow who inherits an apple orchard near Gettysberg and decides to open a cider house. Unfortunately, the murder of her orchard manager needs to be solved before she can realize her plans. My review will be posted on January 11.
• Random in Death by J. D. Robb (Review; January 23) -- I enjoyed this latest in the In Death series that I read it twice -- back-to-back. Great characters and an intense police procedural for a plot made this one an excellent entry into the series. My review will be posted on January 16.

• Children of the Storm by Elizabeth Peters (Audiobook reread) -- This episode is set just after WWI and the whole clan has gathered in Egypt where they are dealing with stolen jewelry from a newly discovered cache of mummies. My review will be posted on January 18.
• Smoke and Mirrors by Elly Griffths (Audiobook) -- This is the second of the Brighton mysteries set in 1951. I enjoyed the characters and the setting. My review will be posted on January 23.
• The Serpent on the Crown by Elizabeth Peters (Audiobook Reread) -- This mystery set in 1922 concerns the discovery of a golden statue and some papyri translated by Ramses. My review will be posted on January 25.

• The Breakup Tour by Emily Wibberley & Austin Siegemund-Broka (Review; January 23) -- This contemporary romance was told in alternate chapters by the protagonists. It was very lyrical and entertaining. My review will be posted on January 18.
• Some Danger Involved by Will Thomas (Mine since May 19, 2021) -- First is the Barker & Llewelyn Historical mystery series. I enjoyed the setting and the characters. My review will be posted on January 20.

DNF

• The Wharton Plot by Mariah Fredericks (Review; January 23) -- I quit this one because the plot was too slow and the writing style too "literary" for me. 

Currently

• Salvage Right by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller (Audiobook Reread)
• Of Hoaxes and Homicide by Anastasia Hastings (Review; January 30)

Next Week

• Kris Longknife: Emissary by Mike Shepherd (Mine since 10/13/2022)
• In the Likely Event by Rebecca Yarros (Mine since 11/13/23)
• The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett (Review; February 6) 

• The Antique Hunter's Guide to Murder by C. L. Miller (Review; February 6)
• Hollywood Hustle by Jon Lindstrom (Review; February 6)
• A Killer Romance by Maggie Blackburn (Review; February 6)

Reviews Posted

• Second Duke's the Charm by Kate Bateman (Review copy)
• He Shall Thunder in the Sky by Elizabeth Peters (Audiobook)
• Public Anchovy #1 by Mindy Quigley (Review copy)

• Murder on Cold Street by Sherry Thomas (Audiobook)
• Coconut Drop Dead by Olivia Matthews (Review copy)
• Valdemar by Mercedes Lackey (Review copy)

Want to See What I Added to My Stack Last Week?

Review:

• An Unfinished Murder by Jude Deveraux (Review; April 30)

Bought:

• Salvage Right by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller (Audible Credit)
• Witch King by Martha Wells (Kindle Daily Deal, $2.99)
• Archie Goes Home by Robert Goldsborough (BookBub, $.99)

• Wreck the Halls by Tessa Bailey (Kindle Daily Deal, $2.99)
• No Reserve by Felix Francis (Kindle Daily Deal, $2.99)
• Consort of Fire by Kit Rocha (Kindle $3.99, Audiobook $1.99)

What was your week like?