It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (October 21, 2024)

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.

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

Other Than Reading...

I had a nice week. The weather was good, and the changing colors of the leaves made the view from my window excellent. My only complaint is that the days are getting shorter. It's dark by 6PM these days. There's still a couple of weeks before we set the clocks back at the end of Daylight Savings time which will help a little. 

I've been watching baseball as the season draws to a close. The New York Yankees have secured their place in the World Series. Later today I'll watch to see if the Los Angeles Dodgers will join them. Before that, I'll be able to watch the Minnesota Vikings who are undefeated so far this season try to keep their streak going by beating the Detroit Lions. 

Big news for me this week was reaching my Goodreads goal of 350 books. I upped the goal to 400 since there are better than two months left of this year. Last year I read 402 books, so the new goal is doable. I haven't actually met my goal since 2017 because I kept raising the goal when I met it. This year I may hold fast at my new goal and just see how far I manage to exceed it. I did get to 120% of my goal in 2016.

I have only five review books on my stack for the rest of 2024 and am tempted to just read them and schedule the reviews. I could because I'm about a month ahead on scheduled reviews. I probably won't though. I'll likely keep reading them as they are listed on my calendar. I do have room on my calendar to read a lot of my own books the rest of the year which might make a minor dent in my TBR pile which currently numbers 2505 books. 

Read Last Week

• A Legend in the Baking by Jamie Wesley (Review; November 19) -- Second romance centered around three football players who are opening cupcake bakeries. My review will be posted on November 13.
• Storm Furies by Wen Spencer (Mine since August 6) -- Sixth book in the Tinker series. This was a reread.
• Sanctuary by Ilona Andrews (Mine since July 30) -- This novella stars a side character in the Kate Daniels urban fantasy series and is filled with Andrews' take on Russian mythology. My review will be posted on November 12. 

• Rebel by David Weber & Richard Fox (Mine; Audiobook) -- Second book in the Ascent to Empire space opera series. My review will be posted on November 9.
• The Inheritance by Nora Roberts (Mine since March 6) -- Reread of the first book of The Lost Brides trilogy to refresh my memory.
• The Mirror by Nora Roberts (Review; November 19) -- Second book in The Lost Brides trilogy. Packed with great relationships, romance, humor and horror as Sonya and her friends try to find a way to break the curse on her new home. My review will be posted on November 14.

• Duck the Halls by Donna Andrews (Mine since March 22, 2023) -- Sixteenth Meg Langslow mystery. Christmas events are being disturbed by a prankster and then there's a murder. My review will be posted on November 12.
• The Muse of Maiden Lane by Mimi Matthews (Review; November 19) -- Finale of the Belles of London quartet of historical romances. My review will be posted on November 16. 

Currently

• Children of the Night by Mercedes Lackey (Mine; Audiobook)
• Madrigals and Mayhem by Elizabeth Penney (Review; November 26)

Next Week

• Murder at Keyhaven Castle by Clara McKenna (Mine since July 25, 2023)
• Feuds edited by Mercedes Lackey (Review; November 26)
• Cold Welcome by Elizabeth Moon (Mine since April 10, 2017)

• Jinx High by Mercedes Lackey (Mine; Audiobook)
• Innocent as Sin by Elizabeth Lowell (Mine)
• Into the Fire by Elizabeth Moon (Mine since February 5, 2018)

Reviews Posted

• Only Bad Options by Jennifer Estep (Mine; Audiobook)
• Sleep in Heavenly Pizza by Mindy Quigley (Review copy)
• Fondue or Die by Korina Moss (Review copy)

• Much Ado About Margaret by Madeleine Roux (Review copy)
• Beyond Reasonable Doubt by Robert Dugoni (Review copy)
• The Raven Heir by Stephanie Burgis (Mine since May 29)

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

Review:

• Such a Good Mom by Julia Spiro (Review; April 29)

Bought:

• The Debutante's Code by Erica Vetch (Audible Plus)

What was your week like?

Book Review: The Raven Heir by Stephanie Burgis

The Raven Heir
Author: Stephanie Burgis
Publication: Bloomsbury Children's Books; 1st edition (September 14, 2021)

Description: Perfect for fans of Robert Beatty and Shannon Hale comes a magical new middle grade fantasy series about a young shapeshifter trying to save her family.

Deep within an enchanted forest lies a castle where a set of triplets and their sorceress mother have lived for years--safe from the decades-long war for the Raven Throne that rages in the kingdom. Cordelia, one of the triplets, has the power to become any animal with just a thought, and she yearns to discover more about the world outside her castle.

But one day, the world comes to her, when the eldest of the triplets becomes the newest heir to the throne. Knowing that being named heir means certain death, Cordelia's mother hid the truth about which child is the eldest when she hid them in the forest. When her family is captured, it's up to Cordelia to use her powers to keep her siblings hidden and discover the truth about the Raven Heir--before it's too late.

From the author of The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart comes a thrilling new fantasy full of magic, adventure, and the power of family.

My Thoughts: THE RAVEN HEIR is the beginning of a new middle grade fantasy series. Cordelia and her triplet brother and sister have been raised in the middle of an enchanted forest protected by their mother. Cordelia, who is able to shift into any sort of animal, chafes at the restrictions that keep her confined to the forest and chafes at the secrets her mother is keeping.

When the castle is discovered and put under siege, Cordelia's mother tells her and her siblings Rosalind and Giles to flee. Running from these new enemies, the twelve-year-olds have to find out why they have been hidden and who wants them and why. 

The children learn that one of them is the potential heir to the Raven Throne. However, they don't know which of them. They do learn that many of the dukes want them only to cement their own power in the kingdom. They meet a previously unknown grandmother who has her own uses for the heir and her own political agenda. 

Cordelia is determined to find the Raven crown which was broken and hidden when the then current king broke the covenant with the land which led to the current problem of war for the kingdom as the dukes all fight to claim the throne. She and her siblings begin their journey to the site where the crown is hidden and along the way they see what the constant war has done to the kingdom. 

This was an exciting start to a new series. I love the emphasis on the importance of family and the ties between siblings. 

I bought this one May 29. You can buy your copy here.

Friday Memes: The Raven Heir by Stephanie Burgis

 Happy Friday!

Book Beginnings is hosted by Gillion at Rose City Reader. She asks that the first sentence is posted along with the author and title of the book and the reader's initial thoughts on the sentence, the book, or anything else it inspires. 

Carrie at Reading Is My Superpower.org also provides a linky for sharing first lines and connecting with others. This meme asks that the chosen books be PG or marked as Mature if they are not. 

The Friday 56 was hosted by Freda at Freda's Voice. This meme is currently on hiatus but many of us are still including a sentence from page 56 or from 56% of the ebook. Anne @ Head Full of Books is picking up the slack until Freda is ready to return. I think this link will get you to the correct place. 

Beginning:

Beyond the castle's moat, the deep, dark forest was shot through with trails of sunlight, tacing golden paths of possibility.

Friday 56:

"How long can you keep it going?" Rosalind asked as she tugged firmly at the arm Codelia had used to hide her wound. 

This week I am spotlighting The Raven Heir by Stephanie Burgis from my TBR pile. Here is the description from Amazon:

Perfect for fans of Robert Beatty and Shannon Hale comes a magical new middle grade fantasy series about a young shapeshifter trying to save her family.

Deep within an enchanted forest lies a castle where a set of triplets and their sorceress mother have lived for years--safe from the decades-long war for the Raven Throne that rages in the kingdom. Cordelia, one of the triplets, has the power to become any animal with just a thought, and she yearns to discover more about the world outside her castle.

But one day, the world comes to her, when the eldest of the triplets becomes the newest heir to the throne. Knowing that being named heir means certain death, Cordelia's mother hid the truth about which child is the eldest when she hid them in the forest. When her family is captured, it's up to Cordelia to use her powers to keep her siblings hidden and discover the truth about the Raven Heir--before it's too late.

From the author of The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart comes a thrilling new fantasy full of magic, adventure, and the power of family.

Audiobook Review: Only Bad Options by Jennifer Estep

Only Bad Options
Author: Jennifer Estep
Narrator: Lauren Fortgang
Series: Galactic Bonds (Book 1)
Publication: Audible Studios (September 20, 2022)
Length: 12 hours and 35 minutes

Description: New York Times best-selling author Jennifer Estep blasts off with an exciting new science-fiction/fantasy adventure with a dash of historical romance. This action-packed space opera features a mix of magic and technology, along with a soul mates and enemies-to-lovers story. Perfect for fans of Star Wars, Bridgerton, and Pride and Prejudice.

A woman who sees everything...

Few people know the name Vesper Quill. To most folks, I’m just a lowly lab rat who designs brewmakers and other household appliances in the research-and-development lab at the powerful Kent Corp. But when I point out a design flaw and a safety hazard in the new line of Kent Corp spaceships, everyone knows who I am—and wants to eliminate me.

I might be a seer with a photographic memory, but I don’t see the trouble headed my way until it’s too late. Suddenly, I’m surrounded by enemies and fighting for my life.

I don’t think things can get any worse until I meet Kyrion Caldaren, an arrogant Regal lord who insists that we have a connection, one that could be the death of us both.

A man who can’t forget his past...

The name Kyrion Caldaren strikes fear in the hearts of people across the Archipelago Galaxy. As the leader of the Arrows, the Imperium’s elite fighting force, I’m used to being a villain, as well as the personal assassin of Lord Callus Holloway. Even the wealthy Regals who live on the planet of Corios are afraid of me.

But everything changes when I meet Vesper Quill. I might be a powerful psion with telepathic, telekinetic, and other abilities, but Vesper sees far too many of my secrets.

Thanks to an arcane, unwanted quirk of psionic magic, the two of us are forced to work together to unravel a dangerous conspiracy and outwit the deadly enemies who want to bend us to their will.

My Thoughts: ONLY BAD OPTIONS is the first in a space opera series. Vesper Quill is a lab rat for Kent Corp primarily working on brewmakers. She has a talent for being able to fix things and she is also a seer. Abandoned by her Regal mother for not having enough psionic power, Vesper has made her own way. But when she discovers a flaw in some new spaceships Kent Corp is building for the Imperium, she finds herself deep in a conspiracy to overthrow the Imperium. And then she finds herself offered up as cannon fodder in a battle between the Imperium and the Techwave.

Rescued by Kyrion Calderan, an Arrow for the Imperium, she finds herself again in the heart of power. She and Kyrion find themselves bonded which is something neither of them wants. Kyrion witnessed the bond her parents had and the way Callus Holloway, the leader of Imperium, used it to his advantage. He doesn't want to give Halloway any more weapons. 

All Vesper wants is to get away and find a safe place to build her own life. Being bonded with Kyrion isn't a life goal for her either. But many people are eager to use her or blame her for the upcoming revolution and she will have to find and master some new psionic gifts if she hopes to survive. 

The pair goes to a friend of Kyrion's who believes that he can break the bond between them and leave them free to pursue their own goals. Both find themselves missing the bond and the comfort of having someone else of their own, but a broken bond is much safer for each of them. At least, they believe it is broken...

Filled with action, political intrigue, and romance, ONLY BAD OPTIONS was a great start to a new series. 

I bought this one March 10, 2023. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: Beyond Reasonable Doubt by Robert Dugoni

Beyond Reasonable Doubt
Author: Robert Dugoni
Series: Keera Duggan (Book 2)
Publication: Thomas & Mercer (October 22, 2024)

Description: A master manipulator accused of murder. An attorney sworn to defend her. Keera Duggan returns in a riveting novel of suspense by New York Times bestselling author Robert Dugoni.

When Jenna Bernstein, disgraced wunderkind CEO of a controversial biotech company, is accused of murdering her former partner and lover, she turns to Seattle attorney Keera Duggan to defend her. Keera is more than a master chess player who brings her intuitive moves into court―she’s Jenna’s childhood friend. But considering their history, Keera knows that where Jenna goes, trouble follows.

Five years earlier, Keera’s father successfully defended Jenna when she was tried for the killing of her company’s chief scientist who threatened to go public with allegations of corporate fraud. Keera knows Jenna too well. When she was a kid, Keera saw Jenna for what she was: a manipulative and frighteningly controlling sociopath. Now, with only circumstantial evidence against Jenna, Keera is willing to bury any trepidation she might have to defend a woman she believes, this time, to be innocent.

As the investigation gets underway and disturbing questions arise, Keera puts her trust in a client who swears that this time she's telling nothing but the truth. If this is all just another devious game, Keera might be working to set a murderer free.

My Thoughts: The second Keera Deegan mystery has Keera defending a woman who has been arrested for murdering her business partner and lover. Keera has known Jenna Bernstein since they were children and knows her as a sociopath and liar. 

Her father Patsy has agreed to take the case since he feels he owes something to Jenna's parents. Also, he defended her before when she was accused of murdering her chief scientist after he told her that their groundbreaking medical procedure was much further from reality than she had been touting to potential investors. He managed to free her because he raised enough reasonable doubt that she didn't murder the man. 

Keera isn't at all sure that Jenna was innocent of the first murder and she's not at all convinced that she's innocent of this crime either. She knows Jenna is a sociopath and a liar and can't believe anything she tells her. As she and her investigator look into the case, she is looking for the truth and finds lots of things that might or might not clear Jenna.

With Patsy finally agreeing to in-patient treatment of his alcoholism, Keera is on her own in defending Jenna. Hopefully her genius at chess with let her make the correct moves to get her client off. Finding out whether or not she's guilty would also ease Keera's mind.

This was another excellent legal thriller with an engaging cast of characters. 

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: Much Ado About Margaret by Madeleine Roux

Much Ado About Margaret

Author: Madeleine Roux
Publication: Dell (October 22, 2024)

Description: Madeleine Roux’s next season in Regency England follows a rebellious writer and the man who risks everything to publish her.

Margaret Arden yearns to live like the passionate and daring women in her novel. The idyllic life at Mosely Cottage with her two younger sisters and mother is fine, but Margaret wants more than the demure and dainty existence she’s known. After a particularly brutal rejection from an annoyingly attractive publisher, Margaret fears being forced into marriage to protect her family if their financial situation doesn’t improve—until her cousin’s glamorous wedding masquerade brings her onto a collision course with scandal, notoriety, and even love.

Captain Bridger Darrow is starting over after fighting for his country. Now home, he is struggling to save his family from destitution and succeed in a new venture of passion: book publishing. It’s all going rather poorly, until he stumbles upon loose pages of an astonishing novel while in attendance at his dearest friend’s wedding. Bridger knows he must publish it. But upon meeting the author, Bridger is stunned to discover that he—she—is a woman, and he has already told her off in grand fashion.

While Bridger is keen to gain her trust and rescind the initial rejection, Margaret can’t help but be skeptical of his intentions. Sparks fly between the two, just as the wedding of the season starts to descend into chaos when a masked dance leads to a case of mistaken identities.

My Thoughts: This was an entertaining historical romance. Margaret Arden dreams of becoming an author. Since her father's death, she has lived at Mosely Cottage with her mother and two younger sisters. They are living on her aunt's charity and the aunt wants Margaret to marry well to secure her family's future. 

Things go awry at her cousin Lane's wedding. She meets Bridger Darrow again which is distressing since he's the publisher who said very unkind things about her novel. And then her manuscript is blown out and open window and scattered over the grounds of the estate inaugurating a treasure hunt to find all the missing pages. Bridger finds a few of the pages and becomes intrigued by the story and determined to publish the work. 

This story has a little more depth than the usual Regency Romance. Bridger Darrow is a war veteran who still suffers from the horrors he witnessed. The wedding fireworks cause him to collapse to the ground. He also suffered from abuse at the hands of his father when he was a child and has an older brother who was also abused but turned to alcohol and bad behavior to overcome his childhood. 

Fans of Regency romances who might want some added depth will enjoy this story. 

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: Fondue or Die by Korina Moss

Fondue or Die
Author: Korina Moss
Series: Cheese Shop Mysteries (Book 5)
Publication: St. Martin's Paperbacks (October 22, 2024)

Description: In Korina Moss's Fondue or Die, the lazy, hazy, dairy days of summer are coming to a close in the Sonoma Valley. . . and so is someone’s life.

The small town of Yarrow Glen’s neighbor, Lockwood, hosts an annual Labor Day weekend bash: Dairy Days. And Willa Bauer and her cheese shop, Curds & Whey, refuse to miss out on the fun. Willa is thrilled to celebrate her favorite thing―she is a cheesemonger after all―and this festival goes all out: butter sculptures, goat races, cheese wheel relays, even a Miss Dairy pageant. Too bad the pageant runner, Nadine, is treating Dairy Days prep like it’s fondue or die and is putting everyone around her on edge. When Willa finds Nadine’s dead body under years’ worth of ceramic milk jugs, the police aren’t sure whether the death was an accident. But fingers are pointing at Willa’s employee, Mrs. Schultz, who steps in to help the pageant after Nadine’s death. Someone wanted Nadine out of the whey, and Willa is going to find out who.

My Thoughts: The fifth Cheese Shop mystery takes place at Dairy Days which is held over the Labor Day weekend. Willa Bauer and her crew are manning a booth where they are selling taster boxes of their various cheeses. 

However, her staff has other responsibilities at the festival too. Mrs. Shultz is busy assisting with the pageant to crown the next Miss Dairy and award a $15,000 scholarship. Mrs. Schultz's job gets more difficult when someone murders Nadine who is in charge of the pageant. With the police deciding to cover up the murder investigation so as not to blight the festival, it is up to Willa and her friends to track down the killer. 

This was another fun episode in this cozy series. I enjoyed reading the recipes at the back too. 

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.