It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (July 31, 2017)

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. YA and middle grade reviews will still be posted on  Ms. Martin Teaches Media - my other blog.

Other Than Reading...

This was another week of house drama. We got a phone call Friday morning telling us that our Locust Street realtor had abruptly left the agency and that the person on the phone was taking over her accounts. An email from our buyer had been stuck in the former realtor's in-box and listed some of the things she wanted us to fix before the purchase would go through. There were eight items from the mundane to the ridiculous. We agreed to some and refused some others and my brother will drop off our signed agreement today. They also asked to extend the inspection period which we agreed to do. They are the ones in a rush. We are not in any particular hurry to sell the house.

My brother and I are taking a day trip down to my townhouse on Wednesday to pick up my forgotten boxes. It is too early to do any of the signing necessary on the house documents. The realtor will still have to send them up to me to be signed and notarized and sent back to her. At least, I won't have to go down again for the closing. Bill and I will get a chance to spend the day together in the car as we take turns driving. I did promise to take him to one of our favorite Italian restaurants in Rochester for lunch which was enough incentive for him to agree to go along with me. Well, besides the fact that he is a good brother.

This coming week should also see the start of the construction of our new garage and the delivery and installation of my new television. I'll finally be going to a flat screen Smart TV which will be quite an upgrade from my old tube television. In my defense, I don't watch much television. I have Amazon Prime which gives me lots of free TV and movie options but I've been watching them on my computer if something catches my eye. It will be nice to see them on a bigger screen since I also bought an Amazon Fire system.

I have been doing a lot of reading and have just one more book to read before my AUGUST calendar is completed. I'm feeling much more relaxed now that I have rebuilt my one-month cushion. Of course, that causes some problems too. I had to refuse two review requests this week for books that sounded good because I had no place to put them on my calendar. A book will have to sound really extraordinary if it has less than one month lead time. I hate to rearrange my calendar and really can't if I already have review books scheduled for the date a new book would need.

Read Last Week

Snowspelled by Stephanie Burgis is a novella that starts a new adult fantasy series. I loved the characters and the world building and can't wait for more in the world. My review will be posted here on August 24.

Mask of Shadows by Linsey Miller was an engaging YA epic fantasy which begins a series. It had excellent world building and intriguing characters. My review will be posted on Ms. Martin Teaches Media August 25.

A Conspiracy in Belgravia by Sherry Thomas is the second book in a Victorian mystery series with a female Sherlock Holmes. The story was complex and nicely twisty and had an intriguing main character. My review will be posted here on August 26.

I finished the Enola Holmes middle grade mystery series this week. These were excellent historical mysteries. I'll be reviewing them on Ms. Martin Teaches Media.

• The Case of the Cryptic Crinoline by Nancy Springer (August 28)
• The Case of the Peculiar Pink Fan by Nancy Springer (August 21)
• The Case of the Gypsy Good-Bye by Nancy Springer (Sept. 1)

Wildfire by Ilona Andrews is the third novel in the Hidden Legacy urban fantasy series. This is a favorite author of mine. When the book downloaded to my Kindle around midnight, I began reading and kept reading until 2:30 AM when I decided I was too tired to read on. My review will be posted here September 14.

Traitor to the Throne by Alwyn Hamilton is the second in a YA epic fantasy and was an excellent, engaging story. I can't wait for the third book in March 2018. My review will be posted on Ms. Martin Teaches Media August 30.

The Bronze Skies by Catherine Asaro is a science fiction mystery in the Skolian series. These are physics-heavy science fiction stories but with engaging characters. I enjoyed this one. My review will be posted on August 30.

Currently

On the Chase by Katie Ruggle is a romantic suspense title from NetGalley. It is the second in the Rocky Mountain K-9 Unit series.

Next Week

All review books this week.

Her Dark Half by Paige Tyler (Sept. 5)

The Great Shelby Holmes Meets Her Match by Elizabeth Eulberg (Sept. 12)

Nyxia by Scott Reintgen (Sept. 12)

The Equals by Daniel Sweren-Becker (Sept. 12)

All the Secret Places by Anna Carlisle (Sept. 12)

Body on Baker Street by Vicki Delany (Sept. 12)

Reviews Posted

The Countdown Conspiracy by Katie Slivensky

Blood Gamble by Melissa F. Olson

Just Friends by Tiffany Pitcock

A Wedding Tail by Casey Griffin

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

Wildfire by Ilona Andrews

The Painted Queen by Elizabeth Peters and Joan Hess

Wicked by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Buried Heart by Kate Elliott

The Girl in the Ice by Robert Bryndza

Additions to my Review Stack:

Sleep Like a Baby by Charlaine Harris (Sept. 26)

Death at the Emerald by R. J. Koreto (Nov. 7)

The Wicked Billionaire by Jackie Ashenden (Oct. 3)

A Spoonful of Magic by Irene Radford (Nov. 7)

What was your week like?

Book Review: Blood Gamble by Melissa F. Olson

Blood Gamble
Author: Melissa F. Olson
Series: Disrupted Magic (Book 2)
Publication: 47North (July 25, 2017)

Description: If there is one city that Scarlett Bernard hates, it’s Las Vegas. But when the cardinal vampire of Los Angeles convinces her to go investigate a new vampire-themed stage show, Scarlett quickly finds herself shoulder-deep in sequins, slot machines, and Old World intrigue.

The show’s creators are vampire celebrities Arthur and Lucy Holmwood, who once inspired characters from the original Dracula. Now, however, they have no qualms about announcing their true status to the human world, endangering the secrecy of the Old World and Scarlett’s mission to keep it hidden.

But before she can begin untangling the Holmwoods’ motives, Scarlett also discovers that their new production has attracted more than just fans: Las Vegas’s many vampires are suddenly disappearing, and rumors are flying that actual vampire hunters may have followed Arthur and Lucy to town.

Now, without her allies, her bargest, or her frequent partner Jesse Cruz, Scarlett must navigate a new underworld of secrets and murders in a city where nothing is ever as it seems. And the stakes have never been higher.

My Thoughts: In this adventure, Scarlett is pressured to go to Las Vegas to investigate a new stage show that seems to be outing vampires and their abilities. Her cover is a girls' weekend with her new sister-in-law and the other women of the bridal party. Scarlett isn't at all in favor of putting her sister-in-law and the other women in danger. Now she not only has to investigate but keep the humans safe too.

When she arrives in Las Vegas she finds that the show is being set up by two vampires - Arthur and Lucy Holmwood - who have been vampires since the days Dracula was written. They are vampire celebrities. Along with Arthur and Lucy is Jameson Thomas, a null that Scarlett met when Dashiell sent her to New York to see how other cities work. Jameson was under the control of the Master vampire of New York and had been his since he was twelve.

Jameson and Scarlett began a relationship but Scarlett's life was such a mess that she couldn't pursue the relationship. Now Jameson in in Las Vegas and their relationship grows despite his constant urging that she forget the investigation and leave town. This isn't a bad idea since skinners - people who hunt and kill Old World people - have come to town and are killing vampires.

Soon, Scarlett learns that a number of vampires have gone missing and she meets Wyatt whose partner Ellen is one of the missing. Wyatt's goal is to kill those who killed her and then have Scarlett help him die.

This story is filled with action as Scarlett investigates the disappearances of the vampires and has run-ins with the skinners too. There is romance and intrigue, love and betrayals, and lots of growth opportunities for Scarlett who is changing and coming into her own more with each book.

Fans of urban fantasy and Scarlett won't want to miss this episode and will be hoping for more.

Favorite Quote:

"The Old World system is full of cracks. You are the champion of all the people who fall through those cracks. And that's okay, Scar. This is who you were always supposed to become, if you hadn't gotten sidetracked by that psycho Olivia. Even I can see that, and I'm supposedly on the outside of all this."

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

Friday Memes: Blood Gamble by Melissa F. Olson

Happy Friday everybody!

Book Beginnings on Friday is now hosted by Rose City Reader. The Friday 56 is hosted at Freda's Voice. Check out the links above for the rules and for the posts of the participants each week. Don’t dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

Beginning:

The girl in the cell paced and paced, trying to ignore the new signals from her body.

Friday 56:

Abby changes my number periodically for security purposes. And, okay, because I keep trashing cell phones.

This week I am reading Blood Gamble by Melissa F. Olson. I got this eARC from NetGalley. Here is the description from Amazon:

If there is one city that Scarlett Bernard hates, it’s Las Vegas. But when the cardinal vampire of Los Angeles convinces her to go investigate a new vampire-themed stage show, Scarlett quickly finds herself shoulder-deep in sequins, slot machines, and Old World intrigue.

The show’s creators are vampire celebrities Arthur and Lucy Holmwood, who once inspired characters from the original Dracula. Now, however, they have no qualms about announcing their true status to the human world, endangering the secrecy of the Old World and Scarlett’s mission to keep it hidden.

But before she can begin untangling the Holmwoods’ motives, Scarlett also discovers that their new production has attracted more than just fans: Las Vegas’s many vampires are suddenly disappearing, and rumors are flying that actual vampire hunters may have followed Arthur and Lucy to town.

Now, without her allies, her bargest, or her frequent partner Jesse Cruz, Scarlett must navigate a new underworld of secrets and murders in a city where nothing is ever as it seems. And the stakes have never been higher.

ARC Review: A Wedding Tail by Casey Griffin

A Wedding Tail
Author: Casey Griffin
Series: A Rescue Dog Romance (Book 3)
Publication: St. Martin's Paperbacks (August 1, 2017)

Description: ’TIL DEATH DO US BARK…

Wedding planner Zoe Plum has brides from all walks of life vying for her services. The only problem is: happily-single Zoe doesn’t actually enjoy weddings―but that might change when she meets the singer of a local band playing at one of her weddings. His name is Levi Dolson and he’s too gorgeous for his own good. And now he’s gone ahead and charmed her new dachshund. . .

It’s no secret that Zoe doesn’t believe in fairy tales, but that doesn’t stop her from wanting to make sweet music with Levi. While she’s convinced she doesn’t need a man, when someone starts setting one trap after the next to make sure she never plans a wedding ever again, she might need Levi in more ways than she could have imagined. But just how far is Zoe’s hidden enemy willing to go? The only thing Levi knows for sure is that he will do everything in his power to protect the woman who brings music to his soul. Maybe that will prove to Zoe, once and for all, that he is a man worthy of her heart. . .

My Thoughts: This is the third book in the Rescue Dog Romance series and tells Zoe's story. Zoe Plum is a Japanese-American wedding planner who doesn't believe in romance. Since her own fiance left her at the alter about six years previously, she has buried her emotions and given up on men. She has a side business hosting parties and selling sex toys for Pure Pleasure and is a very good customer for their products. I just about gave up on this book because the first half had lots more to do with sex toys than rescued dachshunds.

The story begins at a wedding where everything goes wrong. From battling in-laws, to drunk relatives, to a church with broken air-conditioning in a heat wave, to a sick priest, a flower girl determined to release the doves into the church, a missing horse to assist in the new husband and wife's getaway, and a missing groomsman, everything is testing Zoe's ability to work under pressure.  I believe that this whole set-up was designed to be funny but it missed the mark for me because I was seeing it through Zoe's humorless eyes.

The wedding fiasco does lead to the introduction of the hero. Levi Dolson is the missing groomsman. He is a musician and laid back person who falls for Zoe. Zoe doesn't do anything to encourage him which makes me wonder why he persists.

The wedding fiasco only begins Zoe's troubles. The disgruntled bride is trashing her reputation at a wedding expo, her booth has been changed from a prime location to the outskirts at that expo, her assistant jumps ship and hires on with Zoe's fiercest competitor, someone vandalizes her van and cuts its brake lines, someone bombs her office.

Through all this, she and Levi are trying to build a relationship through her cynicism and distrust and their different goals.

This ended up being a nice romance and the mystery was resolved too. Along the way Zoe does rescue a dachshund to be her companion. Freddy is an interesting character in his own rite who adds some humor to the story.

Favorite Quote:

Emotions always ran high leading up to the big day, and a good wedding planner knew how to maintain perspective, to be empathetic but remain neutral. Zoe could see the bigger picture. She was objective. She didn't get wrapped up in all the fantasy of romance and love. It was all bullsh*t anyway. 

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

Teaser Tuesday: A Wedding Tail by Casey Griffin

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by The Purple Booker. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Teaser (from 10% in the eARC):

"I've got this," she said. "I have a plan." But just as she was wrangling the dog out the doors with the promise of treats, she saw the bride racing through the church's front doors to wave down a cab.

This week I am reading A Wedding Tail by Casey Griffin. I got his eARC from the publisher via NetGalley. Here is the description from Amazon:

’TIL DEATH DO US BARK…

Wedding planner Zoe Plum has brides from all walks of life vying for her services. The only problem is: happily-single Zoe doesn’t actually enjoy weddings―but that might change when she meets the singer of a local band playing at one of her weddings. His name is Levi Dolson and he’s too gorgeous for his own good. And now he’s gone ahead and charmed her new dachshund. . .

It’s no secret that Zoe doesn’t believe in fairy tales, but that doesn’t stop her from wanting to make sweet music with Levi. While she’s convinced she doesn’t need a man, when someone starts setting one trap after the next to make sure she never plans a wedding ever again, she might need Levi in more ways than she could have imagined. But just how far is Zoe’s hidden enemy willing to go? The only thing Levi knows for sure is that he will do everything in his power to protect the woman who brings music to his soul. Maybe that will prove to Zoe, once and for all, that he is a man worthy of her heart. . .

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (July 24, 2017)

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. YA and middle grade reviews will still be posted on  Ms. Martin Teaches Media - my other blog.

Other Than Reading...

This week was still filled with details about selling houses. We have accepted an offer on the Locust Street house and are now waiting for the assessor and the home inspection. The tentative closing date is August 28.

I have had an offer for my townhouse and we are in the counter offer stage. I made one counter offer, they countered back verbally, and I countered again verbally. I hope to get that settled this coming week once the buyer's realtor gets back from a wedding. My realtor and I had a lot of conversations and emails flew because she was supposed to send me the offer so that I could sign it electronically. However, it didn't arrive and didn't arrive. She finally figured out that they had left one letter out of my email address. Once that was solved, I quickly signed and got it back to her.

I still have to make a trip back to my townhouse because I forgot to pack the boxes in one closet. All my DVDs and some other assorted stuff from my living room are in those boxes. Tentatively my brother and I will make a long one day trip down and back sometime the first week of August. Eight hours of driving is more than I want to drive in one day. It's doable with two of us taking turns driving.

Otherwise, things have been quiet. We have had a few hot days which were capped off by severe thunderstorms on Friday night. Luckily, we didn't have any damage. Coincidentally, these storms happened on the one year anniversary of another set of severe storms. That one took down a tree or two in our yard and ripped enough shingles off the roof that we had to get the roof replaced. The new owner of Locust Street will have one-year old shingles while our new house is sitting with the original 1999 shingles. Would it be tempting fate to ask for hail on the new house's roof?

Read Last Week

Due Diligence by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller is a new novella set in the Liaden Universe. This one tells the story of Daav yos'Phelium's biological father and how he happened to find himself under Korval's eye. I won't be reviewing this one on my blog but you can see my reviews at Amazon, GoodReads, and LibraryThing.

Come Sundown by Nora Roberts was an engaging story but not, I think, one of Roberts's best. My review will be posted here on August 12.

White Hot by Ilona Andrews has been sitting on my Kindle since May. I loved it and can't wait until Tuesday for the third book set in this world. My review will be posted here on August 19.

Heart of the Storm by Michael Buckley is the 3rd book in the Undertow YA trilogy. This science fiction dystopia was action-packed and had great characters. My review will be posted on Ms. Martin Teaches Media August 11.

Iron Lake by William Kent Krueger had been on my Kindle and my radar for a while. It was written in 1998. It is the first of 16 books starring Cork O'Connor and is a mystery set in northern Minnesota. With all those things going for it, I should have started this series years ago. My review will be posted on August 17.

The Pearl Wars (Skyship Academy) by Nick James had been lingering on TBR mountain since 2011. When I was browsing my YA TBR mountain, it caught my eye. This is also a science fiction dystopia told from two points of view. I enjoyed one character much more than the other but intend to carry on reading what is now a series someday. My review will be posted on Ms. Martin Teaches Media August 23.

Hungry for a YA mystery, I discovered the Enola Homes books by Nancy Springer on my TBR mountain. I had read the first one years ago and greatly enjoyed the second and the third this week. I mean, Sherlock Holmes's fourteen-year-old sister solves mysteries in Victorian England! I'll be reviewing these on Ms. Martin Teaches Media.

• The Case of the Left-Handed Lady by Nancy Springer (August 16)
• The Case of the Bizarre Bouquets by Nancy Springer (August 18)

Currently

Snowspelled by Stephanie Burgis is my current book. It is an adult fantasy. Think Jane Austen with magic. The author offered it to me and, since I've never not loved her books, I didn't hesitate to say yes.

Next Week

It's back to review books for my adult side. Publication dates are in parentheses.

Her Dark Half by Paige Tyler (Sept. 5)

On the Chase by Katie Ruggle (Sept. 5)

The Bronze Skies by Catherine Asara (Sept. 5)

A Conspiracy in Belgravia by Sherry Thomas (Sept. 5)

On the YA side, I have one book and then plan to continue exploring TBR mountain.

Mask of Shadows by Linsey Miller (August 29)

Mind Games (Lock & Mori) by Heather W. Petty

The Case of the Gypsy Goodbye by Nancy Springer

The Case of the Cryptic Crinoline by Nancy Springer

The Case of the Peculiar Pink Fan by Nancy Springer

Reviews Posted

The Danger Gang and the Pirates of Borneo! by Stephen Bramucci

The Hunting Grounds by Katee Robert

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

I had to have the final three books in the Enola Holmes series after finishing book 3.

The Case of the Peculiar Pink Fan by Nancy Springer

The Case of the Cryptic Crinoline by Nancy Springer

The Case of the Gypsy Goodbye by Nancy Springer

What was your week like?

ARC Review: The Hunting Ground by Katee Robert

The Hunting Grounds
Author: Katee Robert
Series: Hidden Sins (Book 2)
Publication: Montlake Romance (July 25, 2017)

Description: For two FBI agents with a past, love becomes a matter of life and death in the new Hidden Sins novel from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Katee Robert.

Maggie Gaines used to be an FBI agent—top of her class and one of the bright, up-and-coming stars—until she spectacularly fell apart during her first high-profile case. That was eight years ago. Now she’s a ranger at Glacier National Park, and she’s found some measure of peace. But when the body of a murdered woman is discovered, she must finally put the past behind her and work with the one man she thought she’d never see again.

For months, Vic Sutherland has been hunting a killer who’s been targeting unsuspecting hikers in national parks—and now the predator has come to Glacier. Vic knows the case will bring him face-to-face with his former partner, yet nothing can prepare him for seeing Maggie again after all these years, or for the memories of passion it stirs in both of them.

As the investigation brings them closer together—and closer to the killer—Maggie and Vic fear they have only each other to trust. But even that might not be enough to make it out of Glacier alive.

My Thoughts: Maggie Gaines used to be an FBI agent until a high-profile case caused her to burn out. She had remade herself as a park ranger at Glacier National Park and is happy with her life. But when a body is discovered, her nice quiet life changes.

Vic Sutherland was Maggie's former partner. He has been hunting the unsub who is killing people in national parks and comes to investigate the crime at Glacier. Maggie had a crush on him when they worked together but he was married. Now he's divorced and seems to be returning Maggie's feelings.

Their relationship will have to be set aside because the serial killer didn't just kill one person and move on. As more bodies are discovered, Vic and Maggie need to work together to find out who is killing a group of school friends in the park.

The viewpoint in this story switches from Vic's to Maggie's and to one of the group of school friends. We also find out more about the relationships between the school friends in flashbacks to five years earlier when they are just graduating from high school and going their separate ways.

This was an engaging mystery that kept me guessing until the very end.

Favorite Quote:

She hated the way her cheeks heated. She had more control than this. He was attractive and they had something of a history, sure, but he hadn't tracked her down because he missed her so much. Even if he had...

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

Friday Memes: The Hunting Grounds by Katee Robert

Happy Friday everybody!

Book Beginnings on Friday is now hosted by Rose City Reader. The Friday 56 is hosted at Freda's Voice. Check out the links above for the rules and for the posts of the participants each week. Don’t dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

Beginning:

"Somebody just reported a body being found out at Kootenai Lakes campground."

Friday 56:

She was breaking his heart. "Maggie, the BAU spends all its time hunting monsters, which gives us a disproportionate reality about how many of them there actually are."

This week I am reading The Hunting Grounds by Katee Robert. I got this eARC from NetGalley. Here is the description from Amazon:

For two FBI agents with a past, love becomes a matter of life and death in the new Hidden Sins novel from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Katee Robert.

Maggie Gaines used to be an FBI agent—top of her class and one of the bright, up-and-coming stars—until she spectacularly fell apart during her first high-profile case. That was eight years ago. Now she’s a ranger at Glacier National Park, and she’s found some measure of peace. But when the body of a murdered woman is discovered, she must finally put the past behind her and work with the one man she thought she’d never see again.

For months, Vic Sutherland has been hunting a killer who’s been targeting unsuspecting hikers in national parks—and now the predator has come to Glacier. Vic knows the case will bring him face-to-face with his former partner, yet nothing can prepare him for seeing Maggie again after all these years, or for the memories of passion it stirs in both of them.

As the investigation brings them closer together—and closer to the killer—Maggie and Vic fear they have only each other to trust. But even that might not be enough to make it out of Glacier alive.

Teaser Tuesday: Iron Lake by William Kent Kruger

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by The Purple Booker. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Teaser:

Darla brightened a moment. "Sometimes Paul stops there a while. The judge seems to like him. Tells him stories and things. Paul hates it, but I've told him to be polite."

This week I am reading Iron Lake by William Kent Kruger. It is my first book by this author. This copy has been on my Kindle for more than a year. Here is the description from Amazon:

New York Times bestselling author William Kent Krueger joined the ranks of today's best suspense novelists with this thrilling, universally acclaimed debut. Conjuring "a sense of place he's plainly honed firsthand in below-zero prairie" (Kirkus Reviews), Krueger brilliantly evokes northern Minnesota's lake country—and reveals the dark side of its snow-covered landscape.

Part Irish, part Anishinaabe Indian, Corcoran "Cork" O'Connor is the former sheriff of Aurora, Minnesota. Embittered by his "former" status, and the marital meltdown that has separated him from his children, Cork gets by on heavy doses of caffeine, nicotine, and guilt. Once a cop on Chicago's South Side, there's not much that can shock him. But when the town's judge is brutally murdered, and a young Eagle Scout is reported missing, Cork takes on a mind-jolting case of conspiracy, corruption, and scandal.

As a lakeside blizzard buries Aurora, Cork must dig out the truth among town officials who seem dead-set on stopping his investigation in its tracks. But even Cork freezes up when faced with the harshest enemy of all: a small-town secret that hits painfully close to home.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (July 17, 2017)

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. YA and middle grade reviews will still be posted on  Ms. Martin Teaches Media - my other blog.

Other Than Reading...

This past week has been filled with house showings. We have had one offer so far on the Locust Street house but it was too low. Friday there were at least three showings with one person expressing a lot of interest but not an offer yet. Sunday there will be an open house. Things look to be moving right along there. There was also a showing for my townhouse on Saturday. The realtor hopes that one will result in an offer too. It would be nice to get these houses off our hands.

I have read all of my August review books except the one that comes out on August 29 and am dipping into TBR mountain for my current reading. I'm sort of taste testing what's there. If it doesn't grab me quickly, it's going back on the pile for another day. I'm going to take a couple of weeks to read what interests me before going on an reading my September releases. There are fifteen of them so I don't want to wait past August 1 to start reading them.

Our weather has been changeable this week. One day in the 50s, one day in the 80s, and today a very pleasant lower 70s. We have almost had enough rain-free days that my two Adirondack chairs are dry enough to stain. Of course, it will probably rain again before I get around to it. I may have to put them in the garage for a few days. Speaking of which, construction should begin soon on our new garage which will give us space for more storage and also space for my car in a garage. My car has been sitting out since I moved back home because the garage has been full of my brother's two cars.

Read Last Week

Just Friends by Tiffany Pitcock was an entertaining contemporary romance. My review will be posted on July 29 on Ms. Martin Teaches Media.

In Some Other Life by Jessica Brody was also entertaining. This one tells the story of a girl who hits her head and then jumps to an alternate timeline where she lives the life she always sort of wished for and learns that it isn't quite what she hoped. My review will be posted on Ms. Martin Teaches Media August 2.

Hunting Hour by Margaret Mizushima is the third Timber Creek K-9 mystery and was quite good. My review will be posted on August 3 on this blog.

Dead Man's Bridge by Robert J. Mrazek was another enjoyable mystery. I especially liked the main character in this one. My review will be posted here on August 5.

Bad Blood by Jennifer Lynn Barnes concludes her Naturals series. This was an intense thriller populated by a fascinating group of teens. My review will be posted on Ms. Martin Teaches Media August 4.

Among the Dead by J. R. Backlund was an entertaining thriller with an intriguing main character. My review will be posted here on August 10.

To Catch a Killer by Sheryl Scarborough was a fascinating mystery about a girl looking for her past and trying to solve the murders of her mother and her favorite teacher. My review will be posted on Ms. Martin Teaches Media August August 9.

Currently

I am currently reading Come Sundown by Nora Roberts. This one is a little different for her but I am enjoying it.

Next Week

With a gap in my reviewing calendar, I'm taking the time to read some books from my TBR mountain. With no obligation to read and review, I'm going to start with these. I may choose something else if they don't grab my attention though.

White Hot by Ilona Andrews (favorite author)

Iron Lake by William Kent Kruger (on TBR mountain since January 2016)

Heart of the Storm by Michael Buckley (3rd in a series)

Exile by Anne Osterlund (on TBR Mountain since December 2012)

Reviews Posted

Shallow Grave by Brian Thiem

The Emperor of Mars by Patrick Samphire

Amid Stars and Darkness by Chani Lynn Feener

Midnight Curse by Melissa F. Olson

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

Unearthed by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner (new YA review published Jan. 9, 2018)

Due Diligence by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (novella by favorite authors)

What was your week like?