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.
Other Than Reading...
This was a more than usually exciting week. My brother and I decided to take advantage of an offer from our electric company and put solar panels on our wonderfully, south-facing roof. It was a kind of quick decision because the power company rebate is only good while they still have remaining allocated funds. Before we can install the panels, we have to re-roof. The roof is twenty years old and would normally be good for a couple more years. However, roofing with installed solar panels becomes a much more difficult and expensive job.
So this week we met with our roofer, the company managing the solar project, and the company that will actually do the installation. When all is said and done, projections are that we will generate all of our electricity and maybe even a little more to sell back. Between the power company rebate and Federal tax credits, we should end up paying for about half of the new roof and solar panel system. It should pay for itself in about nine years.
The next thing on that to-do list is waiting until the roofer can fit our job into his schedule. It might be as soon as the end of the week if road weight restrictions aren't lifted because he can't get to a couple of his scheduled jobs until they are. I'm hoping that works but it should only be a couple of weeks extra if he can't fit us in. Of course, the sooner he's finished, the sooner the panels can be installed and we can begin making electricity.
April Reading Report
I read 25 books in April with a total of 9469 pages. Twelve of them were review books. I listened to two audiobooks this month and read 9 books that had spent more than six months on my TBR mountain.
I'm at 49% of my Goodreads goal and 36 books ahead of schedule. This isn't unusual because I do set my goal lower than I think I'll read and increase it at least once later in the year.
I added 40 new books to my collection in April. Twenty-nine are still unread which includes 16 of the 19 review books I added to my stack. I do have a number of the new arrivals slotted in on my reading calendar. I got 4 audiobooks this month and have already listed to two of them. Thirty of the 40 new arrivals were Kindle books.
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.)
- The Book Supremacy by Kate Carlisle (June 4) -- This was an entertaining cozy mystery featuring a bookbinder and a former spy. It was late in the series but easy to follow. My review will be posted on June 2.
- The Darwin Affair by Tim Mason (June 11) -- This historical thriller was well-written and filled with period detail. My review will be posted on June 4.
- Sweet Tea and Secrets by Joy Avon (June 11) -- This contemporary cozy mystery had a great setting, rescue dogs, and an entertaining plot. My review will be posted on June 5.
- The Teahouse Detective: The Old Man in the Corner by Baroness Orczy (June 11) - This is a reprint of a bunch of short stories written in 1909. I found them dated and slow-paced and less than engaging. My review will be posted on June 6.
- The Glass Ocean by Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, and Karen White (Mine) -- This was a wonderful historical mystery/romance. My review will be posted on June 8.
- A Merciful Promise by Kendra Elliot (June 18) -- This is the conclusion to the Mercy Kilpatrick romantic suspense series and was fast-paced, emotionally intense, and satisfying. My review will be posted on June 12.
- Followed by Thunder by Forthright (Mine) -- This is a new novella in the author's Amaranthine fantasy series. I won't be reviewing it on my blog.
Currently
- Gabriel's Road by Laura Anne Gilman (Mine)
- Charmcaster by Sebastien De Castell (Mine)
Next Week
- Girl in the Rearview Mirror by Kelsey Rae Dimberg (June 18)
- Very Hard Choices by Spider Robinson (Mine)
- Shoot to Thrill by P. J. Tracy (Mine)
- Wherever She Goes by Kelley Armstrong (June 25)
- A Spell of Trouble by Leighann Dobbs (Mine)
- The Outback Stars by Sandra McDonald (Mine since August 8, 2011)
Reviews Posted
- The House of Silk by Anthony Horowitz
- Read on Arrival by Nora Page
- The Lovely and the Lost by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
- Below the Fold by R. G. Belsky
- Echo North by Joanna Ruth Meyer
Want to See What I Added to My Stack Last Week?
Bought:
- Gabriel's Road by Laura Anne Gilman
- Followed by Thunder by Forthright
Review:
- A Highlander Walks into a Bar by Laura Trentham (July 30)
- The Duke Is But a Dream by Anna Bennett (July 30)
What was your week like?
Oh that is so interesting about the solar panels. Hmm a new roof because of expense of replacing it later on with them on. A good consideration. I have often toyed with the idea. Will watch to see how you go with it.
ReplyDeleteLots of roofing excitement... probably a good decision to get a new roof before solar panels. Hope all goes according to plan and will be curious to hear what kind of an impact the solar panels have. So many books here. I'm particularly interested in The Glass Ocean. Have a good week!
ReplyDeleteOoh nice! Those are pretty much all new to me reads! I hope you enjoy your picks for this week!
ReplyDeleteHere's my Monday Wrap-up
Have a GREAT day!
Old Follower :)
Good luck with the re- roofing/ solar install! I think that sounds pretty neat.
ReplyDeleteThose cozy mysteries sound really good, thanks for posting!
ReplyDeleteIt's funny how home improvements work. You start out wanting to do one thing, but end up needing to do three or four! Good luck with the rood bids.
ReplyDeleteYou had a great month in April. I hope May is a good one too. The Glass Ocean looks really good. I hope you enjoy your books.
ReplyDeleteOo how cool! Solar panels are on my wish list. A coworker had them and said they were great!
ReplyDeleteMerciful Promise and A Highlander Walks Into a Bar both look good!
Reroofing and solar panels is on our five year plan. Good luck with the project. My weekly updates
ReplyDeleteSolar companies won't put panels on an old roof. Solar is becoming more typical here, but we have few months where it actually pays for itself.
ReplyDeleteKeep up the great working on plowing through your TBR pile. The Teahouse Detective caught my eye again this week. Need to set aside some reading time.
Hope you have a nice week.
I love the cover for Sweet Tea and Secrets! Looks like a good summer read.
ReplyDeleteI hopped over to your Echo North review. Thanks for sharing your books and your solar panel adventure! 😊
ReplyDeleteI hope the roof project comes together quickly for you. Sounds like a great investment. I want to read The Glass Ocean.
ReplyDeleteYour solar panels and roofing sounds like a good project. Hope it goes smoothly.
ReplyDeleteThe Glass Ocean looks good to me too.
I like that you and I seem to have similar reading likes. Your reviews help me to pick my next read sometimes. :0)
Happy Reading!