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...
There wasn't much "other than reading" this week. I was reading along nicely from my review stack until I got to A Killer Edition by Lorna Barrett. It should have worked. It was a cozy mystery. Check! It was about books. Check! But...it was the thirteenth book in a series. Now, I've jumped into series before and they have worked for me. But this time I read ten percent and decided that I couldn't deal with not knowing anything about the myriad of characters' back stories.
So, I went cruising through my TBR mountain and grabbed a book that has been teasing me for a while - In the Bleak Midwinter by Julia Spencer-Fleming. I thought it was a historical mystery for some reason. Maybe the title. Maybe the author's hyphenated name. Instead a found a first novel that won six major awards and a contemporary (well, early 2000s) mystery with a main character who was a former Army helicopter pilot turned Episcopalian Priest at her first parish in upstate New York and a Chief of Police whose former career included Vietnam, the Gulf War, and years as an MP. The writing sucked me in, the characters intrigued me, their relationship added dramatic tension. I couldn't put it down until I finished it in the wee hours of the morning.
I had to read more. Luckily, I had purchased the first six books in the series in 2009. All of them were excellent stories. All were compelling and most kept me up until at least 2 AM since I couldn't put the story down until I had turned the last page. Into book 3 I knew I wanted the rest and went to Amazon to order books seven and eight in print from Amazon Marketplace. Book nine won't be published until April 2020 but I've already ordered my copy.
While I'm sorry I wasn't reading these as they were published, I am also grateful that I didn't have to wait a year or more in between books. It will be bad enough waiting until April!
Of course, this staying up late to read messed up the rest of my week. I only got out twice to exercise either because I was so tired or because I couldn't put the current book down. The All-Star break did mean I had fewer distractions watching baseball games. As I am writing this, I'm just back from the annual Greek Festival that is held at my former high school. I don't go for exhibits or performances. I just want the food! Greek food in Duluth is pretty much limited to gyros at the Mall or Arbys. There isn't a dedicated Greek restaurant in the city.
Speaking of review books, I had requested Golden in Death by J. D. Robb from Edelweiss. I love that series and have read all of them, many more than once. I was turned down. But yesterday I was browsing Edelweiss and saw that Golden in Death has shown up in my feed as being downloadable. I looked further and saw that Vendetta in Death was also available to download. Naturally, I downloaded both of them immediately. I also noticed that other titles by St. Martins were available. That publisher has never shown up in my downloadable feed before. I also noticed that books from Tor.com were showing up in my science fiction feed. It makes me curious to know if I was white-listed by those publishers or if they are just generally making them available. Either way, I am grateful and excited.
Solar Report: As of 4PM on July 13, we have created 557 kWh of electricity since the first of July and 769 kWh since the system was installed.
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.)
- Death Comes to Dartmoor by Vivian Conroy (Review - August 13) - This historical mystery was entertaining. However, it is very similar to Deanna Raybourn's Veronica Speedwell mysteries but a rather pale imitation. My review will be posted on August 6.
- In the Bleak Midwinter by Julia Spencer-Fleming (Mine since March 27, 2009) - I was looking on TBR mountain for something to fill in the calendar space I had reserved for A Killer Edition. I noted that this one was a multi-award winning first novel and had to give it a try. It was amazing and I immediately decided to read the rest of the series. Luckily, the next five books were already on TBR mountain. My review will be posted on August 8.
- Death in the Covenant by D. A. Bartley (Review - August 13) - Excellent thriller that takes place in Mormon country and incorporates a lot of information about that religion. My review will be posted on August 7.
- A Fountain Filled with Blood by Julia Spencer-Fleming (Mine since March 27, 2009) - Another great addition to the Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne mysteries. My review will be posted on August 14.
- Out of the Deep I Cry by Julia Spencer-Fleming (Mine since March 27, 2009) - Another great addition to the Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne mysteries. My review will be posted on August 25.
- To Darkness and to Death by Julia Spencer-Fleming - (Mine since March 27, 2009) - Another great addition to the Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne mysteries. My review will be posted on September 12.
- All Mortal Flesh by Julia Spencer Fleming (Mine since March 27, 2009) - Another great addition to the Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne mysteries. My review will be posted on September 26.
- I Shall Not Want by Julia Spencer-Fleming (Mine since April 29, 2009) -- Another great addition to the Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne mysteries. My review will be posted on October 3.
- One Was a Soldier by Julia Spencer-Fleming (Library book) - I tried out my brand-new library card to check this one out since the copy I bought hasn't arrived yet. Another great addition to the Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne mysteries. My review will be posted on October 10.
DNF
- A Killer Edition by Lorna Barrett (Review) - I abandoned this one at 10%. I am sure that it would be a great book for a person who has read the first twelve books in this series. I have not and felt lost.
Currently
- Through the Evil Days by Julia Spencer-Fleming (Mine) - The 8th in the Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne mystery series.
Next Week
- The Last Good Guy by T. Jefferson Parker (Review - August 13)
- Cold Woods by Karen Katcher (Review - August 13)
- Stolen Things by R. H. Herron (Review - August 20)
- How to Love a Duke in Ten Days by Kerrigan Byrne (Review - August 27)
- Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dumore (Review - Sept. 3)
- The Long Call by Ann Cleeves (Review - Sept. 3)
Reviews Posted
- The Pawful Truth by Miranda James
- The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman
- The Demon Prince by Ann Aguirre
- The Forgotten Room by Karen White, Beatriz Williams & Lauren Willig
- Deeper Than the Dead by Tami Hoag
Want to See What I Added to My Stack Last Week?
Bought:
- The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson - this was a mistake. I have this one already, but now I will have the whole trilogy in matching bindings. This series was recalled to my mind when this book was offered as an audiobook from SYNC last week. It reminded me that I hadn't read the rest of the series.
- The Shadow Cabinet by Maureen Johnson - Book 3 in the Shades of London series.
- A Quiet Life in the Country by T. E. Kinsey - historical mystery and Kindle Daily Deal
- Through the Evil Days by Julia Spencer-Fleming
- One Was a Soldier by Julia Spencer-Fleming - borrowed from the Public Library since the copy I bought hasn't arrived yet.
Review:
- Golden in Death by J. D. Robb (Feb. 4, 2020)
- Vendetta in Death by J. D. Robb (Sept. 3)
What was your week like?
Always a treat to stop by.
ReplyDeleteSo many good books.
ENJOY, and have a great week.
I've been really curious about The Bookish Life of Nina Hill, so am going to check out your review. (There's just something about books that are about books!)
ReplyDeleteA lot has happened in the Booktown Mysteries. I am looking forward to A Killer Edition when it comes out but I can't imagine starting there. My week in review
ReplyDeleteNice! Those are all totally new to me ones! Sad that you had a DNF book. I had one of those last week too. Hopefully this week will be better for both of us!
ReplyDeleteHere's my Monday Wrap-up
Have a GREAT day!
Old Follower :)
Glad to hear In the Bleak Midwinter was so good- and that you discovered a series to love. That's awesome when that happens. :)
ReplyDeleteWe had a Greek Festival in the town I grew up in, and I loved it.
In the Bleak Midwinter sounds so great! And I hate picking up a book that's in the middle of a series without noticing. It usually doesn't matter in those cozy mystery type books though, so I'm surprised.
ReplyDeleteGlad you found a series that you enjoy! I've seen Death Comes to Dartmoor around and was curious, but after seeing your thoughts I may move it down my wish list a little.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great week! I can't wait to start reading The Bookish Life of Nina Hill.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing, and for visiting my blog.
Cold Woods looks really interesting! Have a great reading week.
ReplyDeleteImpressive amount of reading. I'm jealous. So many of your books should be added to my wish list.
ReplyDeleteWe don't have a good Greek restaurant around here either. We have restaurants that might serve a Greek item on their menu, but other than that, it is the place at the mall of waiting until the annual Greek festival in October.
I have the whole In Death series sitting in my bookcase. I'm just waiting for some time off to really get into the series and read a few of the books.
ReplyDeleteYeah on the solar update! And I've seen the Tor books on Edelweiss, and that seems to be new. And I also requested and was denied Golden in Death. But after reading your tale, I checked, and I'm still just denied for it. But I requested Vengeance in Death, and I'm hopeful, since I was approved for Tor books. Seems like a good week!
ReplyDeleteI'm slowly making my way through past comments. Thanks for stopping by! Happy reading!
Great post! I discovered Julia Spencer-Fleming a few years ago and found the first title as a used paperback. I then gobbled up all the following ones as soon as they were released. Sadly, Ms. Spencer-Fleming's husband passed away last year so it's been quite a while since the last book until the next one in 2020. But her work is worth waiting for!
ReplyDelete