It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (Dec. 23, 2019)

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.

Other Than Reading...

We had a snow-free week. Of course, we traded the snow for bone-chilling cold at the beginning of the week with windchills running about 35 degrees below zero. But the end of the week improved and we are looking at temperatures in the high 20. We may even hit 40 degrees before the warm spell leaves us. Unfortunately, the weather folks aren't predicting a lot of melting for the almost four feet of snow we've received. It should make the roads clear though.

With my brother finished with his cardio rehab and looking forward to getting back to work, we both need to make new exercise plans. I hope this week we'll get a chance to check out some fitness options. I'm still hoping he'll join the YMCA with me so that I can have a chauffeur for some of my visits.

Today we made Polish sausage from my dad's recipe for a Christmas treat. We did cut down on the salt to 1/4 of the amount in the recipe to make the sausage more heart-healthy. We also used leaner pork but didn't trim off all the visible fat. We've tried that and it makes sausage that doesn't hold together at all and is very dry.

I've been getting in the habit of making bread a couple of times a week. This week's new choice was Honey Oatmeal which turned out fairly well. It was a bit "crumby" for me. I like a different smoother texture better. This week I'll be making 100% Whole Wheat for the first time and also making some hamburger buns.

I'm reading my January releases and just fitting in a reread once a week or so. I did buy myself the Kindle books for Anne Bishop's two trilogies that I haven't read yet. I adore the Others books and thought the Black Jewels books were pretty good. I'm eager to see if I like her other books. I was also surprised and pleased to see Nora Roberts' next standalone thriller available at Edelweiss and added it to my review stack for May.

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.)

• Vision in Silver by Anne Bishop - reread
• The Vanishing by Jayne Ann Krentz (Review; Jan. 7) - Two psychic private investigators get together to solve a current mystery and one that has lingered for years. Typical Krentz characters and dialog which is not a bad thing. My review will be posted on Jan. 1.
• There's A Murder Afoot by Vicki Delany (Review; Jan. 7) - The crew from the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop are in London for a Sherlock Holmes convention when Gemma's father is accused of murdering his brother-in-law. They need to find the correct murderer. My review will be posted on Jan. 2.

• Marked in Flesh by Anne Bishop - reread
• Etched in Bone by Anne Bishop - reread
• A Perfect Eye by Stephanie Kane (Review; Sept. 1) - This thriller stars a lawyer turned art conservator who has a remarkable ability to remember what she sees. When a benefactor of the museum where she works is murdered, she gets involved in solving the case with an old flame. My review will be posted on Jan. 4.

Currently

• Spitfire: A Livy Nash Mystery by M. L. Huie (Review; Jan. 7)
• Lake Silence by Anne Bishop (reread)

Next Week

• A Longer Fall by Charlaine Harris (Review; Jan. 14)
• The Prized Girl by Amy K. Green (Review; Jan. 14) 

• The Last Sister by Kendra Elliot (Review; Jan. 14)
• Rogue Princess by B. R. Myers (Review; Jan. 21)

Reviews Posted

• Harbor for the Nightingale by Kathleen Baldwin
• Cruel Fate by Kelley Armstrong 

• Cold Magic by Kate Elliott
• Redshirts by John Scalzi

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

Bought:

• Shadows and Light by Anne Bishop
• The House of Gaian by Anne Bishop
• Belladonna by Anne Bishop 

• Bridge of Dreams by Anne Bishop
• Sebastian by Anne Bishop

Review:

• Breaking Silence by Mercedes Lackey & Cody Martin (Feb. 4)
• The Glass Magician by Caroline Stevermer (April 7)
• Hideaway by Nora Roberts (May 26)

What was your week like?