State of the Stack #95 (May 3, 2020)

This is my monthly State of the Stack post. It is my way to keep track of my review books and to hopefully reduce the stack that I have waiting for me. I take a look at my review commitments on or near the first of the month. Link with Avalinah's Books (description below) to check out other people's progress.

Here is my Review Books Spreadsheet I list them in publication order and sort them by month. I can quickly see how many books I have for each date. Ideally, this keeps me from over-committing to review books. Check my spreadsheet to find out where I got each book.

I also do this post because sometimes (frequently) review books sit on my stack for a while before I read and review them. I try to read and review books within two weeks of publication date. Sometimes I can't, though, if too many books are releasing on the same date or if the book arrives too near its publication date and my calendar is already full.

I am very grateful to the authors and publishers who support my reading habit.

I Read This Month

These are listed in the order I read them. Links go to my reviews for all that have been posted already. Otherwise, the date the review is scheduled for is listed.

1. A Stroke of Malice by Anna Lee Huber (April 4)
2. The Secrets of Bones by Kylie Logan (April 29)
3. Close Up by Amanda Quick (April 30)
4. Mousse and Murder by Elizabeth Logan (May 2)
5. A Study in Murder by Callie Hutton (May 5)
6. To Kill a Mocking Girl by Harper Kincaid (May 6)

Read Previously, Reviews Posted This Month

1. The Body in the Garden by Katharine Schellman (March 31)
2. A Bad Day for Sunshine by Darynda Jones (April 1)
3. Hid from Our Eyes by Julia Spencer-Fleming (April 2)

I Added These Books

These are listed in the order I received them. Links go to Amazon. Date published is listed in parentheses.

1. Riviera Gold by Laurie R. King (June 9)
2. Ink & Sigil by Kevin Hearne (August 25)
3. Hometown Hero by Liza Kendall (July 7)
4. The Deadly Hours by Susanna Kearsley, C. S. Harris, Anna Lee Huber, & Christine Trent (Sept. 1)
5. An Accidental Corpse by Helen A. Harrison (August 4)
6. Murder in the East End by Jennifer Ashley (August 4)
7. Lady Rights a Wrong by Eliza Casey (June 2)
8. Mousse and Murder by Elizabeth Logan (May 5)
9. Saddled with Murder by Eileen Brady (Oct. 6)
10. Second Chance Angel by Griffin Barber & Kacey Ezell (Sept. 8)
11. Mr. Malcolm's List by Suzanne Allain (July 28)
12. Paris is Always a Good Idea by Jenn McKinlay (July 21)
13. Hanging Falls by Margaret Mizushima (Sept. 8)
14. The Silence by Kendra Elliot (August 25)
15. Spy, Spy Again by Mercedes Lackey (June 9)

My Review Pile

As Time Permits

• Death of an Aristocrat by Anya Wylde
• Murder at Rudhall Manor by Anya Wylde

May

• A Spell for Trouble by Esme Addison (May 12; new release date: June 9)
• Hideaway by Nora Roberts (May 26)

June

• Lady Rights a Wrong by Eliza Casey (June 2)
• A Royal Affair by Allison Montclair (June 9; new release date: July 28)
• The Girls Weekend by Jody Gehrman (June 9) 

• Riviera Gold by Laurie R. King (June 9)
• Spy, Spy Again by Mercedes Lackey (June 9)
• American Demon by Kim Harrison (June 16) 

• The Mountains Wild by Sarah Stewart Taylor (June 23)
• The Finders by Jeffrey B. Burton (June 30)
• To Catch an Earl by Kate Bateman (June 30)

July

• Once You Go This Far by Kristen Lepionka (July 7)
• Out of Time by David Klass (July 7) 

• A Desperate Place by Jennifer Greer (July 7)
• Outsider by Linda Castillo (July 7)
• Hometown Hero by Liza Kendall (July 7)

• Paris Is Always a Good Idea by Jenn McKinlay (July 21)
• Mr. Malcolm's List by Suzanne Allain (July 28)

August

• The Love Scam by MaryJanice Davidson (August 4)
• An Accidental Corpse by Helen A. Harrison (August 4)
• Murder in the East End by Jennifer Ashley (August 4) 

• Cold to the Bone by Emery Hayes (August 11)
• Little Falls by Elizabeth Lewes (August 11) 

• Murder at Hotel 1911 by Audrey Keown (August 11)
• Death at High Tide by Hannah Dennison (August 18)
• Shadows of the Dead by Spencer Kope (August 25) 

• Ink & Sigil by Kevin Hearne (August 25)
• The Silence by Kendra Elliot (August 25)

September

• The Deadly Hours by Susanna Kearsley, C. S. Harris, Anna Lee Huber, and Christine Trent (Sept. 1)
• Murder in the Bayou Boneyard by Ellen Byron (Sept. 8)

• Second Chance Angel by Griffin Barber & Kacey Ezell (Sept. 8)
• Hanging Falls by Margaret Mizushima (Sept. 8)

October

• Shadow Ridge by M. E. Browning (Oct. 6)
• Deception by Gaslight by Kate Belli (Oct. 6)
• Saddled with Murder by Eileen Brady (Oct. 1)

Next Month's Plan


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I am also linking up with the State of the ARC meme. Here is the explanation and rules.

State of the ARC is a monthly meme at Avalinah’s Books meant to motivate you to finish up all your long overdue ARCs (Advanced or Early Reader Copies). You can track your reading progress and link up with your own post. Most commonly it comes out on the 30th of every month.

Rules of State of the ARC:

• Mention that you’re linking up with State of the ARC @ AvalinahsBooks, which is a fun way to share our ARC progress, challenges, wins, woes and mishaps.
• Include the link to this post, or the current State of the ARC post. You can use my State of the ARC image too.
• Don’t forget to visit all the other people in the link-up and comment.
• And most importantly – have fun!