It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (November 15, 2021)

 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 our first snow on Thursday. It started as rain and turned to snow briefly. Duluth had just a trace of snow but an inch of rain. However, further north they had up to six inches of heavy, wet snow. We are supposed to get another inch of snow later this afternoon and into the overnight hours. Here's our upcoming forecast:

Looks like I'll have a fair amount of reading time! And it looks like we won't be making much if any solar power.

I got an invitation recently to take part in some Harlequin Blog Tours and decided to give them a try. I used to (more than 20 years ago now) subscribe to a few of their monthly shipments. It's how I was introduced to such authors as Nora Roberts, Jayne Ann Krentz, and many more that I still read today. I chose two of the four offered tours and got emails this week with details including NetGalley links, book descriptions, tour banners, and all sorts of other stuff including Google Docs to add links once the books I read are live. 

The only problem with the tour is the timeline. The books range in publication date from November 30 through January 25 which is plenty of lag time for most bloggers. For me, it meant rearranging my calendar since I already had reviews scheduled through December 15 and posts planned and set up for the rest of December and into early January. I think I've made all the necessary changes to my calendar and to Blogger but... Luckily, these stories are generally shorter than most books I read and are quick reads too. I've already read one of the tour books and plan to read three more next week.

This was a big week for my review stack. I received a notification from Edelweiss telling me a book I'd requested was approved and now available to me. I don't remember requesting it but I decided to download and read it anyway. While there, I browsed through available Download Review books and a few caught my eye. I also got notification from NetGalley that I had been approved for three books -two of which also had short turnaround dates. And then the Harlequin emails arrived and I downloaded six more books (even though the tours only require one post for each tour).

Lest it might be thought that I did nothing but read and work on my blog this week, I did try out a couple of new recipes. I made Apple Streusel Cheesecake Bars, They were a hit with my brother and I. My only complaint is that it makes a 13 x 9 pan of bars which is a lot for two people who should be watching their weight and sugar intake. I am making Cheesy Baked Chicken and Rice today. Since I'm always looking for recipes that use leftover rotisserie chicken, I really hope that we like it too. At least, leftovers for that one can be frozen.

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.)

• Renewed for Murder by Victoria Gilbert (Review; December 7) -- The sixth in the Blue Ridge Library series has librarian Amy trying to save her best volunteer from being convicted of murder. It was a great cozy mystery. My review will be posted on December 2.
• Dark Night by Paige Shelton (Review; December 7) -- This third book in the Alaska Wild series was an entertaining story in which the main character learns more about her past and heals more from the trauma of her kidnapping. My review will be posted on December 4.
• Ice Planet Barbarians by Ruby Dixon (Review; November 30) -- This Sci-Fi alien romance was first an internet sensation. The pseudonymous author throws in as many tropes as she can in this fun story that isn't for the prudish. My review will be posted on November 30.

• Jane Austen's Lost Letters by Jane K. Cleland (Review; December 14) -- Fourteenth in the Josie Prescott Antiques series. This was an entertaining mystery with great characters and a nicely twisty plot. My review will be posted on December 8.
• The Christmas She Married the Playboy by Louise Fuller (Review; November 30) -- This marriage of convenience romance is the first book I'm reading for a couple of Harlequin blog tours. It had nice characters and an entertaining story. My review will be posted on November 23.
• Damage by Lilith Saintcrow (Review; March 26, 2021) -- I saw this romantic suspense title while I was browsing NetGalley. The author is one I have enjoyed in the past. It was an action-packed story with intriguing characters. My review will be posted on December 14.

• Three Fates by Nora Roberts (Mine; Audiobook) -- This recent $5 Audible purchase was a reread for me. I've had the hardcover since it was released. It is an excellent story with Roberts' trademark friendships and romances. My review will be posted on January 13.
• When Darkness Comes by Alexandra Ivy (Mine; Audiobook) -- I bought the paperback on June 25, 2008 and the Kindle and Audiobook this month. It is the first in an urban fantasy/paranormal romance series and was entertaining. My review will be posted on December 7.

• Vanished by Karen Robards (Mine) -- The paperback of this thriller has been on my TBR mountain since 2008 but I did use an Audible Credit to get the audiobook this week. It was an excellent romantic suspense title with lots of action. My review will be posted on December 11.
• McKettrick's Luck by Linda Lael Miller (Mine) -- This paperback Western Romance has been on TBR mountain since 2008 and was a great story with intriguing characters and a nice romance. My review will be posted on December 15.

Currently

• Instant Gratification (Mine since July 27, 2009)
• The Slaughtered Lamb Bookstore & Bar by Seana Kelly (Mine since September and $.99 through BookBub)

Next Week

• Pork Pie Pandemonium by Steve Higgs (Mine since May; Kindle and Audiobook)
• The Twelve Dogs of Christmas by David Rosenfelt (Mine; Amazon Marketplace)
• The Sorority Murder by Allison Brennan (Review; December 28)

• *Little Girl Gone by Amanda Stevens (Review; December 28) - for one of the Harlequin blog tours
• *His to Defend by Sharon C. Cooper (Review; December 28 ) - for one of the Harlequin blog tours
• *Tall, Dark and Off Limits by Shannon McKenna (Review; December 28) - for one of the Harlequin blog tours

Reviews Posted

• Wood Sprites by Wen Spencer - finished August 3
• The Black Wolves of Boston by Wen Spencer - finished August 10
• Guild Boss by Jayne Castle (Jayne Ann Krentz) - finished September 20

• Home from the Sea by Mercedes Lackey - finished September 21
• The Serpent's Shadow by Mercedes Lackey - finished September 22
• Magic for Liars by Sarah Gailey - finished October 8

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

*indicates that the book is for one of the Harlequin Winter blog tours

Review Books:

• Ice Planet Barbarians by Ruby Dixon (Review; NetGalley; November 30)
• *The Christmas She Married the Playboy by Louise Fuller (Review; NetGalley, November 30)
• Damage by Lilith Saintcrow (Review; NetGalley; March 26, 2021)

• *Little Girl Gone by Amanda Stevens (Review; NetGalley; December 28)
• *His to Defend by Sharon C. Cooper (Review; NetGalley; December 28)
• *Tall, Dark and Off Limits by Shannon McKenna (Review; NetGalley; December 28)

• The Siren of Sussex by Mimi Matthews (Review; NetGalley; January 11)
• *Rancher's Forgotten Rival by Maisey Yates (Review; NetGalley; January 25)
• *Undercover K-9 Cowboy by Addison Fox (Review; NetGalley; January 25)

• Beneath the Stairs by Jennifer Fawcett (Review; Edelweiss; February 22)
• Mad for a Mate by MaryJanice Davidson (Review; Edelweiss; April 26)
• The Marlow Murder Club by Robert Thorogood (Review; Edelweiss; May 3)

• The Lady with the Gun Asks the Questions by Kerry Greenwood (Review; Edelweiss; May 17)
• The Lost by Jeffrey B. Burton (Review; NetGalley; June 28)

Audiobooks:

Links for Chirp Audiobooks lead to Amazon because when I search on Chirp it only tells me that the book is in my library and doesn't give a link to purchase it. 

• Cleopatra's Tomb by Nellie H. Steele (Chirp Audiobook; $.99)
• Hidden Star by Nora Roberts (BookBub; Kindle for $1.99 and Amazon for the Audiobook at $6.49)
• Fatal Undertaking by Mark De Castrique (Chirp Audiobook; $.99)

• The Body Reader by Anne Frasier (Kindle and Audiobook each for $1.99)
• Vanished by Karen Robards (Audible Credit)

Kindle Books:

• An Oxford Murder by G. G. Vandagriff (BookBub; Free)
• Sherlock Holmes and the Giant Rat of Sumatra by Paul D. Gilbert (BookBub, Free)
• Falling Into Magic by Elizabeth Pantley (The Fussy Librarian; Free)

What was your week like?