It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (January 16, 2023)

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.

Want to See What I Added to My Stack? links to Stacking the Shelves hosted by Marlene at Reading Reality.

Other Than Reading...

This was a week of ups and downs. It snowed Wednesday and Thursday but we received just an inch of snow over the two days. Roads were quite slippery when we went out to dinner at Texas Roadhouse on Wednesday evening. My brother drove and used his car which has snow tires. The steaks were good and the ribs we took home with us were a good dinner later in the week. 

For the "downs", while I was putting away clean dishes, one of the shelf supports in my cupboard broke showering down serving bowls and platters, soup bowls and sauce bowls, and some other breakable stuff. Luckily, we only had a couple of broken dishes including all of our custard cups and, sadly, a bowl my grandfather gave my mother many, many years ago. Mom always used that shallow, yellow bowl for the batter when making French toast. I could replace the custard cups at Amazon but the antique bowl and the memories it brought every time we used it are gone forever.

Another "down" that became an "up" was regarding my new can opener. My handheld electric can opener broke just before Christmas so I ordered a replacement. I chose a Kitchen Mama hands free can opener because the video made it look easy and cool to use. Unfortunately, it didn't work at all on any can I wanted to open. That was the "down". But the "up" was that when I went to Amazon to return it, I found that I could print a QR Code, put it back in its original packing which I had saved, take it to my local UPS store which is about 1 mile from my house, and return it for free. UPS would handle the packing and shipping! A couple of hours after I dropped it off the refund was already in my Amazon account. I ordered another brand of handheld electric can opener and will see how that one works. 

Still another "up" was that I set up my blog posts for February. All of the things I plan to read that are not review books were items I purchased in 2021 which should take at least a few books off TBR mountain. There are 207 unread items from 2021 in my collection.

I got my Audible stats for the year. I thought they were pretty amazing.

It comes as no surprise that I listened to Anne Bishop the most - 12,913 minutes - since The Others series is my favorite comfort read. Lois McMaster Bujold and Laurie R. King were in second and third place. I'm sort of surprised that Sharon Lee & Steve Miller didn't make the top three since I listened to Liaden Universe books more than once this year and it is a long series.

I haven't been listening much so far in January as I have been trying to get ahead on my Review stack. I have lots of February releases to read. Reading Review books is my plan for the coming week.

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 Maraan by Christie Meierz (Mine) -- Space Opera Romance starring a small town Spanish teacher who is drafted to go to Tolar to me a tutor by the ruler's daughter. Earth is hoping she'll be their spy, but she falls in love and is determined to keep Tolar's secrets. My review will be posted on January 24.
• Die for Love by Elizabeth Peters (Mine since December 1, 2021; Audiobook) -- This third in the Jacqueline Kirby series is a cozy mystery set at a Historical Romance Convention. It is filled with quirky characters including Jacqueline. My review will be posted on February 7.
• Daughters of Suralia by Christie Meierz (Mine) -- This second book in the Tolari trilogy stars an admiral's widow sent to Tolar to retrieve Marianna but who stays, develops psychic powers, and fall in love with one of the provincial leaders. My review is in the bank for later publication but can be seen at Goodreads and LibraryThing.

• The Fall by Christie Meierz (Mine) -- The finale in the Tolari trilogy was another engaging science fiction romance with lots of adventure and political intrigue. I have this review in my bank for later but you can see it at Goodreads or on my LibraryThing.
• Into Tolari Space by Christie Meierz (Mine) -- This is a collection of two first contact stories about the discovery of Tolar by humans who think it might be ripe for exploitation. I'm not planning a review but my thoughts are available at Goodreads and LibraryThing.
• Food Fight by Christie Meierz (Mine) -- This short story is set in Tolari Space and looks to be a lead-in to the next two books in the series. My thoughts are at Goodreads and LibraryThing.

• Promise Boys by Nick Brooks (Review; January 31) -- This YA mystery is set at a Charter School for young men in Washington, DC. When the principal is murdered, three of the boys become suspects and need to clear their names to save their futures. Told from multiple points of view, this was an engaging story. My review will be posted on January 26.
• The Second You're Single by Cara Tanamachi (Review; January 31) -- This contemporary romance was laced with humor. It deals with the perils of dating in these modern times. My review will be posted on January 25.

• Into the West by Mercedes Lackey (Mine) -- This second in the Founding of Valedemar series was packed with adventure. My review will be posted on January 26.
• Sweep of the Heart by Ilona Andrews (Mine; Audiobook) -- This sixth in the Innkeeper series was a fun romp as Dina and Sean need to host an intergalactic spouse search for the Ruler of the Dominion which means keeping representatives from 12 intergalactic civilizations from killing each other or from killing the prospective groom. My review will be posted on January 19.

DNF

• Night Call by Brenden Carlson (Mine) -- I have the third in this series on my review stack. I decided to read the first to get into the world. Unfortunately, I bounced off. I read 2/3 of this one before giving up when I realized that I didn't know what was going on. It is a mystery. It is cyberpunk. It is alternate history. I like all of those things but trying to combine them all in a first-person narrative just left me confused.

Currently

• Three Can Keep a Secret by M. E. Hilliard (Review; February 7)

Next Week

• Wined and Died in New Orleans by Ellen Byron (Review; February 7)
• Murder at an Irish Castle by Ellie Brannigan (Review; February 7)
• Every Missing Girl by Leanne Kale Sparks (Review; February 7)

• Of Manners and Murder by Anastasia Hastings (Review; February 7)
• Ruby Spencer's Whisky Year by Rochelle Bilow (Review; February 14)
• When the House Burns by Priscilla Paton (Review; February 14)

Reviews Posted

• The Russian Cage by Charlaine Harris
• The Serpent in Heaven by Charlaine Harris
• A Love by Design by Elizabeth Everett

• Lie to Her by Melinda Leigh
• Her Last Word by Mary Burton
• The Devil You Know by P. J. Tracy

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

Review:

• A Fatal Illusion by Anna Lee Huber (Review; June 20)

Bought:

• The Librarian of Crooked Lane by C. J. Archer (Kindle & Audible Daily Deal)
• Trapper Road by Rachel Caine & Carrie Ryan (Kindle; $2.99)
• King City by Lee Goldberg (Kindle Daily Deal; $1.99)

• Into Tolari Space by Christie Meierz (Kindle; $.99)
• Great Expectorations by Christie Meierz (Kindle; $.99)
• Food Fight by Christie Meierz (Kindle; Free)

• Frogkisser by Garth Nix (Kindle Daily Deal; $2.99)
• Murder in the Crypt by Irina Shapiro (BookBub, $.99)

What was your week like?