It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (May 13, 2024)

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.

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

Other Than Reading...

Happy Mother's Day to those who qualify! I had another ordinary week. We had rainy days on Tuesday and Friday. Tuesday saw .73 inches and Friday .31 inches and even a trace of snow. We hit our high temperature in May so far when it got to 69F on Saturday.  

We made nice amounts of solar power this week too. We had three days when we generated more than 40 kWh and two days when we generated over 50 kWh. Even on our rainy Tuesday we generated 8 kWh.

It was a nice week for reading too. I knocked 4 more June releases off my TBR pile and listened to three audiobooks. I'm now caught up on the In Death series until the new one is released in September. Needing something to listen to one day, I chose Written in Red by Anne Bishop which is an old favorite. This was the first time listening to it in 2024. I also read a book I added in 2010 which took a pebble off TBR mountain. 

This was also a good week for adding books to my collection. I got 9 new review copies including my first 2025 release. Most of those came as a result of emails from various publicists and publishers. I was especially pleased to get the new Lady Sherlock story by Sherry Thomas which I had requested months ago. I also had to turn down two review requests because I chose not to rearrange my calendar to make the short timelines for one May release and one June release.

I also added three Kindle Daily Deals - two new books and a Kindle copy of a book I read many years ago - and a Kindle new release of a book I read as a review copy. I got audiobooks for the rereads and then added four audiobooks from Chirp for titles I read review copies of a while ago.  I'm looking forward to listening to the Sparks & Bainbridge historical mysteries again. I enjoy the series and have even requested the latest from NetGalley and am waiting to hear if I'm approved.

I also preordered Kindle copies of the next two books in the In Death series by J. D. Robb and just need to wait for their release dates in September 2024 and February 2025.

This coming week should be pretty quiet too. My cleaning lady is scheduled for Thursday, and I have a home health assessment on Saturday. My brother Bill will be gone over the dinner hour for every one of his five shifts this coming week meaning I have to cook my own dinners. We do have tentative plans to go out to lunch and try a new restaurant on Tuesday which is one of his days off this week. Monday is his other day off. He plans to mow the lawn for the first time this season and do some landscaping. 

Read Last Week

• The Jigsaw Assassin by Catherine Asaro (Audiobook Reread) -- Fourth book in the Major Bhaajan science fiction mystery series. My review will be posted on May 30.
• May Day by Jess Lourey (Mine since 2010) -- Quirky mystery set in Battle Lake, MN, and starring an English major turned librarian. My review will be posted on May 25.
• Don't Ask. Don't Follow by Mary Keliikoa (Review; June 4) -- Thriller in which a paralegal goes hunting for her missing sister and learns all sorts of family secrets. My review will be posted on May 28.

• Random in Death by J. D. Robb (Audiobook Reread) -- Finished the In Death series until the new book in September.
• Smoke and Mirrors by M. E. Hilliard (Review; June 4) -- Marketing exec turned librarian Greer Hogan is back in NYC to finally solve her husband's death. My review will be posted on May 29.
• Written in Read by Anne Bishop (Audiobook Reread) -- First 2024 reading of a series I love. 

• A Botanist's Guide to Society and Secrets by Kate Khavari (Review; June 4) -- Third Saffron Everleigh historical mystery. Engaging characters and twisty plot. My review will be posted on May 30.
• Dead Tired by Kat Ailes (Review; June 4) -- Second Expectant Detectives contemporary mystery is as filled with humor as the first. My review will be posted on June 1.

Currently

• A Killing in the Hills by Julia Keller (Audiobook)
• Just Some Stupid Love Story by Katelyn Doyle (Review; June 4)

Next Week

• Ribbon Dance by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller (Review; June 4)
• The Weed that Strings the Hangman's Bag by Alan Bradley (Mine)
• Heartstone by Elle Katherine White (Audiobook Reread)

• A Collection of Lies by Connie Berry (Review; June 18)
• A Liaden Universe Constellation, Volume 5 by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller (Audiobook)
• A Deceptive Composition by Anna Lee Huber (Review; June 18)

Reviews Posted

• Pay Dirt Road by Samantha Jayne Allen (Mine)
• The Bronze Skies by Catherine Asaro (Audiobook Reread)
• Locked in Pursuit by Ashley Weaver (Review copy)

• Disturbing the Dead by Kelley Armstrong (Review copy)
• Blood Red Summer by Eryk Pruitt (Review copy)
• Cockatiels at Seven by Donna Andrews (Mine)

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

Review:

• A Ruse of Shadows by Sherry Thomas (Review; June 25)
• How to Fall for a Scoundrel by Kate Bateman (Review; August 20)
• Shock and Paw by Cate Conte (Review; August 20)

• The Vampire of Kings Street by Asha Greyling (Review; September 17)
• I'll Be Waiting by Kelley Armstrong (October 1)
• A New Lease on Death by Olivia Blacke (October 19)

• Pony Confidential by Christina Lynch (Review; November 5)
• Misery Loves Company by Elizabeth Hobbs (Review; November 5)
• Dead Money by Jakob Kerr (Review; January 28, 2025)

Bought:

• Salem's Cipher by Jess Lourey (Kindle Daily Deal, $2.49)
• Mercy's Chase by Jess Lourey (Kindle Daily Deal, $2.49)

• People in Glass Houses by Jayne Castle (Kindle and Audiobook; Reread)
• The Dead Sea Cipher by Elizabeth Peters (Kindle Daily Deal and audiobook for $2.74, $1.99) - Reread

• The Right Sort of Man by Allison Montclair (Audiobook from Chirp, $2.99)
• A Royal Affair by Allison Montclair (Audiobook from Chirp, $1.99)

• A Rogue's Company by Allison Montclair (Audiobook from Chirp, $2.99) 
• The Unkept Woman by Allison Montclair (Audiobook from Chirp, $2.99)

What was your week like?