Saturday, February 22, 2020

Saturday Reading Wrap-up - 2/22/20

Hello again.  Welcome to my Saturday Reading Wrap-up, where I talk about the books I've read or tried to read in the past week and what new things I've bought for the days ahead.

Not a bad week this week with some fun reads and only one dud.

I picked up 3 new ebooks this week - a YA adventure, a mystery, and a romantic suspense (already read that last one).  No new hardcopies this week, for which my shelves thank me.

Books Read:

18) Death on the Danube by Jennifer Alderson (2/20/20) - Mystery*# - 4 stars.  New to me and underappreciated.  Got for free from the Reading Deals newsletter.
Review: "A fun little mystery with loads of interesting information about Budapest, if you're into travel and stuff."
Note:  It was a bit too much travel stuff for me, so I flipped past it, but I think many readers would enjoy the details.  And it wasn't as if the writer was throwing details in because she didn't want to waste research (we've all read those books).  It was just more info than I was looking for at that time in a mystery.  

17) Fighting for Elena by Silver James (2/19/20) - Romantic Suspense* - 5 stars.  Not new to me and a new release so not much appreciation yet, but it'll get there.  Paid full price - $3.99.
Review: "Wow. What an amazing story. I loved Pops and Elena - separately and together. And of course, I love Joy. And it was awesome having characters from Silver's other series swoop in to save the day. Cuz the Wolves are like that. =o)"

16) Never Date a Siren by Byrd Nash (2/15/20) - Paranormal*# - 5 stars.  New to me and underappreciated.  Picked up for free off the Book Barbarian newsletter.
Review: "Fun! I loved the world. I loved the premise. I loved the characters. I'm so glad I picked this book up."

DNFs:

2/16/20 - biography.  50c hardcover at the thrift store.  I thought it would be interesting, but the writing was poor and the story didn't flow well.  Plus, it sounded a bit preachy.  I like to think if the subject had still been alive, he wouldn't have wanted his biography to come off that way.  =o(

Currently reading... A plucked one of my unread Mickey Spillane 'Mike Hammer' paperbacks off the shelf.  Love me some Mike Hammer.

What was on your reading list this week?  Anything good?  Got anything you're looking forward to?

1 comment:

  1. Thank you! So glad you liked it (typos and all. 🤦‍♀️) I had a decent listening week. I'm at 38 books (10 ahead of schedule) and listening to #39. I can't keep track of the numbers relative to my GR challenge so, as always, I'm just listing them in the order I read last week.

    1. Night Shift: multiple authors, relisten. I pulled this one out again because I enjoyed Milla Vane's new release so much last week, I wanted to read her sort-of prequel set in the same world. Of course, having Ilona Andrews and Nalini Singh novellas set in favorite series is a bonus, and I enjoyed Lisa Shearin's entry that was the intro to her Supernatural Protection & Investigations series. 5 stars.

    2. Still Life (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache #1); Louise Penny. New to me, not under appreciated, mystery. Set in Canada. Well written and I like Gamache. 3 stars (I'm not really a straught-up mystery reader though I see the appeal in this series.) Library loan.

    3. Magic Bites (Kate Daniels #1); Ilona Andrews. Not new, not underappreciated, fav authors (husband & wife team) and paranormal/UF series. It's been 2 years so enjoying the visit. 4.5 stars

    4. Wicked Bite (Night Rebel #2); Jeaniene Frost. Not new, not underappreciated. This one only got 3 stars. It just seemed way longer than it needed to be and the internal dialogue got stale. Got it from the library so no biggie. ParaRom Yay for libraries! They get 10 stars!!!

    5. Magic Burns (Kate Daniels #2), Ilona Andrews. Relisten. See above. The adventure (and Curran's pursuit of Kate) continues. Para/UF 4.5 stars

    6. Highfire; Eoin Colfer. New to me, not underappreciated. This author penned the Artemis Fowl YA series and this book is his giant leap into adult fantasy. Vern (short for Wyvern Highfire) is the last dragon and he currently lives in the Lousiana Bayous. Enter a teenager run afoul of a corrept sheriff and the drug cartel, add bathroom humor and cussing, and you get this book. I have mixed feelings. I found the premise intriguing, the execution somewhat lackluster. YMMV. 3 stars because I liked the narrator.

    7. FIGHTING FOR ELENA, (Police & Fire: Operation Alpha) (Tarpley VFD #1). Yeah, yeah. weird reading my own stuff but you know what? It's a lot better than I thought it was when I turned it in. Funny how that works. Of course, I gave myself a 5 star rating. 🤣

    Currently (and concurrently) listening to MAGIC STRIKES (Kate Daniels #3). I should finish it today or tomorrow, depending on how inspired I get to work on MOONSTRUCK: BETRAYAL. After that will come KD #4. Looking ahead, I have Nalini Singh's A MADNESS OF SUNSHINE on hold with the library. It's a New Zealand Gothic Murder Mystery...or something, and a departure for her. I'm curious but don't want to drop the full price until I give it a try. I'm #6 on the waiting list, with 3 copies circulating so it shouldn't be too much longer.

    Happy reading/listening!

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