Hardcopies, Etc.

All of my paperbacks should be good to go now.  If there are errors from here on out, blame the printer.  If you didn't already know, all 17 of my books are available in paperback.  

Amazon now offers the ability to make hardcovers of them all, but I don't see the point of creating hardcovers for them.  I mean, there are probably people who prefer hardcover to paperback, but I have a feeling none of those people would prefer my books anyway.  Generally speaking, most of my books are in genres that don't necessarily lend themselves to hardcover - paranormal mystery, crime noir, etc. are not what one would think of getting in a hardcover.  Am I right?  Perhaps Project Hermes would do well as a hardcover, but I'm not going to go through the process of creating a hardcover version and buying an author proof just to find out I'm wrong and no one wants it in HC.  

To be honest, I can't remember the last time anyone bought a hardcopy of any of my books that I didn't personally hand sell.  Which reminds me that I need to order copies of everything for stock, just in case I run into someone who's interested.  It could happen.  In fact, it happened last month.  Woot.

I used to keep at least one copy of every one of my paperbacks in the trunk of my car for just such occasions.  I'd be somewhere, chatting with someone and the subject of my books would come up.  If they seemed really interested, I'd walk out to my car and come back with the book they were interested in.  Something for them to hold and touch, which they would then buy - signed, of course.  It didn't amount to a lot of money, but it's a nice feeling to hold your own book and then hand it over for cash.  

Of course, they're also all available as ebooks.  Right now, Kindle only and Kindle only for the foreseeable future, but they are available.  I ran into someone who seemed interested, but she didn't own a Kindle.  I just let her know that Amazon has apps for most any device to be able to read Kindle on them.  She didn't know that, so yay.  I'm not sure if she's actually bought anything or if that was just an excuse.  :shrug:

They're all also available in Kindle Unlimited, which is garnering me some $$ here and there.  I am making more there than I was having my books under wide distribution, so I'm glad I did that.  

Speaking of wide distribution, I also don't have any of my paperbacks available wide.  The various outlets for wide distribution make it so that I would have to charge an exorbitant amount of money for my books to clear any money at all through those outlets.  I'm making very little money on my paperbacks as it is, just to keep the prices as low as I can.  

Jus' sayin'.

Saturday Reading Wrap-up: 2022

 It's the last day of the year and since I didn't finish any books this past week, and I'm not likely to finish the book I'm reading today, I thought I'd just go ahead and wrap-up my Year in Reading.  

I started the year with a goal to read 75 books.  I missed it by 3.  Which actually isn't that bad, considering that when I started the year I had no clue that I would be spending the last 6 months of the year working full time.  

If you want to browse through the books I read in 2022, go here: 2022 - Books Read.  (And there's always a link to all my years' Books Read posts on the left side of this blog, underneath my book links.)

Nothing really surprising in the list.  What's surprising to me is how few of the books on my list I actually remember reading.  I mean, I totally forgot that I read The Three Musketeers this year, but it's on the list, so it must be true.  (Wait, I think I remember reading it now.  Derp.  It was read on the Kindle.)

Toward the end of the year, I read a lot of hardcopy books.  Since I was working again, I had the extra scratch to feed my used-book habit.  Loads of unread books on the shelves and it takes less time to grab one of those than sort through ebook listings to find books I want to read.  

I ended the year with two unread ebooks and an unread e-short story sitting on my Kindle.  Maybe I'll start the new year with those.  

In book buying, I picked up 109 new books in 2022.  80 of those were ebooks, leaving 29 hardcopies.  I read or attempted to read most of them.  There are 6 I haven't touched yet and one I don't intend to read because it's for my collection of old writing books (English Grammar and Composition, c1963). Two of those I might not read any time soon - a Hemingway and a book about Frederick Douglass.  I bought those for my collection of literature.

On the 'attempted to read' side, I DNF'd 31 ebooks and 7 hardcopies.  3 hardcopies are going back to thrift stores - 2 because I either had another copy of the title and one because I decided I didn't want to read it.  (Having already DNF'd the first book, I did not want to start the second.)

I could go through and sort all the genres I read, like I've done in the past, but I don't want to.  Suffice it to say, there's a ton of mystery, crime, suspense, etc.  Feels like I read more SF and literature than usual. 

And that's about it.  I'm not sure what 2023 will bring in reading.  Maybe I'll set it for 50 this year and hope for reading a book a week.  We'll see.

How was your reading year?  Did you reach your goals?  

Saturday Reading Wrap-up - 10/30/21

Hi there!  Finally a week worthy of your visit!  

I didn't get any new ebooks this week, but I did swing by the thrift store.  Got a Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker omnibus and an Agatha Christie I didn't already have.  Yay.  I still have four unread ebooks leftover from before - a suspense, a mystery, and two romances.

Anyway, I'm so glad to be reading again.  Yay!

Books Read:

54) The French Fraud by Myrtle Morse, Ruby Loren (10/29/21) - Mystery*# - 5 stars.  New to me and at fifty Goodreads reviews, it just meets my criteria for underappreciated.  Picked up free from Reading Deals.
Review: "Cute and twisty mystery with plenty of fun stuff and interesting characters."

53) Centaur Aisle (Xanth #4) by Piers Anthony (10/26/21) - Fantasy - 5 stars.  Neither new to me not underappreciated.  Saw in the book rack at Dollar General for $3 amd just had to snap it up.
Review: "Just as awesome as I remembered it."

52) Canyons of Night by Jayne Castle (10/23/21) - Paranormal Romance* - 5 stars.  New to me but not underappreciated.  I was given a copy of this by a friend.
Review: "This was a pretty good book. Probably would've been better if I'd read the preceding books, but I can't fault it for that. I enjoyed the characters and the premise was interesting. The plot was solid and I enjoyed the romance. All in all, worthy of five stars."

DNFs:

10/27/21 - free - mystery.   The book started out okay.  A little reminiscent of a show I watched on Masterpiece Mystery, but passable.  Then I got a several paragraph dissertation on how awesome the prisons were in European Country vs how awful actual punishment was elsewhere and moved on to the next book.  Unfortunately, I had already also downloaded the sequel which I no longer have any interest in reading.  Bummer.

10/27/21 - free - mystery.  OMG, seriously.  I was trying really hard to wade through this, because it had a solid premise and some good writing.  The hard part had to do with the MC's strange affectation of breaking into Hispanic slang even though he was a white dude with a Wonder Bread last name.  I tried, but after he did something profoundly stupid and then claimed to be a Law & Order addict, I had to shut the book.  Come on, man.  If you ever really watched L&O, you'd know what you were doing was stupid.  Writer shoulda known better.  Meh.

Currently reading... After I finished the mystery, I dove into one of my the Douglas Adams omnibus.  I might only read one book in it before moving on to something else.  First up, the book that began it all - The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.  Hopefully, it's as awesome as I remember.

What was on your reading plate this past week?  Looking forward to anything awesome?

Saturday Reading Wrap-up - 7/17/21

Well, hello there.  Nice to see you again.  This hasn't exactly been an exciting week in reading, but here goes nuthin'.

I picked up 4 new ebooks this week - 2 suspense, a paranormal mystery, and a cozy mystery.  Which is a good thing since I got through all my unread ebooks.  No new hardcopies again.

Books Read:

48) Queen of Klutz by Samantha Garman (7/10/21) - Romantic Comedy* - 5 stars.  Not new to me or underappreciated.  Free off the ENT newsletter.  
Review: "Super cute!"

DNFs:

7/10/21 - free - suspense.  The beginning was very romantic-comedy-esque, beginning at a wedding with people running around, getting dressed, and joking.  No suspense feel at all.  And the author named like 30 characters in the first couple pages.  There's no way all those people are going to be crucial to the story, so why give them names?  No one needs to know about Great Uncle Herb (not a real name) unless he's going to die horribly by the end of the chapter.  I quit before I found out if Great Uncle Herb was murdered because by then I didn't care.

Currently reading... Well, herein lies the rub.  I started edit-reading my latest manuscript and I haven't really been keen on reading anything else.  We'll see if that changes, because if it doesn't next week's reading wrap-up is going to be BOR-RING.  

What were you up to reading-wise last week?  Anything good on the horizon?

Saturday Reading Wrap-up - 7/10/21

Hello again. Here's the weekly wrap-up of my reading stuffs.

I picked up two ebooks this week - both billed as Romantic Comedies.  Still no new hardcopies.  I still have two unread ebooks - a romance and a suspense.  

Books Read:

47) Going All the Way by Cynthia Cooke (7/9/21) - Romance* - 5 stars.  New to me, but not underappreciated.  Picked this one up free through the Author Billboard FB page.
Review:  "Cute. And exactly what I needed - a light, fun romance without too much angst. A little spicier than I like, but I'm not knocking it for that. It's well written and the story is good."

46) Smoke Rising by Craig Halloran (7/8/21) - UF* - 5 stars.  New to me, but not underappreciated.  Free through the Book Gorilla newsletter.
Review: "Excellent story. Loads of fun. Interesting premise. You don't get to the supernatural part until about 2/3rds of the way through, so if you're intent on that, keep reading. You'll get there. It's worth it. The only niggle was I wanted more. Guess I'll have to get the next book."
Available in audio.

No DNFs.

Currently reading...  I stayed up to finish the romance and once I did, I went right to bed, so nothing new yet.  

What was up with your reading stuffs this past week?

Saturday Reading Wrap-up - 7/3/21

Huh.  It's Saturday again.  How'd that happen so quickly?

I only picked up one new ebook this week - a suspense.  I only have one other ebook left unread - an urban fantasy.  Again, no new hardcopies.  I really need to get out to the thrift stores and snag some more books.  

Books Read:

45) Undiscovered by Anna Hackett (7/2/21) - Romantic Suspense* - 5 stars.  New to me but not underappreciated.  Free off the ENT newsletter.
Review: "Excellent story. Thrilling plot. Great characters. Interesting premise. Dastardly villain you can love to hate. All around awesome book."
Note: Available in audio format.

44) Spirits, Pies, and Alibis by Nicole St. Claire (6/29/21) - Paranormal Mystery*# - 5 stars.  New to me and underappreciated.  Free off the Book Adrenaline newsletter.
Review: "Cute book with a good story, likable characters, and an interesting mystery."
Note: Available in audio format.

DNFs:

6/27/21 - free.  Cozy Mystery.  Gah. The formatting was messed up, man.  And if the story had been excellent, I probably could've gotten past that.  But it wasn't.  Over describing stuff that isn't essential to the story is becoming one of my pet peeves.  It seemed like every single thing had multiple adjectives in sequence to describe it.  And for pitysakes, put in some commas if you're going to use multiple descriptors for one noun.  The quick brown fluffy-tailed green-eyed old but sprightly fox died from the weight of all those adjectives.  :headdesk:

Currently reading...  I didn't pick anything else up after I finished that romantic suspense.  We'll see what today brings.

What was on your reading list this week?

Saturday Reading Wrap-up - 6/12/21

Well, hello there.  Welcome to the Saturday Reading Wrap-up.

No new books of any kind this week.  I need to rectify that, especially since I knocked a few books off my Kindle this week.  I do still have 2 unread ebooks, though - UF and SF.  And, as always, scads of hardcopies to read.

Books Read:

41) Longshot by Blake & Truant (6/11/21) - SF*# - 4 stars.  New to me and underappreciated.  Free off the Book Doggy newsletter.
Review: "Interesting and definitely different. Not what I expected when I began it, but it kept me flipping through the pages quickly, adjusting my preconceived notions as I went. I wish I'd known this was a prequel type story with a long series after it before I began. Worth the read, but I don't have the time or the patience for a long series right now. If you do, you'll probably be in for a wild ride."

40) The Silent Speaker by Rex Stout (6/8/21) - Crime Noir - 5 stars.  Neither new to me nor underappreciated.  Got this in that box lot.
Review: "I had a little trouble getting into this one at first, but once I settled in, it was a helluva story."

39) Ghosts & the Ancient Stones by Silver James (6/6/21) - Paranormal Romantic Suspense* - 5 stars.  Not new to me, but a new release so it's definitely not appreciated nearly enough yet.  This a series I love and an author I fangirl over who's also a friend of mine, so I paid full price - $4.99.
Review: "This book is wicked awesome! From start to finish. And may be Ms. James' best work yet. Sade and Sinjen and all their favorite friends/frenemies are in fine form. The romance and the tension between Sade and Sinjen is delicious. The plot is enthralling. The premise is wonderful. I loved it all. Then again, I love all of the Penumbra Papers books."

DNFs:

6/9/21 - free - paranormal something.  A little banter goes a long-long way.  This was banter to the max with a side order of snide.  I don't need that.

6/9/21 - free - romance.  Gah, so many adjectives telling me how everything is.   And I don't really care about every stitch of clothes everyone is wearing and every item of furniture they own.  Not his dark blue jeans, his faded team baseball shirt, his scuffed boots, his cowboy hat...  Not the red silk sheets against her milky white skin on the black lacquer bed.  Dude just walked in his woman with another man in his bed.  I don't think he cares about the vivid descriptions of his furniture and neither do I.  The scene had the emotional impact of a bowl of plain, cold oatmeal.

Currently reading...  I finished that SF not long before bed last night, so I didn't have time to start something else.  Maybe I'll pick up a Zane Grey today.

What was on your reading list this week?

Saturday Reading Wrap-up - 6/5/21

Sorry I'm late.  It's been a morning.  Anyway, here are the reading things for the past week...

I only got one new ebook and it was the book I beta read last week which I am now reading again.  No new hardcopies.

Books Read:

38) A Vow of Silence by Veronica Black (6/1/21) - Mystery* - 5 stars.  New to me but not underappreciated.  Free off the Reading Deals newsletter.
Review: "Very interesting and a totally different setting from what I usually read, which worked for me. I liked the characters. I enjoyed the premise. The plot was enthralling. And the mystery was gripping."

No DNFs.

Currently reading... the paranormal romantic suspense I beta read.  It's so yummy.  I wanted to have it finished by now, but life messes up my plans more often than not.  Look for it on next week's wrap-up.

What was on your reading plate last week?

Saturday Reading Wrap-up - 5/29/21

Hey All.  It was a different kind of reading week.  I was reading along and then I got a book to beta read, so I had to stop in the middle of the book I was reading to take care of that.  As such, I only read one book that I could talk about.  I'll add the beta book after it goes live on Amazon.

I only got three new ebooks this week - two SF and one UF.  I still have three other unread ebooks on my Kindle.  No new hardcopies again this week.

Books Read:

27) Kiss Me Deadly by Jessie Thomas (5/28/21) - UF*# - 5 stars.  New to me and underappreciated.  Picked this up for free off the Book Doggy newsletter.
Review: "I really enjoyed this book and it was a fast read. (It took me longer because I had to stop in the middle for an important thing.) I liked all the characters. The premise was interesting. And it turned out well."

DNFs:

5/22/21 - free - paranormal romance.  Meh.  The hero was fine in his first appearance in the heroine's POV.  Then he came off like a teenage boy in his own POV.  Not interested.  

Currently reading... I haven't started anything new yet.  

What did you read last week?  Anything you're looking forward to this week?

Saturday Reading Wrap-up - 5/22/21

Good morning, Everyone.  It was a pretty good reading week for me, so let's jump right into it.

Since I was almost out of new ebooks, I picked up 4 new ones this week - romance, mystery, UF, and paranormal.  I'm on the last ebook from before this week right now.  No new hardcopies.  

Books Read:

26) The Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie (5/18/21) - Mystery - 5 stars.  Not new to me or underappreciated.  Picked this one up in that box lot I've been working my way through.
Review: "I've tried other 'Tommy and Tuppence' stories and couldn't get into them, but as I had finished reading all my other Christies and only had T&T stories left, I figured I'd give them another go with the first book in the series this time. Wow. This book is so awesome I stayed up late finishing it. Ms. Christie set me up but good this time, so I was totally surprised when the villain came to light. So good. Now I can read the other ones."

25) Dead Wrong (Cree Blue #1) by Kate Allenton (5/16/21) - Paranormal Mystery* - 5 stars.  New to me, but it has enough reviews to not meet my criteria for underappreciated.  (It could be more appreciated, though.)  Picked this up for free off the ENT newsletter.
Review: "I inhaled it. This book is too much fun! I loved the premise, the plot, and the characters. Interesting twist to the whole paranormal thing, too. Awesome backstory judiciously sprinkled throughout to give you enough info about Cree without boring the pants off you. I definitely need more Cree Blue in my life."

24) The Honeymoon Cottage by Barbara Cool Lee (5/15/21) - Romantic Mystery* - 5 stars.  New to me, but not underappreciated.  Free from the Book Gorilla newsletter.
Review: "I got this book thinking that it was a cozy mystery. Totally not cozy and leaning toward suspense with loads of romance. A romantic mystery, if there was such a genre. Still a very good book, though."

DNFs:

5/16/21 - free - Mystery.  Meh.  I think the author was trying so hard to 'set the scene' of a 'mystery novel', they'd missed what a mystery story actually reads like.  At least, what the mysteries I enjoy reading read like.

Currently reading...  A paranormal romance.  I'm not that far in, so the jury's still out.

What were you reading this week?  How'd you like it?

Saturday Reading Wrap-up - 5/15/21

 Hey there!  It's the Saturday Reading Wrap-up with your host, B.E. Sanderson.  :cue cheesy theme music:

I finally picked up some new ebooks this week.  Which was good because I didn't have any left to read.  I got a romantic suspense (which I'm reading now), a mystery, a paranormal mystery, and a paranormal romance.  No new hardcopies.

Books Read:

33) That Night by CJ Grayson (5/12/21) - Suspense*# - 5 stars.  New to me and underappreciated.  I picked this one up for free after hearing about it in a FB group I belong to.  
Review: "A twisty, turny suspense that kept me hooked. I wasn't sure the author would be able to pull all the threads together, but everything was wrapped up by the end. And I totally didn't see it all coming down the way it did. "

32) The Virginian by Owen Wister (5/9/21) - Western/Literature - 5 stars.  New to me, but old enough that it's got plenty of reviews.  Still underappreciated, in my opinion, though.  Picked this up at a thrift store for 50c.
Review: "This book is too awesome for words. If you haven't read it, you should."

DNFs:

5//10/21 - free - This billed itself as paranormal women's fiction but read like cozy paranormal mystery.  It was written by a 'known, trad-pub name' in UF, but it had issues in it my own editor and proofreaders would've kicked my ass for.  I probably would've weathered on for an indie, but I expected better and disappointment made me stop reading.

Currently reading... like I said above, I'm reading a romantic suspense.  I had it listed as a cozy mystery.  Boy, was that wrong.  I mean it started out kind of like a cute cozy, but it became pretty suspenseful.  I think it was the title that turned me in the wrong direction - Honeymoon Cottage.  :shrug:  I'm really enjoying it, so it's no biggie for me.

What were you reading this week?  

Saturday Reading Wrap-up - 5/8/21

 Hello and welcome to the Saturday Reading Wrap-up with your host, B.E. Sanderson!  :cue applause:

Heh.  Anyway, here's my week in readerly things... few though they may be.

No new books acquired.  I still have 2 unread ebooks and loads of hardcopies left to read.

Books Read:

31) Cracked: An Anthology of Eggsellent Chicken Stories by Various (5/3/21) - SF/F Shorts* - Most of the authors in this were new to me but while it probably could be more appreciated, it doesn't fit the criteria.  Picked this up when it was free back in February after hearing about it from a friend who's included in the anthology.  (Although when I wrote the review, I could've sworn I paid full price for this.  It's worth the full price.  Honest.)
Review: "What a fun bunch of stories! And not a dud in the bunch - which is unusual for me with anthologies. Definitely a fun way to pass the time and worth every penny."

No DNFs.

Currently reading... The Virginian.  So far, it's pretty good, but it's slow reading.

What were you reading last week?

Saturday Reading Wrap-up - 5/1/21

May Day!  May Day!  Umm... yeah, I always get the urge to do that on May 1st.  Sorry.  Anyway, here's the skinny on my reading week...

No new books this week.

Books Read:

30) Curtains for Three by Rex Stout (4/29/21) - Hard-boiled crime - 5 stars.  Not new to me, but I think these books can never be appreciated enough.  Part of the box lot I received.
Review: "Nero Wolfe is always fun and this is no exception!"

29) Equal is Unfair by Don Watkins and Yaron Brook (4/27/21) - NF - 5 stars.  Not new to me, but not appreciated nearly enough.  Paid full price after an accidental one-click when I was trying to add the hardcopy to my cart.
No Review.  

28) Eye of the Monster by Andre Norton (4/26/21) - SF - 5 stars.  Not new to me but way underappreciated.  I've had this book for years.  I got it when I bought a box of Andre Norton's at a garage sale.  I'm still working my way through them and I hadn't read this before now.
Review: "This is probably my favorite Andre Norton out of all I've read so far."

No DNFs.

Currently reading... A fun SF/F anthology of chicken stories.  Yes, CHICKEN stories.  It's eggcellent so far.  ROFL

What's did you read last week?  Anything fun?

Saturday Reading Wrap-up - 4/24/21

 Good morning.   I didn't have the most exciting reading week, but here goes...

No new books.

Books read:

26) The Source of Magic (Xanth #2) by Piers Anthony (4/20/21) - Fantasy - 5 stars.  Not new to me or underappreciated.  Got this in the box lot of paperbacks.
Review: "It's been ages since I read this one. It's enjoyable. Not my favorite in some aspects, but in others, quite good."

DNFs:

4/18/21 - I set aside that Zane Grey I was reading.  I just couldn't get into it.  I'll try it again another time.

Currently reading...  I'm still reading that NF ebook.  It's slow going, but I'm up to 45% now.  And I'm reading an Agatha Christie in paperback.

What were you up to in your reading last week?

Saturday Reading Wrap-up - 4/17/21

Well, it wasn't an exciting week in reading, but here goes...

No new books.

Books Read:

25) The Sound of Murder by Rex Stout (4/11/21) - Hard-boiled crime - 5 stars.  Not new to me but so old that it's underappreciated.  (Plus, it's not a Nero Wolfe.) - picked up in a group lot from a friend.
Review: "Wow. That was a twisty, turny, 'keep you guessing' book if ever there was one. Alphabet Hicks is a heck of a hero and I wish I'd discovered him years ago. Now I'll have to go searching to see if Stout wrote any others and finding them to snag as my own. FUN."

No DNFs.

Currently reading... and here we come to why I only finished one book this week.  I'm reading a non-fiction ebook and it's taking me a while.  I also started a Zane Grey to give my brain a break when it's overflowing with NF.  I rarely read two books concurrently and this particular NF is very thought provoking so it's taking a lot of attention.

What's on your reading list for last week?

Saturday Reading Wrap-up - 4/10/21

 Hello again!  It was a good reading week here.

I picked up one new ebook - a suspense.  And I received 9 old paperbacks from a friend who was weeding down her collection - 3 Agatha Christies, 4 Rex Stouts, and 2 Piers Anthony.  Squee.

Books Read:

24) Elephants Can Remember by Agatha Christie (4/9/21) - Mystery - 5 stars.  Neither new to me nor underappreciated.  Paid a box lot price which included shipping.
Review: "Ooo, that was a good one."

23) Ogre, Ogre by Piers Anthony (4/7/21) - Fantasy - 5 stars.  Neither new to me nor underappreciated.  Paid a box lot price which included shipping.
Review: "I repeatedly read this way way back when I was a teenager. I haven't read it since, until now. While some of the puns weren't quite as funny as when I was younger, it's still a pretty awesome book. And it now has a treasured place on my bookshelf."

22) The Case of the Perambulating Hatrack by Cedar Sanderson (4/3/21) - Paranormal Noir Mystery* - 5 stars.  Not new to me, but a new release so probably underappreciated at this moment.  Paid full price when Cedar let it be known that it was live on Amazon.
Review: "So much fun! A perfect blend of old P.I. noir and new urban fantasy. If Spillane and Butcher had a love-child, it would be Solly. Who would've guessed I could fall in love with an orc? Oh, I loved all the other characters, too. (Nettle was my favorite after Solly.) I loved the plot and the mystery. I thoroughly enjoyed the world-building. Definitely different in a totally good way. I can't wait to read another one of these."

No DNFs.

Currently reading...  Not sure what I'll pick up next.  Maybe the NF title I one-clicked by accident.  Maybe a Rex Stout.  Tune in next week to find out.  ;o)

What was on your reading list for last week?

Saturday Reading Wrap-up - 4/6/21

Hello again!  It was an interesting reading week here, so let's get started.

I only picked up one new ebook, and I'm reading it now.  As for hardcopies, I should have a box of old paperbacks in the mail.  I'll talk about those after they get here.

Books Read:

21) Death by Chocolate by Sally Berneathy (4/2/21) - Mystery/Suspense* - 5 stars.  New to me, but not underappreciated.  Free after seeing it on a friend's FB page.
Review: "Wow. That was an awesome read. I loved the characters, the plot, the cat... and the suspense was delicious. Plus, there are recipes in the back. So much fun!"

20) Northern Affair by DK Findlay (3/31/21) - Adventure - 5 stars.  New to me and underappreciated as far as I know, probably because it's so old.  50c at the thrift store.
Review: "I found this old paperback in a thrift store stuck in amongst the Westerns. It's definitely not a Western. It's a story of survival and adventure in the arctic. Definitely enthralling and very interesting. And it ends well. It's going on my keeper shelf."

19) Hot Under the Collar by Roxanne St. Claire (3/28/21) - Romance* - 5 stars.  Neither new to me nor underappreciated.  Free after seeing it on Roxanne's FB page.
Review: "What a fun romance! And a great start to this spin-off series!"

DNFs:

4/1/21 - mystery.  Free.  It didn't take long to realize I didn't like the main character, and the author was trying too hard to make the MC witty.  It seemed like every sentence was a zippy quip.  You gotta sprinkle those judiciously, man.

Currently reading... a paranormal noir mystery.  It's pretty good so far.

What did you read last week?

Saturday Reading Wrap-up - 3/27/21

Well, here we are again at another Saturday morning where I didn't schedule this ahead of time.  And it was even a good reading week.  Drat.  Luckily, I'd already done the Books Read part and the other parts are easy.  I need more coffee.

The only new book I picked up this week was my own.  I bought an ecopy and I have a paperback proof on its way here.  Should have that in my hot little hands Monday.  Those are for not actual reading reading, but more for scanning through to make sure nothing got messed up in the process. The ebook looks fine to me.  

Books Read:

18) Defending Free Speech By Simpson, et al (3/25/21) - NF Essays - 4 stars.  Not new to me but underappreciated as far as reviews go.  Paid full paperback price - $6.95. This will go on our philosophy shelf for later reference
No review.  

17) Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder (3/22/21) - MG Literature - 5 stars.  Surprising enough, I've never read these books before.  Bought a new paperback copy - $4.99
Review: "Hard to believe I'd never read this one. It's a nice little book and i'm glad I finally took the time to read it."

16) Salt in the Wounds by Mark Richards (3/22/21) - Suspense*# - 5 stars. New to me and underappreciated.  Free off the Robin Reads newsletter.  
Review: "Interesting story with relatable characters, although I did have a problem with the daughter here and there getting away with things I wouldn't allow a 13-yr-old to do. But hey, maybe that's normal in the UK. It was still an awesome suspense and I thoroughly enjoyed it."

No DNFs.

Currently reading...  I'm in the middle of a romance by an author I'd read loads of before.  So far so good.

What did you read last week?

Saturday Reading Wrap-up - 3/20/21

Hello there!  It was a pretty dam good reading week... pardon the pun.

I didn't pick up any new ebooks this week, but I did get four paperbacks - suspense, fantasy, literature, and adventure.  I also accidentally one-clicked a NF ebook that I was trying to add to my cart in hardcopy.  Derp.  (Not a cheap mistake, lemme tell ya.)  And I ordered two paperbacks - a NF and a copy of Little House in the Big Woods - which for some reason I have never read.  And I still have 8 unread ebooks waiting on my Kindle.  Woo.

Books Read: 

15) Savaged Illusions: The Complete Series by Jennifer Lyon (3/19/21) - Romance - 5 stars.  Not new to me, but underappreciated as a whole.  Paid full price at the time of release: $3.99.  (It's $6.99 now.)
Review: "I read each of the books in this series separately when they were released and I loved them all. But this set... reading them all the way through from start to finish... is so much more awesome. I loved being able to read Liza and Justice's story from the moment they meet through heartrending parts to the incredible and satisfying climax and the wonderful ending. Okay, I did have to set it aside for a couple days because I had forgotten how intense the story is. But that made it even better. I usually don't buy box sets, especially when I've already read the individual novels, but this was so worth it and so totally worth the re-read."

14) Boulder Dam by Zane Grey (3/17/21) - Adventure - 5 stars.  Not new to me but probably could be more appreciated.  Picked this up at the thrift store for 50c.
Review: "A most excellent story. Not a western per se, but still had a western flair to it. I loved the characters and the plot and the premise. I enjoyed the history of it all and the action. There was also a nice romantic angle, which rounded the book out nicely. Unfortunately, the Epilogue was meh, but it was only a wrap-up and didn't effect the overall awesomeness of the story. It was just not as wow as the rest of the book."
Available in Audio.

No DNFs.

Currently reading... I finished Jen Lyon's book not long before bedtime, so I didn't have time to start anything new.  

What reading things were you up to this week?

Saturday Reading Wrap-up - 3/12/21

 Heh.  It's Saturday, isn't it?  Whoops.  Sorry I'm late...

Not a whole lot went on this week because I was hip-deep in editing my own book and getting it out to readers.  Once I got the edit notes completed, I could finally read a book.  Then I had to input the notes and do other tedious but necessary stuff, so I didn't get a chance to read anything else.

No books acquired this week/

Books Read:

13) Uptown Blues: Herbert and Melacon #5 by Seth Pevey (3/10/21) - Suspense* - 5 stars.  Not new to me, but definitely underappreciated - especially since it's a new release.  I really wish more people would fall in love with this series.  It really deserves more fans.  Picked up after the author contacted me to let me know it was out - full price: $3.99 and worth every penny.
Review: "The worst part of this book was that I finished it and now it's over. Seriously awesome book, people, and if you haven't read the other ones yet, I'm a little sad for you. Because you don't already know and love Felix Herbert and David Melancon. Still, you can read this story without having read the others and not worry about getting lost in the allusions to previous books. Instead you can start reading here and get lost in this story. You can meet and love Andre, which you certainly will. And his story... It's big and it's deep, and it comes to a most wonderful and satisfying conclusion."

No DNFs:

Currently reading... I sent my own book off to readers right before bed last night, so I haven't picked out my next read yet.  I'll start something today.

What was on your reading list this week?