Monthly Wrap-Up - August 2020

 Hello, my friends! Well, it's been a month since I posted a "What Are You Reading?" post, and I joked the last time that I might as well post a "Monthly Wrap-Up" instead. Haha, so that's what I'm doing! I was in a gigantic reading slump all summer. I think it might be over - fingers crossed! 

Here's what I read in August:

Serious Moonlight* by Jenn Bennett - I finally finished this after starting back in February. I can't remember why I set it aside then, but I did pick it back up. It was okay, but it just never grabbed me. Maybe I still wasn't in the mood for it. 

Vassa in the Night* by Sarah Porter - I received this book a couple of years ago in a YA book subscription box and decided to give it a try.  This story is so bizarre and dark. Like Alice going down the rabbit hole, Vassa gets caught in an odd and dangerous convenience store. The story kept drawing me in; I had to find out what happens to Vassa and her magical doll! Although strange, I really enjoyed it! 

The Woman in the Window* by A.J. Finn - I loved this suspense/thriller! Anna Fox is stuck in her house; she's an agoraphobic who has panic attacks every time she steps out of her home. That in itself is interesting, add in that she sees something she shouldn't, and it's gripping! I liked how you weren't sure what was real and what was Anna's imagination. Did she really see what she thought she did? Also, I loved all the Hitchcock and old movie references! 

Eleven* by Patricia Reilly Giff - This is a great middle-grade mystery about a boy who finds a newspaper clipping of a missing boy in the attic, and it's him! Now he has to figure out who he is and who are the people he's living with. 

Audiobooks

The Scarlet Letter* by Nathaniel Hawthorne. I'm glad I listened to this one. It's was a little too wordy for me, I would have never gotten through it otherwise! It's an interesting look into the Puritan life and early America - also how guilt can slowly eat at you.

The Aussie Next Door* by Stefani London - This was a fun romantic comedy to listen to! The narrator, Summer Morton (no relation, lol), did a fantastic job with the character voices!

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix* by J.K Rowling - Listening to this on a long drive was wonderful! It's my favorite of the Harry Potter books. 

*Disclaimer: Links to Amazon. I am an Amazon Associate. Should you purchase a copy of the book through the link provided, I will receive a small commission. Thanks! 

I took a long road trip to Montana to visit a friend. It was so nice to get away and see another part of the country! We had planned to go hiking in Glacier Park and had reservations at a hotel there, but our plans where canceled due to COVID. Still, we had a good time hanging out at her house. We did a short hike and some kayaking. It was so beautiful! 

 

So, what was your August like? Did you get to venture out? As always, let me know what you are reading! It's a great way to find new books! Thanks! I hope you all are doing well! 

What Are You Reading? ~ Mar. 18th, 2020

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What are you Reading?  Let me know what your current read is, what you recently finish reading, and what you plan on reading next! 

Hello, my friends! Wow! Crazy times right now! I hope you are all well and safe! 
Current Read

I'm currently reading Educated* by Tara Westover. I'm fascinated by Tara's experiences growing up with her survivalist family. It's very interesting, but being non-fiction, it's a slower read for me. 






Recently Finished

I finished reading Aftermath* by Kelley Armstrong. It was pretty good! It was more of a mystery than I thought (didn't read the blurb all the way - the first paragraph grabbed me, and I went with it!). I enjoyed it! ~ 4 stars.






What's next?

Depends on how I feel. I just got Live, Love, Longbourn (The Bennet Sisters, Bk 1)* by Jennifer Becton. It looks really cute! I might read that. :) 








*Disclaimer: Links to Amazon. I am an Amazon Associate. Should you purchase a copy of the book through the link provided, I will receive a small commission. Thanks! 

So, tell me, what are you reading? I hope you all are well!  

What Are You Reading? ~ May 29, 2019

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Happy Wednesday, my friends! I took last Wednesday off, so below is what I've been reading the previous two weeks. 

What are you Reading?  Let me know what your current read is, what you recently finished reading, and what you plan on reading next! 

Here's my list: 

Current Read:

I started reading A Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin. Now that the HBO show is over, I thought I'd pick up where I left off in the book series. As with the first three books, I will probably go slow through this one, and read other books at the same time. 






Finished Reading: 

I recently finished reading Turbulent: A Post Apocalyptic EMP Survival Thriller (Bk 1) by T L Payne. I really enjoyed this one and can't wait for the next in the series that's due out in June! 

I also finished reading The Darkdeep by Ally Condie and Brendan Reichs. This was a great middle school book. I really enjoyed it, and I think it will appeal to both boys and girls. 4 stars

The week before I finished reading Brightly Burning by Alexa Donne. I loved this story! I'm hoping to write a review for it very soon. 5 stars!








What's next?

I'm not sure what to read next. I've picked up a couple of books, but haven't decided on one. I think I'm trying to make myself read something for a reading challenge that I'm not quite in the mood for right now - just to check that off on a list. That's probably not a good idea. Have you ever done that? Did it turn out well, or did you wish you had waited?

FTC Disclaimer: Links to Amazon. I am an Amazon Associate. Should you purchase a copy of the book through the link provided, I will receive a small commission. Thanks! 

Have a great week, friends! Be sure to share what you've been reading! 

What Are You Reading? ~ May 15, 2019

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Hey there, friends! Happy Wednesday! I hope you've had a great week! Mine hasn't been bad. :)

What are you Reading?  Let me know what your current read is, what you recently finished reading, and what you plan on reading next! 


Here's my list: 

Currently Reading:

I just started reading Brightly Burning by Alexa Donne. I'm literally only a few pages in, so nothing to report yet except that I'm excited to read this! And that it's a Jane Eyre retelling set in space!

I'm almost finished with the first half of Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen. We are discussing the first half at Saturday's book club. Looking forward to it!








Recently Finished:

I finished reading Tell Me Everything by Sarah Enni. Sometimes I want to read a book without reading the book blurb. Of course, I know the genre and a few things about it, but I like to go in somewhat blind. That's what I did with this book. 

The first half was a little slow, and I wasn't quite sure where it was going. It did pick up, and I liked that Ivy wanted to encourage her fellow artists, but I cringed at some of Ivy's big plans. She had a lot to learn. I did like the overall thought about not being afraid to be yourself. 3.5 stars. 

Side note: Sarah Enni has a fantastic podcast called First Draft. You should check it out! 

I finished reading The Girl I Used To Be by April Henry. I really enjoyed it! It's a quick YA murder mystery thriller. 4 stars.








What's next?

I have my eye on The Darkdeep by Ally Condie and Brendan Reichs. It looks like it might be a middle school story. I've heard it has a Stranger Things/Goonies vibe, and I loved both of those!







FTC Disclaimer: Links to Amazon. I am an Amazon Associate. Should you purchase a copy of the book through the link provided, I will receive a small commission. Thanks!



Have a great week, friends! And, tell me, what are you reading?  

What Are You Reading? ~ May 8, 2019

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What are you Reading?  Let me know what your current read is, what you recently finished reading, and what you plan on reading next! 

Happy Wednesday! I had a pretty good reading week! My new pair of glasses seem to be doing a great job! I haven't had a headache all week! Yes! 

Here's my list: 

I'm currently reading The Girl I Used To Be by April Henry. Right off the bat, I'm into this one! I really love April Henry's YA thrillers! 

I'm also re-reading Northanger Abbey by Jane Austin. Another book to read for my JASNA reading group! We are discussing the first half of the book in the next meeting. 

I recently finished reading Last Chance by Gregg Hurwitz. This was the second book in the Rains series. Another good YA apocalyptic/zombie/sci-fi story! Spores or parasites turned adults into zombie-like creatures who were preparing the earth for Aliens to inhabit. It's up to Chance and Patrick Rain to save humanity! 4.5 stars.

Before that, I finished The Rains by Gregg Hurwitz. I like this first book enough to get started in the second right away! 4 stars.








What's next?  I'm not sure. I'll let you know next week! :)

FTC Disclaimer: Links to Amazon. I am an Amazon Associate. Should you purchase a copy of the book through the link provided, I will receive a small commission. Thanks!



Have a great week, friends! And, tell me, what are you reading?   

The Hitman's Mistake by Sally Brandle ~ Guest Post & Excerpt

Hello, Friends! It's my pleasure to have Sally Brandle visiting here today with her new book, The Hitman's Mistake! If you like horses (in this case, a mule!) and romantic suspense/thrillers this might be the book for you! 

Thank you, Candy, for inviting me as a guest today to chat about the backstory of my debut novel, The Hitman’s Mistake, originally titled, A Mule, A Mob Hit, and A Mountain of Trouble. The mule reference has relevance.

One of my first memories is sitting atop a palomino mare that a friend of my dad’s owned. Even at three, I’d tugged on those cowboy boots and begun the life-long commitment of a true pony girl. I bought my first horse after I hit fifty, so now I’m reliving the childhood I wished I’d had—riding, hoof picking, massaging, and cool showering a very appreciative copper-colored gentleman on a daily basis.

Writing equines into my clean (no intimate scenes), romantic suspense series, Love Thrives in Emma Springs, came naturally. In Book 2, the heroine is extremely afraid of horses. My doctor hero prescribes the perfect cure. He presents her with a mini horse needing a home. A rescue Quarter Horse (like my own 28-year-old gelding), a zebra, retired police horses, and a pony are featured separately in future releases. If you’d like to see pictures of my horse, Lance, please go to my Pinterest site. I’ve also created a page there with the setting inspirations for The Hitman’s Mistake. 

Now for a teaser excerpt. The book opens in Seattle, where Miranda Whitley dreams of owning a little plot of wooded land—right before life throws her on a twisted path to her happy ever after. She’s pruning indoor plants in the lobby of Seattle’s Justice Building after hours.

***

     Soft taps came from a few feet behind her. She tilted her head.

Footsteps? From the stairwell? Miranda released her grip, and the tree limb sprang free. She swung her head and watched the branch skim the fly of the trousers on the man now towering over her right shoulder.

     Not Ike. She froze.

     “What in the hell? Oh, didn’t see you there—” he sidestepped, and her cup scrunched in protest under his big boot. The lid popped off and the double shot of Kona glugged into a mocha-scented pool.

     He jumped to avoid the puddle. “Damn energy conservation put you in the shadows. Sorry, I nailed your coffee.” His swinging backpack missed her nose by inches.

     She twisted her body and scooted her butt until her shoulder jammed against a carved pot.

     “I didn’t mean to frighten you.”

     “It’s okay,” she mumbled, keeping her head lowered to avoid further contact with the bag-wielding klutz wearing black trousers. Must’ve been him she’d glimpsed a few minutes ago, while the elevator doors had closed on the floor below Ike’s.

     “I’ve never been attacked by a branch. Must say, you deployed it well,” the deep voice announced. He stopped directly in front of her.

     His hiking boots made her size-nine high-tops appear dainty.

     Not the shoes of a snobby lawyer or a lost, post-trial pimp trying to find his way out of the building. Still, the flailing branch served him right for sneaking up on her. “I didn’t hear you.” 

     “And I shouldn’t text and walk,” he said in a lighter, almost sexy tone. “I’m Grant.” He dropped his pack and stuck out his hand.

     An FBI tag printed ‘GRANT MORLEY’ hung from the bag. 

     She peered from under her cap’s brim and gulped. 

     Him.

     Agent of Interest. Her heart took off at a gallop.

The Hitman's Mistake
by Sally Brandle

While a witness and FBI agent escape mobsters, they can’t escape falling in love.  

Blurb:   

She needs his trust. After Miranda Whitley stops crooked cops from assassinating a prominent Seattle judge, she’s next on the hit list, and her survival depends on the man she’s had one awkward encounter with—buff FBI Agent, Grant Morley. But can she find him in time?   

He needs the truth. The last person Grant expects to discover on his annual horseback trip delivering supplies to a Montana mountain hermit is alluring Miranda Whitley, nearly dead from a bullet wound in her side. An accidental witness or the cold-blooded accomplice to would-be assassins?   

Miranda must convince Grant of her innocence, evade the killers intent on preventing her testimony, and fight her unwanted attraction for the agent…an attraction which seems to be mutual. Fortunately, love thrives in Emma Springs. If you love sizzling chemistry, determined assassins, and Montana scenery, then you’ll love Sally Brandle’s galloping thriller.

Buy: Amazon US • Amazon UK
Add to Goodreads

FTC Disclaimer: Link to Amazon US. I am an Amazon Associate. Should you purchase a copy of the book through the link provided, I will receive a small commission. Thanks!

About the Author

Multi-award winning author Sally Brandle weaves slow-burning romance into edgy suspense stories. Sally left a career as an industrial baking instructor to bring to life stories of women who learn to trust their inner gifts. Her rescue Aussie is her companion during long spells of writing, bouts of tormenting weeds in her garden, or afternoons spent riding on the wind with her twenty-eight year old Quarter Horse. 

Sign up for her newsletter at www.sallybrandle.com for a free segment of her latest book, The Hitman’s Mistake.

Connect with Sally Brandle

Website • Facebook • Twitter • Pinterest • Goodreads

You can also check out this 5 Star Review from Tome Tender! 

Sally Brandle was kind enough to give me a copy of The Hitman's Mistake, and I'm enjoying it! It kept me up a little too late last night! I just didn't want to put it down. :)

So, what do you think? Please, leave us a comment! 

What Are You Reading? ~ Nov. 15, 2017

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What are you Reading?  Let me know what your current read is, what you recently finish reading, and what you plan on reading next! 

Here's my list: 

I'm currently reading Sunset Clause (Southern Fraud Thriller Book 6) by J.W. Becton. I'm so happy to be with Julia and Vincent again! Each book has its own mystery, but the set has a continuing mystery that's finally going to be solved as this is the last of the series. I'm going to miss Julia and Vincent! 

I recently finished re-reading Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling. As always, it was great to read!

What's next? As we are coming up to Thanksgiving here in the States, I thought maybe I'd read, Holidays with Jane: Thankful Hearts (Bk 5), an anthology of short stories written by Rebecca M. Fleming, Jennifer Becton, Melissa Buell, Nancy Kelley, Cecilia Gray, and Jessica Grey.






Disclaimer: Links to Amazon. I am an Amazon Associate. Should you purchase a copy of the book through the link provided, I will receive a small commission. Thanks!

I'm linking up with This Week In Books hosted by Lipsyy Lost & Found.

And with Sam @ Taking on a World of Words. 

So, tell me, what are you reading? Please leave a comment or a link. Thanks!

What Are You Reading? ~ August 23, 2017

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What are you Reading?  Let me know what your current read is, what you recently finish reading, and what you plan on reading next! 

Here's my list: 

I haven't made any progress on A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin this week.







I just finished Sweet by Emmy Laybourne. After finishing Emmy's Monument 14 series, I wanted to jump into Sweet to see if I liked it as well. I bought Sweet soon after it came out, and it's been sitting on my shelf ever since! Why do we buy books and then take so long to read them?! 

Sweet is a story about a new sweetener that is about to come on the market. The week before its release, the company hosts a cruise, and everyone on board gets to be the first to try the product. It helps you lose weight very quickly, but the side effect is deadly -- turning the passengers into crazy, zombie-like creatures! 4/5 stars

I also finished Sky on Fire and Savage Drift (both Monument 14) by Emmy Laybourne this week. They were as good or better the second time around! 

What's next? I really want to get to The Journey Home by Karen M Cox! This is a side-sequel, novella to Karen's 1932, a Pride and Prejudice retelling set in the Great Depression. It's Georgiana's story. 







Disclaimer: Links to Amazon. I am an Amazon Associate. Should you purchase a copy of the book through the link provided, I will receive a small commission. Thanks!

I'm linking up with This Week In Books hosted by Lipsyy Lost & Found.

And with Sam @ Taking on a World of Words. 

So, tell me, what are you reading? 

What are you Reading? ~ Oct. 21, 2015

What are you Reading? is my weekly Wednesday meme! You are welcome to join me, just answer the following questions:

• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you plan on reading next?

What am I currently reading? I'm currently reading Shock Loss (Southern Fraud Thriller Book 5) by J. W. Becton. It's so good! Looks like someone is trying to frame Julia for murder! But she and Vincent are hard on the case. And I'm soooo happy Vincent and Julia are more than just partners now! ;)






What did I recently finish reading? I finished reading Shutter by Courtney Alameda. Wow! I really liked this YA paranormal thriller! It is a perfect read for this time of year! I could see this being scary on the big screen when they were trying to capture the ghosts! 







What do I plan on reading next? I'm going leave that open for now. We are going to move soon, so it will depend on how I'm feeling.  

FTC Disclaimer: Links to Amazon. I am an Amazon Associate. Should you purchase a copy of the book through the link provided, I will receive a small commission. Thanks! 


What are you reading? I'd love to hear! 

 Happy Back to the Future Day!