Sunday, April 17, 2016

This Week in Reading - April 17


It's Sunday Post time!  This is hosted by the awesome Caffeinated Book Reviewer and gives us all a chance to recap our week.

What I Got:

So this week wasn't quite as extreme on the book acquiring front but it was completely quiet either.

A Dollhouse to Die For by Cate Price - I know nothing about this author or this series but a series about antiques and miniatures wasn't something I could pass up.  Amazon knew what it was doing when it recommended it!  Plus it's a cozy so I'm doing my part to Save Our Cozies! (Amazon)

The Cookies and Cups Cookbook by Shelly Jaronski - Cookies and Cups is one of my favorite food blogs so I couldn't resist pre-ordering the cookbook.  I can't wait to try some of the yummy recipes! (Amazon)

Country Cooking from a Redneck Kitchen by Francine Bryson - While the whole redneck kitchen title makes me cringe I really liked Francine Bryson's baking book and am looking forward to seeing what she can do with savory dishes (Blogging for Books)

Deception Island by Brynn Kelly - The temperatures are starting to rise and I'm finding myself in the mood for some romantic suspense!  This one has blackmail, kidnapping and American heiress.  How can I resist? (Publisher)

Deadly Fate by Heather Graham - Another romantic suspense and Heather Graham is such a weakness of mine.  I always enjoy her books! (NetGalley)

Riverbend Road by RaeAnne Thayne - RaeAnne Thayne is one of my favorite contemporary authors and this is Wyn's story and I'm excited to see her as a central character.  (Publisher)

Fixin to Die by Tonya Kappes - I heard an interview with Tonya Kappes a few months ago and have been wanting to read her books ever since.  I have a few of her books in another series but I couldn't resist this first book in a new series.  (NetGalley)

Currently:

Reading: One Night Charmer by Maisy Yates and An Appetite for Murder by Lucy Burdette

Listening: I'm listening to podcasts right now while I wait for my turn with my next audio book.  I finished Cinder earlier this week and really enjoyed it (review yesterday).  I found a new podcast that I'm loving called Read It and Weep where a group of people discuss movies, TV, or books and I've really been enjoying it.  They also do a Top Chef Recap podcast called Pack Your Mics which is how I found them in the first place.

Watching:  I didn't do much watching of anything this week.  I'm still in season 2 of Supernatural and have watched a few more early Castle episodes but that's about it.  

Off the Blog:

This week was a catch up week and I'm feeling thoroughly unmotivated to do any catching up.  Allergies have been crazy here and the Tornado ended up staying home from school one day this week because he felt so awful and he still has a plague-like cough and is a bit on the cranky side.  I'm hoping that whatever he has - allergies, cold, or whatever - goes away soon.  He hates not feeling well and gets super frustrated when he can't do as much as he wants.

Other than that it's been a slow week.  I haven't gotten much of anything done and I have no explanation for where my time is going.  I'm thinking alien abduction?  Because I've really done nothing but feel all tired and worn out.

Eleanor and her boyfriend came over for dinner one night this week and it was good to see them.  It's really nice when you just like spending time with a child not because you're obligated too but because you realize you just enjoy spending time with them.  We had a scare with Paul with his ship out date for boot camp.  They were talking about moving it to the day before his graduation ceremony (though he would've already been technically graduated from high school) which means not only would he not have been at the ceremony but it'd mean he be leaving in a little less than a month.  We're back to June or early July again but it was a bit startling to realize how close that is!  I think we're settled on the apartment thing with Emma.  The lease and deposit were mailed and turned in and hopefully we're done until it's time for all the fun deposits and move in day in August.

Anna over at Herding Cats and Burning Soup is being her usual terrible influence and has come up with a challenge I just don't think I can resist.  She's dreamed up the Read All the Books challenge where you pick an author that has an enormous back list (45+) and literally read all the books.  My pick is Heather Graham and while I don't have an exact book count (yet) I do know she's over 45 and I've been wanting to do a massive reading spree for awhile.  Now is the time!  I have no idea what kind of structure I'm going to set for myself but I'm working on it.

On the Blog:

What Happened:

Monday: Quiet Neighbors - Review
Tuesday: Ten Books Everyone Who Wants to Read a Cozy Mystery Should Try
Wednesday: Silenced in the Surf - Blog Tour Review and Giveaway
Thursday: How to Marry a Marquis - Historical Romance Review
Friday:  Friday Linkups with Excerpts from An Appetite for Murder
Saturday: Cinder - Review

What's Coming Up:

Monday: Ramblings from the Stacks: Spoilers
Tuesday: Top Ten Tuesday - Ten Books that Will Make You Laugh
Wednesday: One Night Charmer - Contemporary Romance Review
Thursday: TBD
Friday: Friday Linkups with Current Book
Saturday: TBD

Have a great week and happy reading!

22 comments:

  1. What is it about cozy covers that are always so good? I should pick a few up that I've been wanting, with all the cozy stuff I guess every sale matters! Deception Island sounds fun.

    That challenge sounds fun (and quite the undertaking). And looking forward to your Spoilers post. :)

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  2. How long do you have to "read all the books"? That is a huge undertaking! I am sorry to hear The Tornado is sick. Hopefully he will get it licked next week. I hope this isn't going to be a bad year for allergies. Wow in the graduation ceremony thing. I am glad to hear it is straightened out. That is too important of a milestone marker to miss. I loved your Cinder review. Have a winderful week. :)

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    1. Hey La La-- for the Read All The Books Challenge you can take however long you need. It's open ended. The author I'm doing has over 100 books out so I'm going to take a few years for that.

      (Katherine sorry to butt in on the reply but wasn't sure if you knew or not on the time frame)

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  3. Sorry to hear you've been unwell and there's nothing worse than having to care for others when you're sick yourself. Some nice catch-ups though!

    I've had a mixed week myself... feeling like I'm really behind in EVERYTHING!

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  4. I forgot to add Deception Island to my pile this week!! Sounds so good. Allergies are awful here too. My daughter loves being outside but does she pay for it. Plus my husband is pretty bad too. Glad to hear the ship out date got pushed back again. That challenge sounds very challenging!! Good luck!

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  5. I just went and requested the new Heather Graham book, you and Kimberly are lovely host are such bad influences...lol. ;) If I did the Read all the Books challenge I would pick Heather Graham as well since I am already trying work my way through her Krewe of Hunter books. (I am on #7!!)

    I am so backlogged on all my shows so I am trying to catch up but a favorite right now is on BBC The Grantchester Mysteries it has one of my favorite British TV guys in it...lol. It's on Sundays so tonight in a new one. I hate that BBC series are so short...lol.

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  6. Lots of good books this week... must more restrained than last time ;-) Allergy season is tough. One of my daughters always suffers, but thankfully it's never bothered me. Hope The Tornado is feeling better today.

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  7. I do love cozies...and dollhouses! I missed out when I was a child, with only a handful of dolls that were quickly banished once I started school. It should not be a surprise that I now have a big doll collection.

    But I'm still missing a dollhouse. Definitely want to read this book. Thanks for sharing...and enjoy.

    Here are MY WEEKLY UPDATES

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  8. Lol, Katherine! You have so many new and exciting books to read, plus probably a stack at home yourself, and you join a challenge to read all the books! Sounds like fun, though I wish she hadn't said over 45+ books. That severely limits the authors I would want to read from with that number.
    I love dollhouses-- my bestie from my youth has a mother who had a dollhouse for a decoration, we weren't allowed to play with it, but she changed the decor for each season and holiday and it was beautiful. I think just based on that memory I will look to pick up that cozy :)
    I never heard of Cookies and Cups but hey, I love cookies so I'll check into that further.
    Have a great week and stay sane and motivated!

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  9. I love how cozies are in such interesting places and not your typical NYC or whatever. I'm sorry it's been a rough week for you and Tornado. Allergies are bad here as well. My little one needs to get tested again for food and what's in the air. It's been at least five years. Now that we're more southeast, I have no clue on what's setting her eczema off. I'm glad your son won't be shipped off earlier.

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  10. I cannot wait to read Riverbend Road by RaeAnne Thayne. I just love this series!
    Happy Reading! Dani @ Paulette’s Papers
    (New Bloglovin Follower!)

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  11. Reading all the books sounds great, I would pick JD Robb for that.

    Time has vanished from my life too, it seems to just fall through my hands!

    Have a good week!

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  12. You have a lot going on in your family - no wonder you're tired!

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  13. Your life is so busy right now - isn't it nice to know you'll have a RaeAnne Thayne book to escape to soon :) I love her books. Have a good week!

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  14. Anna is fun in print, but she's even more amazing in person, so I'm not surprised by that challenge. (lol) Kudos to you on the cookbook love, as if I need yet another reason to add one of them to overflowing pile, Kathy! Spending time with fam is always fun and a great way to relax. Hope your week is a good one! Hugs...RO

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  15. Your life is so busy but it's good to hear that everything with the kids are settled. I hope the Tornado feels better. I also have a copy of The Cookies and Cups cook book and plan to do some baking next weekend. I hope you have a great week!

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  16. Poor Tornado! I hope he kicks whatever it is soon! I also have no way to explain where my time is going, because I sure don't have a whole lot to show for it! I didn't touch the blog at all for the whole week, except to check in twice and catch up on comments. It was fantastic, and you'd think I was immersed in reading...but I wasn't! I think I need Hermione's Time Turner to get a few more hours in each day.

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  17. It certainly does suck when your child is sick. I hope your son gets better soon. Maybe it's just allergies. I like that reading challenge you are going to take on! I should do that with my Peter Robinson books. I still have about 12 to go in the series!

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  18. You are so busy and yet you keep up on your blog so well. And read so much. I'm envious!

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  19. Read All The Books sounds like quite an evil and addictive challenge, not one I could take on! Have a good week.

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  20. Thayne's new book sure sounds good! I used a gift card recently to purchase Snow Angel Cove by her, which you recommended. :-) A Dollhouse to Die for sounds like fun! I like the cover. I hope Tornado is feeling better soon! I hate those coughs. And it's so hard to see our little ones suffering through them. I am glad Paul won't miss his graduation after all. The summer really is coming up fast. My daycare provider and I were talking about the various dates she'll be losing her older group of kids, my daughter included. One is leaving as early as next week. One of my daughter's best friends is leaving mid-June. I really hope we are able to stay in touch--it'll be up to us moms since we live in different cities. :-( You don't need to hear all about that though. It's got to be harder for you since your not-so-little-anymore boy is going off to boot camp. Is he feeling anxious? Hopefully excited too. :-) So many life changes for you and your kids!

    I hope you have a great week, Katherine!

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  21. Bwahahaha #SorryNotSorry heh Looking forward to hearing about your reads. I've not tried hers yet but been curious :)

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