Life With Leukemia (And Some Reading) - March 7

 

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

This was a relatively quiet week.  Will had his regularly scheduled chemo appointment with none of the chaos of the last few weeks when his medicine was affected by Memphis being a block of ice.  His energy level is super super low but I'm starting to see signs of perking up which make us all happy.  February was mentally exhausting on all of us and physically exhausting on him so I'm hoping March is a bit calmer and we are able to get into somewhat of a routine again.  

In an effort to get back on track I'm doing Yoga With Adriene's March calendar which has been fun and a nice push out of my comfort zone.  The weather is supposed to be really nice and the mosquitos aren't here yet so I might even go outside some.  I have grand plans to make Will come sit out on the deck with me and we can do school outside but I'm not sure that'll happen.  

Currently:

Reading:  Greygallows by Barbara Michaels and Picture Perfect Frame by Lynn Cahoon

Listening: God of the Hive by Laurie R. King

Watching:  I've been binging Snapped lately.  I found an episode that featured a local case and then the next one came on and I've just been letting it play.  My husband's started giving me some side eye but it's mostly just background noise.

Have a great week and happy reading!

February Reading Recap

 

Number of Books Read This Month: 14 - I'm actually surprised I read this many books as I felt like it took me forever to finish anything.  It was a bit of a mentally exhausting month too which slowed me down.  I'm hoping March is a bit more reading fun.

Bookish Breakdown:

Print: 6

Ebook: 2 

Audiobook: 5

Mystery: 13

Nonfiction: 1

Rereads: 3

Backlog Books: 0

My Favorite Book of the Month:

Treacherous is the Night by Anna Lee Huber - I am absolutely loving this historical mystery series filled with espionage and adventures and very dashing characters.

Midwinter Murder by Agatha Christie - I adore Christie's short stories and this one featured two stories I had never read before so that is automatically a win.

My Least Favorite Book of the Month:

Missing!: Mysterious Cases of People Gone Missing Through the Century by Brenda Guiberson - This one wasn't terrible but I just felt it missed the mark a little bit.  Part of the issue was the inclusion of the Jimmy Hoffa case in a book meant for children.  It had to be so heavily edited that it started the whole book out on a very disjointed note.  As well the writing felt a bit stiff and stilted. 

How was your reading in February?

Friday Fives - March TBR

I'm taking a bit of a break from my usual Friday Linkups to try something a little different.  I'm in a list making kind of mood so I thought I'd start making random five lists.  Sometimes they'll be bookish other weeks not so much.  Since it's the first Friday of March I'm listing the 5 books I'd like to read this month.

1.  Greygallows by Barbara Michaels- I've decided to reread all the Barbara Michaels books I own to see if they deserve their place on my keeper shelf and this is the next one.  It's been so long since I've read this one I have no idea if I liked it or not!

2.  Off the Wild Coast of Brittany by Juliet Blackwell - I have enjoyed Blackwell's historical fiction (and her cozy mysteries) and this one just looks gorgeous.

3.  Death at High Tide by Hannah Dennison - I loved another series by this author and was so excited when this one came out last summer but somehow never got around to it.  I'm looking forward to picking it up this month.

4.  Brat Farrar by Josephine Tey - This is the classic mystery I really want to read this month.  I've only read (and reread) one of Tey's books but have a growing collection.  Now to see if I really like her books!

5.  The God of the Hive by Laurie R. King - This is the next book in a series I've been reading for about 100 years.  I'm hoping I'll be able to remember all the ins and outs but I'm afraid I really should go back and start this series from the beginning.

What are you hoping to read in March?

Books from the Backlog - The Christie Curse

Today I'm linking up with Carole from Carole's Random Life of Books for Books from the Backlog.  I really enjoy the chance to feature a book that's been hiding in the piles of books for far too long!

Goodreads:  The Christie Curse by Victoria Abbott

Blurb:  Jordan Bingham needs a new job and a new place to live. She’s back in Harrison Falls, New York, living with her not so law-abiding uncles, in debt thanks to a credit card–stealing ex and pending grad school loans.
Enter the perfect job, a research position that includes room and board, which will allow her to spend her days hunting down rare mysteries for an avid book collector. There’s just one problem: her employer, Vera Van Alst—the most hated citizen of Harrison Falls.

Jordan’s first assignment is to track down a rumored Agatha Christie play. It seems easy enough, but Jordan soon finds out that her predecessor was killed while looking for it, and there is still someone out there willing to murder to keep the play out of Vera’s hands. Jordan’s new job is good … but is it worth her life?

Why It Needs to Come Off the Shelf:  I've owned this book for years but somehow have never read it which is weird but Agatha Christie is without a doubt my favorite author and I love bookish mysteries.

An Unexpected Peril - Historical Mystery Review

 

Goodreads:  An Unexpected Peril (Veronica Speedwell #6) by Deanna Raybourn

Rating:  Really Liked It!
Source:  Publisher

Description:  January 1889. As the newest member of the Curiosity Club—an elite society of brilliant, intrepid women—Veronica Speedwell is excited to put her many skills to good use. As she assembles a memorial exhibition for pioneering mountain climber Alice Baker-Greene, Veronica discovers evidence that the recent death was not a tragic climbing accident but murder. Veronica and her natural historian beau, Stoker, tell the patron of the exhibit, Princess Gisela of Alpenwald, of their findings. With Europe on the verge of war, Gisela's chancellor, Count von Rechstein, does not want to make waves—and before Veronica and Stoker can figure out their next move, the princess disappears.

Having noted Veronica's resemblance to the princess, von Rechstein begs her to pose as Gisela for the sake of the peace treaty that brought the princess to England. Veronica reluctantly agrees to the scheme. She and Stoker must work together to keep the treaty intact while navigating unwelcome advances, assassination attempts, and Veronica's own family—the royalty who has never claimed her.

Genre: Mystery - Historical

Why I Picked This Book:  I really enjoy this series and I of course couldn't wait to pick up the newest one!

My Impression:  I was a little worried going in to this one now that Veronica and Stoker are now officially together.  I don't mind a touch of romance or relationship issues in my mysteries but plenty of good series have been ruined by main characters getting into a relationship.  But no worries!  Veronica is still very much Veronica and Stoker is still very much Stoker and while there is a bit more affection they still argue and discuss and bicker just the way they used to.  

The mystery is an interesting one with political intrigue, lots of tales of mountaineering adventure, and a dose of Victorian-era taxidermy.  I found the combination entertaining, compelling, and page turning (with a dose of being glad I didn't have to smell Stoker during the whole Walrus taxidermy fiasco) and it kept me reading far into the night.  

This is a fantastic combination of adventure and mystery with smart, sharp witted characters which made for a fun and fast read.

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?  Absolutely!  This is a series I always enjoy and one on my Get Caught Up list for the year.

Would I Recommend this Book?  If you enjoy historical mysteries and like strong characters this is a series not to be missed.

* I received this book in exchange for an honest review.  As always my opinions and impressions are completely my own. *

The Year of the Series - Check In #1

 My main focus reading-wise for 2021 is to catch up on series.  There are so many that I've read most of or half of or read the last few but missed the first ones and I really want to fix that.  So looking over the books I currently own I picked out 10 series I want to finish in 2021.  I'm going to list the next book in the series I have to read just so I'll have a concrete goal.  I do love a check list that's easy to mark off!  But as I finish books I want to add the next book in or if I finish a series pick a new series to focus on so I'll be updating this list periodically.  

I made good progress in the past two months and read 8 out of the 10 books and caught up/finished 3 series.  So this list has the next book on the series I'm still working on and three new series I'll be starting on.

1.  Tightening the Threads by Lea Wait - This is a new series but an old favorite.  I read the first few and loved them and want to finish up this series.

2.  Final Exam by Carol J. Perry - This is the next book in the Witch City Mysteries which is one of my favorite series.

3.  Suede to Rest by Diane Vallere - This is a 3 book series and I've read the last two but somehow never got to the first book.

4.  The Whole Cat and Caboodle by Sofie Ryan - I read the last few books in the series and have really loved them so I want to read the first few books.

5.   A Likely Story by Jenn McKinlay - This is the next book in the Library Lovers series which is one of my favorite mystery series.

6.  An Early Wake by Sheila Connolly - The next book in the County Cork mystery series.  

7.  The Pearl Sister by Lucinda Riley - This book is one of the two I didn't get around to reading.  I'm looking forward to it because I've really enjoyed the first 3 but the page count always scares me off a bit.

8.  A Dangerous Collaboration by Deanna Raybourn - This is book 4 of 6 and once this is done I'll be officially caught up on the series!

9.  The God of the Hive by Laurie R King - This is the second book of the two that I haven't gotten to but I'm going to start listening to this one in the next few days.

10.  Penny for Your Secrets by Anna Lee Huber - This is the 3rd book in the Verity Kent series.  I've technically read it before but I think I'll get a lot more out of it now that I've read the first 2 books.

Are there any series you're focusing on getting caught up on this year?

The Year of the Series - 2 Reviews

 

After the calamity that was 2020 I didn't want to give myself serious reading goals but I did want to do something to help my book stacks get a little more under control.  I've tried getting rid of the ones I want to read but unfortunately I want to read all the books I own.  So I decided to focus on series.  There are so many I have that I abandoned halfway through or came in halfway and never read the first few.  I made a list of ten series and the next book I had to read in them and will be rolling in new books and series as I go along and catch up.  Here are two reviews from that list that I've read recently.

Treacherous is the Night by Anna Lee Huber - This is the second book in the Verity Kent series and Sidney and Verity are still coming to terms with what happened in the first book as well as trying to reconcile the person they knew with the person they are now married too.  When Verity has a name from the past dragged up at a séance she is left but no choice but to dive back into her past to protect someone she never thought to see again.  Along the way she and Sidney must face the truths they've been hiding from each other since their reconnection.  I absolutely loved this mystery.  All of the characters in this book have been through horrors and are having to figure out how to live in civilian life with people who just desperately want them to be as they were.  The issues aren't made light of or brushed over but there is hope that they will all come out the other side - not the same but on their feet.  The mystery was full of espionage and secrets and I could not put this down until I found out just what happened.  My Rating: Loved It!

Scandal in Skibbereen by Sheila Connolly - It's been a few months since Maura Donovan came to Ireland to honor her late grandmother's final wish and she's still adjusting to suddenly owning a pub and a house in a small Irish village.  Maura's never known much stability or had many people involved in her life and now she has lots of both and is still trying to figure what her long term plans are.  When Althea Melville, who might as well as had a giant flashing sign saying New York over her head, walks in the bar to demand help Maura can't help but get involved with the pushy fellow American.  This sets off a treasure hunt for a lost Van Dyck painting that takes Maura, Althea and the rest of the crowd at Sullivan's pub into the manor house and back into the past.  I went into this one with a lot of trepidation because while I enjoy this author's books they can be a little inconsistent.  However, I needn't have worried because I thoroughly enjoyed this read.  While I don't understand Maura's lack of interest in her own family's past I did love how willing she was to help Althea and how willing she was to call Althea out when she went too far.  This was a fun read with character development and an interesting mystery.  My Rating: Really Liked It!