May 2020 Reading Recap

Number of Books Read in May:  19

Bookish Breakdown:

Print Books:  9

eBooks:  6

Audio Books:  4

Review Books: 7
Library Books: 8 (4 Audio)

Rereads: 1

Overdue/Backlog Books: 1

My Favorite Book of the Month:

The House that Vanity Built by Nancy Cole Silverman

Caught Dead Handed by Carol J. Perry

Both are paranormal cozies so apparently I was in a mood!

Least Favorite Book of the Month:

Thunderstruck by Erik Larson - It wasn't that it was bad it just wasn't as good as I expected it to be.

Books I'm Still Reading:

Memories and Murder by Lynn Cahoon

A Killing in Antiques by Mary Moody

The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles by Julie Andrews Edwards

Goals for Month: Read Meet Me in Atlantis by Mark Adams because it's been on my TBR for far too long.  Read the next books up on the list for Agatha Christie and Patricia Wentworth.

Friday Fives - June Reads

I'm taking a bit of a break from my usual Friday Linkups to try something a little different.  Michelle over at Because Reading is Better Than Real Life   used to do a Five on Fridays that I always enjoyed and I've seen a few other variations on the theme.  As well I'm in a list making kind of mood so I thought I'd give start making random five lists.  Sometimes they'll be bookish other weeks not so much. I'm also going to start linking up with Kathryn over at Book Date for her Connect Five.  Since today is the first Friday of June I'm looking at the 5 books I hope to read in June.

1.  Shadow Sister by Lucinda Riley - I listened to the 2nd book back in February and loved it but took a break since the books in this series are LONG but I'm ready to dive into book 3!

2.  Hearse and Gardens by Kathleen Bridge - This cozy mystery looks fun and summery and has been sitting in the pile on my desk for over a year which means I should read it soon!

3.  Lonesome Road by Patricia Wentworth - I've been enjoying rereading my favorite classic mysteries and this one is next in line.

4.  Bitter Spirits by Jenn Bennett - Roaring Twenties, ghosts, a bit or romance.  It sounds like a lot of fun!

5.  Spider Woman's Daughter by Anne Hillerman - I got a mystery grab bag from the library (they're only doing curbside) and this was one of the mysteries in it.  I loved Tony Hillerman's books but had yet to read his daughter's books so I'm really looking forward to this one. 

What are you hoping to read in June?

Books from the Backlog - Death in St. Petersburg

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:  Death in St. Petersburg by Tasha Alexander

Blurb:  After the final curtain of Swan Lake, an animated crowd exits the Mariinsky theatre brimming with excitement. But outside the scene is somber. A ballerina's body lies face down in the snow, blood splattered like rose petals over the costume of the Swan Queen. The crowd is silenced by a single cry -Nemetseva is dead!
Among the theatergoers is Lady Emily, accompanying her dashing husband Colin in Russia on assignment from the Crown. But it soon becomes clear that Colin isn't the only one with work to do. When the dead ballerina's aristocratic lover comes begging for justice, Emily must apply her own set of skills to discover the rising star's murderer. Her investigation takes her on a dance across the stage of Tsarist Russia, from the opulence of the Winter Palace, to the modest flats of ex-ballerinas and the locked attics of political radicals. A mysterious dancer in white follows closely behind, making waves through St. Petersburg with her surprise performances and trail of red scarves. Is it the sweet Katenka, Nemetseva's childhood friend and favorite rival? The ghost of the murdered étoile herself? Or, something even more sinister?

Why It Needs to Come Off the Shelf - I bought this a few years ago at a used bookstore and I've been wanting to read this series since I first discovered it awhile ago.  I just finished a book set in Russia and adding in a mystery set there sounds fun.

Killing Time - Cozy Mystery Review

Goodreads:  Killing Time (Dodie O'Dell Mystery #6) by Suzanne Trauth

Rating: Liked It!
Source: Author

Description:  With Halloween just around the corner, Dodie O'Dell is making preparations to transform the Windjammer Restaurant on the Jersey Shore into a haunted house, while the Etonville Little Theatre is staging Dracula. But casting the titular Transylvanian is proving challenging. The amateur actors in the company are not shy about chewing the scenery, but who among them can convincingly sink their fangs into a victim's neck? When a mysterious newcomer with a transfixing Eastern European accent lands the part, rumors that he might be an actual vampire start to take flight--not unlike the bat who's recently been spotted in the town park.

But everyone's blood really runs cold when a stranger is found in the cemetery with a real stake in his heart. Dodie decides to put her Halloween theme menu on the back burner and stick her neck out to bring the killer into the light of day. She'd better keep her wits about her, though--or Dodie may be the next one to go down for the Count . . .

Genre: Mystery - Cozy

Why I Picked This Book:  I enjoyed the previous book in this series and I absolutely loved the cover.  I never can resist a Halloween cozy!

My Impression:  While this is the 2nd book in the Dodie O'Dell series this is the 1st book I've read that's set in Dodie's hometown of Etonville.  I had liked her and the various side characters previously but I really enjoyed seeing them all in their usual places.  

Things are quite dramatic when this book opens.  The Etonville Little Theatre (aka ELT) is putting on the perfect Halloween production - Dracula.  And the lead, a newcomer to the town names Carlos, just happens to be incredible at the role.  So good in fact that some of the townspeople start to wonder if the reason he's so good at the role is because he can relate to it a little too much.  And so Vampire fever is sweeping Etonville.  A dead body being found in the cemetery dressed as the Grim Reaper with a stake through the heart does not help matters.   

Dodie is trying to respect her fiance's wishes and stay out of the police investigation but she can't turn down her friend's desperate plea and starts digging into the Carlos' past.   I'm always up for a deep dive into someone's history and really enjoyed this one.  Especially when more mysteries seem to spring from every answer and the danger gets a little closer to home with every turn.

 This was a fun read and I really enjoyed the mix of Halloween, theater drama, and restaurant time.  Dodie plans specials to coordinate with the theater's play and I kind of like that not all of her ideas are a win.  There were a few clues that Dodie didn't pick up on that seemed so obvious that it got a bit frustrating and slightly slowed down the pacing at time.  Despite those minor issues I really enjoyed my time on the Jersey shore and am looking forward to seeing where the series goes!

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?  Definitely!  I need to go back and read the earlier books in the series and I'll be looking for the next book. 

Would I Recommend this Book?  If you enjoy cozies this is a good choice to pick up.  The mystery is solid, the cast is entertaining, and the theater/foodie aspect is really fun.

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

Top Ten Tuesdays - Books on My TBR That Give Off Summer Vibes

Today I'm linking up with Top Ten Tuesday hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl which is all about lists.  Since lists are one of my favorite things this is one of my favorite linkups!  Today's topic is all about books that give off summer vibes.  I'm focusing on books on my TBR just to remind me what books I really should move up the list!

1.  Beach Town by Mary Kay Andrews

2.  Summer at Willow Lake by Susan Wiggs

3.  An Embarrassment of Mangoes: A Caribbean Interlude by Ann Vanderhoof

4.  Along the Infinite Sea by Beatriz Williams

5.  The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen

6.  The Summoning by Heather Graham

7.  The Shadow Sister by Lucinda Riley

8.  Daisies for Innocence by Bailey Cattrell

9.  The Sound of Glass by Karen White

10. Peaches and Scream by Susan Furlong

What are some summer-y books on your TBR?

Reviews from the Children's Section - Thimble Summer

One of my favorite genres and one that is the easiest for me to push aside is middle grade fiction. This year to make sure I get a little more children's and young adult fiction I thought I would designate the first Monday of every month Middle Grade Monday (though sometimes it doesn't end up working quite right) .  While a lot of my picks this year are classics I am trying to branch out a little bit and read new or at least recent releases.  Today's book is from one of my absolute favorite middle grade authors but one I just read from the first time.

Goodreads:  Thimble Summer by Elizabeth Enright - 

I'm not going to include the blurb and I suggest you skip it if you pick up this book because it's not so much of a blurb as a summery and while nothing that happens is exactly a surprise having it all laid out does spoil it a bit. 

The story itself is pretty simple.  Garnet Linden is a nice girl living on a farm in Wisconsin.  She has a good relationship with her family - with the occasional exception of her brother Jay who can be a bit too older brother-y at times.  The book starts during a massive drought with things looking a bit grim but all that changes when Garnet finds a silver thimble in a dried up river bed.  While the thimble doesn't really feature heavily it does start off a lot of adventures featuring Garnet, her family, and friend Citronella. These are nice stories about nice people and it was just nice to read.  

There is nothing that would bother even the most sensitive of children but I suspect most children would enjoy it.  I think my 10 year old would especially enjoy it as a read aloud and it would be a great bedtime book - interesting but not exciting with a bit of soothing. Like most books from this period I think children today would be amazed by the amount of freedom these children have as well as the amount of responsibility.  It will definitely feature on our reading list in the future.

Elizabeth Enright's books are always a delight and while I probably prefer the Melendy family stories this was such a joy and I'm always glad to go back to an Enright created world.

This Week in Reading - May 31

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:

Nothing!  Somehow I went a whole week without getting anything.  It won't last but it's nice to have a little break from getting new books.

Currently:

Reading:  The Clutter Corpse by Simon Brett, Thunderstruck by Erik Larson (which I will finish this week) and A Killing in Antiques by Mary Moody

Listening:  Just starting Memories and Murder by Lynn Cahoon after finishing Caught Dead Handed by Carol J Perry yesterday.

Watching:  We are still watching City Homicide though haven't been watching much TV in the evening.  I'm catching up on The Voice.  I somehow forgot about it until I saw the winner announced so I'm going back and watching all the episodes I missed.  I think they're doing a good job with doing the Lives from everyone's homes!

Off the Blog:

Blogger switched me over to the new Blogger and so far I'm not a fan.  It's taking me forever to figure out how to do everything.  I'm sure it will get better (and really it already is somewhat) but I was not in the mood for a learning curve!

I tried the Copycat Peanut Butter and Jelly Milkshake (find it here) from Disney World's 50's Prime Time Cafe in Hollywood Studios.  I used strawberry preserves instead of grape jelly because it's what I had on hand and it beats grape jelly hands down any day.  I also didn't use quite the amount of ice cream called for.  And it was AMAZING.  Like when can I have this again amazing.  The funny thing is I've been to this restaurant a number of times and I've never gotten this because I'm not a huge milkshake with food person and I thought it sounded not particularly appetizing.  I was wrong.  It's crazy good and if you add in just a smidge of chocolate ice cream to the vanilla to give it just a hint of chocolate flavor you won't be mad about it.  

And speaking of Disney World - the Disney Parks have an official YouTube account (find it here) where they've uploaded some of the fireworks shows and parades so you can virtually go to Disney.  We watched the Happily Ever After fireworks show the other night and it was so lovely.  Just the like the show we saw just a few months ago but this time I could watch it in pajamas!  They also have recipes and a series called Voices from Home which features park performers singing their various songs.  

Nothing has really changed from us.  My 10 year old is homeschooled and my husband is working from home until at least the fall so we are still staying home except for appointments, grocery shopping, and picking up takeout and since I have asthma my husband is doing the bulk of that.

On the Blog:

What Happened:

Monday:  Grave Consequences - Cozy Mystery Review

Tuesday:  Top Ten Tuesday - Agatha Christie Opening Lines

Wednesday:  Summer on Honeysuckle Ridge - Contemporary Romance Review

Thursday:  Books from the Backlog - Death at Devil's Bridge

Friday:  Friday Fives - Five Things That Pretty Much Guarantee I'll Read a Book

Saturday:  The Clocks - Classic Mystery Review

What's Coming Up:

Monday:  Reviews from the Children's Section- Thimble Summer

Tuesday:  Top Ten Tuesday - Books That Give Off Summer Vibes

Wednesday:  Killing Time - Cozy Mystery Review

Thursday:  Books from the Backlog

Friday:  Friday Fives

Saturday:  May Reading Recap

Have a great week and happy reading!