Library Loot (July 14th)

I thought it would be fun (and a nice change of pace) to share some of the recent books that I've checked out from the library.  I've been mostly posting book reviews lately and wanted to change it up a bit - maybe breathe a little bit of fresh life into the blog, you know?  I've been putting holds on at the library nonstop since curbside opened up.  I may or may not have WAY TOO many books currently checked out right now but it feels so good!  Here are just a few of the books that I've got waiting to be read:

• The Eighth Girl by Maxine Mei-Fung Chung - This book features a protagonist with multiple personalities and is labeled as a thriller.  That's really all I needed to know....how could I possibly resist that premise?!?  I couldn't so this one instantly went on to the holds list.
• The Mountains Wild by Sarah Stewart Taylor - The cover is one of the things that first caught my eye with this book I'm not going to lie.  I also can't resist a new detective series so this one instantly was on my radar.  But what sealed the deal is when this author was compared to Tana French - SIGN ME UP!  That's all they really needed to say.
• No Going Back by Sheena Kamal - This is the 3rd book in the Nora Watts series.  I've been impatiently waiting for this book every since finishing the 2nd one (especially with the way it ended).  This has fast become a favorite series of mine so I won't be waiting long to pick this one up.  I NEED to know what is going to happen next!
• I'll Never Tell by Catherine McKenzie - This book has been on my radar since last year when it released.  The setting features a summer camp which fits with the summer vibes we have going.  I am loving the idea of reading a thriller set in the heat of summer so let's hope this book fits the bill.

I've got SO many other books checked out including the following:

• You Let Me In by Camilla Bruce
• The Good House by Tananarive Due
• Take Me Apart by Sara Sligar
• The Majesties by Tiffany Tsao
• My Sister's Bones by Nuala Ellwood

and some more but I'm sure you get the point by now.  I obviously have no shelf control.  How many of you are shaking your head at me?  Or is that just me?  I have SUCH great reading ahead of me!  There is every chance that I won't get through the majority of these but the fun is in trying.  June was just a so-so month for me reading/numbers wise.  Let's hope that July turns out to be absolutely amazing!

What book or books have you checked out from the library lately?

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (November 19th)

"It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? a place to meet up and share what you have been, and are about to be reading over the week. It’s a great post to organise yourself. It’s an opportunity to visit and comment and er… add to your groaning TBR pile! So welcome in everyone. This meme started on J Kaye’s blog and then was hosted by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn here at The Book Date."

It has been awhile folks!  Life just doesn't slow down really when you have three kids even when you expect it to.  Alas, I'm perfectly okay with this and am just now trying to figure out ways for next year to be different.  I'm not ready to give up blogging - I love sharing my thoughts on books too much.  And honestly, I really enjoy being able to go back and read my thoughts on a book years later.  I think my plan is to call 2018 blogging a wash and start fresh in the new year.  I have a couple of reviews I still plan on sharing with you so I won't be completely silent here the next month and half.  But I just think that I'm going to start working ahead and prescheduling posts for next year.  Maybe then I won't have only three posts a month or go weeks without blogging at all.  Ha!  Who knows if that will really happen but it still will be fun to try and get ahead.  I've got plenty of reviews waiting to be written - some of those I will post in the next month or so (just not regularly) and the rest I will save for the new year.  So there are my blogging plans in a nutshell!  I'm not going to lie - I'm already starting to think about reading plans in the new year as well.  LOL!

Reading wise, I've really slowed down these past two months dramatically.  According to Goodreads I'm about four books behind schedule with my reading challenge - I've been ahead all year until now. I'm not too worried about it because really what can you do?  I'm not as fast of a reader as some and I'm perfectly okay with that.  Not much else is new bookwise.  I'm still checking out WAY too many books from the library.  I'm still adding books to my TBR list on an almost daily basis.  And I'm still enjoying reading although I was starting to slump there for awhile (hence, the drop in the number of books I've been reading).  I don't think I'm going to attempt to catch you up on all of the books I've read since my last reading update - instead I'm just going to share with you the books that I'm currently reading and what I finished last.

I'm currently reading the following books:

Can you tell I was in a reading slump?  I NEVER read four books at a time to be honest but here I am.  I'm off this entire week so I'm really hoping to finish up a couple of these but only time will tell.

A Duke Changes Everything by Christy Carlyle is my current print read and a review copy courtesy of the publisher.  I needed a change of pace from the mysteries and thrillers so I'm excited to read this one.  I've just barely begun it so I'll keep you posted on my thoughts.

It's a Charmed Life (The Grimm Files) by Selene Charles is my current kindle read thanks to Kindle Unlimited (of which I'm trying thanks to a great deal for the next three months).  I'm loving this one so far!  I don't even know how to explain this one or describe it - it has characters from all of the Disney movies you know and love but is so much darker.  I am so glad that I heard about this one and that there is another book for me to look forward to after this!

Watch the Girls by Jennifer Wolfe is a book that I stopped reading only because it was due back at the library and I couldn't finish in time.  I instantly put it back on hold and just picked it back up this past week.  I'm ready to dive back in as it has been really good so far, but I want to focus on finishing up one of the above two books first.

In The Darkest Hour by Anna Carlisle is a NetGalley review copy that is currently languishing on my Kindle.  I loved the first two books in this series but this one just hasn't pulled me in.  It could be because I was trying to read it right in the middle of my reading slump - or maybe it was part of what put me in my reading slump.  I'm not really sure so I moved on to It's a Charmed Life and will be going back to this one afterwards to try again.

I just finished reading:

Too Far Gone by Allison Brennan was such an enjoyable read.  I read this one as part of an upcoming book tour so my thoughts will be posted on it soon.  I've never read anything in this series but I definitely plan on reading more now!  I love when I find new series to read and follow like this!

Up Next:

I'm not too sure what I will read after these four books but these two are currently calling my name the loudest.  Or my mood will change and I will read something completely different (that's what usually happens with me being such a moody reader).

One's a library book and one is the next KU book that I've downloaded to read.  It has been fun chatting with all of you again!  I'm off to work around the house a bit and get ready for Thanksgiving.

Happy Monday and Happy Reading!

Library Loot (December Edition)

I've been to two different libraries in two days - this is the result of those two visits.  I'm calling it my December library loot but let's be honest here:  there is a good chance I'll visit the library a couple of more times before the month ends.  I made out with some really great books though that I cannot wait to read!  If I'm being honest I didn't manage to read any of the library books from my last post before they had to go back unread.  Sigh!  I'm 100% sure that I'll check them back out at some point though so no worries.  Here are the books that I couldn't not bring home with me:

• The Vanishing Year by Kate Moretti - This book has been on my radar since it first released.  I couldn't put it down though once I saw a comparison to Rebecca on the back cover.  Yes please!  It sounds great and I basically want to read it right now.
• Bannerless by Carrie Vaughn - It has been way too long since I last read anything by Vaughn.  Add to that a dystopian setting and a mystery...I just cannot resist.  Plus this book has a gorgeous and unique cover - it is calling my name right now!
• The Dark Room by Minette Walters - I found this book while browsing the new book shelves.  I hadn't heard of it but it sounds creepy and thrilling - that's basically all I needed to know before I brought it home with me.
• The Darkest Secret by Alex Marwood - I've got all three of this author's books on my TBR list.  I tried one of her other books and just didn't quite get into it (although I do plan on going back to it at some point).  I really like the sound of this one so I'm planning on reading it instead.
• Dark River Rising by Roger Johns - Yes another find courtesy of the new book shelves.  It has such a gorgeous cover and then I realized it was set in Louisiana and had to bring it home with me to check out.  This may be my next print read!
• Beloved Poison by E.S. Thomson - I was browsing and found the 2nd book in this series which was sent in an asylum (if I'm remembering correctly now).  That is basically catnip to me but then I realized it was part of a series and went searching for the first book which is this one.  It sounds really great so I'm eager to try it!
• Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter - This is the only book that I actually went to the library specifically for.  It will be my first read off of my TBR list challenge.  I've got really high hopes and a lot of readers that I trust have sung this book's praises so I'm pretty excited to read it!

That's a lot of great books all in one pile.  I've also got a few books on hold that I'm patiently (or not so patiently waiting for).  I'm planning on ending my reading year with some really great books and this pile will help that happen.  Has anyone read any of these?  Are they any that I should read before all of the rest?  And just out of curiosity: does anyone else go their library non-stop like I do?

Happy Reading!

Library Loot (Fall Edition)

Does this meme even exist any more??  I used to share about the books I had checked out from the library all of the time but kinda got away from it.  Which is a shame as I always enjoyed these posts and especially seeing what other readers had picked up from their own libraries.  I've decided to share again as I have a particularly good stack of books currently checked out from the library that I'm hoping to read before they are due back.

• Death Masks by Jim Butcher - I'm really hoping to catch up with this series a bit which means not waiting so long in between books.  I can never get enough of Harry Dresden and am really looking forward to cracking this one open.  I still need to write my thoughts up on Summer Knight though - this is book five in the Dresden series.
• Liar Liar by M.J. Arlidge - Another series that I would really, really like to catch up especially because these books have ALL been so good so far.  This is book four in the series and the premise of the book has me wanting to read it RIGHT now!
• The Lie by C.L. Taylor - I've had this author on my radar for some time now and basically have added all of her books to my TBR list.  I am really hoping to finally give her a try with this book.  The summary sounds up my alley so I can't wait!
• Dead To Me by Cath Staincliffe - I really don't know much about this one other than it begins a mystery series.  I was browsing through the shelves and liked the title.  That led to me reading the book jacket and bringing it home with me.  I love when I find books that I haven't even heard about while at the library!
• Time of Death by Lucy Kerr - I requested this one from the library as I was recently approved for the second book on NetGalley.  I like to read series in order when I can although I'm not a huge stickler on it.  It sounds really good though and I'm hoping to get to it soon!
• The Blinds by Adam Sternbergh - I first heard about this book on Litsy thanks to the Book of the Month club.  Then I believe Liberty talked about it during one of the All of the Books podcasts and I just couldn't resist requesting it for myself.  It sounds really great and like my type of book!
• Do Not Become Alarmed by Maile Meloy - I really enjoy the What Should I Read Next podcast and this was on the 2017 Summer Reading guide.  I requested it from the library based off of that fact alone.  I don't know much about it but it sounds good - and now I really, really want to read it!

So many good books here!  I just need to find the time to read them all (basically impossible).  The best part though is that I can always get them again from the library if I don't get the chance to finish them this time around.  Have you read any of these?  Is there any one book in particular that I should read over all of the rest?  Do share!