Five Decembers

 

Author: James Kestrel 

Publisher: Hard Case Crime

Year: 2021

𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐲 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐬 - 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐧’𝐭 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭

This is an incredible combination of historical fiction, thriller noir, and love story. Honolulu police detective Joe McGrady is tasked with investigating the brutal murder of a young couple in early December of 1941. Joe’s investigation takes him across the Pacific just as America is on the brink of war and the Japanese fleet steams toward Pearl Harbor. As Joe finally gets a big break in the case, war breaks out and he is caught up in events beyond his control. His only hope for survival comes from a stranger and his beautiful daughter who risk everything to help him. 

This is a sweeping epic story that you get lost in. Joe is complex - a tough guy who’s been around the block a time or two. But Joe has an openness to the world around him, a sense of justice and loyalty, and a big heart. You can’t help but root for Joe to catch the killer, survive the war, and find happiness. 

This is an unforgettable story filled with drama and tension, terrific characters, and expansive settings. I’m giving this one all the stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

QOTD: what book do you want to see turned into a movie or mini series? 

My answer: this one! In the right hands, this would be riveting. 

#fivedecembers #jameskestrel #hardcasecrime #thrillerthursday #noir #crimefiction #historicalfiction #lovestory #WorldWarII #pacifictheater #pearlharbor #honhkong #japan #bookstagram #bookrecommendations #bookrecs #igreads #readerlife #highlyrecommended #honolulu 

Publication Day

 

💶𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐲!💶

Thank you to Scribner Books for the gifted copy! 

Undermoney hits the shelves today. I started this complex thriller last night and it pulled me right it.  

Synopsis: When a U.S. airdrop of billions of dollars disap­pears in the desert sands of Syria, only a small group of military operatives knows its ultimate destination or why it has been stolen. Their goal is no less than the restoration of America’s geopolitical dominance on the global stage. Essential to this scheme are Greta Webb, a sophisticated CIA operative who is an expert on dark money, not to mention lethally skilled in hand-to-hand combat, and Elias Vicker, the damaged, dangerous soul who runs the world’s largest hedge fund. 

To achieve its goals, the group must form dangerous alliances. One is with the hidden family that manages the largest private pool of capital that has ever existed. Another is with Fyodor Volk, the ruthless founder of Russia’s most successful private military company, a mercenary with ties to Vladimir Putin. Volk has his eye on Greta. She would be wise to avoid him but cannot. 

QOTD: what made you smile yesterday? 

I had a quick visit with my mom yesterday. It’s always nice to see her and the other residents on her floor. 

#undermoney #jaynewman #scribnerbooks #thriller #publicationday #pubday #politicalthriller #darkmoney #debut #debutnovel #2022bebuts #bookstagram #igreads #booksforlife #readerlife #booknerd #thrillerreader #thrillerreads

Last Seen Alive

 

Author: Joanna Schaffhausen

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Year: 2022

📖𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰📖

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the digital review copy. 

The monster from Boston detective Ellery Hathaway’s past comes roaring back to her with a deal to give up the locations of his murder victims but only if Ellery comes to see him in prison. Francis Coben is the notorious serial killer who kidnapped and tortured Ellery when she was 14 years old. She was saved by FBI agent Reed Markham and Coben was sent to prison. Even though Coben has been locked away for almost two decades, the public is still obsessed with him and his crimes. A filmmaker wants to produce a new docuseries about Coben and his missing victims with the highlight being Ellery’s face to face interview with Coben. Needless to say, things go horribly wrong. 

The characters were interesting, the action nonstop, and Coben was the cliched handsome but evil monster serial killer- still pulling strings and plotting from behind prison bars. The book did highlight how society has become enthralled with serial killers with so many movies, books, and series about them. Serial killers are the new celebrities. 

I didn’t realize this was the fifth in a series when I requested this from NetGalley. I didn’t have any trouble figuring out the major points of the previous books. Author Joanna Schaffhausen provided plenty of context to fill in the gaps and I never felt lost. Long time fans of the series will enjoy this new installment. Casual readers like me who jump into this book without the prior knowledge will be compelled to read the earlier adventures of Ellery and Reed. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Last Seen Alive publishes tomorrow, January 25th. 

QOTD: what songs or artists are in heavy rotation on your playlist? 

My husband sent a long time yesterday making a Motown playlist. 

#lastseenalive #joannaschaffhausen #stmartinspress #netgalley #serialkiller #thriller #thrillerbooks #igreads #reviewcopy #crimefiction #crimefictionbooks #celebrityserialkiller #bookstagram #instareads #instareader #booknerd 

The Dark Hours

 

Author: Michael Connelly

Publisher: Little Brown

Year: 2021

⭐️𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟐!⭐️

Michael Connelly is an automatic read for me. I’ve read all his books since his first, The Black Echo, debuted in 1992. That book introduced LAPD Det. Harry Bosch. Now retired from law enforcement, Bosch is a private investigator. Bosch plays the sidekick in this novel to LAPD Det. Renée Ballard. Ballard, introduced in The Late Show in 2017, gets called to the scene of a deadly shooting that took place just after the clock struck midnight ringing in the new year. Her investigation leads to an old unsolved murder case that was investigated by Bosch back in the day. Ballard teams up with Bosch to try to solve both cases. 

There is no one better then Connelly writing police procedurals today. He’s a master storyteller and is tapped into the the cultural of the LAPD and how it operates. The pacing, characters, and prose are all sharp and well crafted. Even though this is part of a long running series, it can be read as a standalone. But any serious crime fiction fan shouldn’t miss out on reading the series. 

Fill in the blank with predictive text. This week I have ________.

Mine: This week I have to watch a new book. 🤷🏻‍♀️ 

#thedarkhours #michaelconnelly #littlebrown #policeprocedural #crimefiction #crimefictionbooks #crimefictionaddict #lapd #thrillerfiction #murderbook #murdermystery #harrybosch #renéeballard #lateshow #midnightshift #fivestarread #bookrecommendations #bookrecommendation #igreads #bookstagram #favoriteauthor #booknerd

When We Were Them

 

Author: Laura Taylor Namey

Narrator: Gail Shalan

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

Year: 2021

🎧𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄🎧

Thank you @simon.audio for the #giftedbook. 

Willa, Luz, and Britton have been best friends since they were young. Now, in the week before their high school graduation, their friendship is fractured by Willa’s shocking betrayal. Can Willa repair their damaged friendship before the girls go their separate ways? 

The story bounces between the past and present. The duel timeline highlights seminal moments during the girls’ high school years and graduation week as Willa does major soul searching looking for a way to explain and apologize for her actions. 

This is a character driven novel, but I thought Willa’s character was a little flat. She just wasn’t that dynamic and that might have been the author’s intent. Willa has always stood comfortably in the shadows of her two friends. Britton, a budding opera singer, is set to go to Paris after graduation. Luz, an aspiring heart surgeon, ponders going to college far from their California home. Willa is left feeling lost and abandoned at the thought of her friends leaving. 

When We Were Them is emotional story that will appeal to teen readers. They’ll easily relate to the girls’ high school adventures and those intense teen emotions when your friends are your world. Gail Shalan does a wonderful job narrating the audiobook. She conveys all the emotion, love, and heartbreak of the teen years. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

QOTD: would you rather spend the weekend without coffee or WiFi? 

Easy answer for me! I don’t drink coffee so not having WiFi would be worse. 

#whenwewerethem #laurataylornamey #simonaudio #realisticfiction #yafiction #audiobook #audiobookstagram #contemporaryfiction #teenfiction #bildungsroman #audiobooksofinstagram #bibliophile #bookstagram #alwaysreading #readerlife #igreads 

The Collective

 

Author: Alison Gaylin

Narrator: Vivienne Leheny

Publisher: Harper Audio

Year: 2021

𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐖𝐞𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲!

This thriller has been all over bookstagram since it published last fall. It features a secret group of grieving and rage-filled mothers and a woman obsessed with the young man she holds responsible for her daughter’s death. It’s also a cautionary tale of be careful what you wish for. 

This was a gripping thriller and I enjoyed the audiobook version. I liked how Camille, the main character, was slowly pulled into the dangerous group - first by reading other mother’s stories and then by participating in a series of innocent-looking errands. By the time Camille realizes what’s really going on, it’s too late. Pick this one up if you’re looking for a dark thriller to satisfy your revenge fantasy. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I’m going to visit my mom today. I usually try to bring her some kind of sweet treat. Her favorites are Twizzlers or a Hershey bar. So my QOTD: what’s your favorite candy or sweet treat? 

I like a good ol’ Hershey bar too. 

#thecollective #alisongaylin #vivienneleheny #harperaudio #thrillerbooks #revengefiction #revenge #grief #murder #audiobook #audiobookstagram #audiobooklover #audiobookstagram #vigilante #vigilantejustice #darkweb #readerlife #audible #booknerd 

Currently Reading

 

📖 𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 📖

Happy Monday y’all! I started Chasing the Boogeyman by Richard Chizmar over the weekend and I’m hooked! I love tone and writing style. The murder mysteries are intriguing and there’s a tiny bit of creepiness that adds an extra layer of intensity. 

The setting for this book is the author’s hometown. So the QOTD is: do you still live where you grew up? Or are you far away from your hometown? 

I live about an hour’s drive from where I grew up. But what a difference those miles make! 

#chasingtheboogeyman #richardchizmar #gallerybooks #simonandschuster #thriller #mystery #crimefiction #bookwithinabook #murdermysterybooks #murdermonday #hometown #serialkiller #mysterybookstagram #bookstagram #readreadread #librarybook #alwaysreading #currentlyreading 

One to Watch

 

Author: Kate Stayman-London

Narrator: Kristen Sieh

Publisher: Random House Audio 

Year: 2020

𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐒𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐲!

I’m still playing catch up with posting my December reads. One to Watch was a buddy read with @thereadingteapot and @rjs.readingnook I love chatting with them about our reads! 

This book was all over the ‘gram when it published so I’m going to skip the full synopsis. Bea, a plus-size fashion blogger, is invited to be the leading lady on a reality dating show. I liked Bea and I liked the premise. The men vying for Bea’s attention ran the gambit from obnoxious to sweet to grumpy to clichéd French chef. It all worked out in the end when Bea finds her true love. I’m not much of a romance reader, but I did find this to be an easy and enjoyable listen. Narrator Kristen Sieh did a wonderful job bringing the story to life. This is a fun and romantic book to brighten up any reader’s drab winter day. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

QOTD: Would you want to be on a reality tv show? If so, which one? 

I’m not a realty tv fan. If there was a show that brought together a bunch of thriller book loving readers to try to solve a crime, I’d give it a try. 🕵️‍♀️

#onetowatch #katestaymanlondon #randomhouseaudio #kristensieh #realityshow #realitytv #romace #romancebooks #audiobook #audiobookreview #audiobookstagram #audiobooklover #blogger #fiction #booknerd #buddyread #readerlife #happilyeverafter 

Clark and Division

 

Author: Naimi Hirahara

Publisher : Soho Crime

Year: 2021

“𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐠𝐨, 𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫.”

Clark and Division is a slow burning story about a first generation Japanese American girl’s search for the truth about the death of her older sister. 

Aki and her family loose every thing when they are detained by the US government in the aftermath of Pearl Harbor. Rose, Aki’s beautiful older sister is granted early release form Mananar detention camp is relocated to Chicago. Aki and her parents are set to join Rose a few months later. Rose is killed just before Aki and their parents arrive in Chicago. Authorities rule Rose’s death a suicide, but Aki refuses to accept that and starts digging for the truth. 

This is a character driven novel. Aki goes from being Rose’s shy and awkward kid sister to growing into a young woman who will not back down. I really liked Aki and watching her stand up for herself and for Rose. Author Naomi Hirahara does a fabulous job plunging the reader into the era and the details of what life was like for Japanese immigrants and first generation Japanese American citizens during that time period. 

Clark and Division ended up on just about every best of 2021 list including Crime Reads   Barnes and Noble, Amazon, the New York Times,  ABA Indie Next Pick, NY Public Library, and a bunch of other lists. This is a engrossing mix of historical fiction, mystery, and family drama. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The bulk of this book is set in Chicago, so the QOTD: have you ever lived or visited Chicago?

I’ve never been there, but I’d like to visit some time. I want to try that famous Chicago deep dish pizza and go to a Cubs game at Wrigley. 

#clarkanddivision #naomihirahara #sohocrime #crimefiction #historicalfiction #chicago #worldwar2 #manzanar #japaneseamericans #mystery #mysteryfiction #bookstagram #readerlife #booklife #librarybook #booknerd #bookstagram #lovemylibrary #alwaysreading #kindle #kindlepaperwhite #bestof2021

Book Mail

 

Author: Jay Newman

Publisher: Scribner Books

Publishing: January 25, 2022

📪 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐌𝐚𝐢𝐥! 📪 

Thank you @scribnerbooks for this #gifted copy of Undermoney by Jay Newman. This looks like a terrific #thriller and I can’t wait to dive in! 

Synopsis-

An electrifying thriller about a group of American operatives who secretly take over the world’s largest dark money fund—an astonishing, audacious debut by a seasoned insider of global finance. 

When a U.S. airdrop of billions of dollars disap­pears in the desert sands of Syria, only a small group of military operatives knows its ultimate destination or why it has been stolen. Their goal is no less than the restoration of America’s geopolitical dominance on the global stage. Essential to this scheme are Greta Webb, a sophisticated CIA operative who is an expert on dark money, not to mention lethally skilled in hand-to-hand combat, and Elias Vicker, the damaged, dangerous soul who runs the world’s largest hedge fund. 

To achieve its goals, the group must form dangerous alliances. One is with the hidden family that manages the largest private pool of capital that has ever existed. Another is with Fyodor Volk, the ruthless founder of Russia’s most successful private military company, a mercenary with ties to Vladimir Putin. Volk has his eye on Greta. She would be wise to avoid him but cannot. 

Arcing from Manhattan’s finest apartments to Washington, D.C., from Middle Eastern war zones to private European bank vaults, Jay Newman’s Undermoney follows the Americans as they are enmeshed in the world of dark money and confront ever-increasing danger. Ultimately, they must decide whether their objectives are worth the cost of sacrificing not just a few but potentially many human lives. Brilliantly rendered with the details only a sophisticated financial insider knows and filled with jaw-dropping action, Undermoney reveals the secret intentions and savage deeds of the world’s richest people.

Undermoney publishes on January 25th. 

QOTD: What’s your latest binge watching recommendation? 

My answer: I finished watching the second season of Emily in Paris last night. It was cute. 

#bookmailisthebestmail #bookmail #bookstagram #undermoney #jaynewman #scribnerbooks #thrillerbooks

#financialthriller

Our Woman in Moscow

 

Author: Beatriz Williams

Publisher: Williams Morrow Books

Year: 2021

📖 𝙌𝙪𝙞𝙘𝙠 𝘽𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙍𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬 📖

I’m trying to catch up on reviews, so today you’re just getting some quick hits of my thoughts on Our Woman in Moscow by Beatriz Williams. 

* Character driven

* Slow burn

*Intriguing with lots of tension

*Good mix of domestic fiction and espionage 

*Two strong and interesting female main characters 

*Interesting locations - NYC, Italy, and Moscow

*Spans pre and post WWII years

This was a solid and satisfying read that I’d recommend to anyone who likes historical fiction, espionage, or domestic drama. I enjoyed it very much! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Happy Monday! I was just outside with the dogs and 🥶! They were on a mission looking for a squirrel that dared to enter their yard. 

QOTD: How’s the weather in your little corner of the world? 

Cold and windy and getting colder tonight and tomorrow. I’m done with winter already. And now I have to take the dogs out again to look for the squirrel. 🐿

#ourwomaninmoscow #beatrizwilliams #williammorrowbooks #espionage #spy #thriller #espionagethrillers #historicalfiction #moscow #sovietunion #coldwar #diplomat #domesticfiction #bookstagram #librarybook #bookworm #booknerd #bibliophile #thrillerfiction #kindle #kindlepaperwhite #lovemylibrary

Ink and Shadows

 

Author: Ellery Adams

Publisher: Kensington Books

Year: 2021

📚 𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝑻𝒐𝒖𝒓 📚

Thank you @kensingtonbooks @elleryadamsofficial & @tlcbooktours for the #gifted copy & having me on the tour! 

How could I not be interested in a book about a book-selling former librarian who solves murders?! 

𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘆 𝗲𝗿𝘂𝗽𝘁𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗠𝗶𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗹𝗲 𝗦𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀, 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗮, 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆 𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗿--𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝘂𝗽 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗱…

Known for her window displays, Nora Pennington decides to showcase fictional heroines like Roald Dahl’s Matilda & Madeline Miller’s Circe for Halloween. But a family-values group disapproves of the magical themes & wastes no time launching a modern-day witch hunt. Suddenly, former friends and customers are targeting not only Nora & Miracle Books, but a new shopkeeper, Celeste, who’s been selling CBD oil products.

Nora & her friends in the Secret, Book, and Scone Society are doing their best to put an end to the strife--but then someone puts an end to a life. Declared an accident, the ruling can’t explain the old book page covered with strange symbols and disturbing drawings left under Nora’s doormat. It’s up to Nora and the Secret, Book, and Scone Society to sort out the clues before more bodies turn up and the secrets from Celeste’s past come back to haunt them all…

Even though this is the fourth book in the series, I had no problem jumping right in. I loved how Nora and all her friends were so supportive of each other. I could so relate to Nora’s love of books and her desire to put the right book into the right person’s hands. This #cozymystery is all about friendship, books, reading, and solving murders. I definitely have to read the rest of this delightful series now!

Happy Friday! QOTD: any plans for the weekend? 

Today is our son’s birthday. We’re watching the weather to see if we can take a road trip to celebrate. 

#InkandShadows #elleryadams #kensingtonbooks #KensingtonCozies #cozymystery #bookstore #bookseller #mysteryfiction #miraclebookstore #murdermystery #bookstagram 

#readerlife #bibliophile 

Her Name Is Knight

 

Author: Yasmin Angoe

Publisher: Thomas & Mercer /Amazon Publishing

Year: 2021

𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲! 

Her Name Is Knight is an intense, high octane, and violent thriller. 

As a teenager, Nena’s world is ripped apart when her small village in Ghana is destroyed by marauders and her family is killed. Nena survives, but becomes a victim of sex trafficking. She eventually escapes from her torturer and is adopted by a wealthy family from London. Her new parents are are leaders of The Tribe-a secretive organization dedicated to protecting and and advancing the countries of Africa. Nena becomes Echo, a highly trained assassin for The Tribe. Her latest mission brings her in contact with the monsters from her past and she must use all her skills to survive. 

Nena is a kickass main character and the action is nonstop. The story swings back and forth between Nena’s present and past. This is a polished debut thriller and it looks like it’s the first book in a planned series. TW: violence, sex trafficking, sexual abuse. This is not for the faint of heart. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 

Well, I didn’t win last night’s big lottery jackpot. 🤷🏻‍♀️ I only indulge in buying a lottery ticket when the money gets really big. So here’s my QOTD: if you won a huge lottery jackpot, what’s the first thing you’d do or buy with the money? 

First thing I’d do would be to get new phones and only give close family members and friends the numbers. I’d talk to a lawyer and financial planner. Then I’d pay off the mortgage and go someplace warm. 

#hernameisknight #yasminangoe #amazonpublishing #thrillerthursday #crimefiction #thrillerfiction #ghana #miami #assassin #thetribe #kindlefirstread #bookstagram #kindle #bookworm #alwaysreading 

Anticipation

 

Author: Melodie Winawer

Narrator: Jacques Roy et al. 

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

Year: 2021

🎧𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄🎧

Thank you Simon & Schafer Audio for the #giftedbook. 

A grieving mother and her nine-year-old son vacation in Greece where they meet Elias, a mysterious man who keeps many secrets. As Helen, a scientist, and Alexander tour the ancient city of Mystras with Elias as their tour guide, Helen learns of a centuries old family that has been passing Hunting’s, a degenerative neurological disease, through each generation. Helen meets a professor who promises to get funding for her Huntington’s research. But she also learns Elias could hold the key to a cure. 

Elias has been protecting the city of Mystras for 800 years. As a baby, his mother pledged Elias’s eternal service to the Profitis Ilias in exchange for saving Elias from a deadly illness. So Elias has spent centuries in service to the the city and trying to keep out of the hands of the dangerous Lusignan family. A family fated with Huntington’s and who believes Elias’s blood is the cure. 

This is an engaging mix of fantasy, historical fiction, medical thriller, and romance. Told across timelines of present and past, narrator Jacques Roy leads a cast narration that brings brings the ancient city to life. I definitely recommend this to fans of Outlander and other readers who like a mix of genres in one book. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

QOTD: what’s your favorite healthy snack? 

I not usually a healthy snacker. My tastes run to chocolate, chips or popcorn. But over the holidays we received a lovely box of dried fruit and nuts. I the dried dates right after I took this pic and they were very good. So expect to see lots of dried fruit and nuts appearing in my posts! 😀 

#anticiaption #melodiewinawer #simonaudio #audiobookstagram #audiobookreview #audiobooksofinstagram #greece #mystras #manoutoftime #historicalfiction #fantasyfiction #romance #bookstagram #bibliophilelife #readerlife #alwaysreading #byzantium #pastandpresent #huntingtonsdisease #audiobooklover 

Currently Reading

 

𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐲!

I’m #currentlyreading The Dark Hours by Michael Connelly. It features Det. Renée Ballard and his long time main character Harry Bosch. I love a good police procedural and Connelly never fails to deliver. 

Det. Ballard works the night shift, so that go me thinking- 

are you a morning person or a night owl? 

When I was young, I was more night owl and I could stay up really late reading. Can’t do that anymore! 

#coffeeandcurrentlyreading #thatsnotcoffeeinmycup #thedarkhours #michaelconnelly #littlebrown #policeprocedural #mystery #mysteryfiction #crimefiction #thrillerfiction #losangeles #bookstagram #alwaysreading #bibliophile #booknerd #keepreading #readerlife 

December Reading Wrap Up

 

🎉 𝑯𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒚 𝑵𝒆𝒘 𝒀𝒆𝒂𝒓! 🎉

Hard to imagine we turned the page and started a new chapter. 

December was a slow reading month for me. I didn’t do much reading because of losing my father and then the holidays. I managed to read 7 books and I’m surprised that I accomplished that. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🎧 Stuntboy, in the Meantime - this is a fantastic audiobook for middle grade readers. Guy Lockard’s narration is is full of energy and fun. 

📖 Seasonal Work - a new collection of crime fiction short stories from author Laura Lippman. Even if you see the twist coming, Lippman always has a fresh perspective on it that makes you go “woah!” Out January 4th. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

📖 Clark and Division - a WWII era story about a Japanese American girl looking for the truth about the death of her older sister.

🎧 One to Watch - a plus size blogger is the contestant on a reality dating show. Enjoyed this one a lot! 

🎧 The Collective- a grieving mother gets involved with a secretive group that metes out it’s own brand of justice. 

🎧 Anticipation- a grieving mother and son vacation in Greece where they meet a mysterious man. This was a mix of history, fantasy, and science with a side of romance thrown in. 

QOTD: do you have reading goals for 2022? 

I set my @goodreads challenge for 100 books. I do that every year. My main goal is always to just read great books. 

Wishing you all a happy, healthy, and prosperous year filled with amazing books! 

#decemberwrapup #readingwrapup #monthlywrapup #bookstagram #bookstagramcommunity #bookrecommendations #audiobooks #audiobookstagram #justread #alwaysreading #happynewyear