My mom gave me my birthday gift a day early. So excited to start the new King. ❤❤

#bookhaul from Barnes and Noble

Audio-stitching progress. You can almost see the beginnings of the sorting hat. It's slow going, but it's relaxing. The book is pretty good. Planning to start David Bell's The Layover next.

In case you want to see what its (hopefully) going to look like:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/720782513/cross-stitch-pattern-luna-lovegood-cross

#audiostitching this Luna pattern while listening to The Stand. It's my 4th (or 5th?) experience with Captain Tripps, and I'm loving it just as much on audio as I always have in print.

I've got a few audible credits burning a hole in my pocket. Any ideas what I should listen to next?

This was a charming book. I think the first half was stronger than the second, but overall it was very enjoyable.
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My first book finished for the #24in48readathon. This is the 3rd in the Librarians series, and it was the best of them so far I think. I would have enjoyed more Flynn in the story (considering he was absent altogether any Flynn would have done), but it was tons of fun at any rate. My time so far is just under an hour of reading, and I'll be moving on to Washington Black next.

@24in48
#24in48

😆

I decided to sign up for the #24in48Readathon this weekend. I've got lots going on so I likely won't get even half the time done. But that's ok. This is my tentative paperback stack - the middle two are in progress. I also hope to finish the audio I have going on and maybe start another. Are you participating?

Reading while waiting for the kiddo.

By book haul from the FotL sale today. This thing is weekly. And yet I still manage to leave with overflowing totes every week. I would be a bit more bothered that I have not stuck to my book buying ban if this bunch had cost more than $8. I mean, at those prices, I kind of HAD to buy them. Right??

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I really enjoyed this one. It was a bit slow in a couple of spots, but otherwise it was a terrific introduction to the series. I will definitely continue with book two.

⭐⭐
I got this "cozy" mystery for free for kindle, and I'm glad I didn't pay for it. I was also glad it was relatively short (maybe 3 hours of reading time). The story was all over the place, and I felt like the author was just throwing so many random tropes in because she didn't know what to do with the plot. It could have done with some editing and polish. Not the worst thing I've read, but not worth continuing the series.

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I think I'd have liked this one more if I'd read the print version instead of listening to it. While I don't think the narrator is terrible in general, her Jessica voice grated. It sounded like everything she said was uttered with a smirk and a barely concealed laugh. It was annoying. The story was ok. Predictable with a bit of a weak ending. Not the worst one of these, but certainly not my favorite.

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This one was a bit of a departure for me. Of all of Patterson's series (serieses?), this one has been my favorite - I credit Maxine Paetro with that. But this one just didn't do it for me. There was so little interaction with the other 3 members of the WMC (they each had like 4 lines), and even Lindsay was barely in this one. It was more a Joe story than anything else. It wasn't terrible. But the spark was missing.

This is the 18th book in the series, and I STILL can't decide how to pronounce this guy's name.

Is it jAk-uh-bee (with emphasis on a long A sound)? juh-kO-bee (with emphasis on a long O sound in the middle)? Or, as my daughter thinks jack-o-bee (with a smaller stress on the Jack)? Or something else? I know it's silly but I seem to pronounce it in my head differently every time he's mentioned, and it's driving me crazy.

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This is the 3rd in the series of 24 tie-ins, and it's the best so far. My only issue was that some of the tech stuff was way over my level of understanding, so I felt a bit lost at times with some of the details. But for the most part it was a fun action-packed romp.

Side note, my copy was bought used from the FOTL sale, and someone had taken EVERY page (separately as the tears are random) and torn a 1-2" rip across the middle of it. ?

Nope.

Pretty sure this is a record for me, but I'm bailing on this one at the 3 minute mark. Why do authors (particularly fiction ones) feel the need to narrate their own books?? 😒 I may pick up the print copy at some point, but I haven't heard much good about this one so probably not. Glad I didn't waste an audible credit on it.

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I'm not sure if I would have enjoyed this quite as much in print as I did with Wil Wheaton's fabulous narration, but either way it was tons of fun. Clever and witty, it was a terrific spoof-y story. It did drag just a tad in the middle bits, but the spectacular beginning and ending more than made up for any slow parts. I would recommend this to anyone who even remotely likes sci-fi.

#downphoto

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Maybe not my favorite of the Bosch series, but it was still an enjoyable one.

I won this beauty from a #GoodreadsGiveaway and it arrived today. Book mail always makes me happy. 😊

#JuneTBR

Redshirts and Concrete Blonde are already in progress. Most of the others are holds that have just come through from the library or are just about to. What are you most excited to read next month?

51% into this book, and I think this is around Harry's 978th cigarette. I'm starting to feel like I can smell them.

May Recap:

This was probably my best reading month ever. Some of these were short audios and graphics, but even still I feel really good about all I finished. Most were pretty good, too. Those on the top row were all exceptional (first four being 5 star reads).

1. Potatoes of any kind. I'm T2D, and they are not friendly to me.
2. VIBES - Cyndi Lauper and Jeff Goldbloom. It's a cinematic masterpiece!
3. Sookie Stackhouse books
4. Reading when I should be cleaning
5. Gonna hunt down my Vibes DVD and enjoy a little me time.

To be honest, I don't feel guilt about the books I read or the shows & movies I watch. Life's too short to feel bad about things that bring you joy.
#HelloThursday @wanderinglynn

Well damn. It just fell apart in my hands. 😕

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This book seems to be a love letter to science fiction. Story-wise it was just ok, with a predictable plot and characters who are somewhat one dimensional. I think the strongest aspect of it is the fun factor from all the references - most of these I didn't get, to be honest. Overall, it was mildly entertaining, but a bit disappointing if you compare it to Ready Player One - which had a much stronger plot.

So I didn't quite make 24 hours, but I feel like my #24B4Monday #Readathon was a success anyway. I finished 2 graphics, 1 audio, and 3 novels. I also got halfway through Ernest Cline's Armada, which isn't pictured.

@Andrew65 @TheReadingMermaid @Clwojick @RadicalReader

Picked this off the shelf to read this morning, and of course the first thing I do is remove the dust jacket. I was surprised to see that not only is the d.j. printed on the inside, but the inner hardback cover is just lovely. For a somewhat silly YA fantasy book series, these books are quite pretty. Even prettier without the jacket - which is unusual.

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Well, I have officially read all 19 of the Monk books (this one is actually 18, but I read 19 a while ago). While I prefer Lee Goldberg's books, this one was a good one. Probably the best one Conrad wrote. I'm kind of bummed that there are no more. I may have to go back and start over from the beginning.

Looking like I won't hit 24 hours in the #24B4Monday, but I should hit 20 at least, and that's not bad.

Natalie talks about her PBS tote a lot in these books. She also mentions brands like Gucci occasionally, so I'd just assumed it was a similar brand. But when I got curious and googled PBS tote, the only ones that come up are ones from the channel. Is there a PBS clothing / accessory brand, or is this what she's been talking about all along and I just didn't realize it?

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This series makes me so happy. The crew of the Rocinante feel like family to me, in this book maybe more than any of the others. I do think it's my favorite of the bunch so far. Just so good.

#24B4Monday #Readathon
@Andrew65 @TheReadingMermaid @Clwojick @RadicalReader

Oh how I love Amos. And "Chrissie." ?

I may have squealed a bit when I opened this envelope yesterday. Getting unexpected books in the mail is the best. The cover on this one has already won me over. 😍

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Decent mystery. I love Brooklyn and Derek. And the bookbinding details are fascinating (I would so love to take a class in that). My one complaint is the arch enemy character Minka. What adult in real life has one of these? Especially one who acts like a spoiled toddler. It's just ridiculous, and I'd love that character to go away. She's totally unnecessary.

#24B4Monday
#Readathon

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This was the best of the set. Fun story and, as always, terrific narration.

At nearly 3 hours for the #24B4Monday #Readathon now. I'm hoping to finish up a Kate Carlisle cozy mystery and then move on to book 5 in the Expanse. I just can't seem to get enough of that series. Hope you're all having a terrific Friday! 📚

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I enjoyed this one. Not sure why the cover features Godric when it was about werewolves, but whatever. Second book finished for the #24B4Monday #Readathon. Moving on to my Doctor Who audio while I'm out running errands.

Just getting started with the #24B4Monday #Readathon.

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This is the 4th graphic in the series based on the show - not the books. It was ok. Better than book one and two, not as good as book three. I've got one more that is due back at the library today, so I'll probably get to that one as well.

I'm really excited about this month's #24B4Monday #Readathon. I think I've talked my daughter into doing it with me. These are the books I've tentatively picked out. I also have a couple of True Blood graphics that may get added. My goal is the full 24 hours, but I've not managed that for the past several months, so we will see.

@TheReadingMermaid @Andrew65 @Clwojick @RadicalReader

Last night my husband came home from work with a surprise for me. Apparently the hotel called him having found my kindle, and he drove over and picked it up for me! I don't even have words for how happy I am to have it back. I still have to call Amazon and reregister it, but for now it's in airplane mode and all my stuff is still there.

#HappyHappyHappy

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I absolutely love these books. The crew of the Rocinante are some of my very favorite characters, and their stories are always tons of fun. I'm torn between wanting to race through the series and wanting to slow down so I don't run out of them too quickly.

❤❤ Amos ❤❤

I'm with Holden on this one. ☕

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I really enjoyed this atmospheric mystery. Ruth is a terrific character - flawed but likeable. Fans of Tess Gerritsen and Kathy Reichs should love it.

While I was in Barnes and Noble this weekend, a lady walked up next to me, picked this book up off the shelf near me (not what I was looking at) and said "This series is great. You should read this." Then she walked away. So, of course I bought it. And she was right. I'm 130 pages in, and it's terrific so far. So, thanks random reader.

#ThisOrthodontistsTableFreaksMeOut

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I liked this one more than the first in the set. The voice acting was great, and of course Donna and Ten are always a terrific combination. I only wish these were a bit longer.

I lost my kindle. I'm 100% sure that I left it in the bed of my hotel room this weekend, but the hotel has assured me that it is not there. I do realize it's only a thing, and my super sweet husband has already said "Don't worry we'll just get you a new one." But. BUT. I can't help feeling like I've lost a friend. Idk why it's making me so sad, but I feel like crying.

So my weekend of doing nothing has sort of turned into a bookshop hopping vacation. My (non-reader) husband keeps enabling me by saying "do you want to go to this one?" Um, yeah, course I do. We've been to three so far. One indie, one Barnes and Noble, and one used shop. And I have tried sooo hard to be good. I have not been good. But look at all the pretty things. I wonder what housekeeping must think.

😢