I loved the premise. A 19th century London mystery. A female spiritualist who conjures murder victims in order to identify the killer. The men‘s club, London Seance Society, does spiritualism for profit and appears to have a fraudulent element within it‘s membership. The two collide….
The pacing was slow and uneven. I enjoyed parts of the book, couldn‘t wait to finish others. I knew where this was going early on and there were no surprises. ⬇️

Argh! I tried NOT to start a new series until I finished one already in progress. This sounded so good that I could not put it off further.

DCI Evan Warlow had taken early retirement, but was called in to help out when bodies were discovered that matched the descriptions from his old unsolved missing persons case. Great mystery, great characters, great setting. Looking forward to the next one….
I blame #serieslove2023 😂

Not my favorite TJR read, but that may because I‘m not a fan of celebrity…and all that goes along with it. However, It was an integral theme to the book, so it was necessary. I most enjoyed the familial relationships and personal drama away from the privileged lifestyle—although the party scene was quite humorous—loved the surfing down the roof into the pool. Lol. #52bookclub23 #abookaboutsiblings

#serieslove2023 @Andrew65 @TheSpineView

#MarvelousMarch Readathon roundup! @Andrew65 I hit a bump in the road so did not read as much as I was hoping. I got through mostly audiobooks while commuting hither and yon. Lol. I finished the bottom 3 books. Loved Black Cake and Stone Circle. The Scalzi book was just so-so….I wasn‘t a fan of the narrator for this one. It did not feel like a good match.

I was more than 1/2 done with the other 4 by Sunday and have now finished 2 of them.

Here are my possible reads for the March readathon. All are currently checked out from the library.
The bottom four books all came up for loan in the past 24 hours! Ack! It‘s feast or famine!

I‘m in the middle of Black Cake for the literary crew buddy read. It‘s a great read so far! It‘s due back to the library in 3 days, so fingers crossed I finish it in time!

@Librarybelle
@Andrew65

A soft pick. I didn‘t like the beginning & almost bailed. I didn‘t like that the author made out that events in Austen‘s books came from real life and not imagination. (Perhaps this was intended to pay homage, but it came off otherwise to me). However, I got caught up in the story and enjoyed James‘ writing style. My absolute favorite ‘Austen Inspired‘ book is ‘The Missing Manuscript of Jane Austen‘ is by this same author, so I was disappointed.

Here‘s my March list for #bookspinbingo. I hope I have a good reading month! 🤞

I had a great February…granted there were several short books in the mix, but still a great achievement for me. I got bingo TWICE. And I read the doublespin book! #bookspinbingo @TheAromaofBooks

OMG! Talk about an awful situation! Woman marries the love of her life. One year later his helicopter crashes over the Pacific Ocean and he is presumed dead. After two years she moves on with her life, falls in love and becomes engaged to be married to another. Then her husband is found alive, rescued and brought home. 😳😱. What to do???? Surprisingly, I loved this! Well done! Looking forward to more of TJR. #authoramonth

Wow! So much packed into this very short story! It‘s been years since I read any of the books, and I‘m more familiar with the kinder, friendlier relationship of Poirot and Hastings in the TV adaptions. So different here! Really excellent quick read. Not to be missed if you read Poirot books! The derogatory/racist language was jarring; it shows how far we‘ve come from the 1920‘s. ⬇️

Love, love, love the In Death series! Even the short stories are wonderful. Spending time with Eve, Roarke, Peabody, Dr Meara and the rest always takes me to my happy reading place.

Free from audible and Amazon kindle prime reading. A story written in the epistolary style. A woman finds letters written to her husband from his lover. She then reaches out to the lover‘s husband. An excellent read. It felt fully fleshed out and complete despite it‘s very short length. The ending was surprising and satisfying. My 2nd success this year with short stories. I see more in my future!
#authorofthemonth

This has been on my TBR list since it was recommended to me several years ago. Glad I finally got to it! Present day America…except the Civil War never happened. It was a slow start, but picked up after about 10% and only got better and better. Severals twists and turns that kept me guessing what would happen next. Great world building by the author and excellent choice in narrator, William DeMerritt. I‘ll be thinking about this one for awhile.

I thought I‘d like this more than I did. Interesting premise and well written. However, I found myself more interested in trying to figure out why the iconic Evelyn Hugo specifically chose the relatively unknown Monique Grant to write her story. (Which I did figure out before the reveal). I still recommend it, but I enjoyed Carrie Soto is back much more. Looking forward to trying another from this author. #authoramonth

#FabulousFebruary roundup. A bit late….
Finished
Demon Copperhead. 😍 loved it. 5 stars!
Secret Adversary. Meh. Not a fan of Tommy and Tuppence, but enjoying the ‘All about Agatha‘ podcast

In progress:
Time Traveller‘s Guide. #pemberlittens group read. Enjoying this book very much. Hope to finish soon
Evelyn Hugo. Just started this on the final day. Enjoying it so far

All in all, a very productive readathon for me!

Loved, loved, loved this book. From start to finish! It‘s only February, but this one will most certainly be in my top 3 reads of the year. I started with the audiobook and highly recommend this media. Midway through I switched briefly to the ebook and found it a bit more difficult, but the ‘voice‘ of Demon ran through my mind the whole time. Finished it via the audio version. Charlie Thurston‘s narration is wonderful.

Book 2 on my adventure with the ‘All About Agatha‘ podcast. I‘d never read a Tommy and Tuppence book, and kinda glad Christie wrote more Poirot and Marple books. Perhaps I prefer her style of mystery rather than spy intrigue. As for the podcast. The quality of the recording was much improved. I liked the podcast discussion alot, but again….since the book wasn‘t a hit for me, the podcast was of less interest. Next month: Murder on the Links.

These are my planned reads for #FabulousFebruary

I‘m was more than ½ done with Demon Copperhead before it was due back at the library, but think I will get it again in the next few days so I can finish soon. If not I‘ll just buy the audible book. It‘s fabulous so far!
I‘ve joined the February reads for #Pemberlittens and the #authoramonth
And the Christie book is from my personal reading challenge for the ‘All About Agatha‘ podcast

Here‘s my February #bookspinbingo list. I‘m hoping for another great month!

My first Bingo! 😀. And I finished the doublespin book! I had a great start to 2023.
Let‘s see if I can do this again….
#bookspinbingo @TheAromaofBooks

You definitely don‘t need to be a ‘gamer‘ to love this book. It‘s about love and friendship. I read this chunkster (via audio) in 2 days. Excellent read. I was sad when it ended..
#20in24 @Andrew65
#52bookclub23 #timeinthetitle

It‘s feast or famine! Since Thursday night, my library offered me these books for 7 day loans. I took them all. 🙈. I was 3/4 finished with Babel from a prior 7 day loan, so I started it first…and finished yesterday morning. Then I started the Sevin book. I got well into it when a copy Demon Copperhead became available to me again.
Hooray!! But oh my!
I‘ve been listening nonstop in the hope of getting through them all. Wish me luck!
#20in24

Sadness is when you don‘t finish a book before the library snatches it back.

In 7 days I was able to listen to 16 hours. I have about 6 hours left. It‘s a chunkster that could have done with a bit more editing. However I am loving it! Fingers crossed I get it again soon.🤞I need to know how it ends!

Another great installment of the Ruth Galloway series! Ruth had moved away from Norfolk for a fresh start. However, a murder suspect won‘t tell DCI Nelson where bodies are buried unless she agrees to be the one to dig them up. I‘ve come to like Ruth more and more with each book. At first I thought her too weak and whiny. But she has become stronger and more confident.
#serieslove23 @Andrew65 @TheSpineView

#52bookclub23 #relatedtothewordmurder

Joining the #authoramonth club to read outside my comfort zone & try new authors. I think this is the first book I‘ve read with an Indigenous female main character. An Indie Bookstore is haunted by the ghost of their most annoying customer. Set in Minneapolis during the Pandemic and the George Floyd murder. Not sure I‘ll read more of her works, but this one gave me lots to think about. @Soubhiville

#52BookClub23 #acontemporarysetting

The Gamache series is one of my favorites. Love the characters, love the charming village, love the mysteries, love the audiobook narrator. Reading these books always makes me smile and takes me to my happy place…which is kind of odd for a mystery read. Lol. This book is not quite up to the standards of all the earlier ones, but still a pick for me.
First book read for #SeriesLove23 @Andrew65 @TheSpineView
#52BookClub23 #sendsyoudownarabbithole

I may be the last mystery lover here to find the ‘All About Agatha‘ podcast, but at least I eventually discovered it! I decided to read each book and then listen to the podcast. I am very pleased so far. The podcast truly enhanced my read of her first book and it gave food for thought. I look forward to the next. Fortunately it has been 10+ years since I last read any Christie, so it feels like a new read since I recall little.

I had no idea what ‘kaiju‘ stood for, so went into this clueless. I think my ignorance made the reveal more fun. I love Scalzi‘s humorous writing and Wil Wheaton‘s reading style should have been a good fit, but it didn‘t work for me. I switched to print midway through and enjoyed it more. Oh, and don‘t let the book blurb disuade you. The pandemic is just the initial backdrop and is barely mentioned after the first few chapters.

It took me 3 tried to get through this short story (1.25 hour audiobook). Julie Whelan‘s narration was lovely and I enjoyed the themes of love and friendship. I also that it was the girl who went on a long journey to rescue the boy. 😄 However, the tale was disjointed and dull at times. Perhaps it was the translation? My first read of the new year: not an auspicious start.
#52bookclub23. A book I meant to read last year.

I finally figured out how to make the bingo card for #bookspinbingo! I think I have a chance to hit a bingo this month. Fingers crossed!

My December #bookspinbingo was a bust..although I did knock out the doublespin book!
I‘m hoping for a better January! Many next in series are near the top of my TBR pile. Wish me luck! I‘m joining the #SeriesLove2023 challenge as I hope to make good progress with them this year—i will try to post a list of my current series status in the next few days.

@TheAromaofBooks @TheSpineView @Andrew65

Soooo glad to get back to the Ruth Galloway series! It had been more than 6 years since I read the last one, but Griffiths gave enough information about prior events that I did not feel lost. The only negative to this book is there was not enough of Cathbad—the local Druid. Hopefully he will have a larger role in the next book.

Loved this short story! I avoid reading short stories because they tend to feel rushed or incomplete. Not this one. It‘s a true gem! Intriguing storyline, well drawn characters and a real tear-jerker (and I don‘t cry easily). ⬇️

Book 5 of the Robert Hunter series. I love this series. Great characters. Interesting murder murder mysteries that leave you on the edge of your seat. Real page turners. My only quibble—this one had too much gore! Carter‘s books are always a bit violent…but this was too much for me. Nevertheless, I definitely plan to read the next one!

#bookspinbingo
#doublespin

Here‘s my list for #bookspinbingo. It includes several of my November picks that I didn‘t get to read.

Been busy and had no chance to post the past few weeks. Here‘s a brief summary.

Bloodline 4.5 stars. Non-stop action. Didn‘t want to set it down.
Lessons in Chemistry. 4.5 stars. An unlikeable main character that I actually liked. Lol.
The Ink Black Heart- 3.5 stars. I adore the Cormoran Strike mysteries, but this one went on and on and on. I think it could have been edited down. Not best via audio as much of the book is reading text messages.

1st time reading this author. I was a tennis fan back in the Conners/Borg/McEnroe days, so seemed like a win for me. Loved all the tennis, enjoyed my love/hate relationship with Carrie and adored her Papa. Audio version is fabulous! (However lots of Spanish phrases-nothing hard, but not sure if that is a negative for someone unfamiliar with it)The voice of Carrie is perfect. Her joy in the read is infectious: kinda like how Wil Wheaton narrates.

I was concerned the too too real topic might make this a bad choice, but I am glad I did not let my inner self keep me from it! Ken Follet is a masterful storyteller & I was fully invested in the storyline and his characters. I did not want to put it down. ⬇️

I‘m trying #bookspin for the first time. A bit late, but here‘s my list of possible reads this month.
Is it cheating if I started a few before November 1? I started the first two in October, but was less than ½ done before end of month. I haven‘t looked at the bingo card layout yet and do not understand the double spin concept…I need to go back and read the instructions again. Lol. Wish me luck! I hope this helps me read from my TBR pile.

1. 25-30 years in the past. If more recent my personal recollections would overshadow the book & it wouldn‘t feel ‘historical‘ enough.

2. This was tough! I avoid creepy, spooky books because I‘m a scardycat. I‘m so glad October is over! 😂. I could find none of my favorites set in the fall, but I think the tagged book fits. It‘s a bit gothic, a bit spooky and the atmosphere feels Novemberish

@TheSpineView thanks for the tag!
#Two4Tuesday

I finished two books for #20in4!
Both had been on my TBR pile for years…and both are the first in a series.
So technically my TBR pile did not got down. Lol. Looking forward to the next ones

What a fun book! I love the premise: Four people living in a luxury retirement community in Kent, England form a club to look into unsolved murders (a founding member is a former cop and kept records). Then they have a murder in their own backyard….

Quirky, witty and a good murder mystery to boot. I‘m a happy camper. Will definitely read the next one.

Sadly, this was the only book I completed for Deweys and #outstandingoctober readathons.

It‘s a readathon weekend and I have very few commitments (at the moment).
If nothing unexpected comes up, I should have lots of time to read and enjoy all thing bookish!

Hoping to finish at least 2 of the above books…hopefully more 😀

I think I‘m going to enjoy this one! I love these first lines!

Book: tagged
Author: Susanna Kearsley
Movie: the king and I, kindergarten cop
Singer/band: kansas
Song: killer queen (queen), kodachrome (paul simon)
#manicmonday

Loved this charming story! Even the chapter headings-samples ⬆️. In 1910, 10 year old Sara discovers she can find people‘s soulmates. Not a proper vocation for a young Jewish girl. So, she tries to keep her gift a secret while helping people to find their true loves. Set in dual timelines: Sara in the early 1900‘s and her granddaughter Abby in 1994. A light, feel good book. Highly recommend this one as an audio read. The narration is delightful.

One of the many passages that highlight why I love Geraldine Brooks books. She is a beautiful writer. Almost makes me want to move to Washington DC……almost. Lol

I almost passed on this book. I am a fan of the author, but not of horseracing…so thought this wasn‘t for me. I was wrong. I loved it! Brooks should be an auto read for me! The only caveat I give in recommending this to others is the inclusion of political jabs near the end that may bother you. I read fiction for pleasure and an escape from current events, so I was a bit put off. I thought the message could have been given without them. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½

Book: tagged, In the Woods (Tana French), In the Heart of the Sea (Nathaniel Philbrick)

Author: Walter Isaacson

Movie: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (Harrison Ford and Sean Connery 😍), Independence Day, It‘s a Wonderful Life

Singer/group: I don‘t think I have any favorites in this category 🙈

Song: too many choices for this one! My top 2 (I think, lol): Imagine (John Lennon), If Tomorrow Never Comes (Garth Brooks)

#manicmonday