It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

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.

Jen Vincent, Teach Mentor Texts, and Kellee of Unleashing Readers decided to give It’s Monday! a kidlit focus. If you read and review books in children’s literature – picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels or anything in those genres – join them.

It’s been a week of weeding the garden (boring) – reading and sewing (not boring!)

I am off again to Rotorua – (5-6 hours away) to sign more papers at the lawyer because my sister’s estate is still not finalised. I travel with another sister for part of the way. Up one day and home the next, but it will be over the time when this post is live. Your Monday – my Tuesday! I might be able to visit with some of you – all going well.

I posted a reading challenge this week Connect Five Books – a new one I am hosting. I will finish with my Full House Reading Challenge at the end of this year.  This new one is different, and it will challenge me if no one else! Check it out.

What I read last week:

I really liked this Australian author’s book set on an island with a Dr. visiting Turtle Bay to wrap up her grandfather’s estate. She arrives in designer boots and meets cow pats! Goodbye designer shoes.

I also read and am just okay with this one, it was interesting but wasn’t a riveting read for me. If you are going to read it don’t let that put you off, it might be your “cup of tea”.

I finished listening to this one and got really into it, I was a little dubious starting off, but loved it in the audiobook version.

What I am reading now:

Time for a Christmas read…. I so am in love with this cover.

I just started listening to this one. The narrator is narrating so well and the story has started off so sadly with a mass shooting and the terror of the people involved. Shed tears already!  Will listen to more of it as I am driving for first and last leg of my journey.

Up next:

This one publishes in January. My first of the 2019 reads.

 

Last Week’s Posts

Connect Five Books Reading Challenge 2019

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Connect Five Books Reading Challenge

Join me for 2019 in Connect Five – Books.

Let’s look at connections for books… what books link for some reason or another.

When you have five that connect in whatever way you are able to group them then link up. How might you do this?

• Write and link up a blog post
• Share the five books on Instagram and link up
• Have a Goodreads shelf and link that up – this may be a little different but maybe use it in combination with a comment.
• Or… if you belong to none of these places, share five books in a comment.

What’s the Challenge?

To look for connections between books you read. There will be  many connections that just float over our awareness. Let’s see can we raise that a bit, whether its fairly surface level or something deeper.

Guidelines:

Here are some examples that might get you thinking! It’s not hard work, you don’t need to plan it out, just see what happens.

It could be ….

• Five books of the same genre
• Five books by the same author
• Five books with a similar theme or issue being explored for example mother/daughter relationships
• Five books from the same series
• Five books you bought in 2018
• Five books from the depths of your TBR
• Five books with fabulous covers
• Five debut books
• Five new to you authors
• Five books that weren’t for you.
• Five books that really connect to your own life in some way.
• Five books with the theme of friendship

And you can come up with ones you think of… there will be so many.

However

• The five books connection cannot be too simple, for example five paperbacks or five ebooks or five women authors – unless of course you hardly ever read women authors. I could challenge myself and have a group though of five male authors because I hardly ever read male authors! Five USA authors would be rather simple, but it could be five USA authors from the same state.
• A book can only be used once.
• The books must be read in 2019.
• Books can be carried over until you have five of something. It may take a few months to gather five of something.
• You may have  many connections of five to link up . So if you have two groups of five then you can link up twice and so on within a month.
• You may just link one group of five during the year sometime or many each month.
• You don’t have to write a commitment post but if that helps to remind you then that is an excellent idea and any way you can share this challenge is welcomed. Use the hashtag  #connect5books2019

When?

Each month I will post a link up on the last Wednesday of the month. The link up will be open until the  Tuesday before the last Wednesday of the next month. The first link will go up in January 30th 2019.  Link up at any time during that following month. And then we will roll on with each month.

#connect5books2019

The Bonus – A Giveaway

For those who have a five book connection and link up there will be a random prize draw for one reader who will win a book of their choice for that month from the Book Depository. The last link up will be posted in November and go through December. At the end of the year there will be one draw as well for all those who have participated during the year, –  a book of choice from the Book Depository.

And a Connect Five from 2018

Browsing through my reading from this year I can see a number of connects.

1. Books that have quite a bit to do with books and libraries.

   

   

   

   

   

   Four are obvious, but Harry’s Trees includes a library that if it doesn’t get any funding it will close down – it has one very elderly but loyal volunteer librarian.

2. Books that are about Christmas or the Spirit of Christmas.

   

   

   

   

   

3. Books with a theme of family

   

   

   

   

   

   And it could have been possible if I was reading with more awareness that I could have collected books about family that deal with just sisters and brothers, or adoption, or marriage.  I could see a connection where children played a significant role in the plot but I’d already used Harry’s Trees in another connect so no go!

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

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.

Jen Vincent, Teach Mentor Texts, and Kellee of Unleashing Readers decided to give It’s Monday! a kidlit focus. If you read and review books in children’s literature – picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels or anything in those genres – join them.

Oh my, welcome to December! We began it with a large extended family gathering for Christmas for family far and near.  It was perfect and my lovely niece hosted nicely. We all bring a dish but still, its work for the person whose place it is at.  So many new young faces here since last year.

One of my sisters had made us a Christmas boot little stocking from my Dad’s shirts. He died September 2017. A really lovely thought. I got her to make one for our young 5 year old grand nephew as he was close to his great grandad – Poppa. This morning his mother said he woke up and said

“Where is my booty I want to talk to Poppa”

“Hello Poppa, I’m sorry you died…. I want to sing a song for you”.

We have been experiencing summer! Do I complain or celebrate… or a bit of both!

What I read last week:

Three books – all very satisfying reading. Harry’s Trees was one I heard about on the What Should I Read Next podcast.  Was well worth reading. A Thousand Roads Home was my favourite for November and Fatal Invasion was #13 in a romantic series that is the best!

What I am reading now:

And I am listening to…

Up next:

 

Last Week’s Posts

November Reading Month in Review

A Thousand Roads Home   Carmel Harrington

November Reading month in Review

Welcome in, do join me by sharing your link to your look back at this month. I’m looking forward to visiting and seeing what everyone has been up to.  The link will be open for you to share your post whenever you post over the next few days.  Do visit each others’ posts.

Total books read this month: 12.

Four of these are library books.
Three are audiobooks.
Two are review books.
Two are books I bought in 2018.

Where do the authors come from?

Five authors from the USA
Three authors from Britain
One from Ireland
One from New Zealand  ( Who – well that’s Nalini Singh of course!)
Two from Australia

New to me authors:

Tricia Stringer
Fiona Palmer
Carmel Harrington

Reading Challenge Update:

I am nearing finishes with most, I think I will make my audiobook goal, even though I thought I wouldn’t. I may not read a banned book so that will mean I don’t finish the Anne Bogel one, but that’s okay.

Reading Club Update:

I read Brothers and Sisters by Fiona Palmer for one online book club and really enjoyed it, the listen on audio was the way to go and the discussion on Facebook with Books with Heart was interesting.

I read Table for Eight by Tricia Stringer and that will be for next month along with Liane Moriarty’s latest book, Nine Strangers Waiting.

Outside Reading Highlights

I had installed a bookcase in my lounge room, and I love the fact I can now keep all my books in one place. I did cull some as I put them on their new home. I love the cupboards underneath which will hide stuff!!

Top Book for November…

Have you read this Irish author? I hadn’t up until this month but I loved the story and the exploration of homelessness, which is so prevalent in everyone’s country these days. At first the cover didn’t really wow me, but once I’d read the book – perfection!

Looking forward to reading in December …

 

 Reading/Blogging Goals for December…

• See how many of my reading challenges I can finish or near finish.
• Decide if I will host a reading challenge for 2019 … or not.
• Think about what challenges I might take part in for 2019.
• Decide on my first book to read for 2019.

Last month I wanted to get 3 to 4 rereads accomplished. I read two and as they were rather solid reads I count that as good enough!

Incoming Books during November

Purchased

Library Books

From NetGalley or Edelweiss

Audio Books

A Thousand Roads Home by Carmel Harrington

Published: HarperCollins
Date: October 2018
Format: Trade Paperback
Pages: 440
Genre: Mainstream Fiction
Source: Library

Firstly thank you to Trish from Between My Lines who intrigued me with her review of A Thousand Roads Home by Irish author Carmel Harrington.  It is the first book I have read by this author and I do believe I have discovered another author I will want to read more from.

This book grabbed me by the heart and I just had to keep reading it, it engaged me from the first page and didn’t let me go all the way through. When I had finished it I didn’t want to have finished it. I loved all the characters, cheered when things when well for them, chuckled sometimes and reached for the tissues quite often!

The story explores homelessness, having Asperger’s syndrome, being a single parent, being lost and in grief and so much more. And… it shows how one person with their kindness and compassion can change the world one person at a time.

It is set in Ireland and very authentically Irish, but… it is an universal story and has issues we can all relate to one way or another. If you can, read it – it is indeed “warm, powerful and unforgettable.”

Read Trish’s review here just to check it out! I haven’t gone into details, let’s just say I won’t ever forget it.

For USA readers this will be published there in June 2019.

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

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.

Jen Vincent, Teach Mentor Texts, and Kellee of Unleashing Readers decided to give It’s Monday! a kidlit focus. If you read and review books in children’s literature – picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels or anything in those genres – join them.

Hope all those who celebrate Thanksgiving had happy celebrations. I can’t believe November finishes this week.

Last week I finally had installed a book case that I had been planning and desiring for a couple of years. Just had to get the joiners to do it. With building booming – smaller jobs are more difficult to get done. Anyway its nice to have it completed and now I need to move on to curtains and new furniture suite, but I am sure you all understand – a bookcase is always first! Now I can use the old bookcases in the back bedroom for quilting fabric!!

Hopefully I will have a good photo of it next week, light is too dark here to day because it is raining!

What I read last week:

I finished my reread and it remained a four star read as like the previous time. While rereading is something I desire to do, I look at all the books I have and I think … really I need to read some of those!

This is both a review book and book club book. Short review will be published.

I continue to listen to Anne Bishop’s Lake Silence, just have three hours to go. Am enjoying it and slowly becoming attached to Vicki and her cast of characters. It is a fantasy story I enjoy and the narrator is perfect for it.

What I am reading now:

I am starting this today, recommended from Trish at Between my Lines. So it came in from the library recently.

Up next:

I’ve had this for awhile from the library, because it had no reserves on it I renewed it and read more pressing ones. This one I heard about on Anne Bogel’s podcast, and then it was mentioned again when she interviewed Jon Cohen, so it has to go next!

 

Last Week’s Posts

Nada – no posts last week!

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

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.

Jen Vincent, Teach Mentor Texts, and Kellee of Unleashing Readers decided to give It’s Monday! a kidlit focus. If you read and review books in children’s literature – picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels or anything in those genres – join them.

What I read last week:

If you are a reader of this series then you’ll know I am so… waiting for this time next year when the next book comes out because there is a big cliff hanger in this one. Can’t wait to see what tack Nalini Singh has in story for Elena the partner of Raphael, she was made into an angel and was on her way to becoming immortal. But now there is a spanner in the works! Love this couple and want the very best for them, and I rest in the belief that so does Nalini want the best for them!

I changed my mind about what to read next because a few library reserves came in and I went with…

This is a new series by J. R. Ward and involves fire fighters, their lives and challenges, the danger they are in and where just sometimes bravery might waver into stupidity. I liked the two main characters, especially the kick ass heroine Anne Ashburn. (Has to be a play on her name for sure!) Anyway she is not going to be taken down by any double dealing, dirty playing criminals. It might be she is just one or more steps ahead of them in the brains department. Nothing wrong with her brawn either.  Engaging read that had me going back any moment I had to read.  And… there is a dog named Soot. I’ll want to read the next one.

Sisters and Brothers was  a great listen and my first time reading this Australian author. It explored adoption, discovering birth parents and adjusting. I loved all the characters.

What I am reading now:

So this is a reread, my aim is to eventually reread through the whole series, maybe over time!

I am listening to Lake Silence. I loved this series and initially thought I wouldn’t take up the new arc in the series, but here I am! Borrowed this from the library.

Up next:

 

Last Week’s Posts

The Other Miss Bridgerton  Julia Quinn

 

The Other Miss Bridgerton. Julia Quinn

Published: Avon
Date:  November 20th 2018
Format: e-ARC
Pages: 384
Genre: Historical Romance
Source:  Publicist via Edelweiss

 

Fiercely independent and adventurous, Poppy Bridgerton will only wed a suitor whose keen intellect and interests match her own. Sadly, none of the fools from her London season qualify. While visiting a friend on the Dorset coast, Poppy is pleasantly surprised to discover a smugglers’ hideaway tucked inside a cave. But her delight turns to dismay when two pirates kidnap her and take her aboard a ship.

Miss Poppy Bridgerton is not a docile young woman, she has already had two seasons where she has not met a suitable partner for life. She is not prepared to lower her expectations and just settle for anyone.

Being adventurous, while visiting a friend she finds her way into a cave, where unexpectedly she stumbles into a privateer’s hidden treasure. She is captured and taken aboard where she has an adventure that turns her life upside down. She is treated well and held  in the Captain’s cabin, while he makes his run to Portugal. There is soon witty dialogue, testing of each other, teasing and development of a liking and attraction for each other. What is not revealed to Poppy is the exact identity of the Captain – we the reader know, but she doesn’t – Ouch!

All goes well until Portugal when there is a disruption of the plans and everything falls apart. It actually went up a notch in terms of interest during this stage of the story – Poppy certainly has a big adventure!

I think fans of the Bridgerton series will happily read and enjoy this prequel to the series and will enjoy meeting again some of the Bridgerton clan. I enjoyed it, although I have to admit I got a little distracted trying to work out the logistics of it in terms of a lady being held in a ship’s cabin without any amenities that I could note, except for a chamber pot! And a captain who knocked and entered immediately!

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

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.

Jen Vincent, Teach Mentor Texts, and Kellee of Unleashing Readers decided to give It’s Monday! a kidlit focus. If you read and review books in children’s literature – picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels or anything in those genres – join them.

Hope you all had a good week, so much has gone on in a week worldwide it is amazing. What caught my eye was the terrible fires in California, the celebration of 100 years since Armistice Day and of course the USA elections.

What I read last week:

I finished my reread of The Girl in Times Square. I was amazed at how much I had forgotten and I did enjoy it all over again.  A Family Recipe – a library book was very enjoyable and the Jill Mansell audio was very engaging and had me chuckling away. Julia Quinn’s book is a review book.

What I am reading now:

Sometimes I just feel like an urban fantasy from a favourite author!

Listening to…

This is for an online book club, so far I am glad I went the audio path as its working out well this way.

Up next:

I think I’ll do a reread, not quite sure what. During November I am wanting to fit in a couple of rereads. Possibly this one – set in England, steeped in the Church of England and with quite a bit of psychology and theology. However I have read the whole series and was fascinated by the characters so I would like to reread the whole series again at some point.  No I don’t belong to the C of E, but the character development in these books is what I remember.

 

Last Week’s Posts

The Man She Married   Cathy Lamb

The Man She Married by Cathy Lamb

I love a Cathy Lamb book, and this latest one, is no exception. Occasionally  a reader might be turned off by the sometimes deliciously irreverent tone, but that’s just part of her unique writing voice. I do believe I could be read a page of her writing and name it as a Cathy Lamb book. Now you can’t recognise a writer’s voice with many books, but hers – unique.

Sometimes there is always a little touch of the tall story, I could see that with the story her Grandma Dixie tells of shooting a man, such fun.

Natalie is married to Zack, and they sure do love each other, but… Zack seems to be hiding something and when Natalie meets with an accident and has a bad brain injury slowly all is revealed. (It takes the whole book!) Natalie makes a slow recovery, there is no magic wand that cures her within a chapter. And will Zack and Natalie last with all that has been hidden?

I loved all the characters who filled this story, Natalie has such great friends in Justine and Chick – together since kindergarten they are the Moonshine and Milky Way Maverick girls – which sums up perfectly there fun loving, risk taking, sweet, compassionate selves.  Then there are many of the local people, plus the three in rehab who were wonderful too.

Lastly I could not leave without looking at Natalie’s mother, she sure is something else!  She deserted her child and husband when Natalie was seven and now she is on husband number five. I’m telling you, however she does have a surprise up her sleeve and neither Natalie or I saw it coming.

There is so much I could say, I laughed out loud, I shed tears, I delighted in the antics and hyperbole, and as the friendship, love and compassion shone through I just knew I am so grateful that Cathy Lamb is a writer.

Published by  Kensington. 30th October 2018. An e-ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.  But… I did buy a paperback copy as well! If you haven’t read her, what are you waiting for!