#IMWAYR

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

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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.

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Welcome in as we open up to what May brings. I’ve been busy reading of course but as my sister and brother-in-law contracted Covid during the week I’ve been picking up and dropping off stuff to them. That virus is still around. It catapulted me into going in to get a Covid booster during the week.

I have also binged my way through The Diplomat on Netflix, loved it so hope they have a second season. I like Keri Russell but stayed for the show! I had to watch the ending a couple of times to see what happened! Anyone else watching it on Netflix? I have also been watching and enjoying Shrinking on Apple TV, thanks Sue for that recommendation.

What I read last week:

What I am reading now:

Quilt or innocence

I am listening to…

My Oxford Year

And still slow and steady reading …

Very sad but almost verging on a genocide story.  Excellent reading.

Take My Hand

Up next:

Australian author Josephine Moon’s latest book.

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Review

Paper Cuts. Ellery Adams

Paper Cuts

Published: Kensington
Date:  25th April
Source: Publisher via Netgalley

Nora escaped her past a decade ago. So it feels like a visit from another world when Kelly Walsh—the woman her ex-husband left her for—walks through the door of Miracle Books along with her son, a sweet, serious boy with a talent for origami. Kelly hasn’t come to gloat, though. As it turns out, she’s been dumped too. She’s also terribly ill, and all she wants from Nora is forgiveness.

Shockingly, however, this woman who’s been the victim of so much misfortune is about to become a murder victim. Who would do such a thing? Certainly not Nora, but that doesn’t stop the gossip and suspicion—especially after Kelly’s brother claims that he saw the two women arguing.

In seeking justice for Kelly, The Secret, Book, and Scone Society joins forces with the sheriff’s department, but they’ve barely begun their probe when life throws another wrench. After serving a twenty-year sentence, Estella’s father returns to Miracle Springs. And when his past comes back to haunt him, it might be more than the four friends can handle.

Paper Cuts  by Ellery Adams – #6 in the Secret, Book and Scone Society. This is probably my favorite cozy mystery series, and it was just so good catching up with Nora, Hester, Estella and June. They are such a good bunch, there for each other and the community.

This time Nora is in the firing line and Nora is initially blamed for a murder of a woman she had an argument with. This means that McCabb ( the sherrif and romantic partner of Nora) has to stay a little back. But at least those friends of hers are watching over her.

We meet Tucker who is neurodivergent and when his mother is murdered it really upsets him. However his aunt and uncle are out to watch over his interests, and as it turns out those interests are at the root of the murders and all the other suspicious goings on.  I liked these newcomers to Miracle Springs and hope we meet them some more in the future.

The story moves along some of the side stories for people like Estella and Hester, so again that makes me wait impatiently for the next book in this series.

I would like to mention too that this book has lots of talk about books and there are plenty of recommendations, my TBR grew a little. I think Ellery Adams must have a lot of fun writing these books with the witty sayings and all this book talk.

I highly recommend this book and the whole series.

Review, Top Ten Tuesday

Some Favourite Audiobook Narrators

April 25: Favorite Audiobook Narrators (or, if you don’t listen to audiobooks, name people—celebrities or otherwise—who might make you reconsider.)

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Linking up with That Artsy Reader Girl.

I love a good audiobook and always have one on the go. The narrator makes all the difference to a book. I have also noticed that a narrator that might leave me happy, annoys another. However here are some I love. Just ten, but there are others I love too.

Rosalyn Landor. Usually narrates historical romance and I enjoy her books. that she has narrated for Mary Balogh and Courtney Milan

Karen White.  Narrates a wide range of genre and I have just finished listening to her narrate a book by Jill Shalvis.  She has also narrated some of Emilie Richards and Diane Chamberlains books and many others.

Joshilyn Jackson  An author and also a narrator and she is very good at both. She narrates her own books, but sometimes does so for other authors as well.

Julia Whelan Is an author but she has tried her hand at writing too and did a great job of it. She narrates a wide range of genre. I am about to start listening to My Oxford Year, written by herself and then narrated as well.

Eilidh Beaton Narrates a wide range too. I’ve only listened to her narrate a couple of Jenny Colgan books but loved her doing so.

Juliet Stevenson. A British narrator who does really well with Jane Austen books and I have enjoyed a couple with her narrating books by Natalie Jenner.

Justine Eyre  Mostly does historical romance and I’ve enjoyed listening to her reading Josi S. Kilpatrick, Sarah MacLean and Nalini Singh

Susan Eriksen Anybody who listens to the In Death series will know this narrator. To me she is the voice of those characters. When I read a book in the series I hear her voices in my head.

January LaVoy. I really enjoy her narrating quite a few of the Nora Roberts books that I have listened to over the years.

Davina Porter. Such a great narrator. Her narration of the Diana Gabaldon books is superb.  I also listened to her narrate an Eva Ibbotson book and loved her doing that one too.

I am looking forward to noting some other great narrators as I visit around various posts.

#IMWAYR

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

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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.

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I had a great week, the weather was mostly miserable but such is weather. I went to book club – on the wrong night so I had two nights going out, the second one being the correct night. Some of my sisters visited my niece to see her house and garden – 35 min travel, and we were there. She had oodles of bookcases!!

What I read last week:

The Happy Ever After Playlist was so good on audiobook, so I need to listen to more by this author. Fault Lines was my slow and steady read and gave a great picture of Tokyo and a family – particularly the wife. A Hard Day for a Hangover – so good, so sorry to see the trilogy come to an end. I hope Darynda Jones writes more contemporary novels.

What I am reading now:

I am reading:

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My slow and steady book is…Take My Hand

I am listening to…

Accidentally on Purpose

Up next:

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Last Week’s Posts

Non Bookish Things.

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Top Ten Tuesday

Non Bookish Things

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Linking up with That Artsy Reader Girl

So this top ten is to do with non bookish things so I thought I’d share what I do apart from reading or listening to books. A few are book related but not really actual reading!

1) I love to quilt and I came to this through books, I wanted a quilt like I met in the books by Emilie Richards and her Shenandoah series – so when I retired I learned to quilt – from the internet. And here are some of the ones I’ve made. I love to quilt and its taken up quite a bit of my leisure time when I am not reading.

jigsaw

2) I also like to do jigsaws – not all the time but occasionally I like to set one up.

Wellington Harbour

3) I like to go into the city and visit places around it and ferry across the harbour – especially on a sunny day. I meet up with a good friend for these days and we have a lot of fun.

4) I listen to podcasts and some of my favourites are quilting and book ones….

5) The Currently Reading Podcast, What Should I Read Next Podast, A Quilting Life Podcast, Inappropriate Quilters podcast, Simple Handmade podcast, The Off Kilter Quilt podcast and lots more.

6) I watch a bit of TV, and I’ve just set up my “not smart” TV with Apple TV so that I can watch smart TV! I have been watching Shrinking on Apple TV thanks to a recommendation and next I plan to watch the last years Downton Abbey movie that I never saw when it came out.

7) I garden and keep a small vegetable garden, which is good because vegetables are so expensive. However I am not much of a gardener so mainly the rest of the property means lots of weeding.

8) I have been working with my great nephew to teach him to read. (Dyslexia). So I like to read up about the latest science of reading and listen to some podcasts too. I really enjoy helping him and its a bit of family one on one time.

9) I’ve joined a book club group that meet once a month – part of our church –  I like it because it involves each one sharing and while I don’t take too much part in Church life since I retired, this keeps me in with a group that enjoys modern thought.  It’s tonight so I’ll be going – we are reading and discussing a book called Wounded Shepherd – Pope Francis and His Struggle to Convert the Catholic Church by Austen Ivereigh.

10) I enjoy lots of family time. A few of my sisters  and I  are meeting up this Sunday to visit one of my nieces – to see her new home and admire her lovely garden she and her partner have put so much work into.

 

#IMWAYR

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

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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.

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Hope you all had a great week. My joy of the week was when my great niece ( Miss 7)  sent me a voice message to tell me she was so delighted with herself because she had just read her first book all by herself. She had enjoyed a big book of Billie B. Brown ( by an Australian author).  It was so good to hear the excitement in her voice. Makes me want to run out and buy her some more in the series!  I don’t remember being able to read the first book by myself, do you? I imagine though its like that first wobble off riding a two wheeler by yourself and I do remember that.

I had a good time in the city yesterday, met up with a friend and we went by bus around the harbour, had lunch by the beach and then came back across the harbour by ferry and then back by bus the last little bit. The weather was perfect and though Autumn is setting in there were lots of people out enjoying it all.

What I read last week:

What I am reading now:

I borrowed this one from the library and as soon as I got it of course it had to go right up front on my reading.

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I am listening to…book cover

And my slow and steady is still Fault Lines by Emily Itami.

Up next:

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Last Week’s Post

Books with Animals in them

Strawberry Lane.   Jodi Thomas

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Review

Strawberry Lane. Jodi Thomas

strawberry Lane

Published: Kensington
Date:  25th April 2023
Source: Publisher via NetGalley

Starri Knight is a big believer in fate. How else to explain the compelling connection she feels to the stranger she pulls out of a wrecked car on the very same road where her parents died twenty years earlier? Alongside Auntie Ona-May, the only mother she’s ever known, Starri saves Rusty O’Sullivan’s life—just as Ona-May once did when Starri was an orphaned babe. But convincing Rusty he has something to live for is going to take all of Starri’s faith in miracles . . .

Like a wish he hadn’t even known to make, Starri landed in Rusty’s life, filling him with a longing for a family. . . . Then Jackson Landry, a new lawyer, turns up to present a surprise that will change the direction of his life: An inheritance from the father Rusty never knew—and the promise of the family he’d never had. It’s a lot for the hard-bitten loner to accept as love rushes into his life . . .

A sense of duty has Rusty heading to Honey Creek to deal with his father’s estate—and find his lost siblings. But having family is one thing, learning to love them is another. Good thing new friends are by his side to help him along the way.

Strawberry Lane is just plain delightful. It begins with a crusty old man leaving instructions to will his four offspring – who he has never met – all his worldly goods. Whatever they might be!

Jackson sets out to carry out the dying wishes and firstly meets up with son one – Rusty. A builder and a real good guy with lots of surprising things to find out about him, once he recovers from rolling his vehicle down a hill.  It’s not long before the second son turns up and then the fun really begins.

This book is full of wonderful characters, who might not seem to know what they are doing, but really are the very best.

Strawberry Summer is full of humor, friendship and love. As well as Rusty beginning to find some family, it is full of found family and good spirit. I enjoyed the development of the various relationships and as well the story moves along with something always happening around the corner.

This is a real feel good story and if you are in need of some straight out feel good reading head off for Strawberry Lane. 

And… I am hoping that we will hear more of the missing members of Rusty’s family.

Top Ten Tuesday

Books with Animals in them.

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Linking up with ThatArtsyReaderGirl

I love a book with an animal on the cover and within the book. Here are some I’ve read, the first three are not on the cover but they are there within. I think my favourite might be Six-Thirty from Lessons in Chemistry. To me an animal just adds that much warmth and joy to a book.

The Color of Light

Lessons in Chemistry

In the Unlikely Event

By Book or by Crook – Charles the cat is a good judge of character.

The family You Make.

A Whisker of trouble. –  Elvis the cat is one smart cat.

 Out of the Clear Blue Sky.

 Murder Spills the Tea.

Dewey Decimated

 Christmas at the Edge of the World.

#IMWAYR

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

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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.

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Hope you are all recovering from celebrating the Easter season, or whatever one you do at this time of the year. I went to church yesterday – it was packed. Saturday and Sunday were beautifully sunny days, today grey and rainy.

More books finished this week, one being audio so it was an ongoing one for a few weeks.

What I read last week:

What I am reading now:

The Girl from Donegal

I am listening to…

Arabella

And my slow and steady read is Fault Lines by Emily Itami.

Up next:

The next book in The Secret, Book and Scone society. A review book.

Paper Cuts Last Week’s Posts

March Reading Round Up

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Month in Review

March Reading Round Up

Total books read this month:  11

Book Ratings

Someone to Hold.  4 stars
By Book or by Crook. 3.0 stars
The Last Mrs Summers. 4.5 stars
Strawberry Lane 4.5 stars
Someone Else’s Shoes 4.75 stars
The Reading List. 4.25 stars
Dog Man  4.5 stars
In the unlikely Event.  4.25 stars
The Color of Light.  5 stars.
Tom’s Midnight Garden.  4 stars

New to me authors:

Eva Gates
Sara Nisha Adams
Philippa Pearce

Top Book for March

Was a reread via audiobook that I loved all over again. The Color of Light by Emilie Richards. When Emilie Richards writes of church she has a ring of authority and compassion. A vision that is inspiring. And so we have in this novel the story of Analiese the pastor of the local church. Annaliese is the kind of pastor I’d want for any and every church. She is strong, caring and compassionate. She is not about institution, she is about people. However the life of a pastor is not an easy one. If you belong to or have belonged to a parish of any kind, I am sure you are aware of the variety of people and their politics. That must be very taxing as a minister tries to follow their calling and deal with all the other minutiae that goes along with the role. Annaliese has a lot to contend with, often no time to eat or call her own. But she has a calling to ministry and it goes deeply into her being.

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Main Reading Goals for April

Try to read a few more books from my Kindle that have been hanging around there for quite awhile.  I did read two in March. Three for April would be good!

Linking up with Nicole from FeedYourFiction Addiction.

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