September Reading Round Up

Total books read this month:  14

Book Ratings

The Best is Yet to Come. 4 stars
Thank You for Listening. 5  stars
The Book Haters’ Book Club. 3 stars
Snowed in for Christmas. 4.5 stars
Flirting with Fifty.   4 stars
All is Bright.  4 stars
A Brighter Flame. 3 stars
The Italian Daughter 4 stars
Grace Under Fire. 4 stars
Murder on the Poet’s Walk. 4 stars
LowCountry Boil.  4 stars
The Bodyguard 4.5 stars
State of the Union 4 stars
Becoming Beth. Meredith Appleyard. 3.5 stars.

New to me authors:

Gretchen Anthony
Susan M Boyer*
Julia Whelan*

*Would read again

Top Print Book for September

Top Audio Book for September

Top Kindle Book for September

Looking forward to reading in  October

It’s going to be just about all review books. My finger was trigger happy at NetGalley!  There is nothing that stands out, but they all looked good enough for my my finger to go “Read it!”

Review of Reading Goals  for September

• read one or two off my shelf.  I did get one print and one Kindle book from my own shelf.
• keep up to date with library books with my turn. Read three from the library.
• Read the review books on my calendar.  Yes – done
• Choose and start my slow and steady read. I chose Emma by Jane Austen and I am happy to say I am more than half way through it.

Main Reading Goals for October

• Read the review books I have on my calendar
• Continue with my slow and steady read – Emma
• Maybe sneak in one off my shelf or a library book if necessary.

Linking up with Nicole from FeedYourFiction Addiction.

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 great week. We went into daylight savings on the weekend so springing forward. I don’t mind that, its the gaining an hour that throws me.

We have a public holiday in honour of the Queen’s life here – I know a little late, but our Prime Minister only arrives back now after being overseas.

What I read last week:

A good reading week. Yikes, I read The Bodyguard in a day. So enjoyable.

What I am reading now:

And I will be listening to…

Up next:

 

Last Week’s Posts

Snowed in for Christmas.   Sarah Morgan

The Book Haters’ Book Club.     Gretchen Anthony

All is Bright.   RaeAnne Thayne

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Books I Have my Eye on This July!

Five of the books that have caught my eye that are publishing in the next few weeks.

I am always ready for a new Susan Wiggs book and this one publishes on the 12th of July but not available a little later internationally.

It is part of the Bella Vista Chronicles and I have enjoyed all of the three previous books. But it looks like its a stand alone really.

Food, friendship and love – all I need as a reader. Will be a buy book.

This book The Best is Yet to Come publishes on the 12th of July as well. I’ve had it reserved at the library for awhile now. It will probably be a while before it arrives, is processed and out there. If it takes too long I can buy it. Its marked as a heartwarming read and new starts and Mary from Book Fan rated it really well. Want to read it now!

Like many another reader this has been on my radar for awhile. And now it publishes July 12th as well. Bu internationally a few weeks later. The bodyguard is a woman and protecting a guy who is being stalked.

It’s well rated by all he readers I follow on Goodreads. Another one I want to read now! One I will buy.

It’s awhile since I read a Buchanan series book but decided I’d give this one a whirl. It has a bodyguard as well – this time a male bodyguard for a woman who doesn’t want one. The book publishes mid July and I have put in a hold for it at the library.

I’ve enjoyed a couple of books by Heather Webber and I will certainly be wanting to read In the Middle of Hickory Lane which publishes at the end of July. It involves a grandmother/grand daughter and a garden and I suspect a little magical realism. I am looking forward to it, Maybe in print or audio.

Libraries Draw a Reader in

I was listening to a podcast that mentioned a book that has as part of its setting a library. I decided I’d like to read it, but that set me thinking about books I’d already read that either had a library somewhere in its setting or one of the main characters was a librarian.

Well obviously this has a library in it. It’s not really about the library as such, but… it is an important place in that one of the characters finds refuge there. Another loves coming there for book club and the librarian is afraid her job is going because the council are threatening to close the library.

Plus who couldn’t love the cover. This was so worth reading on so many levels.

There are a number of cozy mystery series that has the library as a strong setting.  The Haunted Library series by Allison Brook is a really good one. It has a library ghost who appears every so often to one of the librarians – Carrie. Of course there is a cat in it – Smoky Joe who is totally delightful. There is usually a great mystery to be solved – like murders and Carrie has a romantic relationship developing.  This is #5. #6 is published this year.

 The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles presents us with the American Library in Paris in the months leading up to WW11 and during the war. Like all stories set in this era at times it is stark and heart breaking. The people suffer so much.

Yet within the confines of the library there are warm friendships among those who work there and those who come to read, write and borrow books.  I really found it good reading.

This one The Giver of Stars along with The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek – I read both – gives us insight to the courageous librarians of the WPA Packhorse Library in rural Kentucky from the mid 1930’s to the mid 1940’s.  The Appalachian mountains were challenging to say the least. I really enjoyed both books set here. Both very worth reading. I listened to The Giver of Stars which was excellent.

I’d forgotten this one has a librarian but it does. Samantha Casey is a school librarian who loves her job, the kids, and her school family with passion and joy for living. But she wasn’t always that way.

I liked the emphasis on however life is going, take the moments you can, to celebrate and to choose joy – even be a little wacky at times. I also loved Sam’s library set up.

A good summer read.

Next week five books set in a library or with a librarian I want to read. Already going to be difficult to confine to five! However if you have a favourite book with library vibes to it, let me know!

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August Reading Wrap Up.

Total books read this month: 13

New to me authors:

Steven Rowley
Lea Wait
Ali Mc Namara

Top Book for August

Very hard to decide! I think I’ll just note that I really liked The Guncle and will be reading more by Steven Rowley. Told with great compassion and love.

I Was Reminded…

I really enjoy a good historical romance. They are such fun. The Lisa Kleypas book was delightful, and The Grand Sophy on audiobook was so entertaining. Light and fluffy sure, but made me laugh and that’s always a good thing.

Looking forward to reading in September from my bookshelf

I do have a load I’d like to read but as you’ll see for my goal for September other books come first.

Review of Reading Goals for August

My goal was just to read what I really wanted. So I only read books that I knew I didn’t have to review and I sunk into books I felt like reading as I chose the next book.

Main Reading Goals for September

Well now, I need to gain ground a little and read the review books I ignored in August and then the ones I had on my calendar for September as well.

Our library has now decided to change to the Libby app, so I want to explore that for library audio books to see if improved over last one. Plus I usually get two credits per month at Audible, I have 8 in hand and may just need to cut back to 1 credit a month. I have a heap in my library to listen to as well.

Linking up with Nicole from FeedYourFiction Addiction.

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. We’ve had heaps of rain. Must almost be floating by now! I’ve had a good week though. Saw one of my great nieces on Saturday. Miss Six. She showed me where she now had a missing tooth. “Is that your first tooth for the tooth fairy?” I asked her. “No, this is my “freeth” she said. Her version of threeth or as I said, “oh your third!” I get such joy from small moments like that!

What I read last week:

I finished listening to The Twelve Clues of Christmas. It was a really good listen with some gruesome death scenes at the end for the murderer.  The Guncle was excellent reading and I am happy I have my own copy of this to put on my keeper shelves.

What I am reading now:

and listening to

Up next:

 

Last Week’s Posts

July Reading Look Back

Authors’ Back Lists.

 

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Authors’ Back Lists

Sometimes a new to me author makes me want to think about what the author has written previously and I like to think about what I could read of theirs.

I’ve been reading The Guncle by Stephen Rowley which is exploring some serious issues, mainly that of grief and loss but with some humour and great compassion. And the main character is so engaging.

It’s made me realise I’ll need to read another by Steven Rowley. I think my next one will be The Editor.

And then here are other authors who I have come across in recent years and am well into reading their back lists.

I’ve now read quite a few by Karen White but I have some to go and I’d like to keep reading anything she has written and at the moment I am working my way through the Tradd St series, but I have others of hers to read as well.

 

I have read the recent books by Viola Shipman but there are a couple of previous books that I’d like to catch up on. The Charm Bracelet and The Hope Chest.

When I read my first Katherine Center book How to Walk Away I knew I’d want to read anything else she has written. I have read her recent ones and have a few of her back list still to go. So I have chosen my next audiobook by her and it is called The Bright Side of Disaster. When I like an author I don’t even usually read the blurb – I just pick it up and read!

I picked this book by Liz Byrski, from a local bookshop based on the cover as you do! It brought me the happy acquaintance of a new to me author. I have since read I think at least one or two of her books and she does have a few back list books. I picked up three of them cheaply from the same bookshop recently. She lives in Australia and I think is of British origin. She writes women’s fiction and often has an older character in her books. She has a new one coming out in September I see. 

When I read a new author I don’t always start to note their backlist books. I guess it’s a good indication if I do, that I really liked their books. In the past I’ve found  author sand read everything by them. 

Who is an author that you have at present that you want to read all their backlist books?

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What You Wish For. Katherine Center

Published: St Martin’s Press
Date: 14th July 2020
Source: Publisher via NetGalley

Samantha Casey is a school librarian who loves her job, the kids, and her school family with passion and joy for living.
But she wasn’t always that way.
Duncan Carpenter is the new school principal who lives by rules and regulations, guided by the knowledge that bad things can happen.
But he wasn’t always that way.

Set within school life, What You Wish For did hook me and keep me reading. possibly because of my teaching career.  It has two main characters who had known each other a few years back and now meet up again at a different school.

Sam has just lost her beloved Principal and the whole staff are still grieving his loss. Duncan appears and he comes in with a bang. He is completely different to what Sam knew of him before. And so for awhile there I was totally horrified by his actions. However when we get to know Duncan more we come to understand.

There are minor characters who are rather sweet, especially the nine year old boy with the very remote and rather unlikeable Dad who also happens to be chairman of the board at the school.

I liked the emphasis on however life is going, take the moments you can, to celebrate and to choose joy – even be a little wacky at times. I also loved Sam’s library set up.

It’s a pleasant story, and if you are looking for a light summer read and you like Katherine Center’s work you can pass a few happy hours with it.

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.

A quiet week, lots of rain! And then we met our shortest day yesterday. Yay.

Well a little bit of a kerfuffle this week because we found out our quarantining at the border has been not that stringent and then two people from the UK were let out with the virus without testing on compassionate grounds, and there tended to be some large holes in their story. Hmm things then turned to custard!  We’ve had more coming in too as more NZers come home. So I am back to being cautious because I can’t trust what is going on at the border.

What I read last week:

What I am reading now:

And still listening to and enjoying Five Hundred Miles From You. by Jenny Colgan. Enjoying catching up with little cameos of past characters in the series.

Up next:

 

Last Week’s Posts

Book Delights Cost.

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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 are all keeping okay, so much all going on these days.

Today I am off out to my first venture since Covid into a cafe to meet up with a group of friends. Up until now I had had my groceries delivered but last week I ventured into the supermarket myself.

What I read last week:

What I am reading now:

 

Just started listening to…

Up next:

Not sure, will be something from my own shelf, but which book is as yet undecided! 

Last Week’s Posts

Five Audiobooks Awaiting

Brave Girl. Quiet Girl. Catherine Ryan Hyde.

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