Nalini Singh – The Book Date

Month in Review

February Reading Round Up.

March 5, 2023March 5, 2023 Kathryn

Total books read this month: 11

Book Ratings

Birds in the Air 3 stars
The Matzah Ball. 4 stars
Woodrose Mountain. 3.75 stars
The Light We Carry 4. 5 stars
Archangel’s Resurrection 3.75 stars
The Vibrant Years. 3.75 stars
The Winners. 5+ stars
No River Too Wide. 5 stars
Johanna Porter is not Sorry 3.6 stars
Sweet Laurel Falls. 3.6 stars
Carrie Soto is Back. 4 stars

New to me authors:

Frances O’Roark Dowell
Jean Meltzer

Format

Paperback. 5. one of which was from the library.

Kindle. 3. Plus one review book on Kindle.

Audiobook. 2

Top Book for February

book cover

Thoughts on February Reading.

Not an awful lot of reading done. I am keeping my review books to a minimum and that sure is a plus.

Linking up with Nicole from FeedYourFiction Addiction.

Top Ten Tuesday

Favourite Book Heroines

February 21, 2023 Kathryn

banner

Linking Up with That Artsy Reader Girl

I love a good heroine – who doesn’t?

Claire from Outlander. I’ve read the books only not the TV series. I like Claire because she is a time traveller who adapts really well. Plus she has some really amazing adventures.

Sam from the First Family series. Sam is a detective who really goes the whole way to solving murders, she is as well now the First Lady and she is an amazing mother to her adopted children.

Elizabeth Zott from Lessons in Chemistry. Elizabeth really fights for what she believes in.

Sunshine Vicram from Sunshine Vicram series. Sunshine is a local sheriff in New Mexico. She takes on the job even though she didn’t apply for it. Plus she puts her best foot forward in it and she is a great mother to her teenage daughter.

Sophy from the Grand Sophy. Geogette Heyer. Sophy is just larger that life and I just plain love her and her kindness and not taking no for an answer.

Kate Coppola. Kate was the first heroine I met in Karen Rose’s suspense series. All her heroines are great but I’ll always have special love for Kate – Special Agent Kate Coppola is the heroine of Karen Rose’s book Every Dark Corner. Kate is on a mission to stop the man who is trafficking drugs and acquiring teens for the internet sex trade. Tough as nails, yet compassionate, Kate is an origami and knitting queen, with a songs playlist you wouldn’t expect. She also has a very good reason to always carry a certain genre of book on her. (No, not telling, can’t spoil the surprise.). Meet a badass with a yarn bag and a work partner named Agent Luther Troy.

Daunis Fontaine – The Firekeeper’s Daughter As a biracial, unenrolled tribal member and the product of a scandal, Daunis Fontaine has never quite fit in—both in her hometown and on the nearby Ojibwe reservation. When her family is struck by tragedy, Daunis puts her dreams on hold to care for her fragile mother. She is very brave and stands against the crowd. Won my heart.

Kat Holloway. From the Kat Holloway Mystery Series. Kat is a cook in a London household. She is a very good one too, and as well when it comes to sorting out murders she is a dab hand. Very practical and.. a great mother to her young daughter.

Sasha Duncan from Slave to Sensation. Sasha is a psy in the pay changeling world and she has been deeply affected by Silence. But it falls and then she falls for the leader of the local changeling leopard pack. They make a wonderful pair right through out the series and I love how she operates with Lucas Hunter.

Helen Demetriou. A Home Like Ours. Helen has been homeless but she is determined to make something more of her life. She stands up for others and she stands up for herself and what she believes in a very ordinary situation against the local council.

Top Ten Tuesday

Books with Strong Romance Elements

February 14, 2023February 14, 2023 Kathryn

banner

Joining up with ThatArtsyReadergirl

I’ve chosen to list some books I read in 2022 with strong romance elements. I usually now leave the outright romance books but I love a good story with a strong romance element.

Looking at these books and you think you could recommend me something equally as good – go for it.

Flirting with the Beast: Jane Porter. Is pretty much outright romance but for older characters. Four stars.

State of Shock Marie Force: An ongoing series with two of the most romantic married characters in a book. Romantic suspense. 4 stars

Snowed in For Christmas. Sarah Morgan. Another pretty much outright romance but has the best grandma and family characters that would make me want to reread this one at some point. And…. set in Scotland. Five stars

Thank You For Listening. Julia Whelan. Audiobook narrators who eventually meet! It’s a Rom Com that I really recommend, but its more than that. It has wisdom and growth of character and things to think about. Five stars

The Choice: Nora Roberts. This is a paranormal fantasy set “beside” Ireland. Keegan and Breen are a pair who over three books ( this is the last in the trilogy) defeat evil and celebrate love. 4.5 stars.

Nora Goes Off Script. Annabel Monaghan. Thoroughly enjoyed this romance, loved the characters and especially the down to earth family and friends. Nora and Leo – what a pair. Bernadette and Arthur not far behind. It was cute and made me laugh out loud at times. I never saw what caused the trouble and kept wondering what on earth is going on. Well now I know! Very satisfying. Would definitely read another by this author. 4.5 stars.

Storm Echo. Nalini Singh. Another very enjoyable addition to the series. Pay/changeling/human unite in a way that brings about a welcome result. Ivan believes he is fated to have to live in a cage, but since Silence has fallen and what was once believed has altered is that actually going to happen? Soliel is a changeling delight and I really loved her story and her strength and love. I love the values of family and hope and the right use of power that underlines this book and all the series. 4.5 stars.

The Bodyguard. Katherine Center. Read in a day. Just couldn’t put it down. Feel good, warm hearted book with entertainment and sprinkles of life giving wisdom. 4.5 stars

Hana Khan Carries On. Uzma Jalaluddin. Very much enjoyed this book. A rom com, but…. The kind I like, great characters, comedic bits, interspersed with serious issues. Full of family, immigrant issues and most of all love. Highly recommend.

Dance Away With Me Susan Elizabeth Phillips. Five big fat stars. I loved this book, worth every big fat dollar I paid to get a hardback copy. I loved the characters, the serious issues covered and that Wren, she was just baby delicious. And sprinkled through was Susan Elizabeth Phillips smart, funny voice. It’s there, don’t say it’s not. I savoured every morsel of this book, This was a reread in 2022 via audiobook, every bit as good second time round. 5 stars.

#IMWAYR

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

February 13, 2023February 13, 2023 Kathryn

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.

Line break

Welcome in to another reading look back and forward. Nothing unusual in the past week – the usual – the weather was just a tad less humid and that helped. I visited, went for another sea swim, read and quilted.

What I read last week:

What I am reading now:

The Vibrant Years

Up next:

A review book.

Johanna is not Sorry

Last Week’s Posts

January Reading Round Up

Line break

Review

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

February 6, 2023February 6, 2023 Kathryn

Line break

This week I’ve been wilting somewhat in our very humid heat. It makes me heavy headed and sleeping at night is challenging! We are promised some cooler night temperatures though this week. And this is while so many in the US have icy weather. I notice the mornings and evenings are closing in as well.

We have a holiday weekend – Waitangi Day – our national holiday which commemorates the signing of the Treaty with the Maori and British government. It sometimes brings controversy but on the whole goes well.

What I read last week:

One lone book I finished this week. A worthwhile and entertaining read. Very informative as well about Jewish customs and the chronic disease ME.

The Matzah Ball

What I am reading now:

I think only a quilter would want to read this to be honest.

Birds in the Air

Also continue to read my slow reads and listen to Michelle Obama and The Light We Carry.

Up next:

Archangel's Resurrection

Last Week’s Posts

Books I’ve Placed on my TBR Recently

Line break

#IMWAYR

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

August 15, 2022August 15, 2022 Kathryn

Line break

Welcome all. Hope you are all enjoying life. Mine was a good week filled with all the things I like to do. I took some days off from blogging and visiting and that was great too!

What I read last week:

What I am reading now:

book cover

I am still listening to In the Middle of Hickory Lane and my slow and steady read is A Gentleman from Moscow.

Up next:

I usually listen on audio to this series by Allison Brook but this one I am reading from NetGalley. It’s a series I do enjoy. This is #6.

book cover

Last Week’s Posts

None this week.

Line break

Book Connections

August Books on my Radar

August 6, 2022 Kathryn

August is also a good month for books coming out or just out. My five top books are…

The latest book in this romantic suspense series, Quarter to Midnight. However it is the start of a new wing of it and set in New Orleans. This means a reader could start here. I have it ordered.

It features tough end investigators who are after justice – no matter what they have to do with it.

I’ll probably read this and then go back to my reading through the series as well.

The latest in the pys/changeling series, Storm Echo, and I really like Nalini Singh series. I know I thought I wasn’t into these kind of books until … I got invested in them. I already now have this one sitting on my shelf and even have it signed by Nalini Singh as I got it from a bookshop in Auckland where she lives.

You most likely don’t want to know what its about and that’s okay! Go read your books.

I don’t mind what Other Birds is about because its the authors name I go by here. However this is what it is about and I am in line for it through the library.

When Zoey comes to claim her deceased mother’s apartment on an island outside of Charleston she meets her quirky and secretive neighbors, including a girl on the run, two estranged middle-aged sisters, a lonely chef, a legendary writer, and three ghosts. Each with their own story. Each with their own longings. Each whose ending isn’t yet written.

Another series book The Secret of Bow Lane – which is set in England and has a little Downton Abbey feel to it.

A stranger who appears on Kat’s doorstep turns out to be one Charlotte Bristow, legal wife of Joe Bristow, the man Kat once believed herself married to—who she thought died at sea twelve years ago. Kat is jolted by Charlotte’s claims that not only was Joe murdered, but he had amassed a small fortune before he died. Charlotte makes the cook an offer she cannot refuse—if Kat can discover the identity of Joe’s murderer, Charlotte will give her a share of the fortune Joe left behind. Sounds like a good read. At this point I am in line at the library for it.

book cover Girl Forgotten was definitely not on my radar, however a couple of good reviews plus hearing an interview on the radio has convinced me to give it a go. So have put myself again in the line for it at the library.

It’s a thriller and not my usual line of reading as I am a bit sensitive! However I can see what I think. Karen Rose books are pretty gritty so I might withstand this one!

It’s about who killed Emily Vaughan?

Book Connections

Breezy Books

April 1, 2022 Kathryn

An informal challenge I am doing this year through Emilie Richards Readers Facebook page calls for some sort of weather in the title of the book. So I decided to look at books I have read with some sort of weather in the title or ones I’d like to read. I didn’t manage to get a lot of weather variety but let’s see. Of course the weather word might not actually be referencing weather but that’s quite okay by me!

A Breath of Snow and Ashes

This is sixth in the Outlander series and of course I have read it. Sitting on my shelves.

It is set in 1772 and the American Revolution is just beginning and of course Jamie is involved. But… through Claire of course, he knows how it will eventually all end.

Mind you I just read #9 in the series and they are still stuck in Revolution times!

Storm Echo This is the latest in the Psy Changeling series by Nalini Singh. Of course I want to read it. I’ll be pre ordering it. This is the USA cover, I’ll most likely get our cover. Will be too late for the challenge but I thought it had a great weather title to fit in here!

book cover Of course sunshine is what we like in our weather. A Bad Day for Sunshine is one I’ve read and loved.

Different but so entertaining. I thought ‘really weird’ as I began but soon I was really cheering for all the wacky characters. Plenty of family drama and little surprises. I’ve read the next one as well, and let me tell you watching out for the next one.

Becoming Rain This is second in a series by K. A. Tucker and I’ve read the first one awhile back now. I want to listen to this one via audiobook.

It’s romantic suspense/crime and has good reviews from Goodreads readers I follow. Just need to get onto it. Could be for April but might not get to it.

And the one I am going to read for April and the Emilie Richards Readers Challenge is The Secret of Snow Viola Shipman. I bought it last year but it just didn’t get its turn. So now is the time.

Again it has great reviews, and as I am going into winter, the winter weather flavour is fine. Looking forward to it.

What’s a book with weather in the title that you’ve read and enjoyed?

#IMWAYR

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

November 15, 2021November 15, 2021 Kathryn

Line break

And we are in the middle of November already. I had a good reading week, and my biggest event was that a new bed that I had ordered arrived. It is now installed and used. It is far more comfortable than my last one. I had dallied about getting a new one but finally did it!

What I read last week:

One from my Kindle, the audio via Libby, and the last a recent buy.

What I am reading now:

Just beginning this book, a review book, chosen because it has the word quilt and a cover with one! I am making a memory quilt of my mother – the third actually, which will go to one of my nieces. It is quite different to this one I am sure. It’s Amish Christian romance I am sure I’ll enjoy it, because yes – you know that word – quilt!

The Memory Quilt

And I will be listening to The Legacy which has been sitting in my Audible library for awhile now.

Legacy

Up next:

Another book from the Kindle black hole.

book cover

Last Week’s Posts

Riverbend Gap. Denise Hunter

Connect to Canada Authors

Line break

#IMWAYR

It’s Monday! What are You Reading?

November 8, 2021November 8, 2021 Kathryn

Line break

Greetings to you all. Hope things are going well for you. I enjoy visiting when I can and seeing how you are getting on. Ah… also you’d be surprised at how the books I want to read grows as I visit. Even though we all have such different reading tastes, I find I often intersect somewhere with lots of you.

What I read last week:

I really enjoyed the Debbie Macomber book, a recommendation from Meredith at the Currently Reading podcast. I was pleased to finish the audio of The Attic on Queen Street. I will finish the one more book in the series although I find them a little same/same. Call of the Penguins was delightful and review for that later.