Goodbye, not-so-great week

TGIF

 Yeah, it wasn't the worst of weeks; it wasn't the best of weeks...

But I am going to focus on good things coming up for the weekend. No coffee shop for the summer so I need to organize my projects for the next few weeks. There's lots of them.

 Currently reading The Unkindness of Ravens by M.E. Hilliard 1st of 3 in Greer Hogan Hudson River Valley series.

 Greer Hogan is a librarian and an avid reader of murder mysteries. She also has a habit of stumbling upon murdered bodies. The first was her husband's, and the tragic loss led Greer to leave New York behind for a new start in the Village of Raven Hill. But her new home becomes less idyllic when she discovers her best friend sprawled dead on the floor of the library. Was her friend's demise related to two other deaths that the police deemed accidental? Do the residents of this insular village hold dark secrets about another murder, decades ago? Does a serial killer haunt Raven Hill? As the body count rises, Greer's anxious musings take a darker turn when she uncovers unexpected and distressing information about her own husband's death...and the man who went to prison for his murder. She is racked with guilt at the possibility that her testimony may have helped to convict an innocent man. Though Greer admires the masters of deduction she reads about in books, she never expected to have to solve a mystery herself. Fortunately, she possesses a quick wit and a librarian's natural resourcefulness. But will that be enough to protect her from a brilliant, diabolical murderer?

Published 2021; 331 pages. This book has the BEST opening I've seen and made me want to read it immediately:

 Isn't that fabulous? And I totally agree with the sentiments.

 Also this weekend, I messaged with my favorite author, Nathan Lowell, who says the second book of the new series may drop today. Maybe. If you recall a couple weeks ago I didn't even know the first one was coming out. Now the second? Maybe.

Also, tomorrow, July 1st, the next in the Sutton's Place by Shannon Stacey will be available to read on Harlequin's website, HER YOUNGER MAN. 5th of 5 in series.

 Age is just a number. Riley McLaughlin knows he shouldn't get involved with a coworker, especially when she's also his boss's mom. But widow Laura Thompson is everything he wants in a woman, and their age difference simply doesn't matter. And though she's drawn to Riley more than she'll ever admit, Laura has never been one to jump headfirst into adventure. Town gossip has already run rampant—will Riley and Laura give them something to really talk about?

Published 2023; 236 pages. That makes me very happy. I'll be getting the physical copy when it's available at the end of the month but I'm willing to read it online now.

UPDATE: The second Nathan Lowell dropped this afternoon. WORKING CLASS by Nathan Lowell, 2nd in Marva Collins SFF series.

When Ishmael takes a crew of academy cadets into the Toe Holds, he's unprepared for the level of trouble green hands can get into. Meanwhile their academy liaison discovers what can go wrong when you learn the wrong lessons and try to teach the wrong students. Will they all make it back to the academy before somebody accidentally takes a short walk out the air lock without a suit?

Published 2023; 440 pages.

Today is the last day of June. Halfway mark of 2023. Here's the books I've read thus far this year.

Seventy-three books completed. I'm amazed.

I'll have reading sprints on Sunday afternoon. Projects, lots I could/should do. Crochet. Book journal. YouTube webcam set up. Clean/organize stuff. 

Also this weekend the premiere of fourth and final season of Jack Ryan is available on Amazon. The first two episodes.

And the usual walking of Keo twice a day. Read these lovely books. Nap. Listen to fireworks going off. I'm very okay with not going to the coffee shop on Saturdays, it's just the way it was done that sucks.

Have a good weekend

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

The nose knows only one more day

 Thursday

 I'm feeling crabby-ish today. Put out. Touchy. It's been a long week with the receptionist gone Monday and Tuesday; last weekend was frustrating and not feeling well. I'm just weary of dealing with people and things.

With only one other person showing up on this Saturday's bead group, maybe a second person, I've messaged that maybe we could cancel the coffee shop this weekend.

UPDATE: Bead group has been canceled for the summer and revisit it in the Fall. Their decision. And I'm kinda feeling like maybe for me I'm done with the whole thing at this point. It's been a struggle some times. 

 

And all this has not helped my mood today whatsoever.  

I'm at 48% of the Glass and Steele book. Still don't know what his big magic secret is. I really hope he's not a vampire or something.

 Just getting through the day and then tomorrow. That's about it.

Have a good day

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Mid-week, roughing it out

 Wednesday. Receptionist is back.

 New release for me today. Romance. GRACE NOTE by J. Bengtssen. 7th of 7 in Cake series.

 The Cake series youngest McKallister sibling has her own story full of emotional ups and downs. We learn Grace’s experience in life as we witness pivotal events of Grace from preschooler to early twenties. It focuses on Grace’s life in the large McKallister family that has been impacted by the horrors of Jake’s childhood kidnapping and Grace’s and the family’s struggles to find their own lives. Grace faces her fears, a childhood secret, her need to be a savior, first love, heartbreak, redemption and hope for a second chance. Rory Higgins aka Beats aka Grace’s Drummer Boy has a heartbreaking story and was a child without parents growing up in the foster care system. Manipulation and horrors define his life, but an incredible natural talent and need to play the drums or buckets gives him hope and dreams of rising out of a life on the streets.

 Published 2023; 431 pages. My complaint (so far) is the cover. It's Grace's story ... so why the guy other than freaking marketing? I'll probably get the physical book of this to go with the collection. 

 

Speaking of physical book copies, I'd fallen behind in getting them with some of the series I follow. I've been only getting the Kindle versions. I'm catching up now with C.S. Harris, Charles Todd (Rutledge series), and Anna Lee Huber (Lady Darby series). 

 I've got to do JD Robb (yikes), Robert Galbraith, and others eventually. I always knew only getting the Kindle that the purchases were actually only temporary -- i.e., Amazon could freeze my account or an EMP attack would wipe out the grid, or whatever. I need to clean out my bookcases of a lot of old old used book sale purchases. 

Another realization participating in the YouTube reading group that I follow, my years of reading have given me a huge depth of knowledge of mysteries that no one of the younger crowd have heard of at all.

Also going to start the audiobook of THE WATCHMAKER'S DAUGHTER by C.J. Archer. 1st of 13 featuring Glass And Steele, historical fantasy mystery series set in Victorian England

 

India Steele is desperate. Her father is dead, her fiancé took her inheritance, and no one will employ her, despite years working for her watchmaker father. Indeed, the other London watchmakers seem frightened of her. Alone, poor, and at the end of her tether, India takes employment with the only person who’ll accept her – an enigmatic and mysterious man from America. A man who possesses a strange watch that rejuvenates him when he’s ill. Matthew Glass must find a particular watchmaker, but he won’t tell India why any old one won’t do. Nor will he tell her what he does back home, and how he can afford to stay in a house in one of London’s best streets. So when she reads about an American outlaw known as the Dark Rider arriving in England, she suspects Mr. Glass is the fugitive. When danger comes to their door, she’s certain of it. But if she notifies the authorities, she’ll find herself unemployed and homeless again – and she will have betrayed the man who saved her life.

Published 2016; 302 pages.

Steve's got the gun range this evening. I'll be reading.

 Have a good day

 Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Again

Tuesday. Receptionist still out. Bah.

 I've got ticket drawing live stream to watch this evening for beady stuff in the last month to watch tonight. Another tomorrow evening for the jewelry purchases in the last month, both from ThunderhorseDescendant.

 

 On a book related note, I think I've narrowed down my options for the first July scavenger hunt "book set in a different country other than your own". 

 

 Looks like I'm feeling very "India-ish". I guess I translate the prompt to mean "exotic" since the majority of what I usually read is set in UK countries.

 But a couple of these are ones I've meant to read for quite a while anyway and this may be the nudge I need.

 On that note....

Have a good day

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Mood

 Monday. Receptionist called in sick.

I had a "meh" weekend. I was at the coffee shop, I had brought Keo because he was being wimpery, I had given a heads up to my friends, yet Jim came with Toby. Jim, who hasn't been at a Saturday for months. I wasn't feeling that well anyway, so I left. This was probably the best idea because I had that bug that's going around and rest and chicken egg roll soup was the best thing for me. Mine was only 24-hours; I felt better yesterday and completely well today. 

In the YouTube world of book people, a mid-year summary is going around. I'll play in my fashion. Note, I won't have duplicates.

Top Five Series of 2023:

 This book made me the happiest. It also "surprised" me because I didn't know it was being released.

 This book "surprised" me because I also didn't know it was being released and I think the cover is visually pretty.

 Most beautiful cover and one I still mean to read that was released this year.

 Biggest disappointments:

 Series that surprised me, as in I didn't have expectations yet my enjoyment was astronomical:

Most anticipated new release in the second half of the year:

I had forgotten until yesterday afternoon that Disney+ has the multi-episode Beatles documentary I had wanted to watch. So I started that. It's going to take a while to view because it's hard to watch sometimes. So young, so much angst. I've always been a Paul McCartney fan and I never really saw the appeal of Lennon though I've always appreciated his immense talent. I saw his charisma in this. I may have to renew for another month to watch the whole thing. 

I have reading sprints this evening after walking/feeding Keo. Steve's having left over something.

Have a good day

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster