HAPPILY EVER AFTER discussion
WHAT ARE YOU READING THESE DAYS?
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What are you reading these days?
Here is my 3.16 rounded to 3 stars review of My Roommate Is a Vampire
by Jenna Levine:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Overall, this was fun and charming, but the ending was too quick and easily resolved in this slow burn romance for me. While there wasn’t enough depth to the plot for my tastes, I still enjoyed it.
Here is my 4.21 rounded to 4 stars review of 4th of July
by James Patterson & Maxine Paetro:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
part legal thriller and part crime thriller
With the usual short chapters, this story progressed quickly with other members of the Women’s Murder Club putting in cameo appearances. It was fast-paced and filled with action. Additionally, it has a shocking twist that completely caught me by surprise.
I'm RE-reading some romance -- right now Carly Phillips reads have caught me.When not doing that, I've been rereading some older cozies, which I need to get updated on my challenge page (as usual, I'm procrastinating!). I've been reading Selma Eichler's Desieree Shapiro and Elizabeth Daniels Squire's Peaches Dann series. I'm probably going to hit Heather Blake's Magic Potions series again, too. (I do this knowing her Wishcraft series sits unread on (in, or under) Mount TBR. Oh well...
Here is my 4.38 rounded to 4 stars review of Burning Justice by Tee O'Fallon:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Romantic Suspense
Overall, this briskly paced novel was engaging and atmospheric with great characterization.
Here is my 4.43 rounded to 4 stars review of Wild As a Wolf
by Paige Tyler:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Paranormal Romantic Suspense / Urban Fantasy
Overall, this book is emotionally-charged, full of danger, and intense; with a terrific romance and nonstop action. The plot is twisty and the first sentence had me rapidly turning the pages. The author introduces some new types of supernatural villains in this one.
Here is my 4.24 rounded to 4 stars review of Shadow Dance
by Christine Feehan:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Paranormal Romantic Suspense / Urban Fantasy
Overall, this briskly paced novel was engaging and had great characterization. The significant amount of danger and action kept me fully engaged and made this a true page turner for me. It is a riveting story with protagonists that I liked and cheered on as their journey progressed and became ever more dangerous.
Here is my 4.41 rounded to 4 stars review of Harm’s Way
by John Gilstrap:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Political Thriller
Gilstrap has a way of writing thrillers that immediately grab your attention. He’s an excellent storyteller who combines a creative plot with gripping scenes and plenty of action and suspense. Overall, this briskly paced and explosive novel was tense, fast-paced, action-oriented, and scary to think about.
Here is my 3.77 rounded to 4 stars review of The Raging Storm
by Ann Cleeves:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Police Procedural
This was an atmospheric book with great characterization and a complex plot filled with secrets and tangled relationships. It is very character-driven and has a few slow spots.
Here is my 3.77 rounded to 4 stars review of The Raging Storm
by Ann Cleeves:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Police Procedural
This was an atmospheric book with great characterization and a complex plot filled with secrets and tangled relationships. It is very character-driven and has a few slow spots.
Here is my 4.43 rounded to 4 stars review of Long Past Midnight
by Jonathan Maberry:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Horror short stories and a poem
Overall, this was a great collection of stories and one that kept me feeling the characters’ anxiety. While some are full of exciting scenes and plenty of action, others are more thought provoking. The world-building and characterization are terrific.
Here is my 4.43 rounded to 4 stars review of The Serpent in Heaven
by Charlaine Harris:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Mix of mix of urban fantasy, western, action adventure, and alternate history
Exceptional characters, intense fight scenes, and family drama made this an entertaining read.
Here is my 4.59 rounded to 5 stars review of All the Dead Shall Weep
by Charlaine Harris:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Alternate History / Fantasy / Western
Exceptional characters, intense fight scenes, and family drama made this an entertaining read. This well-crafted story hooked me in the beginning and kept me turning the pages as I went on a rollercoaster ride through twists, drama, grief, and intrigue.
Mod
Here is my 4.15 rounded to 4 stars review of Her Wolf for the Holidays
by Terry Spear:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Paranormal Romance
The characterization and world-building are well-done in this novel. It’s a light, easy read with a fast-paced romance. While there was some minor conflict, I wanted some additional intensity and suspense. Despite this, I enjoyed the book.
Here is my 4.7 rounded to 5 stars review of Payback in Death
by J.D. Robb:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I love this series. Robb is an excellent storyteller who combines a creative plot with suspenseful scenes and some action and romance. Overall, this novel was a twisty tale with great characterization that kept me turning the pages. I loved spending time with some of my favorite characters and can't wait for the next book in the series.
Here is my 2.98 rounded to 3 stars review of A Trouble of Fools
by Linda Barnes:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Private Detective
This is an outlier review. There are many readers who loved this novel.
There’s a decent mystery in this story, but the start is slow-paced, meandering, and uneven. However, it picks up in the last third of the novel. Overall, this sets the stage for an interesting series with some eccentric characters and new investigations to pursue.
Here is my 3.26 rounded to 3 stars review of Hanging by a Thread
by Dorothy Howell:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Cozy Mystery
Overall, this novel is entertaining and was a pleasurable reading experience. It's a fun cozy featuring many unique and interesting characters. Humor is sprinkled throughout the novel. However, the start is somewhat slow and there is some repetition that was somewhat annoying.
Here is my 4.36 rounded to 4 stars review of The Buried
by Lisa Childs:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Romantic Suspense
Overall, I enjoyed this novel which was suspenseful, atmospheric, full of action, and it had great characterization.
I’m reading If I Can't Have You: Susan Powell, Her Mysterious Disappearance, and the Murder of Her Children by Gregg Olsen
Now I have an excuse...A screenshot of this appeared in a writers' forum:
C.G. Drews (@PaperFury)
um please don’t question the copious piles of book filling up my room. those are my emotional support comfort piles and I am about to make another.
12:05 am – 15 May 2023 – 8419 Views [at time screenshot was taken]
Clutter it may be, but it's my "emotional support clutter"... I have piles of books, papers, clothing, stuff in boxes... :o)
Here is my 4.24 rounded to 4 stars review of The Ghost Illusion
by Kat Martin:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Romantic Suspense + Ghosts and more
Overall, this novel was entertaining and had great characterization. The plot is multi-layered and gets increasingly dangerous as the unsettling disturbances escalate and secrets are revealed. It’s twisty, thought-provoking, and tragic, as well as full of suspenseful moments. It's also very atmospheric.
Mod
Here is my 4.16 rounded to 4 stars review of Pines
by Blake Crouch:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Suspense, Science Fiction, Horror, and more
Overall, this novel was somewhat uncomfortable at times, entertaining, and imaginative.
Here is my 3.38 rounded to 3 stars review of A Curse of Queens
by Amanda Bouchet:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Fantasy
Intrigue, danger, action, suspense, a quest, and a romance are mixed with Greek mythology and fantasy in the fourth book in Amanda Bouchet’s Kingmaker Chronicles. There was always something new happening in this story that demanded my attention once the quest started. However, the first third of the book was extremely slow-paced. It also took me a while to understand this new-to-me fantasy world. I wanted a little more world-building. I believe those who have read the earlier books in the series would already have that grasp.
Here is my 4.19 rounded to 4 stars review of The Last Guardian
by Simon Gervais:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Political Thriller
A great start to the novel grabbed my attention. Action, suspense, intrigue, and danger keep this novel moving at fast pace. There is a strong sense of good versus evil throughout the novel. Geopolitical conflicts that help enable drug, human, and weapons trafficking are highlighted in this book.
Here is my 4.2 rounded to 4 stars review of Her Last Words
by Carolyn Arnold:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Police Procedural
The author brings action and intense moments to the novel, but the story built a little less suspense into the story line than usual. Despite this, the plot is intriguing, full of chasing down leads and interviewing suspects and witnesses in anticipation of identifying the killer.
From a newsletter I get:Are you a voracious romance reader? For three days only, stuff your kindle, nook, kobo, apple books or google play ebook reader with 1000+ free romance reads!!!
Between Sept 20 and Sept 22, 2023, get a curated offering of free romance books at your preferred ebook retailer, no strings attached. This is just a helpful collection of free-for-a-limited-time romance ebooks, all of which are being featured on Romance Bookworms for the first time!
There are links to Kobo, Apple, Barnes & Noble, Google Play, and Amazon. I haven't investigated as of yet, so I don't know if you're signing up for newsletters or not. Though it says romance, I don't know if there are any mysteries available either.
https://www.romancebookworms.com/
Happy hunting.
NOTE... As you can see in the description, the offer is only available today (Wednesday, September 20), tomorrow (September 21), and Friday (September 22)., 2023.
Karen wrote: "From a newsletter I get:Are you a voracious romance reader? For three days only, stuff your kindle, nook, kobo, apple books or google play ebook reader with 1000+ free romance reads!!!
Betwee..."
I actually just went directly to Amazon and searched for "stuff your kindle day". There are lots of books available, not just romances.
PamG wrote: "stuff your kindle day..."Saving that search! Thanks, Pam.
I mainly use my Nook and ADE readers, so getting items from Kobo, who allows physical downloads so I can use whatever reader I want, is my favorite. I haven't downloaded books from Apple in a while, but they used to allow the same. Google Books does too, but with their DRM. B&N (who used to be "freer") and Amazon are more proprietary with their files. I tend to get Kindle versions if I can't get the item(s) from Kobo or one of the others.
Doesn't stop me from having a Kindle TBR mountain!!
Off to see if there are files I just can't live without. :o)
Karen wrote: "PamG wrote: "stuff your kindle day..."Saving that search! Thanks, Pam.
I mainly use my Nook and ADE readers, so getting items from Kobo, who allows physical downloads so I can use whatever rea..."
By the way, the next Stuff your kindle day is 12/27/2023. Also be careful using the search I used, some of the free ones are kindle unlimited and not free for all.
Here is my 3.48 rounded to 3 stars review of Station Eternity
by Mur Lafferty:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The cross between science fiction and mystery worked well. What a great first sentence! However, the book quickly goes back and forth in time without notice causing one to feel unsettled and disrupting the flow and pacing. These instances are also from different points of view and only slowly reveal what has happened in the past. Despite this, the plot was interesting and complex. Overall, this novel was entertaining and had great world-building.
Mod
Ramla Zareen wrote: "I read Quarter to Midnight and Beneath Dark Waters by Karen Rose. These are the first two books of her New Orleans series. I'd planned to wait till a few more books of the series were published so ..."I'm glad to hear you enjoyed them too. I want to read some of her other series.
Here is my 4.04 rounded to 4 stars review of My Sister's Grave
by Robert Dugoni:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Crime thriller, legal thriller
Well-developed characters, a great setting, and a page-turning story line.
Here is my 4.02 rounded to 4 stars review of Dead Man's Hand
by James J. Butcher:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Urban Fantasy
debut novel
imaginative world-building and diverse characters
Mod
Here is my 2.88 rounded to 3 stars of This House of Grief: The Story of a Murder Trial
by Helen Garner:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
True Crime
Heartbreaking novel. Unfortunately the writing style didn't appeal to me. However, this is an outlier opinion.
Ramla Zareen wrote: "I'm reading—and enjoying—the Detective Josie Quinn series by Lisa Regan. I just finished book #3: Her Mother's Grave. It's my favourite book in the series so far. Now starting book #4: Her Final Co..."I like this series too. I need to get current on it.
HAPPILY EVER AFTER
Books mentioned in this topic
A Dead Draw (other topics)Chasing Perfect (other topics)
Turns of Fate (other topics)
Wild Instinct (other topics)
Prowl (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Robert Dugoni (other topics)Susan Mallery (other topics)
Anne Bishop (other topics)
T. Jefferson Parker (other topics)
Colleen Coble (other topics)
More...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Action / Military Thriller
Overall, this novel is a shockingly dark, disturbing, and an emotional ride. Once again Maberry hooked me with the fascinating prologue than pulled me immediately into the story.