What Are You Reading?

[Robin]

On Monday and Tuesday I finished a couple more books for August. First I finished listening to Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson. This seems to be a book people either love or hate.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I also finished reading The Shape of Night by Tess Gerritsen.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[[deleted user]]

When Kindred Spirits Unite: A Historical Western Romance Book by Carol Colyer on Kindle. ARC
Nora was raised by the Comanche's when she was found after her family was killed when their cabin was burnt to the ground. Now, as a young woman, she wants to know what caused the fire and if her parents were buried. On returning to her former home, she meets Theo Anderson, the nephew of Racer, who owns the ranch of which Theo is now a foreman. Nora finds out quickly from Racer and others that she isn't welcome there with all her questions. Theo wants to help her find out what she wants to know but also is finding his uncle and other farmhands secretive and untrustworthy. As they search they find themselves in such grave danger. This is a fast-moving story with romance, intrigue, suspense, and mystery. The only con I had was, having to re-read the same things that happened and feeling from two different narratives. It was tedious many times. But all in all, a wonderful historical romance/suspense.

[[deleted user]]

Charming Lily by Fern Michaels in paperback
Matt Starr is a billionaire software guru who has left his fiance's survivalist/mountaineer Lily at the altar. Matt tries to reconcile with Lily while doing a survivor outing with his staff. After reconciling again, Lily is now back in Natchez with Matt getting ready to marry again. Yet Matt vanishes again the day of this wedding. Her best friend Sadie is selling her family's mansion to her that was to be a wedding gift to Matt. Sadie gives her a family heirloom necklace that turns everyone's life upside down and around. This Wishkeeper gives Lily wishes, past and present, and insights. Matt's best friend Dennis is concerned for Matt and feels their other member of the firm is up to no good. This book had me hooked and intrigued from the very start. It was romantic, mysterious, suspenseful, and even funny at times. Add a bit of magic and it turned into a wonderful story. Another wonderful story by this author. I would highly recommend it.

[Robin]

I just finished Just Like Heaven by Julia Quinn.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Anita]

Buried Beneath by Debbie Baldwin 5-Stars
Treasure, Intrigue, Passions Ignite.
My Review

One Last Kiss by Kat Martin 5-Stars
Wonderful start to a new series
My Review

Backrush by Jana Deleon 3 1/2-Stars
A different Jana Deleon
My Review

[Robin]

Yesterday I finished reading If Shadows Could Tell: an Aurora Steller mystery novel by Granthana Sinha.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I also read Ritual in Death by J.D. Robb.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Today I finished listening to The Fifth Victim by Beverly Barton.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Jonetta]

I finished One Wicked Wish by Anna Campbell, A Scandal in Mayfair #1, and enjoyed this unconventional romance. Here’s my review.

I finished Winter's Camp, Ransom Canyon #.5, by Jodi Thomas and was unprepared for the tenderness of this story. Here’s my review.

I finished listening to One by One by Ruth Ware and got taken in by this locked room mystery. Here’s my review.

I finished listening to Rock Chick Reawakening by Kristen Ashley, Rock Chick #.5, and found it a great setup for the upcoming series read. Here’s my review.

I’m reading Buried Beneath by Debbie Baldwin, Bishop Security #3, and listening to Cross Her Heart by Melinda Leigh, Bree Taggert #1.

[Robin]

Last night I finished The Last Move by Mary Burton.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Jonetta]

I finished listening to Cross Her Heart by Melinda Leigh, Bree Taggert #1, and loved it! Here’s my review.

I’m listening to Killing Mind by Angela Marsons, DI Kim Stone #12.

[Emily]

I’m currently reading Marriage of Inconvenience by Penny Reid. I had never read anything by her until I started listening to the Smart Women Read Romance podcast. She writes intelligent women and I love it. I have since gotten a bunch of the women I work with to read her and we are now all obsessed. When we are sitting at the nurses’ station we are always talking about her series.

[Sharon]

Emily wrote: "I’m currently reading Marriage of Inconvenience by Penny Reid. I had never read anything by her until I started listening to the Smart Women Read Romance podcast. She writes intelligent women and I..."

I like her too. I recently purchased her Beard series that I need to start aka Winston Brothers.

[Shelby]

I adorable Penny Reid. I love her knitting club books. I wish I could read for the first time again. The beard brothers are a nice spin off

[Emily]

I read Truth or Beard first and then found out that it was a spin off The Knitting in the City series so I stopped reading the Winston brothers and picked up Neanderthal Seeks Human. She now has a spin off series from the Winston brothers. I can’t wait. My TBR list just keeps getting longer and longer.

[Shelby]

Lol ya that can be a good thing or bad depending on your pocket book

[Emily]

I know right!

[Anita]

Right Behind Her by Melinda Leigh 4-Stars
Bree solves a 30 years old murder mystery
My Review

Night Owl by Rachel Grant 5-Stars
Brad and Jenna's love story
My Review

Rock Chick Reawakening by Kristen Ashley 3 1/2-Stars
Chick-Lit with Nookie
My Review

[[deleted user]]

Affaire Royale by Nora Roberts in paperback
The first book in the Cordina Royal Family series. The story begins with Princess Gabriella running away from her abductors on a cold, rainy night. When she is taken to the hospital her family finds she has amnesia. Not from injury but from the trauma. Her father wants his good friend from the state's son, ex-cop Reeve MacGee to come and be her bodyguard. Brie and Reeve met many years ago at the palace for Bree's 16th birthday. She doesn't remember, but he certainly does. Brie is a very independent, motivated, and strong woman. Although her memory is gone, she is determined to run the palace and the ball coming up. This can make keeping her safe difficult for Reeve. He wants to help her find her memory and who did this, but finds her heart too. This was a story of romance, suspense, mystery, and a great description of palace life. I was surprised at the end of "whodunnit". I didn't find it very believable though. I felt Reeve was sort of a "yes man" and not very tough for an ex-cop/detective. I find it difficult to believe someone who endured so much trauma and has no memory of her past can run a big royal palace. It became too wordy and I found myself scanning pages. Still an okay read.

[Jonetta]

I finished listening to Killing Mind by Angela Marsons, DI Kim Stone #12, and we see a different side of Bryant! Here’s my review.

I’m listening to Never Saw Me Coming by Vera Kurian and The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11 by Garrett M. Graff.

[beverly deloatch]

Making my way through David Balldacci’s Hell’s Corner so I can get to JDRob’s Forgotten in Death.

[Jonetta]

I finished listening to Never Saw Me Coming by Vera Kurian and it was a lot of crazy! Here’s my review.

I’m listening to The Perfect Family by Robyn Harding.

[Anita]

Crossing Lines by Adrienne Giordano 4-Stars
A CIA Agent is "Burned" and the fun begins.
My Review

On a Wild Night by Stephanie Laurens 🎧 4-Stars
A female Cynster goes looking for love in all the wrong places, and finds it.
My Review

Brotherhood Protectors Vol 1: Books 1-3 by Elle James 4-Stars
Short action packed books. Sexy, hot Alpha Heroes.
My Review

[Emily]

The Duke and I by Julia Quinn

[Jonetta]

I finished listening to The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11 by Garrett M. Graff and it is an historical masterpiece! Here’s my review.

[[deleted user]]

Command Performance by Nora Roberts in paperback
Book 2 in the series with the eldest and heir to the throne, Alexander, and Eve, a friend of Alex's sister. They met at Alex's sister Brie's wedding. Eve was still young and impressionable of which she is no longer. She now heads a theatre troupe that is well known throughout the US. She has been requested to have her troupe come to Cordina to put on 4 productions. The bantering starts immediately between Alex and Eve. Eve is not one to be told what and what not to do, where as Alexander has been trained to do so. But as predicted, they become more than unfriends. Add in a mixture of suspense, mystery and intrigue. Was cheesy in parts, but all in all a good book.

[Robin]

This week I read Killing Mind by Angela Marsons.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I also listened to The Search by Nora Roberts.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Robin]

Early this morning I finished Dark Roads by Chevy Stevens.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Erin]

The Chosen

[Dawn]

I just finished and started

[Jonetta]

I finished listening to The Perfect Family by Robyn Harding and they are so very far from perfect! Here’s my review.

I’m listening to Compulsion by Allison Brennan, Max Revere #2.

[[deleted user]]

A Gentleman in Disguise by Aria Norton on Kindle. ARC
A clean historical romance. Lydia Seabrook wants nothing other than to be a writer. Her grandmother and mother were. But her father wants her to settle down and marry the Duke of Moreland. Someone Lydia abhors. She makes a deal with her father to give her a year to see if she can become an accomplished writer. Darius Frost is hired to tutor Lydia. Darius has no love or trust for the upper crust after what happened to his father. But he needs the money to survive and to care for his brother and his family. The storyline was very good, but I felt the author got away from the regency era. There didn't seem to be any family history other than her mother and grandmother were writers. I would have enjoyed learning more about the heritage. I found the book to be very drawn out and repetitious. I found myself continually scanning pages and pages.

[Anita]

Breaking Free by Pamela Clare 4-Stars
Keep a vow or let it go for true love
My Review

Temptation Ridge by Robyn Carr 🎧 3-Stars
Whole lot of happenings in Virgin River
My Review

Dangerous Ground by Rachel Grant 3 1/2-Stars
Dangerous trek across and Alutition island
My Review

[Jonetta]

I finished Buried Beneath by Debbie Baldwin, Bishop Security #3, and this series continues to one of my favorites! Here’s my review.

I’m reading Forgotten in Death by J.D. Robb, In Death #53.

[Jonetta]

I finished listening to Compulsion by Allison Brennan, Max Revere #2, and it was riveting! Here’s my review.

I’m listening to Absolute Fear by Lisa Jackson, New Orleans #4.

[Sandra]

As a break between heavier reads, I finished reading two equally charming books that I enjoyed. The Suite Spot & Girls Before Earls I give both 4 stars! Review of The Suite Spot and Review of Girls Before Earls

[beverly deloatch]

Read three more Joseph Flynn’s Jim McGill series installments, The Daddy’s girl decoy, The echo of the whip, The last chopper out. Moving into or reading into a totally different direction with The Historian written by Elizabeth Kostova.

[Robin]

I read Compulsion by Allison Brennan.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I also read a novella called "Night" from Night and Day by Anne Stuart.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

And I listened to Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[[deleted user]]

The Harbor by Carla Neggers in paperback
Zoe has returned home in Goose Harbor Maine, a year after her father was murdered and her Aunt died. She has left law enforcement behind her and trying to get her life on track. Her sister's home and cafe' have been broken into. Her father's murderer was never found. There is just something not right in this small town. FBI special agent J. B. McGrath is on vacation after being burned out on an undercover stint where he almost died. J.B. has ties to the area but is not going to get into this murder mystery. So much begins to unravel with all the characters. I thought every character was well-defined and strong. I really enjoyed how the author described the lives and the descriptions of the area. Made you feel like you were there. The bantering and romance between Zoe and J.B. were fun. I appreciated that the sex scene was not over descriptive and that it didn't happen so fast in the book. It kept it romantic. I figured out the "whodunnit" pretty early on, but the mystery and suspense were great. The only con I had about the book was that it got too drawn out. I feel it could have been condensed somewhat and still be a great story. The book was full of small-town people, romance, mystery, and suspense. I have always enjoyed her books.

[Sandra]

I finished reading The Patient's Secret by Loreth Anne White - another thriller with a horrific true crime at the heart of it. In my opinion, this is Loreth's finest work to date...and that's saying a lot! She's truly at the top of her game. Mark your calendars for March 1, 2022! 500 Stars! My Review

[Jonetta]

I finished Forgotten in Death by J.D. Robb, In Death #53, and loved it! Here’s my review.

I’m reading Ransom Canyon by Jodi Thomas, Ransom Canyon #1.

[Anita]

Compulsion by Allison Brennan 🎧 4-Stars
Fast paced mystery with a real surprise for the ending.
My Review

Absolute Fear by Lisa Jackson 3 1/2-Stars
Bentz and Montoya and one really messed up family.
My Review

Along Came a Lady by Christi Caldwell 🎧 3-Stars
Can a lady transform a coal miner into a gentleman?
My Review

[Robin]

I read The Coffin Dancer by Jeffery Deaver to fulfill a challenge.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I finished listening to The Last to Die by Beverly Barton.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Anita]

A Reckless Match by Kate Bateman 5-Stars
Wonderful Frenemies to Lovers Historical Romance with Adventure.
My Review

Last Seen Alone by Laura Griffin 4-Stars
A blood stained car, a missing woman and a cop and attorney with an instant attraction.
My Review
This review was rejected by Amazon, so I sanitized it as follows:
"She weaves the very timely issue of internet harassment and revenge postings into a mystery that details just what the consequences of those crimes can be." Got to keep the Amazon watchers happy. Forget about freedom of speech and what the book was really about.

[Lauren]

Listening to - While I am enjoying the mystery aspect surrounding the identity of the ghost, I'm not feeling the chemistry between Roz and Mitch.

[Jonetta]

I finished listening to Absolute Fear by Lisa Jackson, New Orleans #4, and this is my end of the series. It’s just a rinse and repeat of the same themes with every book. Here’s my review.

I’m listening to After the Storm by Linda Castillo, Kate Burkholder #7.

[Dawn]

I am listening to Carolina Moon for my Nora challenge. I really dislike the narrator, but am loving the book.

[Jonetta]

Who’s the narrator?

[Dawn]

Jonetta wrote: "Who’s the narrator?"

Dean Robertson. I have it slowed down and it still has no pause between thoughts, sentences, or characters. No difference between the characters, so it is really hard to figure out we have transitioned to a different person. Audible has bad reviews for him, but I have this in my Scribd trial month, so I am sticking it out. But I would never purchase a book narrated by him.

[Jonetta]

That’s good to know as I’ve not heard of him. I’ve found the audible reviews of a narrator’s performance to be reliable.

[Jonetta]

I finished listening to After the Storm by Linda Castillo, Kate Burkholder #7, and was loving it until it took a predictable turn. Here’s my review.

I’m listening to Shipped by Angie Hockman.

[[deleted user]]

Summer Days by Susan Mallory in paperback
Glen swindles May, a widowed lady out of 250,000 to help his friend get treatments for cancer. Heidi cares deeply for her grandfather and although what he did was wrong, she will fight to keep the house and land and him out of prison. He loves her goats and just wants to raise them and make cheese. Rafe is May's millionaire son and swore he would never come back to this awful town that holds nothing but nightmares of his poor childhood for him. But he also doesn't want his mother to loose the ranch that once should have been hers. A judge has decided they can both stay on the ranch until a decision is made. Although I found the story line interesting and the bantering that goes on between the two main characters, I found the book unrealistic, sappy and the romance was almost unbelievable. All these people just forgive and forget when crimes have been committed, (even if they were done in the name of love). And about these animals May buys? No one has a clue on how to care for them. I felt the ending was too quickly written and left me hanging. I always finish a book, and I did. But I have to say, it wasn't my cup of tea.