Sunday, May 18, 2025
Reading Log as of May 18th - Archangel's Ascension
Sunday, May 11, 2025
Reading Log as of May 11th - Happy Mother's Day
Happy Mother's Day!
Currently reading Nalini Singh’s newest in her Guild Hunter Series #17- Archangel’s Ascension:
“Aodhan and Illium. Adi and Blue. Sparkle and Bluebell. Friends become lovers, their future a wild unknown.
Finally reunited in New York, they must now learn to navigate the monumental shift in their relationship. But for these two members of Archangel Raphael’s legendary Seven, there is no time to rest. As they investigate a case for the Tower that echoes the darkness from Aodhan’s past, they will be forced to confront not only the scars that mark them both, but the promise of a vast power that flickers in Illium.
The threat of ascension has haunted and troubled Aodhan’s Blue for too long, the forces of change immutable and without mercy…and uncaring of Illium’s fierce wish to remain part of the Seven. Change is a constant in an immortal’s life, and this new horizon will bring with it both terrible heartbreak and a joy extraordinary enough to reverberate through time…”
Plus All the Beauty in the World: The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Me by Patrick Bringley which is wonderfully written:
“Millions of people climb the grand marble staircase to visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art every year. But only a select few have unrestricted access to every nook and cranny. They’re the guards who roam unobtrusively in dark blue suits, keeping a watchful eye on the two million square foot treasure house. Caught up in his glamorous fledgling career at The New Yorker, Patrick Bringley never thought he’d be one of them. Then his older brother was diagnosed with fatal cancer and he found himself needing to escape the mundane clamor of daily life. So he quit The New Yorker and sought solace in the most beautiful place he knew.
To his surprise and the reader’s delight, this temporary refuge becomes Bringley’s home away from home for a decade. We follow him as he guards delicate treasures from Egypt to Rome, strolls the labyrinths beneath the galleries, wears out nine pairs of company shoes, and marvels at the beautiful works in his care. Bringley enters the museum as a ghost, silent and almost invisible, but soon finds his voice and his tribe: the artworks and their creators and the lively subculture of museum guards—a gorgeous mosaic of artists, musicians, blue-collar stalwarts, immigrants, cutups, and dreamers. As his bonds with his colleagues and the art grow, he comes to understand how fortunate he is to be walled off in this little world, and how much it resembles the best aspects of the larger world to which he gradually, gratefully returns.”
And my Nora Robert’s bedtime read – Midnight Bayou – which I can’t remember a thing so like reading it again for the first time.
“Declan Fitzgerald had always been the family maverick, but even he couldn’t understand his impulse to buy a dilapidated mansion on the outskirts of New Orleans. All he knew was that ever since he first saw Manet Hall, he’d been enchanted-and obsessed-with it. So when the opportunity to buy the house comes up, Declan jumps at the chance to live out a dream.
Determined to restore Manet Hall to its former splendor, Declan begins the daunting renovation room by room, relying on his own labor and skills. But the days spent in total isolation in the empty house take a toll. He is seeing visions of days from a century past, and experiencing sensations of terror and nearly unbearable grief-sensations not his own, but those of a stranger. Local legend has it that the house is haunted, and with every passing day Declan’s belief in the ghostly presence grows.
Only the companionship of alluring Angelina Simone can distract him from the mysterious happenings in the house, but Angelina too has her own surprising connection to Manet Hall-a connection that will help Declan uncover a secret that’s been buried for a hundred years.”
Our Saturday Night movie was the original Pink Panther with Peter Sellers. De dum de dum πΆπ·
Saturday, August 31, 2024
August Reading Log
August Reading Log
August 3: I spent all day yesterday reading Nalini Singh’s Primal Mirror, #8 in the Psy-Changeling Trinity series. Awesome addition to the series and will say no more as I know others may not have read it yet.
“Daughter of two ruthless high-gradient telepaths, Auden Scott is not the child her Psy parents wanted or expected, even before her brain injury. Her thoughts are scattered, her memories fuzzy—or just terrifyingly blank. The only thing she knows for certain is that she must protect her unborn baby…a baby she has no recollection of conceiving and who draws an abnormal intensity of notice from her dead mother’s closest associates.
Leopard alpha Remi Denier is a man driven by the primal instinct to protect. Protect his pack, protect his allies… and protect the mysterious woman who has become a most unlikely neighbor. With eerie eyes that see too much and a scent that alters in ways disturbing and impossible, Auden Scott is the enemy…but nothing about this strange Psy is what it seems, Remi’s feline heart as fascinated by her as the human half of his soul.
Then Auden asks Remi to help her shatter the wall of secrets that is the Scott bloodline. What they unearth will reveal a nightmare beyond imagination. This time, the battle is to the death…”
Rating: *****
Still in the midst of A Letter to the Luminous Deep by Sylvia Cathrall and looking forward to starting Brennan’s 3rd book in the Lady Trent Series.
August 10: I’m still in the midst of Diana Setterfield’s Once Upon a River and enjoying the mystery of it all as well as A Letter to the Luminous Deep by Sylvia Cathrall in which I think I’m finally getting to the meat of the mystery, plus ebook Debra Webb’s Deeper than the Dead which has me wondering what the heck is going on.
“Crime analyst and newly disgraced deputy police chief Vera Boyett doesn’t visit home often, and she certainly doesn’t venture back into the cave on her family land. But when the remains of her long-missing stepmother are discovered, Vera will have to face a past that threatens all she is.
She and her sister Eve had a fairy-tale childhood: good until it was tragic, with a stepmother they never found a bond with. At least they had each other, a baby half-sister, and a mutual devotion that would have them do the unthinkable.
It’s a summer in small-town Tennessee, so thick with humidity it could drown you and so rife with secrets it could smother you. And deep beneath the surface, there are more bodies than you’d think.”
On the nightstand waiting is e book Lady Trent as well as Joanna Quinn’s Whalebone Theatre.
Saturday Night Movie: Pacific Rim.
August 12: Welp! Almost gave up on Deeper than the Dead, but wanted to find out who did the murders and what a convoluted mess. Not sure I’ll read any more of the series since didn’t like the female lead character when all was said and done.
Finished A Letter to the Luminous Deep by Sylvia Cathrall which was entertaining and enthralling.
Decided to take a break and re-read Patricia Briggs Moon Called last night and ended up reading until 3:00 a.m. Fortunately it was hubby’s turn to work today. Hee!
Oh, downloaded Pray for Silence, the first book in the Kate Burkholder series and it’s good. I’m enjoying so far.
August 18: Currently rereading Mercedes Thompson series and on Bone Crossed.
In the midst of breakfast book – Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield and bedtime book – Joanna Quinn’s Whalebone Theatre.
Saturday Night Movie: Eye in the Sky
August 24: Finished Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield which was a mystery with magical realism elements. It was character driven and the story slowly bloomed. Just when you thought you had the answer, it changed. Very well done!
“On a dark midwinter’s night in an ancient inn on the river Thames, an extraordinary event takes place. The regulars are telling stories to while away the dark hours, when the door bursts open on a grievously wounded stranger. In his arms is the lifeless body of a small child. Hours later, the girl stirs, takes a breath and returns to life. Is it a miracle? Is it magic? Or can science provide an explanation? These questions have many answers, some of them quite dark indeed.
Those who dwell on the river bank apply all their ingenuity to solving the puzzle of the girl who died and lived again, yet as the days pass the mystery only deepens. The child herself is mute and unable to answer the essential questions: Who is she? Where did she come from? And to whom does she belong? But answers proliferate nonetheless.
Three families are keen to claim her. A wealthy young mother knows the girl is her kidnapped daughter, missing for two years. A farming family reeling from the discovery of their son’s secret liaison, stand ready to welcome their granddaughter. The parson’s housekeeper, humble and isolated, sees in the child the image of her younger sister. But the return of a lost child is not without complications and no matter how heartbreaking the past losses, no matter how precious the child herself, this girl cannot be everyone’s. Each family has mysteries of its own, and many secrets must be revealed before the girl’s identity can be known.”
Rating: *****
In the midst of rereading Patricia Brigg’s Mercedes Thompson series and about to begin #8 Night Broken.
Saturday Night Movie: School of Rock!
August 27: Just discovered in my reread of the Mercedes Thompson series, I never read #8 Night Broken which I just finished and learning much about Christy. Reading # 9 Fire Touched now which I absolutely don’t remember but Good reads said I did way back when.
Sunday, December 25, 2022
BW52: 2022 Year End Wrap Up!
Wow. It's week 52 in our 52 books quest and it seems like this year just flew by. My reading year was a mixture of new reads and rereads. I had a plan at the beginning of the year and was pretty good with writing some reviews until about mid year, then meandered completely off the path.
Sunday, October 23, 2022
BW43: More spookiness. Yes, no, maybe!!!
It's book week 43 in our 52 book quest and continuing our October Spooktacular.
I've been thoroughly enjoying M.L. Buchman's Miranda Chase series about an autistic NTSB agent and her cohorts. I caught up with the series just in the time for book #11 Skibird which is being released tuesday.
"Those who work there call Antarctica “The Ice.” A secret Russian cargo jet crashes into a crevasse near an Australian Station. The Aussies call in the top air-crash investigators on the planet.
The best of them all, Miranda Chase, must face the Russians, Chinese, and use her own autistic abilities to keep her team alive. As the battle spreads across The Ice, are even her incredible skills enough?
Or will they all be buried in the frozen wasteland?"
And excited for the new release of Nalini Singh's 15th book in the Guild Hunter series "Archangel's Resurrection on the 25th as well.
Tonight our family movie choice was Replicas with Keenu Reeves. It was quite intense as he is a neuroscientists and tries to clone his family when they die in an accident.
Sunday, August 14, 2022
BW33: A bit of this, a bit of that
It's book week 33 in our 52 books quest and I finished Nalini Singh's Storm Echo which was very exciting with a lot happening and well worth a reread. Can't say more without spoiling.
Currently rereading Ilona Andrew's Guild Hunter series with Kate Daniels.
I finally gave up on Middlemarch. Got to the chapter 26, then decided I was done. Skipped to read the last chapter to find out what happened with the characters. Glad decided to quit.....
Tuesday, August 9, 2022
Steven James, Dana Stabenow, and Nalini Singh, OH MY
I finished rereading the psychological thriller The Bishop by Steven James. #4 in the Patrick Bowers series. Don't know why I skipped around for this one, but one day I'll have to go back and reread the series in order. The lead character is a criminologist and the characters gets deep into philosophy as well which was interesting so lots of deep thinking. The first book, The Pawn, is available on Kindle Unlimited if you want to check it out.
Read Dana Stabenow's 2nd book in her Kate Shugak series - A Fatal Thaw - which fit in with our 52 books bingo category since Kate's side kick is Mutt, a female part wolf, part husky.
Nalini Singh's #6 in her psy/changeling series, Storm Echo arrived today so excited to begin reading it.
Thursday, October 28, 2021
Bookish Notes and Links - Crime Fiction and Ancient Wisdom
Sigh! Just finished Nalini Singh's Archangel's Light (#14 in the Guild Hunter) about Illium and Aodhan and fills in their backstory. Already looking forward to reading it again.
Bookish love with an Ode to Librarians: 6 Books Dedicated to a Love of Literature. I have the Bad Ass Librarians of Timbuktu on my shelves.
Maria of Brainpickings is celebrating her 15th anniversary and decided to change the name to The Marginalian. Have enjoyed reading her posts for quite some time. Lots to ponder and learn, along with getting caught up in following multiple rabbit trails.
For crime fiction aficionado's I know October is almost over, but check out October's Best International Crime Fiction. And for November, the ones to look forward to.
Here's something I stumbled across which history buffs will appreciate. Ancient Wisdom for Modern Readers.
And from one of my favorite authors, Jayne Ann Krentz mulls over how she lost control of her Jayne Castle World. Two words - Dust bunnies. π
Sunday, October 24, 2021
BW43: Sunday's Book Babble - A Well Read Woman is a Dangerous Creature
It's week 43 in our 52 Books quest and doing the happy dance as we're having lots of rain which should put out all our fires and snow in the mountains.
Enjoyed Reread of Chesapeake Bay series by Nora Roberts and moved on to Carnal Innocence which is a murder mystery thriller based in a small town and a serial killer is at large. Scary enough for Halloween.
“Burned out and still reeling from a love affair gone bad, world-class violinist Caroline Waverly goes to her grandparents’ home in Innocence, Mississippi, for some much-needed rest and relaxation. Instead she finds herself overwhelmed all over again—first by Tucker Longstreet, a charming local with a sideline in no-strings-attached relationships, and then by a deadlier, more disturbing development.
For Innocence is being stalked by its very own serial killer, whose brutal knife blows have pierced the veil of tranquility in this sleepy Southern town and left a trail of mutilated female corpses in their wake. When a federal agent arrives to investigate, the town’s deepest secrets bubble to the surface and suspicion turns on Tucker as the most likely suspect. After Caroline finds the latest murder victim floating in the murky waters behind her house, she too is inexorably drawn into the path of a crazed killer who may be closer than she could have ever imagined.”
Looking forward to Nalini Singh’s Archangel’s Light #14 in her Guild Hunter series which is coming out in a couple days.
Speaking of Nalini Singh, I was at the grocery store Saturday and happened to be wearing my A Well Read Woman is a Dangerous Creature shirt. The Gal bagging my groceries who I bonded with in previous visit over the netflix movie Enola Holmes, asked me what were my favorite genres and favorite authors and I clutched. Couldn't think of anything, then almost said all of them, but finally went with Urban Fantasies. Couldn’t remember any names for a moment before Nalini and Faith Hunter came to mind. Happily she was into urban Fantasies as well so we had a lovely conversation about books. π
Ready Player Two still waiting in the wings.
Thanks to a friend tell me about about the kindle credit last week, added three books to my kindle stacks: Summer at the Garden Cafe: A Novel (Finfarran Peninsula Book 2) by Felicity Hayes-McCoy, A Good Day for Chardonnay: A Novel (Sunshine Vicram Book 2) by Darynda Jones; and When Sorrows Come: An October Daye Novel by Seanan McGuire. Yep, all series books.
Sunday, July 25, 2021
BW30: Sunday's Book Babble - Inniskeen Road: July Evening
It's book week 30 in our 52 Books quest and I stumbled across this poem by Patrick Kavanaugh that I fell in like with:
Inniskeen Road
The bicycles go by in twos and threes -
There's a dance in Billy Brennan's barn tonight,
And there's the half-talk code of mysteries
And the wink-and-elbow language of delight.
Half-past eight and there is not a spot
Upon a mile of road, no shadow thrown
That might turn out a man or woman, not
A footfall tapping secrecies of stone.
I have what every poet hates in spite
Of all the solemn talk of contemplation.
Of being king and government and nation.
A road, a mile of kingdom. I am king
Of banks and stones and every blooming thing.
Oh, Alexander Selkirk knew the plight
*****
Reading Nalini Singh’s Last Guard which makes me want to go back to the beginning and read the first four books again in the psy changeling trinity series.
“Termed merciless by some, and a robotic sociopath by others, Payal Rao is the perfect Psy: cardinal telekinetic, CEO of a major conglomerate, beautiful—and emotionless.
For Canto Mercant, family and loyalty are everything. A cardinal telepath deemed “imperfect” by his race due to a spinal injury, Canto cares for the opinions of very few—and ruthlessly protects those he claims as his own. Head of intel for the influential Mercant family, he prefers to remain a shadow in the Net, unknown and unseen. But Canto is also an anchor, part of a secretive designation whose task it is to stabilize the PsyNet. Now that critical psychic network is dying, threatening to collapse and kill the entire Psy race with it.
To save those he loves, Canto needs the help of a woman bound to him by a dark past neither has been able to forget. A woman who is the most powerful anchor of them all: Payal Rao. Neither is ready for the violent inferno about to ignite in the PsyNet . . . or the passionate madness that threatens to destroy them both.”
Haven’t made much progress in the 14th and last book in the Wheel of Time series, A Memory of Light which will probably take me a while since it’s a chunky book.
Saturday, December 28, 2019
2019 Reading Wrap Up
I finally put together my reading list. I lost track along the way and had to do a bit of hunting to put together my final list.
Which book made you laugh? Weaver Takes a Wife by Sheri Cobb Smith. I enjoyed the by play between the two main characters.
Which new to you authors did you discover and would you read another book by this author? I really liked S.K. Dunstall, and Rebecca Roanhorse and will definitely read more of their books.
Which authors and/or detectives would you like to continue exploring from Whodunit Bookology. I definitely want to read more of Ellis Peter, Kwei Quartery, and Fred Vargas. Plus read the first book in the series of the authors I somehow never quite finished for some odd reason: Donna DeLeon, Harry Kemelman, and Stuart Kaminsky.
1. Benedict Option - Rod Dreher (304 p)
2. The Cat Who Came for Christmas - Cleveland Armory (256 p)
3. View from the Cheap Seats - Neil Gaiman (544 p)
4. Thanks a Thousand - A.J. Jacobs (160 p)
5. King Alfred's English - Laurie White (170 p)
6. Writers and their Notebooks - Diana Raab (208)
7. Writer's Guide to Persistence - Jordan Rosenfeld (234 p)
8. Writing from the Inside Out - Dennis Palumbo (256 p)
9. Story Trumps Structure - Stephen James (304 p)
10. A Secret Sisterhood: Literary Friendships of Jane Austen, Charlotte BrontΓ«, George Eliot, and Virginia Woolf - Emily Midorikawa and Emma Claire Sweeney (352 p)
Steampunk
11. Lady of Devices - Shelley Adina (#1 Magnificent Devices)
12. Her Own Devices #2
13. Magnificent Devices #3
14. Brilliant Devices #4
15. A Lady of Resources #5
16. A Lady of Spirit #6
17. A Lady of Integrity #7
18. A Gentleman of Means #8
19. Devices Brightly Shining #9
20. Fields of Air #10
21. Fields of Iron #11
22. Fields of Gold - Shelley Adina #12
23. The Black God's Drums - P. Djeli Clark
Romance
24. Act Like It - Lucy Parker (#1 London Celebrities )
25. Archer's Voice - Mia Sheridan
26. Black Hawk - Joanne Bourne (#4 spymaster, historical romance)
27. Forbidden Rose - Joanna Bourne (historical romance)
28. Changing Habits - Debbie Macomber ( 400 p)
29. Dangerous to Trust - Teresa Hill (#1 Spies, Lies and Lovers)
30. Must Love Weiners - Casey Griffin. (359 p)
31. Summer on Mirror Lake - Joanna Ross (#3 Honeymoon Harbor, 432 p)
32. Barefoot in the Sun – Roxanne St Claire (#3 Barefoot bay)
33. Barefoot by the Sea (#4 Barefoot Bay)
34. Barefoot Bound (#7 Barefoot Bay)
35. Old Dog, New Tricks - Roxanne St Claire (#8 The Dogfather)
36. Hot under the Collar - Roxanne St Claire (#1 Dogmothers, 376 p)
37. Three Dog Night – Roxanne St. Claire (#2 Dogmothers)
38. Under Currents - Nora Roberts (Romantic suspense, 448 p)
39. Weaver Takes a Wife - Sheri Cobb Smith (Historical London)
Detective
40. A Better Man - Louise Penny (#15 Armand Gamache, 448 p)
41. Kingdom of the Blind - Louise Penny (#14 Armand Gamache, 400 p)
42. Connections in Death - J.D. Robb (#48 In Death, 384 p)
43. Vendetta in Death - #49 (368 p)
44. Golden in Death #50 (400 p)
45. Amnesia - G.H. Ephron (#1 Peter Zak Medical )
46. Chalk Circle Man - Fred Vargas (#1 Adamsberg)
47. Killing Floor - Lee Child (#1 Jack Reacher, Thriller)
48. Morbid Taste for Bones - Ellis Peters (#1 Brother Cadfael, 12th Century mystery)
49. Murder on the Orient Express - Agatha Christie (Mystery)
50. Wife of the Gods - Kwei Quartey (#1 Darko Dawson)
51. Cocaine Blues – Kerry Greenwood (#1 Phyrne Fisher)
Thriller
52. Deep Fathom - James Rollins (608 p)
53. Crucible - James Rollins #13 Sigma Force, 637 p)
54. Origin - Dan Brown (656 p)
55. Promise Not to Tell - Jayne Ann Krentz (Suspense thriller, 464 p)
56. Rise of Magicks - Nora Roberts (Supernatural thriller, 480 p)
57. The First Prophet - Kay Hooper (#1 Bishop files, Paranormal thriller, 400 p)
Fantasy, paranormal, and science fiction
58. Circle of the Moon - Faith Hunter (#4 Soulwood, 368 p)
59. Shattered Bonds - Faith Hunter (# 13 Jane Yellowrock, 400 p)
60. Archangel's War - Nalini Singh (Guild hunter series)
61. Silver Silence - Nalini Singh (#1 psychangeling/trinity series)
62. Ocean Light - Nalini Singh (#2 psychangeling/trinity series)
63. Black Kiss – J.R. Ward (#1 Black dagger legacy)
64. Blood Vow (#2)
65. Blood Fury (#3)
66. Blood Truth (#4)
67. The Beast (#14 Black Dagger Brotherhood)
68. Chosen (#15 BDB)
69. Thief (#16 BDB)
70. The Savior (#17 BDB)
71. Where Christmas Finds You (#18 BDB)
72. Hunter Hunted - Keri Arthur (#3 Lizzie Grace)
73. Demon's Dance - Keri Arthur (#4 Lizzie Grace)
74. Unlit - Keri Author (#1 Kingdoms of Earth and Air)
75. Diamond Fire - Illona Andrews (Hidden Legacy)
76. Heat Stroke - Rachel Caine (#2 Weather Warden)
77. Justice Calling - Annie Bellett
78. Linesman - S.K. Dunstall (#1 Linesman, Science Fiction)
79. Night and Silence - Seanan McGuire (#12 October Daye)
80. The Shape of Water - Guillermo Del Toro
81. Storm Cursed - Patricia Briggs (Fantasy, 368 p)
82. Trail of Lightning - Rebecca Roanhorse (#1 Sixth World, dystopian sci fi, 304 p)
83. Wild Country - Anne Bishop (#2 Others, Fantasy , 496 p)
Literary and Miscellaneous
84. Lost Art of Letter Writing - Menna Van Praag (Literary - Cambridge England, 320 p)
85. Kafka on the Shore - Haruki Murakami (Japan, magical realism, 467 p)
86. Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore - Matthew Sullivan (Literary, 337 p)
87. Nick of Time - Ted Bell (#1 Nick McIver Adventures, time travel 464 p)
88. The Source - James Michener (Historical Fiction, Israel, 1104 p)
Rereads
1. Death and Relaxation - Devon Monk (Ordinary Series)
2. Psy Changeling series # 1 -18 - Nalini Singh,
3. Dirk and Steele series 1 -3 Marjorie M Lui
4. Black Dagger Brotherhood - J.R. Ward
5. Barefoot Bay series - Roxanne St Claire
6. Night Stalker series - M.L Buchman
7. Soulwood Series - Faith Hunter
8. Guild hunter series - Nalini Singh
9. Northern Lights - Nora Roberts
10. Born of Darkness - Lara Adrian (#1 Midnight Breed Hunter Legacy,)
11. Death of the Red Heroine - Qui Xiaolong (China, 90's detective)
How'd your reading year turn out?
Thursday, January 3, 2019
2018 Reading Wrap Up
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| Courtesy of Josephine Wall |
2018 Reading Wrap Up
- Anna Richard’s The Road Home and Laura Kinsale’s Midsummer’s Moon touched my heart. Thank you to KarenI for introducing me to these two authors.
- Lian Dolan’s Elizabeth the First Wife and Laura Kinsale’s Flowers from the Storm made me laugh.
- Robyn Cadwaller’s The Anchoress and Julia Drosten’s The Elephant Keeper’s Daughter enthralled me while and Sharon Kay Penman’s The Sunne in Splendour pulled me into the history of the times.
- Tahareh Mafi’s Shatter Me and Mindy McGinnis’ A Madness So Discreet and Dean Koontz Innocence gave me the chills.
- Mark Helprin’s Soldier of the Great War pulled me from the present into the past and back again and put my emotions through the ringer.
- Two WWII novels - Leon Leyson’s The Boy on the Wooden Box made me cry while John Boyne’s The Boy in the Striped Pajamas irritated me with the child’s naivete.






