Thank you for Listening

I finished Julia Whelan’s Thank You for Listening about a fictional audio book narrator which was funny and sad and all about self discovery.  So so good.

"For Sewanee Chester, being an audiobook narrator is a long way from her old dreams, but the days of being a star on film sets are long behind her. She’s found success and satisfaction from the inside of a sound booth and it allows her to care for her beloved, ailing grandmother. When she arrives in Las Vegas last-minute for a book convention, Sewanee unexpectedly spends a whirlwind night with a charming stranger.

On her return home, Sewanee discovers one of the world’s most beloved romance novelists wanted her to perform her last book—with Brock McNight, the industry’s hottest, most secretive voice. Sewanee doesn’t buy what romance novels are selling—not after her own dreams were tragically cut short—and she stopped narrating them years ago. But her admiration of the late author, and the opportunity to get her grandmother more help, makes her decision for her.

As Sewanee begins work on the book, resurrecting her old romance pseudonym, she and Brock forge a real connection, hidden behind the comfort of anonymity. Soon, she is dreaming again, but secrets are revealed, and the realities of life come crashing down around her once more.

If she can learn to risk everything for desires she has long buried, she will discover a world of intimacy and acceptance she never believed would be hers."

 

Currently reading Faith Hunter’s Final Heir which is action packed.

"Jane Yellowrock is the queen of the vampires, and that makes her a target as she fights to maintain control and keep peace in the city of New Orleans. She has enemies at every turn, because vampires live forever, and they keep their grudges alive with them. That includes the Heir, the vampire sire of the Pellissier bloodline, which gave rise to Leo Pellissier himself—Jane’s old boss and the former master of the city.

With the Heir and all the forces of darkness he can muster arrayed against her, Jane will need all the help she can get. She’ll find it in her city, her friends, her found family, and, of course, the Beast inside of her." 

BW36: Secret Agent Man

 Happy Sunday!  I had an ear worm in my head Saturday morning, which led me down a few musical rabbit trails this morning while thinking about our 52 Books Bingo theme this week.   We're having a Heat Wave, a magical heat wave, because we're expecting temps in the triple digits for the next two weeks. 

 

Which then segued to Secret Agent Man:  

"There's a man who leads a life of danger

To everyone he meets he stays a stranger

With every move he makes

Another chance he takes

Odds are he won't live to see tomorrow

Secret agent man, secret agent man

They've given you a number

And taken away your name."

 

Then Peter Gunn popped up.  But he was more of a private eye, than a secret agent. Right? Now the theme music written by Henry Mancini is cueing up.  

Enjoy!  

I read Seanan McGuire's Be the Serpent way to too fast and oh man, what a ride.  Currently on the second slow read to absorb it. So much happened and October is in over her head this time.  Also rereading Ben Coe's first book in his Dewey Andreas series - Power Down - for our 52 Books bingo.

Excited since series releases from two of my favorite authors are coming out this week:  J.D. Robb's Desperation Death and Faith Hunter's Final Heir.  Preordered a long time ago and will soon be on the way. 

BW35: Police procedurals

 It's week 35 in our 52 Books Quest and this week is all about Police Procedurals. I love police procedurals and there are so many to choose from.  

Currently reading Patricia Brigg's Soul Taken and Mercy is being put through the ringer with this one.  I feel like I should go back and reread the series again at some point.  

"The vampire Wulfe is missing. Since he’s deadly, possibly insane, and his current idea of “fun” is stalking me, some may see it as no great loss. But, warned that his disappearance might bring down the carefully constructed alliances that keep our pack safe, my mate and I must find Wulfe—and hope he’s still alive. As alive as a vampire can be, anyway.  

But Wulfe isn’t the only one who has disappeared. And now there are bodies, too. Has the Harvester returned to the Tri-Cities, reaping souls with his cursed sickle? Or is he just a character from a B horror movie and our enemy is someone else?  

The farther I follow Wulfe’s trail, the more twisted—and darker—the path becomes. I need to figure out what’s going on before the next body on the ground is mine."

I read Soul Taken, twice because it was so good.  Finished Ilona Andrews Iron and Magic which was a great second read.

Seanan McGuire’s 16th book in her October Daye series Be the Serpent was just released so will be reading it next.

I added a bunch of books to my stacks:  While birthday shopping for hubby at Barnes and Noble picked up a few books for me:  Pierce Brown’s Red Rising, Mark Pryor’s Book Artist, Susan Mallery’s Boardwalk Bookshop, and Alice Henderson’s A Blizzard of Polar Bears.  Already read Boardwalk Bookshop which was quite emotional and really good.

Oh and guess what dummy me did. I went on Amazon and choose four books I loved to send as birthday gifts to family in Texas and they suddenly arrived here. I didn’t change the address. Doi! Fortunately they are ones I wanted to read again: Shannon’s Priory of the Orange Tree,  Arden’s Bear and the Nightingale, Rollin’s Sandstorm, and Coes Power Down  so added them to my stacks and will arrange for gift certificates or something instead.

Whereas our staycation goes wonky!

Our staycation turned into a topsy turvy week: Our 30 year old air conditioning finally decided to break beyond John's capability to fix it, so had it fixed to work temporarily and getting estimates to replace. Meanwhile it's been too hot to cook so choose Cattleman's for our anniversary and Cheesecake factory for John's bday. College course for James was a bust due to difficulty so dropped it and need to enroll him in something else. We did get him a new mattress set which will only take a couple weeks to be delivered. Yeah. Went to Naturwood shopping for leather couch and fell in love with a couple but they are too huge for our living room. Poo! Any changes such as different color or configuration will take 19 weeks to get done. Going to another store tomorrow to see what they have.

Did get a chance to go to Barnes and Noble and picked up a few books: Pierce Brown's Red Rising, Mark Pryor's Book Artist, Susan Mallery's Boardwalk Bookshop, and Alice Henderson's A Blizzard of Polar Bears.

BW34: What does the number 14 have to do with our staycation?

It's week 34 in our 52 Books Quest and this week is all about the number 14 Merriam Webster defines it as 'a number that is one more than thirteen'. That's it, I kid you not. Other dictionaries (real ones) state it is a cardinal number, ten plus four; equal to seven times two, or six less than twenty; a symbol 14 or XIV; a set of persons or things.

I'm still rereading and reading Ilona Andrews Guild Hunter series.  Discovered I stopped after book 7 and didn't read 8 - 10 so currently reading for the first time Book 8 Magic Shifts. 

"After breaking from life with the Pack, mercenary Kate Daniels and her mate—former Beast Lord Curran Lennart—are adjusting to a very different pace. While they’re thrilled to escape all the infighting, Curran misses the constant challenges of leading the shapeshifters.

So when the Pack offers him its stake in the Mercenary Guild, Curran seizes the opportunity—too bad the Guild wants nothing to do with him and Kate. Luckily, as a veteran merc, Kate can take over any of the Guild’s unfinished jobs in order to bring in money and build their reputation. But what Kate and Curran don’t realize is that the odd jobs they’ve been working are all connected.

An ancient enemy has arisen, and Kate and Curran are the only ones who can stop it—before it takes their city apart piece by piece…"

Our Saturday night movie was Jurassic World Dominion. Very enjoyable! 

And It's official! Our staycation has begun. We took a week off from work for the first time in four years, maybe five, maybe six years. I can't remember. First there was the construction, then business took off, then Covid, and business is still booming. It's been a while.

We're taking advantage of the fact that this week is our anniversary, John's birthday, and James starting fall classes online.  We're looking forward to a  little bit of downtime,  as well as furniture shopping and some garage cleaning. The garage cleaning may be put on hold is our 100 degree weather continues this week.  Plus John's excited about spending a day playing in a friend's music studio.  

And Yes, lots of reading will be involved as well.  ~ cheers ~

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.....

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.