13 December 2021

Show Us Your Books - November 2021

And just like that, we're almost done with 2021.

Still not sure how I'm going to log/review my books for 2022, or even what my goal may be for how many books I want to finish.

I do know that I just feel so pressured to try and get this post up each month, trying for a few comments (which doesn't really happen if you miss the opening rush). And if reading is for fun, I shouldn't feel pressured to prove I've been reading, right? But no other alternative is jumping out, and I do want a register (of sorts) so I can look back to see what I've read and how much I've enjoyed it....

So for now, and the end of December, I'm still with Life According to Steph and Jana Says, here to Show Us Your Books!

Ready to share a bit of insight regarding the ten books I finished and reviewed since last month's post, I'll still be linking back to Goodreads with my titles, and either my blog or Books I Think You Should Read for full reviews. As always, big shout-out and thanks to Netgalley and the publishers who let me read their new books for free in exchange for my review. Receiving the books for free never influences my review.

Finished Reading:

Wolf Point (Ashe Cayne Book 2) by Ian K. Smith - I have read both Ashe Cayne books, but they would stand alone fine as well. In Wolf Point, Ashe is hired by the children of a powerful man in the community who was said to have committed suicide, but those close to him don't believe it. I gave this one 3 out of 5 stars in my full review. ⭐⭐⭐


The Violence by Delilah S. Dawson - You'd think I'd be tired of pandemic stuff by now. But this was a fascinating book about the next pandemic. In this one, they acknowledge that those around had already survived COVID. Now, there was a new virus, in which its victims sort of blacked out, and killed one victim. With their bare hands or whatever was available. After their chosen victim was dead, they came around with no idea what they'd done. I gave it 5 out of 5 stars, and may read it again, now that I'm thinking about it. My full review is here. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐


The Lighthouse Witches by C.J. Cooke - This was definitely a thinker. Back in the 1600s, when some suspected witches were burned at the stake on this remote Scottish Island, the suspected witches ended their torturous lives by cursing those families remaining on the island. When single Liv move to the Island in the 1980s with her three small daughter, she's been commissioned to paint the interior walls of an ancient lighthouse. Let's just say, things don't end as planned. But that's not the end of the story. Nearly 20 years later, the one remaining sister may finally have a chance to be reunited with her missing family from so long ago. But everything may not be as it seems. I gave this thriller 4 out of 5 stars, and there may be some plot points I still haven't untangled, even after writing my full review. ⭐⭐⭐⭐


How to Murder a Marriage (The Ex-Whisperer Files #1) by Gabrielle St. George - What's not to enjoy about a sassy, contemporary female main character with hilariously bad luck? Besides being stalked by her own ex, she's now getting threatening messages from the ex of a woman who wrote in to her advice column. She thought she'd have a fresh start by moving back to the town where she grew up, but trouble seems to have followed her. Check out my full review where I gave it 3 out of 5 stars. ⭐⭐⭐


Meant to Be by Jude Deveraux - The story starts off with two sisters, ready to marry their sweethearts and move on with their 'real' lives. But things get complicated fast. I thought I was coming to the end of the book as their stories resolved, but it was just getting warmed up. This book follows through a couple more generations, and most of the sisters' lives. And the writing had me engaged so much that I had to find out what would happen next. My full review gave it 4 out of 5 stars. ⭐⭐⭐⭐


House of Glass Hearts by Leila Siddiqui - When Maera's grandfather dies, the greenhouse from behind his old Pakistan house shows up in her American backyard. And as her mother does with anything from the past, she acts like she can't see it. Decades ago, Maera's older brother may have entered the very same greenhouse, never to be heard from again. Maera and her friends can't miss the chance to save him, if he's still there. But first they have to face off with legendary Indian creatures from the folklore they all grew up with. I gave it 4 out of 5 stars in my full review (and there's also a giveaway through 12/16/21). ⭐⭐⭐⭐


Her Name is Knight (Nena Knight #1) by Yasmin Angoe - The parallel stories in this book were both so interesting. Before she was Nena Knight, her village was destroyed before her eyes. When she is adopted into a new family who is committed to justice, she is trained and given the tools that may finally bring justice to the family she lost as a child. And protect the family who now has her total devotion. I'm excited to read more of her story. I gave this one 4 out of 5 stars in my full review. ⭐⭐⭐⭐


The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart - I read this one with one of my book clubs. While it's a young adult book, the emotions were full on hitting all my mom buttons. After a traffic accident tragically kills a mother and her two young daughters, the two remaining family members pick new names for their new future and hit the road. Rodeo is the only name he'll answer to, as 'dad' is too strong of a reminder of those he's lost. And Coyote is okay with it. He does what he can to take care of his daughter, while just calling her the new name she chose. They get by. But when she finds out she has one chance to go get her last link with her mother and sisters, she's determined to trick her dad into taking her back to their hometown. With the help of a few new friends, she just might do it. My full review gives this one 4 out of 5 stars. It's a great story of starting over, and escaping what you need to. ⭐⭐⭐⭐


Before the Coffee Gets Cold (Before the Coffee Gets Cold #1) by Toshikazu Kawaguchi - I'm almost glad I didn't finish this one before my other book club met. Once someone said it was written to be a play, that changed my whole interpretation, and I enjoyed the second half even more. There's a small, retro coffee shop in Japan, and from one seat, you can travel in time. But only within the coffee shop, and only until the coffee gets cold. The four relationships that were examined when half of their members traveled in time to a critical moment were beautiful. While you can't change the present by traveling to the past, sometimes a change in perspective is all you really needed. I gave this one 3 out of 5 stars in my full review, and would LOVE to see an actual theater production of this book someday. ⭐⭐⭐

The Sweet Taste of Muscadines by Pamela Terry - This was another in-depth family drama. When their mother dies, three siblings find themselves reunited in the hometown two of them hated. After trying to determine why their mother died in the yard with a digging spoon in her hand, they find a box of secrets that change what they believed their entire past to be. My full 4 out of 5 star review is here. ⭐⭐⭐⭐


Currently Reading:

I started All I Want by Darcey Bell last night. So far the main character strikes me as a bit sniveling and annoying, but we'll see how she reacts as they move into their house of horrors... I started Treachery Times Two by Robert McCaw on my lunch. I love his beautiful Hawaiian background to the intriguing murder/mysteries!


Reading Next:

Actually, by finished the two I've got going now, I'll be caught up with scheduled stuff through January! I think the oldest hard-copy book in my review pile is The Final Six by Alexandra Monir, and the oldest kindle book waiting for a review is Daughters of the Lake by Wendy Webb. I'd love to be able to pick something new up and just read it, without feeling guilty for the backlog of books wanting my attention ;)


5 comments:

Shooting Stars Mag said...

Nice reading month! I've heard good things about Coyote Sunrise.

Lauren @ www.shootingstarsmag.net

Joanne said...

I really enjoyed Coyote Sunrise a lot!

Kelly said...

Congratulations on reading 92 books -- that's a lot!! I hope you find something that works for you because blogging and reading should be fun! I write my book reviews in batches of five rather than by month, and that allows me to read at my own pace (I don't read enough books each month to warrant a whole blog post) and that helps me feel less pressured to read to just have content :)

SMD @ lifeaccordingtosteph said...

You should never feel pressured to prove you've been reading, and you shouldn't feel tied to any sort of blog schedule that doesn't work for you.

This link up will exist for as long as Jana and I post our books, which in my case will be as long as I blog - even if no one else reads it, I like to be able to look back on it.

Jana @ Jana Says said...

I totally get the pressure, and you should never feel pressured to do it. Hell, I'm one of the co-hosts and I definitely have skipped some months. So just join when you can and I promise we'll be there when you do.