Can't Wait Wednesday: The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco / Mrs. Claus and the Nightmare Before New Year's / The Cold Light of Day / Hunger

The New

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly feature hosted by the marvelous Tressa at Wishful Endings to spotlight upcoming release we are excited about that we have yet to read.

Here are three upcoming releases that caught my attention and immediately ended up on my wish list I am looking forward to reading all of them. 

The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco by Michelle Chouinard

Release Date: September 24, 2024 by Minotaur 

In Michelle Chouinard’s clever mystery The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco, the granddaughter of a serial killer shows readers another side of the beloved city.

Welcome to San Francisco, a city with killer charm.

The chill of a San Francisco summer can be deadly. No one knows this better than Capri Sanzio, who makes her living giving serial killer tours of the city. Capri has been interested in the topic since she was a kid, when she discovered she’s the granddaughter of serial killer William ‘Overkill Bill’ Sanzio. She’s always believed in his innocence, though she's never taken the leap to fully dive into the case.

But now an Overkill Bill copycat has struck in San Francisco. And Capri’s former mother-in-law, Sylvia, just cut off Capri’s daughter’s tuition payments. Needing cash, Capri wonders if this is the time to exonerate her grandfather. The case is back in the news and the police will be looking to understand the past to catch a present-day killer. Capri could finally uncover the truth about Overkill Bill—documenting the process with a podcast and a book—and hopefully earn some money.

Before Capri can get very far, the cops discover the copycat’s latest Sylvia. Capri soon finds herself at the heart of the police’s investigation for an entirely different reason. She and her daughter are prime suspects. [Goodreads Summary]

Mrs. Claus and the Nightmare Before New Year's (Mrs. Claus #5) by Liz Ireland

Release Date: September 24, 2024 by Kensington Cozies

Santaland is scrambling to keep its secrets hidden from a trio of unexpected holiday guests, but before the New Year’s Eve ball drops, one of the strangers drops dead, and the countdown is on for April Claus to catch a killer . . .

April Claus is looking forward to relaxing with her hubby, Nick (aka THE Santa Claus), in the week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve. But just after Santa departs for his deliveries, an elf pulls into Santaland with three people he found lost in the frozen wilderness. The survivors of a scientific expedition are injured, but their presence endangers the future of Santaland. So, while the strangers recuperate at the infirmary, April convinces Christmastown to pull off its grandest, most impossible, most magical feat yet . . . pretend to be normal!

Posing as a touristy, albeit Christmas-centric, arctic town, the elves cover their ears, snowmen take a vow of silence, and the reindeer keep their hooves on the ground. But as New Year’s Eve draws closer, hiding their true selves becomes harder to do, especially when one of the uninvited guests dies under highly suspicious circumstances. With a murderer in their midst, April sets out to find the uncorked culprit before any auld acquaintances should be forgot . . . or worse. [Goodreads Summary]

The Cold Light of Day (Verity Kent Mysteries #7) by Anna Lee Huber

Release Date: September 24, 2024 by Kensington

The latest novel in the action-packed historical mystery series featuring Verity Kent, fashionable former Secret Service agent turned intrepid sleuth and high-society darling on her next clandestine mission—from the USA Today bestselling author of the Lady Darby Mysteries. A treat for fans of Jacqueline Winspear and Susan Ella MacNeal.

June 1920, Ireland: The streets of Dublin seethe with revolution as the Irish Republican Army clashes with British authorities. Roving assassination squads mean nowhere is truly safe, particularly for Verity Kent and her war hero husband, Sidney. Given their celebrity as society darlings and intrepid sleuths, they must tread carefully to go unnoticed—nearly impossible when they are called upon to search for Verity’s fellow spy and friend . . .

Captain Alec Xavier has seemingly vanished after traveling to Dublin to infiltrate the IRA at its highest levels. Doing her best to maintain a modicum of normalcy and stay under the radar of both the rebels and British Intelligence, Verity works undercover by day and waltzes through the city’s elite social scene by night. Still, she fears the worst for Alec—until shocking evidence mounts that not only is he alive, but that he has switched sides . . .

Already disillusioned with the British government, the news leaves Verity and Sidney reeling. Worse, they learn of a conspiracy within Dublin Castle, where personal vendettas are being carried out and sanctioned by British Intelligence under the cover of revolution. With the distinction between friend and foe never more blurred—or the margin for error narrower—Verity and Sidney cannot turn a blind eye. Especially when a familiar adversary appears, bringing a threat almost too terrifying to confront—even in the cold light of day . . . [Goodreads Summary]

Do any of these books interest you? What upcoming releases are you looking forward to reading?

The Old(er) 

Carole of Carole's Random Life in Books has given me the perfect excuse to spotlight those unread books on my TBR in her Books from the Backlog feature, reminding me what great books I have waiting for me under my own roof still to read!

A few years ago I subscribed to a book box and received this gem in July of 2017, but I still haven't managed to read it--yet!

Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body by Roxane Gay (2017)

From the New York Times bestselling author of Bad Feminist: a searingly honest memoir of food, weight, self-image, and learning how to feed your hunger while taking care of yourself.

“I ate and ate and ate in the hopes that if I made myself big, my body would be safe. I buried the girl I was because she ran into all kinds of trouble. I tried to erase every memory of her, but she is still there, somewhere. . . . I was trapped in my body, one that I barely recognized or understood, but at least I was safe.”

In her phenomenally popular essays and long-running Tumblr blog, Roxane Gay has written with intimacy and sensitivity about food and body, using her own emotional and psychological struggles as a means of exploring our shared anxieties over pleasure, consumption, appearance, and health. As a woman who describes her own body as “wildly undisciplined,” Roxane understands the tension between desire and denial, between self-comfort and self-care. In Hunger, she explores her past—including the devastating act of violence that acted as a turning point in her young life—and brings readers along on her journey to understand and ultimately save herself.

With the bracing candor, vulnerability, and power that have made her one of the most admired writers of her generation, Roxane explores what it means to learn to take care of yourself: how to feed your hungers for delicious and satisfying food, a smaller and safer body, and a body that can love and be loved—in a time when the bigger you are, the smaller your world becomes. [Goodreads Summary]

Have you read Hunger?  Does this book sound like something you would like to read? 

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© 2024, Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Weekly Mews: Too Hot Weather & My September TBR List Poll (Please Vote!)

I am linking up to the Sunday Post hosted by Kim of Caffeinated Book Reviewer and The Sunday Salon (TSS) hosted by Deb Nance of Readerbuzz  where participants recap our week, talk about what we are reading, share any new books that have come our way, and whatever else we want to talk about. I am also linking It's Monday! What Are you Reading? hosted by Kathryn of Book Date where readers talk about what they have been, are and will be reading.

It has been one very hot week. When I picked up Mouse after her school dance yesterday afternoon, it was 109F. The day before had been even warmer. As I write this it is up to 107 and expected to get warmer. Our air conditioner has been running nonstop. The earth has been shaking a bit this morning. My phone chimed just as the shaking began with an earthquake warning. We've been following the news of fires in the county and the next county over. The big one right now is the Line Fire in San Bernardino County. I feel for those fire fighters facing not only the heat and danger of the fire, but the weather conditions too.

It was a rough week at work. Busy and emotionally draining. If you have children in your lives, especially tweens and teens, check in with them and make sure they are doing okay. My daughter has been getting all the extra hugs lately.

I have a quiet weekend planned. We will be going out tomorrow for an early birthday celebration. Otherwise, I hope to get some much overdue chores done around the house and squeeze in some reading time. 

How was your week? What have you been up to?

This week I read It's Elementary by Elise Bryant, a humorous mystery involving an elementary school PTA. I laughed out loud a few times and really took to Mavis and her family. I hope this will become a series. 

Last night I started reading A Girl Called Samson by Amy Harmon. I don't often read historical fiction set around the American Revolution, but this particular story, based on a real life woman who fought as a soldier during the war, interests me. It's been on my to read list for quite a while, but I was motivated to read it now because it's the September selection for the local indie's historical book club. I also recently started reading The Golden Enclaves by Noami Novik. It's the third book in the Scholomance young adult fantasy trilogy. I enjoyed the first two books quite a bit and am eager to see how the trilogy wraps up. 

What are you reading right now?

My TBR List is hosted by Michelle at Because Reading. The 1st Saturday of every month, I will list 3 books from my TBR pile I am considering reading and let you vote for my next read during that month. My review will follow (unfortunately, not likely in the same month, but eventually--that's all I can promise).  

Please help me select my next read! I am ready for fall and am in the mood for some ghostly reads. Which do you think I should read next? 

Haunted Ever After (Boneyard Key #1) by Jen DeLuca

It's love at first haunting in a seaside town that raises everyone’s spirits from USA Today bestselling author Jen DeLuca.

Small Florida coastal towns often find themselves scrambling for the tourism dollars that the Orlando theme parks leave behind. And within the town limits of Boneyard Key, the residents decided long ago to lean into its ghostliness. Nick Royer, owner of the Hallowed Grounds coffee shop, embraces the ghost tourism that keeps the local economy afloat, as well as his spectral roommate. At least he doesn’t have to run air-conditioning.

Cassie Rutherford possibly overreacted to all her friends getting married and having kids by leaving Orlando and buying a flipped historic cottage in Boneyard Key. Though there’s something unusual with her new home (her laptop won’t charge in any outlets, and the poetry magnets on her fridge definitely didn’t read “WRONG” and “MY HOUSE” when she put them up), she’s charmed by the colorful history surrounding her. And she's catching a certain vibe from the grumpy coffee shop owner whenever he slips her a free slice of banana bread along with her coffee order.

As Nick takes her on a ghost tour, sharing town gossip that tourists don't get to hear, and they spend nights side-by-side looking into the former owners of her haunted cottage, their connection solidifies into something very real and enticing. But Cassie's worried she’s in too deep with this whole (haunted) home ownership thing… and Nick's afraid to get too close in case Cassie gets scared away for good. [Goodreads Summary]

A Fatal Feast at Bramsford Manor (Food & Spirits Mysteries #1) by Darci Hannah

While filming at a haunted English manor, chef Bunny MacBride’s big break on her first reality TV show may be cut short by an unscripted murder in Darci Hannah’s new Food & Spirits cozy mystery series . . . It isn’t how chef Bridget “Bunny” MacBride imagined her own cooking show unfolding. But, if preparing historic meals with a modern flair is what it takes to get her cooking on the air, she can deliver, even if her dinner guest is a ghost. That’s the premise of the new reality TV show Food & Spirits, where Chef Bunny teams up with ghost hunter Brett Bloom and psychic medium Giff McGrady to visit haunted locales around the world and tempt lingering spirits back to the table with a beloved meal. For their first episode, the Food & Spirits team sets off to investigate Bramsford Manor, a historic house turned famously haunted hotel, in picturesque Hampshire, England. The sprawling estate is said to be home to the Mistletoe Bride, a young woman who died in the 18th century, the victim of a tragic accident on her Christmas wedding night. Disliking spooks but loving food, Bunny leaves the spectral search to the pros and focuses on the feast, creating a traditional English holiday wedding dinner, complete with a gorgeous prime rib, Yorkshire pudding, and rustic apple tarts. It’s a sumptuous meal she hopes will entice the ghostly Mistletoe Bride to take a seat and join them while the cameras roll. But Bunny’s task is made more difficult when someone steals a boning knife from her custom kit. Alas, when the blade finally turns up again—in the chest of an all-too-human dinner guest—Bunny’s woes only grow as she is named a lead suspect in the case! Now, with a haunted house full of living residents, staff, and crew, Bunny will need the help of Brett, Giff, and her clairvoyant Grandma Mac, to solve this murder before the manor gains another ghost! [Goodreads Summary]

The Third Wife of Faraday House by B.R. Myers

The Edgar Award–winning author of A Dreadful Splendor blends mystery and spooky thrills with friendship and romance in this delicious love letter to Gothic fiction, featuring two brides who must band together to unravel the ghostly secrets at the heart of a crumbling island manor.

'Til death do us part...

November 1816: Restless but naïve Emeline Fitzpatrick is desperate to escape her stifling life in foggy Halifax. Her guardian is lining up repugnant suitors, but Emeline has her eyes set on a handsome lieutenant in the British navy. She just needs to persuade him to propose, or her one chance at happiness will be gone forever.

But when Emeline’s hopes end in scandal, she finds herself with only one suitor left: the wealthy and enigmatic Captain Graves. Having already lost two wives to tragic circumstances, the unfortunate widower is seeking a new companion in his cloistered seaside manor, Faraday House. Or at least that is what Emeline had been told, because when she arrives, she is horrified to discover that the second Mrs. Graves, Georgina, has not yet died.

Emeline is only certain of two things: something ghastly is afoot at Faraday House, and no one is going to save her. She will have to rely on her own courage, her burgeoning bond with the ill but strong-willed Georgina, and the aid of a handsome reverend with a mysterious past to unravel the secrets at the heart of the manor and forge her own destiny. [Goodreads Summary]

Thank you for voting!

I hope you have a great week! Let me know what you have been reading!

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© 2024, Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Where Is Your Bookmark: A Peek Into It's Elementary & Other Friday Fun

A weekly meme where readers share the first sentence of the book they are reading and say what they think. Hosted by the amazing Gillion Dumas of Rose City Reader.

I don't see her coming. 

If I had been on top of my game, if I had been alert, there's no way she would've got me. I've mastered the swift, no-small-talk drop-off in the years that Pearl has gone to Knoll Elementary. Head on a swivel, sunglasses on, don't make eye contact, keep it moving. I can do it in my sleep. (And, well, I actually do sometimes, in this recurring stress dream, which is why my only nighttime companions are my mouth guard and a double dose of magnesium melatonin). [opening of It's Elementary]

I think this is a great start and introduction to Mavis, who I liked instantly. You can't help but wonder who it is she's avoiding. She's certainly had a lot of practice even if this time she wasn't successful.   

A weekly meme in which readers share a random sentence or two from page 56 or 56% of the book they are reading. Our wonderful host Freda of Freda's Voice is on a break, and Anne of My Head is Full of Books  has stepped in to host! 

I follow Mrs. Nelson's directions, speed walking to the door, and once I hit the hallway, I figure it can't hurt to upgrade to a light jog. I'm sweating and shaky, and it's fairly likely my heart's going to thump right on out of my chest, and those feelings only intensify when I slam right into another body. [excerpt at 50% of It's Elementary]

Oof! That was unexpected. I wonder who Mavis has run into. I have reached this part in the novel and am anxious to see where it goes from here. I am enjoying It's Elementary and have no idea yet how this is all going to turn out!

It's Elementary by Elise Bryant

A fast-paced, completely delightful new mystery about what happens when parents get a little too involved in their kids' schools, from NAACP Image Award nominee Elise Bryant.

Mavis Miller is not a PTA mom. She has enough on her plate with her feisty seven-year-old daughter, Pearl, an exhausting job at a nonprofit, and the complexities of a multigenerational household. So no one is more surprised than Mavis when she caves to Trisha Holbrook, the long-reigning, slightly terrifying PTA president, and finds herself in charge of the school’s brand-new DEI committee.

As one of the few Black parents at this California elementary school, Mavis tries to convince herself this is an opportunity for real change. But things go off the rails at the very first meeting, when the new principal's plans leave Trisha absolutely furious. Later that night, when Mavis spies Trisha in yellow rubber gloves and booties, lugging cleaning supplies and giant black trash bags to her waiting minivan, it’s only natural that her mind jumps to somewhere it surely wouldn’t in the light of day.

Except Principal Smith fails to show up for work the next morning, and has been MIA since the meeting. Determined to get to the bottom of things, Mavis, along with the school psychologist with the great forearms (look, it’s worth noting), launches an investigation that will challenge her views on parenting, friendship, and elementary school politics.

Brilliantly written, It's Elementary is a quick-witted, escapist romp that perfectly captures just how far parents will go to give their kids the very best, all wrapped in a mystery that will leave you guessing to the very end. [Goodreads Summary]

Does this sound like something you would enjoy? If you have read it, what did you think?

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post where bloggers discuss a wide range of topics from books and blogging to life in general. It is hosted by Linda Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell and Jen from That’s What I’m Talking About. Join in by answering this week's question in the comments or on your own blog.

How do you keep up with your favorite blogs? 

I tried quite a few different sites before settling on Inoreader. It may not be the prettiest site, but it's straightforward, and I like being able to create folders to categorize the blogs I follow. I use their free service, which limits the amount of blogs I can follow, but I haven't run up against the limit yet; so it hasn't been a problem. There are a very small few of blogs I subscribe to via e-mail--usually ones that I am unable to subscribe to through Inoreader. I may not always be able to keep up with all posts by the bloggers I follow, but I do enjoy seeing what everyone is reading and up to, and I enjoy discovering new blogs along the way. 

What about you? How do you keep up with your favorite blogs? 

Every Friday Coffee Addicted Writer from Coffee Addicted Writer poses a question which participants respond on their own blogs within the week (Friday through Thursday). They then share their links at the main site and visit other participants blogs.

September is Library Card Sign-Up Month. What role have libraries played in your reading journey? Do you have any fond recollections involving libraries? (submitted by Billy @ Coffee Addicted Writer)

Libraries have long been a part of my life. From the summer reading programs I attended as a child at the local library, story time in the school library, research projects, studying, tutoring ESL students, typing papers and projects for school, mastering the internet (I didn't have a personal computer until I finished graduate school!), browsing the shelves for books to check out and read, to working behind the circulation desk and shelving books at the university library where I worked during my undergrad years. And then there was the joy of introducing my daughter to the library. When she was younger, we often spent Saturdays at the library, reading and doing crafts together. I may not put my library to use as much as I used to, but I still find it to be a treasure trove of books and resources. My library system does not offer Libby services but does have Hoopla. Think of the audiobooks I could access! Try as I might, I haven't been able to get it to work for me, unfortunately. Hopefully I will be able to get that resolved one of these days.

What about you? What role, if any, have libraries played in your life? 

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! Be sure and tell me what you are reading!

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© 2024 Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Can't Wait Wednesday: The Vampire of Kings Street / An Academy for Liars / The Grim Steeper /What We Lose

The New

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly feature hosted by the marvelous Tressa at Wishful Endings to spotlight upcoming release we are excited about that we have yet to read.

Here are three upcoming releases that caught my attention and immediately ended up on my wish list I am looking forward to reading all of them. 

The Vampire of Kings Street: A Mystery by Asha Greyling

Release Date: September 17, 2024 by Crooked Lane Books

In this gothic debut novel, perfect for fans of Tread of Angels and Gail Carriger’s Soulless, Miss Radhika Dhingra, a newly minted lawyer in 19th century New York, never expected that her first client would be a vampire accused of murder.

Having a resident vampire is just the thing for upper-class New Yorkers–besides being a status symbol, they make excellent butlers or housekeepers. The only thing they require in return is a drop or two of blood and a casket to shut out the dawn’s early light.

Tolerated by society only if they follow a strict set of rules, vampires are seen as “less than”–and as the daughter of immigrants, Radhika knows firsthand how this feels. Accused of murder, her undead client Mr. Evelyn More, knows that the cards are stacked against him.

With the help of a journalist friend and a diminutive detective inspector, Miss Dhingra sets out to prove her client’s innocence and win his freedom. Failure will mean Mr. More’s death, the end of her dreams of becoming a successful attorney, and the loss of the vampire Miss Dhingra has begun to call her friend.

Offering an alternative paranormal history, delightful characters, and insightful social commentary, The Vampire of Kings Street will thrill readers of Deanna Rayburn and Rebecca Roanhorse. [Goodreads Summary]

An Academy for Liars by Alexis Henderson

Release Date: September 17. 2024 by Ace

A student will find that the hardest lessons sometimes come outside the classroom in this stunning dark academia novel from the acclaimed author of The Year of the Witching and House of Hunger. 

Lennon Carter’s life is falling apart.

Then she gets a mysterious phone call inviting her to take the entrance exam for Drayton College, a school of magic hidden in a secret pocket of Savannah. Lennon has been chosen because—like everyone else at the school—she has the innate gift of persuasion, the ability to wield her will like a weapon, using it to control others and, in rare cases, matter itself.

After passing the test, Lennon begins to learn how to master her devastating and unsettling power. But despite persuasion’s heavy toll on her body and mind, she is wholly captivated by her studies, by Drayton’s lush, moss-draped campus, and by her brilliant classmates. But even more captivating is her charismatic adviser, Dante, who both intimidates and enthralls her.

As Lennon continues in her studies her control grows, and she starts to uncover more about the secret world she has entered into, including the disquieting history of Drayton college, and the way her mentor’s tragic and violent past intertwines with it. She is increasingly disturbed by what she learns. For it seems that the ultimate test is to embrace absolute power without succumbing to corruption . . . and it's a test she's terrified she is going to fail. [Goodreads Summary]

The Grim Steeper (Witches' Brew Mystery #3) by Gretchen Rue

Release Date: September 10, 2024 by Crooked Lane Books

Bookstore owner Phoebe Winchester is putting on her first major author event when a body is discovered and the plot goes off the rails in this cozy mystery, perfect for fans of Cleo Coyle and Jenn McKinlay.

Amateur witch Phoebe Winchester is excited to host her first big author event at the Earl’s Study, her book and tea store. The author, Sebastian Marlow, is a famous birder excited to put Raven Creek on the map for his rediscovery of a presumed-extinct bird. When Sebastian is found dead before his planned bird hike, where he expected to prove the existence of the bird to fellow birding enthusiasts, it’s obvious someone wanted him to be extinct, too.

Sebastian had a few unfriendly encounters with his staff—including his recently fired manager, who was seen arguing with him at the author event. Phoebe is determined to figure out who killed Sebastian, worried that it will negatively affect her store’s image that her biggest guest author got killed. With the clock ticking, she enlists the help of Rich Lofting, the handsome local private investigator, to help her look into the murder.

It’s not long before another victim is pecked off and someone close to Phoebe is the suspect. She’ll have to work quickly to uncover the killer and figure out who’s up to fowl play in the third charming book in this warm and witchy series. [Goodreads Summary]

Do any of these books interest you? What upcoming releases are you looking forward to reading?

The Old(er) 

Carole of Carole's Random Life in Books has given me the perfect excuse to spotlight those unread books on my TBR in her Books from the Backlog feature, reminding me what great books I have waiting for me under my own roof still to read!

A few years ago I subscribed to a book box and received this gem in August of 2017, but I still haven't managed to read it--yet! 

What We Lose by Zinzi Clemmons (2017)

From an author of rare, haunting power, a stunning novel about a young African-American woman coming of age—a deeply felt meditation on race, sex, family, and country

Raised in Pennsylvania, Thandi views the world of her mother’s childhood in Johannesburg as both impossibly distant and ever present. She is an outsider wherever she goes, caught between being black and white, American and not. She tries to connect these dislocated pieces of her life, and as her mother succumbs to cancer, Thandi searches for an anchor—someone, or something, to love.

In arresting and unsettling prose, we watch Thandi’s life unfold, from losing her mother and learning to live without the person who has most profoundly shaped her existence, to her own encounters with romance and unexpected motherhood. Through exquisite and emotional vignettes, Clemmons creates a stunning portrayal of what it means to choose to live, after loss. An elegiac distillation, at once intellectual and visceral, of a young woman’s understanding of absence and identity that spans continents and decades, What We Lose heralds the arrival of a virtuosic new voice in fiction. [Goodreads Summary]

Have you read What We Lose?  Does this book sound like something you would like to read? 

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© 2024, Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Weekly News: My August Wrap Up and Still Deciding What to Read Now--Too Many Choices!

I am linking up to the Sunday Post hosted by Kim of Caffeinated Book Reviewer and The Sunday Salon (TSS) hosted by Deb Nance of Readerbuzz  where participants recap our week, talk about what we are reading, share any new books that have come our way, and whatever else we want to talk about. I am also linking It's Monday! What Are you Reading? hosted by Kathryn of Book Date where readers talk about what they have been, are and will be reading.

I am linking up Stacking the Shelves hosted by Marlene of Reading Reality a meme in which participants share what new books came their way recently.  

September always makes me think of autumn. I hope Mother Nature gets the memo soon. I think I say that every year and yet the heat persists. That's what I get for living where I do. This is the month my family and I will be seeing Hamilton at the Pantages Theatre. We are all very excited. And it's my birthday month. September is also a month of remembrance--for my grandmother, my dad, and my father-in-law. A mix of happy with the sad.  

My daughter has been at school for three weeks--almost a month already! Anjin and I attended her Back to School Night and got to meet all her teachers. I think this is the first year the classrooms weren't packed with parents. Maybe because it's 8th grade? Or perhaps parents were just unable to get away from work or other life obligations. The school year has gotten off to a good start, and hopefully it will be a good one overall.

Work has been keeping me busy. My hand and wrist have been giving me some trouble, and with the high workload only making it worse, I haven't been online much in my spare time to comment on blogs and prep blog posts. I also have a giant bruise on my arm from trying to bend my arm in a way it wasn't meant to bend when I tried to retrieve a washcloth that had fallen between the wall and washing machine. After about a week and a half, the bruise seems to be fading finally and it doesn't hurt as much when I accidentally touch the area. 

I am spending today catching up on laundry and overthinking what book I should read next. 

What have you been up to?

Books Read in August

I found myself immersed in many good books during the month of August. I finally got around to listening to Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes, which had been sitting on my phone for quite a while. It was such an inspiring read, not to mention I found Shonda Rhimes extremely relatable. Next up was Octavia E. Butler's Parable of a Sower, which I had started reading in July, finishing in August--a futuristic dystopian novel that had been published years ago, but is now set in present times. It wasn't a book I wanted to race through, and so I took my time. You can read my thoughts on it here. In the mood for a swashbuckling historical pirate tale of one woman's rise to becoming a captain of her own ship, I read Briony Cameron's The Balland of Jacquotte Delahaye, which I enjoyed (see review here). I also stepped back into Amari's world in the second book of B.B. Alston's middle grade fantasy Supernatural Investigations series, Amari and the Great Game. This installment was just as good as the first book. I can't wait to read the third book! 

Many thanks to everyone who voted in August's TBR List poll. I read the winner The Truth According to Ember by Danica Nava and loved every minute of it. I don't think a romantic comedy novel has ever had me feeling so anxious for the heroine--and the ending was so good. I hope to post my review of it soon. I followed it up with Celestine Martin's Kiss and Spell, a romantic comedy paranormal novel, which was delightful in every way. I really liked Martin's first novel, Witchful Thinking, which I read last year. I am ready to move to Freya Grove. My husband surprised me with a copy of Spy x Family, Vol. 12, one of my favorite manga series, and, of course, I loved it. It had quite the cliff hanger at the end though so now I am impatiently waiting for the next volume. 

Wanting to try something a little less romantic, I decided to try You Will Never Be Me by Jesse Q. Sutanto. I really like other books I have read by this author, but this was my first thriller of hers. The writing instantly hooked me, although I did feel it was off to a slow start. Social Media Influencers at their worst! It was quite the reading ride, and I ended up really liking it. So many twists! 

My mom loaned me a copy of You'll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey, and I decided to squeeze that in with my August reading. Amber Ruffin is a writer, performer, and comedian by trade, and she is joined by her sister in writing this book. I read the physical copy, but I bet the audio version would be even better. It has a very conversational style, with the two authors going back and forth throughout. The authors addition of humor throughout are what make this book funny at times, but the real life scenarios they describe are not (seriously, what is wrong with people?!). I found this to be a worthwhile read and am glad I read it. I ended the month with one of August's TBR runners up, The Sentence by Louise Erdrich. I am still trying to wrap my head around this amazing book. There was so much to it. This was my second Louise Erdrich novel, the first of hers I read being LaRose, which I loved as well.

I was really surprised to see my total books read in August come out to 10 books. I hadn't realized I had read so many. 

(courtesy of Storygraph)

• The Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand in the Sun and Be Your Own Person by Shonda Rhimes, narrated by Shonda Rhimes
• Parable of the Sower (Earthseed #1) by Octavia Butler
• The Ballad of Jacquotte Delahaye by Briony Cameron
• Amari and the Great Game (Supernatural Investigation #2) by B.B. Alston
• The Truth According to Ember by Danica Nava
• Spy x Family, Vol. 12 by Endo Tatsuyo
• Kiss and Spell (Elemental Magic #2) by Celestine Martin
• You Will Never Be Me by Jesse Q. Sutanto
• You'll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey: Crazy Stories about Racism by Amber Ruffin and Lacey Lamar
• The Sentence by Louise Erdrich

My August 2024 Reading Moods (according to Storygraph)

What was your favorite book read in August? Did you have a good reading month?

Here it is September 1st, and I haven't yet picked up another book after finishing The Sentence yesterday. I am not sure what I will read next. Sometimes when I finish a book, I am so excited I cannot wait to dive into another book right away. Other times, I need time to sit with the book I just finished because of the impact its had on me. 

There's a few books I am considering: there is the book my mom loaned me; the cozy mystery with a school setting that is perfect for this time of year; that road trip romance I wanted to read this summer that I never got to; the next book in the urban fantasy series I told myself I would catch up on before the year is out; and the third book in a YA fantasy trilogy I have been putting off but know I'll love when I finally do read it. 

Now Is Not the Time to Panic by Kevin Wilson

It's Elementary by Elise Bryant

Here We Go Again by Alison Cochrun

Million Dollar Demon (Hollows #15) by Kim Harrison

The Golden Enclaves (Scholomance #3) by Naomi Novik

Then there are also these I am considering for this month:

A  Girl Called Samson by Amy Harmon (book club pick)

James by Percival Everett (book club pick/I won't be able to attend this meeting, but I still want to read the book)

Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End by Atul Gawande

I am terrible about sticking to a TBR list so these are all just options--along with the rest of my TBR books because who knows what direction I will decide to go. Maybe three of these will pop up on next weekend's September TBR List poll! Or maybe not, as often I change my mind. 

Have you read any of these? If so, are there any you think I should read next? 

New to my shelves (recent book purchases):

Two of these I got in anticipation of this month's book club reads at the local independent bookstore (the Sci-Fi & Fantasy Book Club and the Historical Fiction Book Club), but, wouldn't you know it, they've switched out the fantasy option to a book I do not have, and so I will just be checking out the Historical Fiction Book Club this month (if I don't chicken out). So, The Tainted Cup may have to wait a little longer to be read, but I am looking forward to it! The third book, And So I Roar, is a much anticipated book by an author who wrote one of my favorite books, The Girl With a Louding Voice.  

The Tainted Cup (Shadow of the Leviathan #1) by Robert Jackson Bennett

A Girl Called Samson by Amy Harmon

And So I Roar by Abi Daré 

Have you read any of these books? If so, what did you think? 

I hope you have a great week! Let me know what you have been reading!

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