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Sunday, September 30, 2018

Stacking The Shelves and Sunday Post



This meme is hosted by Tynga over at Team Tynga's Reviews, which she describes as follows:

"Stacking The Shelves is all about the books we are adding to our shelves each week, sharing with you our excitement for our newest titles and maybe have you discover a new book in the process!"




Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme

So this happened:


Yup, that's snow! In September!!! I guess I shouldn't be surprised because we had +30 temps in May, so early summer and early winter! I've never had to turn on my A/C in May before, but I did this year. I've also never had to turn my heat on in September. I have a rule about not turning it on before the first snowfall. So, the snow came and the house chilled off to 15 degrees Celsius (that's 59 degrees Fahrenheit), so I turned the heat on to 16 degrees :)

The dusting of snow has melted but, looking ahead at the forecast, we have only single-digit highs except for one day and the lows are hovering just above zero. Last September, we had +30!! But, I can't complain. As I said, we had an early summer and it was hot and dry. I, for one, have been enjoying the rainy weekends...although I would prefer if the snow held off a wee bit longer! I do like to enjoy a proper autumn.

I'm so glad that I took care of closing the pool early in the month. I haven't been able to do much in the way of raking leaves and yard clean-up with the rainy weekends. Hopefully, I'll still have a chance to do that before the snow comes and stays.



The kids and I have been under the weather this week. Back to school means the kids are coming home with new germs, so we all have a cough/cold/sinus/sore throat bug going on. Plus with the rainy weather, I've had a headache now that's been going on for a week. However, I remembered that last winter when I was sick, I took a Chinese herbal formulation called Fei Re Hua Tan and it had me better in just a day. I dug through my cupboard and took two doses yesterday and I'm nearly 100% today! I can't believe the difference!! Here's a pic of the tablets in case anyone else is under the weather and needs something that works:


The description says: "Traditional Chinese Medicine to remove heat from the lung, relieve cough, resolve phlegm and relax bowels. It is traditional used for heat in the lung marked by cough, yellowish sticky phlegm, dryness of the mouth, sore throat, and constipation."

I had sinus pain/congestion, chest pain/congestion, headache, dry mouth, and sore throat with cough. This stuff is amazing! I know herbology says that our bodies respond best to the herbs that are indigenous to the area where you live but, for me, my body responds better to Chinese herbs than Western herbs when it comes to cold/flu formulas.


No new books for me this week!


Recap: Last Week On The Blog


Can't-Wait Wednesday: Nightchaser by Amanda Bouchet


What books have you added to your shelves this week? If you are also participating in either of these memes, please leave me the link to your blog post in the comments so that I can come and drool over all your goodies!

Saturday, September 29, 2018

2018 Modern Mrs. Darcy Reading Challenge: Wrap-up Post #MMDchallenge #IdRatherBeReading @annebogel



This is my Wrap-up Post for the 2018 Modern Mrs. Darcy Reading Challenge hosted by Anne @ Modern Mrs. Darcy

12/12 tasks completed

  1. A BOOK YOU CAN READ IN A DAY: White Bodies by Jane Robins
  2. A BOOK BY A FAVOURITE AUTHOR: Murder of Crows by Anne Bishop (The Others, Book #2)
  3. A BOOK RECOMMENDED BY SOMEONE WITH GREAT TASTE: Vision in Silver by Anne Bishop (The Others, Book #3)
  4. A BOOK RECOMMENDED BY A LIBRARIAN OR INDIE BOOKSELLER: Watch Me Disappear by Janelle Brown
  5. A MEMOIR, BIOGRAPHY OR BOOK OF CREATIVE NONFICTION: Smoke Gets in Your Eyes: And Other Lessons from the Crematory by Caitlin Doughty
  6. A BANNED BOOK: Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
  7. A BOOK IN TRANSLATION: The Bat by Jo Nesbo (Harry Hole, Book #1)
  8. A BOOK THAT'S MORE THAN 500 PAGES: Genesis by Brendan Reichs (Project Nemesis, Book #2)
  9. A CLASSIC YOU'VE BEEN MEANING TO READ: White Fang by Jack London
  10. A BOOK BY AN AUTHOR OF A DIFFERENT RACE, ETHNICITY, OR RELIGION THAN YOUR OWN: When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon
  11. A BOOK OF POETRY, A PLAY OR AN ESSAY COLLECTION (1943 play also known as And Then There Were None): Ten Little Indians by Agatha Christie
  12. A BOOK NOMINATED FOR AN AWARD IN 2018: The Girl Before by J.P. Delaney (2018 Shortlist Nominee for Crime & Thriller Book of the Year by The British Book Awards)


That was fun, Anne! Looking forward to next year's challenge!

Friday, September 28, 2018

#Audiobook #Review: 4 out of 5 stars for The Girl Before by J.P. Delaney #JPDelaney @BOTLibrary

AUTHOR: J.P. Delaney
PUBLISHER: Books on Tape
PUBLICATION DATE: January 14, 2017
FORMAT: Unabridged audiobook
LENGTH: 9 hrs and 59 mins
GENRE: Thriller, Mystery
ISBN: 9780735286566
A psychological thriller that spins one woman’s seemingly good fortune, and another woman’s mysterious fate, through a kaleidoscope of duplicity, death, and deception—and the hottest title at the 2015 Frankfurt Book Fair.

A damaged young woman gets the unique opportunity to rent a one-of-a-kind house. When she falls in love with the sexy, enigmatic architect who designed it, she has no idea she is following in the footsteps of the girl who came before: the house’s former tenant.

The eerie parallels in the two girls’ lives lay bare an enthralling story…and make this novel the must-read thriller of the season.
MY REVIEW:

This psychological thriller was a fast read that held me in its grips!

The story is told from two points of view in dual timelines: Emma from the past and Jane in the present. 

After Emma's and Simon's flat is burgled, they look for a different place to live. Emma wants to live somewhere that she feels more safe and secure. The agent shows them a unique home that is pristine in its minimalist decor and explains that it was designed by a renowned architect and that any prospective tenants must go through a very thorough screening process. First, they must answer a very detailed questionnaire and provide photos. The agent warns that most don't get past this stage. Next comes a personal interview. The lease comes with a ridiculous addendum of 200 rules, such as no knick-knacks, no curtains, no newspapers, no flowers, no placemats, no coasters, no books (gasp! the horror!!), no pets, no kids, etc. Essentially, it should look like no one lives there! Simon, who is a techno geek, loves that everything is controlled electronically with a bracelet that the tenants wear. Emma and Simon pass the paper-screening stage, go for a personal interview with the owner, and then sign the lease.

In the present tense, Jane is also looking for a fresh start. She, too, passes the rigorous screening process and moves in to the designer home on Folgate Street. Interestingly, Jane bears a physical resemblance to Emma.

I don't know why Emma and Jane aren't running away from this control freak! Do they not see how the owner, Edward, dictates how they live? It was totally creepy how they just gave up that part of themselves and let him rule their lives. Between the narratives of the women, there are questions from Edward's bizarre questionnaire so that you have an idea of what this guy is like.

I am very impressed with this author's debut and really enjoyed the twisty plot. I can't wait to read more from him!

The dual narration by Emilia Fox (Jane) and Finty Williams (Emma) was excellent. They both were a good fit to the characters and were believable. A male voice narrated Edward's questions between the chapters. Lise Aagaard Knudsen is also listed as a narrator but I have no idea which part she was responsible for. Here is a sample of the narration:




MY RATING:

4 stars!! It was really good, and you should put it on your TBR if you enjoy dark mysteries.

This book qualifies as:

Thursday, September 27, 2018

#Book #Review: 4 out of 5 stars for Ready to Die by Lisa Jackson @readlisajackson @KensingtonBooks

TITLE: Ready to Die
SERIES: To Die, Book #5
AUTHOR: Lisa Jackson
PUBLISHER: Zebra
PUBLICATION DATE: July 30, 2013
FORMAT: Paperback
LENGTH: 432 pages
GENRE: Romance/Romantic Suspense
ISBN: 9781420118513
Nothing

His blood quickens as he stares at the photographs. Six faces, all guilty--and detectives Regan Pescoli and Selena Alvarez are at the top of his list. One by one, he'll stalk them, then he'll squeeze the trigger, savoring the way each lifeless body crumples to the reddening snow. One down already. And then there were five. . .

Can Prepare You

Sheriff Dan Grayson lies near death after a shooting, and the police department of Grizzly Falls, Montana, is in shock. Alvarez, torn between a new relationship and her loyalty to Grayson, works with Pescoli to whittle down the list of suspects. The deeper they go, the more personal and dangerous the case becomes. Then a prominent judge's body is found and the killer sends a sinister warning to the press: "Who's Next?"

To Face A Killer

Pescoli isn't waiting to find out. Headstrong and eager for justice, she'll track the scant clues on her own if she has to. But her search leads her straight to a monster who has had her in his sights all along. And when hunter meets prey, both must be willing to kill--and ready to die. . .

MY REVIEW:

This is the fifth installment of Jackson's To Die series.

The antagonist has a hit list of six people. First, he bumps off a judge. Then, he goes after Sheriff Dan Grayson. Of course, Alvarez and Pescoli (well, mostly Pescoli) put themselves into harm's way in trying to find the psycho that tried to take down one of their own. While Grayson is clinging to life, the two detectives are gambling with their own.

This was another very enjoyable read in this series. I love the setting of these stories, which is snowy and remote. It adds to the tension. This one had my adrenaline pumping with the sense that the detectives were running out of time. My suspicions proved correct! The ending definitely left me wanting more, and I immediately had to scour my bookshelves looking for the next one in the series, Deserves to Die. I am bumping that one up my TBR queue.

MY RATING:

4 stars!! It was really good, and you should put it on your TBR if you enjoy romantic suspense!

This book qualifies as:

Wednesday, September 26, 2018

#Audiobook #Review: 4 out of 5 stars for The Killing Woods by Lucy Christopher @LucyCAuthor @BlackstoneAudio

NARRATORS: Fiona Hardingham and Shaun Grindell
PUBLISHER: Blackstone Audio
PUBLICATION DATE: January 7, 2014 (first published 2013)
FORMAT: Unabridged audiobook
LENGTH: 9 hrs and 25 mins
GENRE: Young Adult, Mystery
ISBN: 9781482967425
Fatal attraction, primal fear, survival in the forest--from the author of the Printz Honor Book Stolen comes the highly anticipated thriller about deadly games played in the dark. Ashlee Parker is dead, and Emily Shepherd's dad is accused of the crime. A former soldier suffering from PTSD, he emerges from the woods carrying the girl's broken body. "Gone," he says, then retreats into silence. What really happened that wild night? Emily knows in her bones that her father is innocent--isn't he? Before he's convicted, she's got to uncover the truth. Does Damon Hilary, Ashlee's charismatic boyfriend, have the answers? Or is he only playing games with her ... the kinds of games that can kill?
MY REVIEW:

I am a reading challenge junkie, and I love finding books to fit my challenge prompts. I needed a book with a title starting with a K, and I was scrolling through Overdrive looking for something to fit and came upon this one. 

The book starts off creepy enough, with teenage Emily watching her dad returning home from the woods holding something in his arms. At first she thinks it is a wounded animal but then sees that it is a body. The dead girl turns out to be Ashlee, a classmate of Emily's. Emily's dad is arrested and charged with Ashlee's murder. Emily's dad is a former soldier suffering from PTSD, and the psychologist said that a trigger could make him think that he was back in the war where he accidentally killed a civilian.

The point of view then shifts from Emily to Damon, Ashlee's boyfriend, and we learn about a game that a group of kids used to play in the woods. On the night that Ashlee was killed, they were in the woods playing the game and Damon passed out and has no recollection of what happened or of taking Ashlee home.

I really enjoyed this mystery, which was dark and a bit disturbing. The dark woods are a perfect eerie setting for this type of story. Even though it is YA, my opinion is that it would be better suited for the upper end of that range because of the drugs and sexual content. 

This is my first read by this author, but I quite enjoyed her and would definitely read something more from her.

I loved the dual narration by Fiona Hardingham and Shaun Grindell. They brought this dark tale to life and held my interest from start to finish. Here is a sample of the narration:



MY RATING:

4 stars!! It was really good, and you should put it on your TBR if you enjoy dark mysteries.

This book qualifies as:

Can't-Wait Wednesday: Nightchaser by Amanda Bouchet @AuthorABouchet ‏@PiatkusBooks ‏

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Tressa @ Wishful Endings to spotlight and talk about the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they're books that have yet to be released as well. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine. Find out more here.


Here is this week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection:

TITLE: Nightchaser
SERIES: Endeavor, Book #1
AUTHOR: Amanda Bouchet 
PUBLISHER: Piatkus Books
EXPECTED PUBLICATION DATE: January 1, 2019
FORMAT: Paperback
LENGTH: 416 pages
GENRE: Romance, Science Fiction
ISBN: 9780349420875
A delicious new heart-pounding romantic adventure from USA Today bestseller Amanda Bouchet!

Captain Tess Bailey and her crew of Robin Hood-like thieves are desperate and on the run. Pursued by a vicious military general who wants them dead or alive, Tess has to decide if she can trust Shade Ganavan, a tall, dark and arrogant stranger with ambiguous motivations.

Shade Ganavan had oodles of arrogance, oodles of charm, and oodles of something that made me want to kick him in the nuts.

What Tess and Shade don’t know about each other might get them killed…unless they can set aside their differences and learn to trust each other—while ignoring their off-the-charts chemistry.

Ooooooh, a new series by Bouchet! I really enjoyed her Kingmaker Chronicles. It sounds like Tess & Shade will have great chemistry.


What are you waiting on? Please leave a comment in the section below. If you participate in this meme, please leave a link so I can visit your blog!

Tuesday, September 25, 2018

Books By My Favourite Authors That I Still Haven’t Read #TopTenTuesday


This is a weekly meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl. Each week, they post a new Top Ten list that one of their bloggers will answer. Everyone is welcome to join!

Today's list is:

Books By My Favourite Authors That I Still Haven't Read


Oh, awesome topic! And I have plenty of those to choose from :)  I have so many series to get caught up on!



by Anne Bishop
(The Others, Book #5)


by Jeaniene Frost
(Night Huntress, Book #4)


by Patricia Briggs
(Mercy Thompson, Book #4)

by Nicci French
(Frieda Klein, Book #3)

Dearest Ivie
by J.R. Ward
(Black Dagger Brotherhood, Book #15.5)


The Thief
by J.R. Ward
(Black Dagger Brotherhood, Book #16)


Alaskan Holiday
by Debbie Macomber


Give the Dark My Love
by Beth Revis



Heart on Fire
by Amanda Bouchet
(Kingmaker Chronicles, Book #3)


An Unwanted Guest
by Shari Lapena


Believe Me
by J.P. Delaney

That Night
by Chevy Stevens

The Silent Corner
by Dean Koontz
(Jane Hawk, Book #1)

The Stand
by Stephen King


So, what books by your favourite authors are still on your TBR? Have you read any of these? Which ones should I bump up the queue? Please let me know in the comments, or leave me a link to your blog post if you are also participating in the meme!

Monday, September 24, 2018

#TackleTBR #Readathon: Wrap-up Post @TresSherm


This is my Wrap-up Post for the Tackle Your TBR Read-a-Thon.


I Finished (just one):


by Anna Willett
[on my iPod]


I'm Still Reading:

Before I Fall
by Lauren Oliver

Find You in the Dark
by Nathan Ripley
[on my iPod]

Wherever I Find Myself: Stories by Canadian Immigrant Women
edited by Miriam Matejova

The Hatchling
by Kathryn Lasky
(Guardians of Ga'Hoole, Book #6)
[read-aloud to my daughter]

Matilda
by Roald Dahl
[my daughter is reading this one aloud to me for home reading]


I really wanted to finish Before I Fall but I made it only to 53%. I did finish Unwelcome Guests and started a new audiobook, Find You in the Dark which I'm really enjoying but only about 30% in. I'm about 71% through the anthology, Wherever I Find Myself, so with any luck I'll finally finish that one this week. 

My daughter and I are making good progress with the read-alouds: 76% finished with The Hatchling which is my favourite in the series so far and 48% finished with Matilda which I'm loving!

Thanks again to Tressa at Wishful Endings for hosting!
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