I can hardly believe it’s time for Whatcha Reading already. It always sneaks up on me and I can hear my book budget weeping quietly in the background. If you’re new to the site, this is where we recap the books we’ve been reading and how we feel about them.
Let us know in the comments how much or little you’ve whittled down your TBR pile!
Sarah: One of the benefits to developing and then testing the course I’m building on using Google Calendar to declutter your schedule is that I am finding more and more time to read, and making it a priority. It’s too easy to set it aside like I’ll have time later, when reading is one of the best ways for me to recharge and comfort myself. So while I’m working a lot lately, I’m also reading a lot more, which makes me really happy.
This week, I finished the books in the Peter Grant series and read Too Fat, Too Slutty, Too Loud: The Rise and Reign of the Unruly Woman by Anne Helen Petersen (review forthcoming!). I’ve also read one of Olivia Dade’s books and close to finishing another.
I struggled with the rapid pace of the emotional development in Broken Resolutions ( A | BN | K | G | AB ), and didn’t quite buy the HEA, though I learned that reclusive writers are a particular strand of my catnip. I caught the Jane Eyre references, though, which I did rather like.
Elyse: I just fell down the In Death rabbit hole so I’ll see you all in a year.
Amanda: Goodbye, Elyse! We’ll miss you!
Sarah: Hidden Hearts ( A | BN | K | G | AB )I’m enjoying more, as there is more space to develop the emotional connection, and there’s email back and forth which is another strand of my catnip. Epistolary romances with reclusive writer characters are apparently my ultra-catnip.
Carrie: I have been reading There Is No Lovely End by Patty Templeton ( A | BN ). It’s fictional weird western horror story about Sarah Winchester, who built the Winchester Mystery House.
Amanda: I checked out Crash Into You by Roni Loren from the library. It was on sale a couple weeks ago. It’s the first in an erotic romance series and I’ve enjoyed Loren’s writing before. I’m also anticipating the release of the Royally Mine anthology ( A | BN | K | AB ), which comes out on the 22nd this month. There was a great discussion in a recent sale post about some of the descriptions. Like with most anthologies, I know there are going to be some highs and lows and I’m eager to see how the collection shakes out.
Sarah: Next I’m reading Ink & Bone by Rachel Caine ( A | BN | K | AB ), recommended by Beverly Jenkins in the recent podcast interview we did. The podcast episodes are just as dangerous to my TBR pile, I promise.
How has your month been for reading? What books have you loved or hated?
By request, since we can’t link to every book you mention in the comments, here are bookstore links that help support the site with your purchases. If you use them, thank you so much, and if you’d prefer not to, no worries. Thanks for being a part of SBTB and hopefully, you’ve found some great books to read!
So this month:
-I binged 9/10ths of the Maiden Lane series by Elizabeth Hoyt. I don’t know why I’d never read these before but they were excellent! I loved the Georgian setting and the non-aristocratic couples. I will confess to skipping a couple of them that didn’t interest me, seeing as how I read them (mostly) out of order.
-Faith & Fidelity (m/m by Tere Michaels). My first m/m, excellent writing, interesting character development, a slow steady burn romance. I did not like the HFN ending. I then found out that there are at least 3 more books in the series where the author delves into this couple’s continuing relationship. No thanks, series click-bait.
-Behind the Curtain (by Beth Kery). It had good parts: character development, a Moroccan-American heroine, a really fascinating New Adult section (if Beth Kery doesn’t write NA, she should). It also had not-so-good parts: I never felt like the conflict was ever really resolved, and the hero was a little too something.
-Tempting the Bride (by Sherry Thomas). O.M.G. this was so good. I don’t know why I haven’t immediately read everything she’s ever written, but I can’t wait for her 2nd Sherlock Holmes book to come out this fall. I might (and unusually for me) pre-order it.
-Within Reach (Sarah Mayberry). Meh. Woman falls for her dead best friend’s husband. It had some good moments (hot sex scenes and the kids), but in the end, it just didn’t work for me.
Also in non-romance land, I’m reading Alexander Hamilton (by Ron Chernow) in preparation for seeing the show in a couple of weeks. So far so good, but it’s very dense. I’m also reading All the Single Ladies (by Rebecca Traister). Excellent, but slow going.
@Kareni – I really wanted to love To Say Nothing of the Dog, but I’m afraid I found it slow-going and less funny than I hoped it would be. I did enjoy her novel The Doomsday Book, but you have to overlook the fact that it’s the future but no one has cell phones (a lot of the plot hinges on not being able to reach people by phone).
This month I gave Harry Dresden another try, after my teen son devoured the whole series. I liked book 3 much more than I had liked book 1, and I’m planning to keep going with the series. The characters are definitely growing on me.
I also decided to retry the Amelia Peabody series, which I first tried a decade or so ago. For some reason, the first novel worked much better for me this time around, possibly because I was picturing Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn in the roles. I just started book two and found the opening scenes to be hilarious.
@SusanH, keep going on the Dresden Files. You hit the nail on the head with the fact that the series really finds its footing and tone in books 3 & 4. After that, it just gets really good. My favorites are probably Dead Beat, Small Favor, Changes, and Cold Days. I really wish he would finish Peace Talks already, but I know, I know. To paraphrase Neil Gaiman, he’s not my bitch.
I agree with everything being said about To Say Nothing of the Dog. I love Connie Willis, and yet I can’t get past the first 50 pages. I don’t get it.
@SusanH, I LOVE The Doomsday Book, though. That story destroyed me.
I’ve been reading my way through Laura Florand’s Amour et Chocolat series (as recommend by Sarah), and it’s AMAZING. Like all the blurbs/reviews say, it’s so warm, sensual, funny, romantic… and you get to travel around Paris at the same time. It’s everything I want in contemporary romance. Seriously, it’s good book noise after good book noise with these. (I’ve read three so far, and the third was my favorite.)
::::rolls back in to the sounds of the Game of Thrones theme:::
I finished An Extraordinary Union, which is unfortunate in timing, since The Duchess Deal won’t be on my Kindle for another (checks the clock) 35 hours.
The Half-Drowned King by Linnea Harstruyker it is. I had read about it here, and then also read a review of it on tor.com that called it basically “Vikings making terrible life choices” and as a Game of Thrones fan (which is basically “medieval-analogue society assholes making terrible life choices and also dragons”), that is exactly a great way to get my attention. So far, no dragons, but we’ve already had a major betrayal and some indications of political fuckery, so I feel invested.
I read Karen Rose’s newest book, Monster in the Closet, which was an arc as the book comes out on the 29th. I was not impressed as it lacked the spark her other books have. I think she should have waited to write this one so the hero was a little older. They were both SO young. Babies, really, and it just didn’t work for me. This made me miss some of her older books, so I re-read I Can See You and Silent Scream.
For the last week, I have been just so sick and haven’t been able to concentrate on anything since Monday, so no reading. Also, it was my least productive week at work ever, which is why I am calling in sick tomorrow.
I’ve been reading the Jane Yellowrock series by Faith Hunter–I’m on book 5 now, and quite hooked. I’ve been on an urban fantasy kick for a while now, and never picked up these books before. And I know why. It was a combination of trashy-looking artwork on the covers, plus the author name “Faith Hunter” which sounded like a pseudonym for someone ashamed to put a real name on a book. But I was wrong–I need to remember not to judge a book by its cover!
I like these. Jane is very tough, and builds good, strong relationships with people. These aren’t very “romantic,” although she does have love interests. I like the world-building here. There are typical urban fantasy features — vampires and weres recently out-of-the-closet, but some pretty unusual features too, in terms of mythology. Also very interesting in that the reader gets the perspective of the world when Jane shifts into her beast-form — which she does regularly, because many of her adventures require the skillset she only has when in that form. Good adventure and well plotted, at least so far. I still have the second half of the series to go.
I’m checking back in to say that something, probably the recent events in VA, caused me to start Margaret Walker’s Jubilee, which I’ve heard is an antidote to Gone with the Wind in that it covers the US Civil War from Southern Blacks’ pov, while the other covers that conflict from racist whites’ pov and both have strong heroines. Enjoying it so far from a historical perspective, although the pov characters keep switching. I’ll let you know how it is hopefully next month.
@Kareni I’ll try!! But it seems like I’m in the same boat (haha!) as @SusanH and @Leanne H
Between house guests and traveling to help family, it was a slow reading month for me as most nights I fell into bed exhausted. A highlight was reading both The Sparrow Sisters and The Forbidden Garden by Ellen Herrick. I enjoyed the gardening references and magical aspects. Started Lady Be Bad by Megan Frampton this morning and was chuckling before breakfast, which is a good sign.
I love (LOVE) To Say Nothing of the Dog, but it did take me a little bit to get into it because the story starts with Ned so time-lagged and confused that it’s almost dizzying. I would stick it out.
Here’s the breakdown of my reading month:
Excellent:
– Wildfire by Ilona Andrews – loved the third book in the Hidden Legacy series wrapping up the three book romance of Nevada and “Mad” Rogan. I read that the authors plan to continue with new books set in the same world although this story arc is complete and I can only hope that is true!
Very Good:
– White Hot by Ilona Andrews: The second book in the Hidden Legacy was still awesome, but it lacked the excitement of the first book where Nevada and Rogan are introduced and the world explained and the third book where they get their HEA.
– The English and Their History by Robert Tombs: I have been chipping away at this book for a long time as it is 899 pages (plus index and footnotes) of dense British history from the Druids to about 2014. I did not know a lot about English history even though I have always been fascinated by all things English. There were a few parts that were slow going, but overall I am really glad I read it!
– Dog On It by Spencer Quinn: The first in the Chet and Bernie mystery series, told entirely from the point of view of Chet who is a dog. I have no idea if dogs think like the character Chet, but after reading this very funny book, I found myself hoping they do.
– Maus I: My Father Bleeds History by Art Spiegelman: The first of two graphic novels telling the true story of a survivor of the Holocaust and Auschwitz except the Jews are mice and the Nazis are cats. It is of course difficult to read, but so important – and the format is very different from a classic biography/memoir.
– A Week at the Airport by Alain De Botton: The author was asked by the company who runs Heathrow to be the writer in residence there for a week. This very short book mixes mundane details about how food is prepared for flights to philosophical musings on the role of travel in our lives. I read it while waiting to board a plane and finished it mid-flight.
Good:
– The Pathfinder: How to Choose or Change Your Career for a Lifetime of Satisfaction and Success by Nicholas Lore: this book had a few really important bits about not letting your fears limit you and how to be careful to not think just of obvious options but all possibilities. Unfortunately, it was buried in a lot of unhelpful or just obvious things without enough real life examples. Not helpful: Figure out what is meaningful to you and then get a job related to that (thanks for the blindingly obvious advice) – what I really wanted was stories of people who did that in real life.
Meh:
– Generous Death by Nancy Pickard: I was expecting this to be more of a cozy mystery, but it turned out to be much heavier/darker than I thought. It was written in and takes place in the 1980’s so there was some stuff about women in the workplace that would not pass muster today. The motives behind the killings were extremely convoluted and I didn’t care for most of the main characters. It was fine, but I won’t be seeking out the second book in the series.
The Bad:
– The Killings at Badger’s Drift by Caroline Graham: That I didn’t like this book was partly the fault of my own expectations – since my copy was published by Felony & Mayhem, I was expecting a reprint of something originally published in the 20’s or 30’s. Instead this was from the 80’s and featured a whole cast of unlikable characters as well as an extremely unflattering (offensive) caricature of a gay man. I will not be reading the second in the series.
August has been an insane month for me and I’m surprised I’ve managed to read 11 books this month (so far). I got a new niece, have family up from Florida visiting,had inventory at work and also had a family member in the hospital. This would be why I am reading and commenting on this post so late.
But I managed to get my Penny Reid fix in with Beard in Mind and I also read Renee Carlino’s Swear on this Life. I have only read 2 of her books but she is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. I read Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Dragonsworn and I really think she needs to change something up because I am kind of getting bored (but I won’t stop reading). I finally read The Sweet Gum Tree by Katherine Allred and I really liked it. New to me author Rachel Higginson’s (recommended on a Penny Reid facebook fan page) The Opposite of You. I really liked it and immediately bought the next one in the series.
I finally read Dating You/Hating You by Christina Lauren even though I won a copy a while ago. I love her characters and their banter. I read the book laughing out loud the whole time. I read Mariana Zapata’s (also recommended on Penny Reid’s Page) Lingus and I read my first ever Colleen Hoover It Ends with Us. It won’t be my last. My current read is Off the Clock by Roni Loren
SusanH and Leanne H. ~ it’s good to know that I’m in good company in that TSNotD boat! Hera, I may yet give it another try. CK, I’ll await any further report you care to give.
And I will take another look at The Doomsday Book since it seems to be getting some love!
I’ve just discovered Amy Daws’ London Lovers series and her footballers series involving the Harris brothers. The stories from both series are woven together perfectly. I got over the first person narrative and the content issues at the beginning of “Endurance” and I’m glad that I did. The heroes aren’t billionaires and the heroines aren’t perfect. Everyone is just a little unwell, but they stuck around to show a different side of themselves to the people that love them. Yeah, I quoted Rob Thomas.