It’s the first of August–where did this year go?!?! Goodreads tells me I’ve read 54 books this year–I don’t count re-reads which comprise about a third of my reading. I just finished Klara and the Sun which I found jejune, boring, and almost impossible to believe that it was written by Kazuo Ishiguro. Critics have loved it. I most certainly did not. I’ve just started Exiles, the third Aaron Falk book by Aussie best-selling author Jane Harper. Thus far, it’s compelling. I’m always reading a romance–right now it’s Katee Roberts’ An Indecent Proposal. I’d decided, after so many at AAR have raved about it, to read the O’Malleys series. I’ve never been a fan of mob romances but you guys said they were good so I’m giving them a try. They work for me as long as I don’t think very hard about what the characters are really up to–the love stories are luscious and I like how strong all the female leads are.
How about you? What have you read lately?
Impenitent social media enthusiast. Relational trend spotter. Enjoys both carpe diem and the fish of the day.
I love the O’Malleys, I hope you enjoy that series! I’m listening to audiobooks as we drive across the Ontario countryside- Ocean Light by Nalini Singh currently, likely Something Fabulous by Alexis Hall next.
I am on book three which is less engaging than the first two but I’m sticking with it!
Iirc, one of the books (perhaps the one you’re reading now) takes place away from Boston and is about the sibling who removed himself from the “family business.” I almost got the feeling with that one that Robert grabbed a non-O’Malley story she’d been working on and lightly edited it to reflect some O’Malley storylines. Stay with the series, though, because (imho) the last two books, UNDERCOVER ATTRACTION and THE BASTARD’S BARGAIN, are the best ones.
I will!
A bit late in my comments but putting them in anyway because I really feel that the recent books I’ve read lately are a win and AAR should be commended for posting them in their steals and deals where I discovered them. I loved loved “The Lawless Land” by Boyd and Beth Morrison. The story of the perilous journey of a dispossessed knight and a hunted heiress across a medieval Europe emerging from a catastrophic plague is painted with such rich and authentic historical detail that it blew open that world for me. The romance is lovely with the protagonists carrying equal weight in smarts, courage and higher purpose. A bit amazed and pleased to find later that this adventure-romance was also on the recommended list of the New York Times for historical fiction last July. Also purchased/read Tessa Bailey’s “It Happened Last Summer,” a superior piece of enjoyable fluff that I hesitated from purchasing but finally bought on Steals and Deals. Hope AAR establishes a wider reputation for recommending good books so book sellers flock to it to market their books. And readers flock to it for good deals that can be unique to the site.
That is LOVELY to hear. Thank you!
I’m reading Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard, which keeps wanting to be good but just isn’t. I can’t figure why either, I keep waiting for it to get good so I’m still reading, I think it’s just boring? And that’s the worse sin and I don’t want it to be boring! There is so much potential.
I took a break adn read American Dreamer by Adriana Herrera and was amazing. A+, 5 stars, all the love for that book. It isnt’ helping Something Strange and Deadly get any better. . .
I really loved American Dreamer! It might be time for a reread of that series. They’re great on audio, btw!
I am reading three books currently: A Governess Never Should Deny a Duke by Emily Windsor (C-). Determined to finish it on my kindle but it’s really straining to be cutesy and funny (not) and it will get deleted. It represents all that I really loathe in HR, sadly. I am also reading The Fifth Witness by Michael Connelly (a Lincoln Lawyer book) and inhaling it so quickly I am dizzy. And, finally, I am also dipping in and out of Ian Mortimer’s The Time Traveller’s Guide to Restoration Britain which is terrific but as the print is very small in my second hand paperback, I do have to put it down and go elsewhere from time to time. It’s great fun, BTW, and as good as his previous “guides” I have read: Regency Britain and Medieval England.
I’ve been on a Cathy Maxwell kick. I found her by searching for other books with narrator Mary Jane Wells. Current read is The Groom Says Yes, from the brides of Wishmore series. I like that Maxwell writes some books with older heroines, non-virginal heroines, unlikable heroines etc.
I read Book Lovers by Emily Henry earlier in the summer. She’s well known of course but new to me, and my other reading highlight of the summer besides Maxwell.
Right this moment I’m listening to Annabeth Albert’s Out of Character and enjoying it, the narration by Joel Froomkin and Kirt Graves is excellent.
I’m also reading an interesting book by Isa K. written around 2012, called The Condor. Harry runs a gay escort service, which a code for high priced hookers. It’s a difficult book to describe. It’s funny and wild, smutty, and also full of frank talk about being gay, hooking, and life on the street. Harry is the POV character and, like all the characters, he’s complex and real. The book is full of these vividly drawn and memorable characters, including the aging drag queen to pulled Harry of the streets, a straight college grad desperate to find work who is recruited by Harry, a deeply closeted financial exec who is equally desperate to get his needs fulfilled, and Harry’s boyfriend who just may be getting fed up with Harry’s life, even though Harry is no longer taking clients. Honestly, I’m 100% sure what I think of it. It deals with a lot of grey areas and can be gritty, funny, and shocking.
My book count on Goodreads is 148 so far, and I’d say 12-15 of those are rereads. I don’t list all my rereads, but I do when I’m rereading by listening to an audiobook of a print book I’ve already read, or when I have something to add to my review.
Nora Goes Off Script by Annabelle Monaghan is my favorite Romcom of the year.
Over the weekend, I read BOLD FORTUNE by M. M. Crane (aka, Megan Crane/Caitlin Crews), which I’d grabbed on sale last week (as much as I love Crane/Crews, the ebook was originally priced at almost $10–too rich for my blood). It’s the first in a new series called The Fortunes of Lost Lake, set in an isolated, sparsely-populated community in Alaska. BOLD FORTUNE is a grumpy-sunshine pairing where an environmental scholar comes to Lost Lake to try to persuade the area’s unofficial “mayor” to not allow an old gold mine to be reopened. Both MCs have hidden depths and both of them “see” that the other is using their persona to cover up deep hurts. There are beautiful descriptions of the Alaskan wilderness, a well-rounded cast of characters (a number of whom are sure to feature in future books), and enforced-proximity & sexy-times in a cabin during a blizzard. A fabulous read—one of my favorite books of 2022 so far.
Then I grabbed an older book from my tbr, Lisa Henry’s slow-burn m/m romance, TWO MAN STATION, about two police officers in a remote town in the Australian Outback. It was very good: everything from Henry’s vivid descriptions of the beauty and the vastness of the Outback to the myriad ways domestic abuse and violence can manifest itself (for a quiet book focusing on the slow development of feelings between the two MCs, there is a lot of ancillary violence in the story, but it’s organic not gratuitous). I loved the book—and immediately grabbed the second book in the series (both are on KU), LIGHTS AND SIRENS, set in a larger town on the Queensland coast and featuring the relationship between a cop and an EMT. I’m enjoying it, but it’s not quite as atmospheric as TWO MAN STATION.
I liked Two Man Station as well – you’ve reminded me I’ve got the sequel but haven’t read it yet!
And my reading spreadsheet shows that I’ve read 114 books so far this year. I always read a lot during the summer, but I go back to work on Wednesday (I work in the school system) and I don’t expect the rest of the year to reflect quite the same reading pace.
Over the weekend, I binged books 4, 5 and 6 in Cole McCade’s Criminal Intentions series; it’s one of those I’ve been meaning to get around to for ages, and when books 1-3 came out in audio a few months ago I snapped them up, but there’s no sign of more – not yet, anyway. (I live in hope!) It’s a police procedural/mystery series with a slow-burn romance, fascinating characters, an overarching plot and mysteries that are self-contained in each book – and it’s compelling stuff! I’m itching to read the next ones, but I have other things to read (for review), so I’m rationing myself!
I just finished listening to The Doctor, by C.S Poe, narrated by Declan Winters; it was a DIK/A when I read it earlier this year and I enjoyed it just as much – the narration is excellent.
Fearne Hill’s Two Tribes (out later this week) was terrific – a second-chance romance set across 25 years that really tugs at the heartstrings.
I just looked at my GR numbers – 141 books so far (maybe about 3 or 4 are re-listens), which means I’ve already written well over a hundred reviews – between AAR and AudioGals – this year. I keep telling myself that this will be the year I take on fewer books and audiobooks for review and dig more into my own TBR/TBL piles… I’ve been saying that for about the last ten years though. * shrug *
I liked Fearne Hill’s Brushed with Love and Dipped with Sunshine. I hadn’t heard she had another coming out. I looked at the Amazon listing and Two Tribes looks sad? Will you be doing a review? If not, can you tell me how angsty it is?
Yes, the review is running this week. It’s terrific, but there are some angsty bits. It’s not what I’d call ‘high angst’ though.
I keep saying I’m going to catch up on some of my older NetGalley books every summer…..( it’s yet to happen)