Tuesday, June 13, 2017

Show us your Books: June 2017


Can you freaking believe we're at the halfway point of the reading year? Wasn't it just New Year's Day yesterday? I'm drowing in e-books right now, so I suspect I'll be on overload of those for a little. Hell I'm also drowning in physical books. What a glorious predicament. 


Linkup Guidelines:
This link up happens the second Tuesday of every month. The next is  Tuesday, July 11, 2017 
1. Please visit and comment with both of your hosts, Jana & me
2. Please display the button (need it? let me know) or link back to us on your blog post
2. Please visit a few other blogs who've linked up and get some book talk going!

Here's what I've read from the last linkup.

Engrossing Reads


My Sister's Grave (Tracy Crosswhite #1) by Robert Dugoni - I love finding a new series. I'll be settling in for the next of these. Amazon kindle e-book

Breaking Silence (Kate Burkholder #3) by Linda Castillo - More more more of this series. I love it and am motoring through it. library hardback

Gone Missing (Kate Burkholder #4) by Linda Castillo - Can't stop won't stop. I could consume these. library hardback

Stillhouse Lake by Rachel Caine - I was annoyed with this at first: lots of repetition like yes yes we freaking get it she's careful. Then I got into it and was propelled forward in a nice finish in 24 hours type of way. Amazon Kindle First for June

Passed the Time Just Fine

The Blackbird Season by Kate Moretti - I like books set in one horse towns. This one had a lot going on, some of which felt extraneous, and I think if a side story or two were dropped it would have been sharper and more impactful. Still not a bad read. Not a great one either. Free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Savage Rising: A Backwoods Justice Novel by C. Hoyt Caldwell - This book made me laugh out loud numerous times thanks to the colorful language and the author's turn of phrase. Even so there are some serious threads running through it. It's like the show Justified in book form. I liked Dani Savage a lot, as well as her crew. I was in a slug reading period with this one and still made it through. Free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Story of Arthur Truluv by Elizabeth Berg - It's been quite a while since I've read an Elizabeth Berg novel. This one reminded me of why I enjoy her so much and why it shouldn't be so long in between next time. I liked all of these characters. Free e-copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. 

It Happens All the Time by Amy Hatvany - It's hard to really rate this book. I actually didn't like the pace and I didn't love the characters. I thought some of the events were told in too much of a chick lit manner for such a serious topic. All that being said, I think it does make some statements that need to be made and examine some things that need to be talked about. library hardback

Roses of May (The Collector #2) by Dot Hutchison - I really liked The Butterfly, as much as you can like a book that is creepy as fuck. This one was a lot different. I didn't mind it, but since it's #2, I thought it would be more of a continuation of #1 and it really wasn't. I liked the fierce females in this book and the FBI agents as family. Free e-copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Her Final Breath (Tracy Crosswhite #2) by Robert Dugoni - I didn't love it like the first, but it was serviceable. library hardback

The Grownup by Gillian Flynn - This is exactly why the short story is not my preferred genre. I always want more. I read this in 20 minutes, for shit's sake, and I need to know what happened. Amazon e-book

The Sun in Your Eyes by Deborah Shapiro - I liked the writing a lot, the story less so. It's clear this author has a way with words, but I don't know if she has the breadth and depth of the story telling. I picked through a little - do I need this? do I need this? No. No. Lots of stuff hanging out in the ether without a tie to the present. I think an editor could have helped a lot here. Amazon e-book

Firefly Summer by Nan Rossiter - This is the kind of book that typically makes me roll my eyes because it's too something...predictable? perfect? Americana? contrived? I don't know. But while I did do a little eye rolling, I also liked it. I read a shit ton of books with bad guys. It's nice to read a sweet and boring little book where everything works out in the end and is wrapped up pretty every once in a while. I've had it on my kindle forever. e-book

Not Worth It



Did Not Finish

Then We Came to the End by Joshua Ferris - I came to the end much, much quicker than he did. library hardback

What are you reading?






42 comments:

  1. I'm reading The Blackbird Season for Erin's challenge in July. Bummer it's just OK.

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  2. I have been meaning to start the Burkholder series based upon your praise and my love of a good series. It's getting shifted towards the top of my TBR. I loved Roses of May a tad more than The Butterfly Garden because I really needed the girl power moments. :D

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  3. Hahaha you came to an end much quicker. It sounds like you've started a few good series so I will have to check those out. I do love a good series. Especially if a few books are out and I can binge!

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  4. There are definitely worse things to be drowning in than books! ;) I still want to check out that Kate Burkholder series!! I love your comment about the book that you didn't finish LOL.

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  5. I always think I'll like a short story too & then feel the same way - feel like I got jipped out of something.

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  6. It's the best when you fall into a good series and have more and more books to look forward to reading! Firefly Summer definitely pulls me in from the cover, and sometimes it is nice to just read something super light and cheery.

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  7. I loved My Sister's Grave and the Kate Burkholder series so much! I haven't read all of the books, but they are my go to when I'm in a reading rut!

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  8. I feel so out of the reading loop- didn't recognize any of these! Haha. But totally know that feeling re: short stories.

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  9. LOL at your unfinished book review HAHA!

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  10. Oooh, I love getting into a good series and I haven't had one in ages. I will have to check out your current favorite!

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  11. Although I have not yet read any of the above book, however, I will try to read these books very soon. Dissertation writing services

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  12. I will have to check out Savage Rising! That sounds pretty good. I read a lot of YA last month. Right now I'm working on The Sisters Brothers.

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  13. I just added Stillhouse Lake to my to read list. My Sister's Grave sounds good, but I don't want to invest myself in a new series! I have too many unfinished at the moment.

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  14. I just put the first Burkholder book on hold at the library so expecting that soon!

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  15. I absolutely love a good series! I always end up wanting more! Right now I am reading The Perfect Stranger - taking me a bit to get into but hoping it will pick up!

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  16. I read My Sister's Grave sometime last year and I enjoyed it. Forgot about it being the first in a series - so thank you for the reminder! I suspect that I'll be bringing two series that I've been reading to a close by the end of the year, so picking up another series has been on my radar.

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  17. A couple of those series sound good! Firefly Summer might be something I check out, too because I don't mind a little perfection. ;)

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  18. I'm not usually into series but Kate Burkholder sounds like that could change. Laughed at the Justified comment since the show is based on books and it always comes up at the TV festival I just went to... but it sounds like the show took many liberties with the source material.

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  19. So I've had My Sister's Grave on my list for a while, and it sounds like I need to get to reading it already! I also think that Stillhouse Lake was what I selected this month for Kindle First, so I'm glad that it's a good book too!

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  20. I love a good series.. BUTTTT I hate when authors obviously set up books to be a series if it means the first book is all set up and then the very end is like "oh yeah there's more." No. Do not want. Entertain me NOAW.

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  21. wow so many books!
    I feel like everyone is reading except for me :(
    life lately has been to exhausting to pick up a book

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  22. I have a hard time with short stories too. Especially short series. Like... I want to know about their lives forever!!

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  23. Stillhouse Lake is next in my queue, I am glad I know this information about it. I need to get to reading, you are such an inspiration with how much you read!

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  24. It's been a slow reading month for me; read Uneasy Spirits: A Victorian San Francisco Mystery by M. Louise Locke. Was ok. I like psychic stuff so I stayed with it, but wasn't drawn to finish it quickly.
    Also read The Baker's Daughter by Sarah McCoy. More about WWII Germany. Again, ok, not profound.
    And currently reading The Orphan's Tale by Pam Jenoff. more WWII (this is my frequent reading topic. Again ok. I don't like to sound sexist, but I generally prefer books written by men... what's that all about???? Not a big fan of drama maybe.

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  25. Adding Savage Rising because, FINALLY, a Dani character! And a Deputy at that. I wanted to read The Grown-Up, but I really dislike ambiguous endings so maybe not.

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  26. I really liked And Then We Came to the End but his other books are better. That one was weird.

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  27. Adding a few of these to my list!! And I'm glad I'm not the only one that occasionally doesn't finish a book!

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  28. I'm currently listening to Then We Came to an End! I must have picked it up on sale. I needed something short to pass the time until my next audible credit :D It's....it is passing the time I suppose...

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  29. My Sister's Grave was a DNF for me but I think I just wasn't in the right frame of mind to get into a story.

    I just got a Kate Burkholder mystery from the library today.

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  30. Someone selected Stillhouse Lake in my book challenge. I'm adding that one.

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  31. That's kind of disappointing about It Happens All the Time. I'm reading it for Erin's challenge. I'm adding Stillhouse Lake to my list!

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  32. I need to read Savage Rising: A Backwoods Justice Novel! Love Elizabeth Berg so I'll check that one out too.

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  33. I feel rude, I am just now commenting and added my link at probably 6 am this morning. Work + baby, always running out of time, woops. Amish murder investigation.. that sounds interesting. Stillhouse Lake has got me intrigued, too. I've never read an Elizabeth Berg novel so I should probably give one a try.

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  34. Ooh I read the first of that Kate Burkholder series a long time ago and kind of forgot about it. Always love realizing I have multiple books available to me in a good series like that!

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  35. I'm drowning in e-books too! I need to stop requesting new ones but I can't help it! Putting Stillhouse Lake on my TBR list for sure :)

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  36. Amazing you didn't have any "not worth the time" this month. That's a good sign, maybe?

    I might have to check out those series you mentioned.

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  37. Kate Burkholder <3 You've just reminded me there's a book in that series I haven't read yet, so of course I immediately ordered it ;-) And a new one comes out in August. Excitement!

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  38. I haven't started a new series in a long time! Might need to put one of those on my list.

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  39. I don't think I've ever really read a series before but I'm definitely intrigued by My Sister's Grave! I might have to check that out. I love Gillian Flynn! Bummer that the short story was kind of disappointing!

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  40. For some reason, my comment from last week didn't get published! Ack! It was brilliant, I'm sure, and it had something to do with the Elizabeth Berg book. I'll just let you fill in the words with your imagination...

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    1. Okay, I think it has something to do with if I choose Wordpress as my reply option. Argh!!!

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  41. The Linda Castillo series is on my list already, added the others in your top category. I love finding new series as well. I have never read an Elizabeth Berg book, added some to my list. The Roses of May is on my kindle, I thought it would be like a continuation as well, or at least similar. Good to know. I am the same with short stories. I either hate them because I didn't connect at all, or I hate them because I loved what I read and wanted more. Either way, no fun. I had to laugh at 'I came to the end much, much quicker than he did'. Fabulous.

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