It's Monday! What are you reading? 8/6/2018

Hosted by: Book Date

My birthday is coming in a little under a month.  Since I am now becoming more regular in my blogging, I want to celebrate it on here.  I have been focused on library and digital books lately, but I have some print books that need attention.  I've decided to have a giveaway once a week up through my birthday.  I will discuss this further at the end of this post.

This week I finished reading:

The Door to the Lost by Jaleigh Johnson  - [My post] 

Tricks for Free (InCryptid, Bk 7) by Seanan McGuire - [My post] 

The Lost Books: The Scroll of Kings by Sarah Prineas - [My post] 

Bird, Bath, and Beyond (Agent to the Paws Mystery, Bk 2) by E. J. Copperman - [My post] 

I'm currently reading:

The lighting is horrible in this image - I took this without flash to better show the screens.  The one in the back is the audio of Moby Dick.

In audio (on CD), I've been listening to Moby Dick by Herman Melville (read by Paul Boehmer).  Captain Ahab has told his crew about the great white whale they seek.  The top harpooners have identified his whale as Moby Dick.  I think I may need to switch to the print for a bit to get through this next part.

A Hard Day's Knight (Nightside, Bk 11) by Simon R. Green (library OverDrive ebook) - I'm enjoying this so far.  John has fought off a great many, but there is an upcoming elf civil war to concern himself with.

Eye of the Shoal : a Fish-watcher's Guide to Life, the Ocean and Everything by Helen Scales (library hardcover) - I didn't get any further with this title this week.

The Story Chapter 3 "Joseph: From Slave to Deputy Pharaoh" read by Michael Blain-Rozgay and Allison Moffett - These are eAudio through the library's Hoopla subscription.  I've barely started thsi chapter.

Up next:

The Saturday Morning Murder (Michael Ohayon, Bk 1) by Batya Gur
The Silk Train Murder (Kondike Era Mystery, Bk 1) by Sharon Rowse
Bannerless (Bannerless, Bk 1) by Carrie Vaughn
Cat About Town (Cat Cafe Mystery, Bk 1) by Cate Conte
The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker (book discussion book)
Frankenstein in Baghdad by Ahmed Saadawi; Translated by Jonathan Wright
Lady Elect by Likita Lynnette Nichols
The Grey Bastards (The Lot Lands, #1) by Jonathan French
Illegal by Eoin Colfer and Andrew Donkin; illustrated by Giovanni Rigano
The Story of Stuff: How Our Obsession with Stuff is Trashing the Planet, Our Communities, and our Health—and a Vision for Change by Annie Leonard
Happy Starts at Home by Rebecca West
The Locksmith's Daughter by Karen Brooks
Venom in the Veins (Elemental, Bk 17) by Jennifer Estep
Nightbooks by J. A. White
The Lost Chapters: Finding Recovery and Renewal One Book at a Time by Leslie Schwartz
Bringing back Our Freshwater Lakes by Lisa J. Amstutz

Giveaway

For this first birthday celebration giveaway, I will be offering Hot Mess by Emily Belden.  I heard Emily speak at a romance panel in June.  According to Emily, the book has a foodie touch and addresses addiction issues and healthy/unhealthy relationships.  The book was purchased new and signed by the author.  It is unread (though it should be once read by the time I ship it).  Enter below.  Winner must respond to my contact email within 24 hours.  This is an international giveaway.  All entrants welcome!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Bird, Bath, and Beyond

Title: Bird, Bath, and Beyond

Author: E. J. Copperman aka Jeffrey Cohen

Publisher: Minotaur

Series: Agent to the Paws Mystery, Bk 2

ISBN: 9781250084293

Length: 304 pages

Obtained: Download from Edelweiss+

Comments:

This is the second whitelisted Macmillan review title that I've downloaded through Edelweiss+.  I had to read the first book in the series, Dog Dish of Doom before I could read this one (you can find my post for that here).  In general, there is something about E. J. Copperman's characters that really appeals to me.

In this story, Kay is representing a parrot for a popular zombie television series.  She encounters entirely different cops this time, which makes sense considering the murders in both books have taken place in New York.  Kay is again reluctant to be pulled into an investigation, but her client was the only witness.  While the cop this time certainly does NOT ask for her assistance, Kay feels she needs to help and poke around for other reasons.  I don't want to say too much and give anything away, so I'll leave it at that. 

This one's mystery is a bit more convoluted and maybe even a little ridiculous, but I still enjoyed it.  I enjoy the characters, I enjoy the humor, and I especially enjoy the combination that comes out in Kay's narration of the story.

I look forward to whatever the third book may be, and I hope to read some more of E. J. Copperman/Jeff Cohen's other work in the meantime.

It's Monday! What are you reading? 7/23/2018

Hosted by: Book Date

Another week has passed.  My sister and BIL (who have been staying with us) finally signed for their new house...next door.  Now they just need to wait for the tenants to leave and get some basic reno/remodeling done and they will be moving out - with the 3 kiddos, 2 dogs, 1 cat, 2 guinea pigs, 2 birds, and 1 bearded dragon.  I love them, but I can't wait!  So close! I suspect this next month or two before things settle may be the hardest for me.

Earlier this summer I won a free helicopter ride over my hometown.  I plan to use it this week, so I'm super psyched!

On the reading side, most of what I read was short, but at least it feels like I've accomplished something...

This week I finished reading:

The Good, the Bad, and the Uncanny (Nightside, Bk 10) by Simon R. Green - [My post / re-read] I've already started book 11, A Hard Day's Knight.

Mary Flora Bell: The Horrific True Story Behind an Innocent Girl Serial Killer by Nancy A. Veysey and Ryan Becker - [My post]

White Sand Blues (Ashley Grant, Bk 1) by Vicki Delany - [My post] The first book I've read for the 12th annual Canadian Book Challenge!

Dog Dish of Doom (Agent to the Paws, Bk 1) by E. J. Copperman - [My post] I look forward to reading book 2, Bird, Bath, and Beyond (I have a review copy).

Saving Fiona: The Story of the World's Most Famous Baby Hippo by Thane Maynard - [Goodreads] This children's story tells the story of premature hippo Fiona who was born at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden in early 2017.  A cute feel-good story.  The end includes facts about hippos.

I'm currently reading:

In audio (on CD), I've been listening to Moby Dick by Herman Melville (read by Paul Boehmer).  This week I heard an entire lecture on the ways whaling is a good, beneficial industry (sorry not buying it), heard a description of the ship and its set off for the upcoming 3 year journey, and been introduced to the ship officers.  The last part was particularly difficult for me to focus on, unfortunately.  I found my mind wandering throughout.

A Hard Day's Knight (Nightside, Bk 11) by Simon R. Green (library OverDrive ebook)

The Boneless Mercies by April Genevieve Tucholke (Edelweiss+ review copy ebook)

Eye of the Shoal : a Fish-watcher's Guide to Life, the Ocean and Everything by Helen Scales (library hardcover)

Coyote Tales by Thomas King (library Hoopla ebook) - American/Canadian author

The Story: Chapter 1 "Creation: The Beginning of Life as We Know It" - (library Hoopla eAudio) - I saw a later chapter on another blog on a previous Monday - I can't remember who/where - and decided to try it.

Up next:

 

I have returned yet more library books unread.  Some of the library books I still have out include (my apologies for the low-quality pic above):

The Saturday Morning Murder (Michael Ohayon, Bk 1) by Batya Gur
The Silk Train Murder (Kondike Era Mystery, Bk 1) by Sharon Rowse
Who Moved My Goat Cheese? (Farm-to-Fork Mystery, Bk 1) by Lynn Cahoon
Murder at the Mansion (Victorian Village Mystery, Bk 1) by Sheila Connolly
Bannerless (Bannerless, Bk 1) by Carrie Vaughn
Cat About Town (Cat Cafe Mystery, Bk 1) by Cate Conte
The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker (book discussion book)
The Door to the Lost by Jaleigh Johnson
The Scroll of Kings (Lost Books, Bk 1) by Sarah Prineas
Frankenstein in Baghdad by Ahmed Saadawi; Translated by Jonathan Wright
Tricks for Free (InCryptid, Bk 7) by Seanan McGuire
Happy Cactus: Cacti, Succulents, and More

Dog Dish of Doom

Title: Dog Dish of Doom

Author: E. J. Copperman aka Jeffrey Cohen

Publisher: Minotaur Books

Series: Agent to the Paws Mystery, Bk 1

ISBN: 9781250084279

Length: 293 pages

Obtained: Library copy

Comments:

This has been on my TBR list for awhile, but when I had the opportunity to get a review copy of book 2, I bumped this one up on my list.  Even then I have so many books right now, it was chance that I picked it up and started reading a few lines before I got out of my car after work.  But that first bit interested me enough that I kept going once I got inside (not easy with all the chaos of home these days).  I enjoyed the concept.  I enjoyed the dogs.  The title is just as theatrical as the characters - more so than the actual mystery.  But I still enjoyed sorting the mystery out. 

I found it interesting that the main character, Kay, isn't actually seeking to poke her head into this murder (mostly), but instead is prompted by her parents and the detective on the case.  That was a change of pace, although I don't know that I found the detective requesting her investigative assistance very believable. 

Anyway, I have the second book, Bird, Bath, and Beyond ready to go in my Kindle as soon as I finish some of the other books I have going.

It's Monday! What are you reading? 6/18/2018

Hosted by: Book Date

This week I finished:

 Night of the Living Deed (A Haunted Guesthouse Mystery, Bk 1) by E.J. Copperman and The Girl Who Ignored Ghosts (The Unbelievables, Bk 1) by K.C. Tansley, both in print.

I've been meaning to read Night of the Living Deed (personal copy) for quite some time.  I read an enjoyed the first in E.J. Copperman's Asperger's Mystery series, The Question of the Missing Head in 2015, and I read the first two Double Feature Mysteries published under his Jeffrey Cohen name several years ago.  In any case, I enjoyed Night of the Living Deed, but I did have to put it down frequently as life took over.

I must have met this K.C. Tansley at some point - I had a bookmark for The Girl Who Ignored Ghosts - but I don't remember when.  I finally followed up and requested the title through Interlibrary Loan.  Once I started it, I zipped through the story.  It does have a bit of a cliffhanger, though the immediate issue is resolved.  Now I am waiting to read the second book in the series, The Girl Who Saved Ghosts.

Yesterday, I read Wicked and the Wallflower (The Bareknuckle Bastards, Bk 1) by Sarah MacLean, also in print. I managed to purchase a copy a little early after hearing Sarah MacLean speak.  I haven't read much romance lately, so I was looking forward to this.  I enjoyed the story, I look forward to more of the series, and to more romance over all.  This is definitely a genre I need more when things go crazy IRL.

I'm currently reading:


In ebook format, I've been reading A is for Alibi (A Kinsey Millhone Novel, Bk 1) by Sue Grafton.  This is my first time reading these, and I figure it is about time to start since the series is as done as it will be.  So far I'm enjoying the book, both for the actual story, and while catching the tidbits that date this book (originally published in the early 80s).

I've been listening (on CD) to Master and Commander (Aubrey-Maturin, Bk 1) by Patrick O'Brian and narrated by Simon Vance.  I was listening to an interview with Simon Vance, and this series came up.  He mentioned that it is OOP, with the official estate version being narrated by someone else.  However, he added that the version he narrated is potentially available at libraries.  I immediately looked into this and found this first book at my local library.  So far I am enjoying it.  Though much of the nautical terminology and description goes way over my head, I'm particularly finding the characters and their interactions with each other enjoyable.

In print, I've been reading (off and on) Zero Waste: Simple Life Hacks to Drastically Reduce Your Trash by Shia Su.  I've rather gotten stuck in the recipes (for housecleaning and toiletry products), so I'm going to need to just push through.  Conservation/Environmentalism is a subject I'm generally interested in and would like to apply to my life, but perhaps I'm not quite on board enough to actually live the life demonstrated in this book.  We'll see how the second half goes.

Up next:

The Hills Have Spies (Family Spies, Bk 1) by Mercedes Lackey

The Question of the Missing Head

Title: The Question of the Missing Head [Goodreads]

Author: E.J. Copperman [Website][Facebook][Twitter] aka Jeff Cohen [Website][Facebook][Twitter] aka Jeffrey Cohen

Publisher: Midnight Ink

Series: Asperger's Mystery, Bk 1

ISBN: 9780738741512

Length: 324 pages

Obtained: Library copy

Why this book?:

I enjoy cozy mysteries and this sounded especially interesting.

Comments:

I started reading this on January 1st, on a plane to the Dominican Republic.  I sometimes have trouble reading on planes because I can be distracted by motion sickness (nothing horrible, just a little uncomfortable).  So the choice of book was important.  It had to catch my attention and keep it.  I wasn't sure if any cozy was really going to do that for me, but to my pleasure, this one did.  So I read it on the plane, on the beach, and in my air conditioned and fan turned all the way up room (I'm not good with heat).

I found Samuel Hoenig to be a very interesting character.  I understand not everyone with Asperger's is the same. Not only is that addressed in the book, but I also "read" (spoke to) a "Human Book" about Asperger's at a "Human Library" booth at the past Printer's Row Lit Fest.  And I have a cousin with Asperger's (granted, one I don't know well because of an age difference), that is different than both the fellow I met at the Lit Fest and Samuel.  But that did not make Samuel any less interesting as a character.  He has a certain routine he expects to follow even as he runs his own business (of one).

His business is also interesting.  Questions Answered does exactly what it seems.  Questions varying from the answer to a crossword, to if a ball can be hit out of the park in a new stadium, to where a head may have disappeared to.  As a librarian, I'm in the business of answering questions myself (though I don't believe myself to be nearly as intelligent and/or observant as Samuel nor do I have the time for such extensive research).

Samuel has just met a lady, Ms. Washburn, and asked her to assist with his newest question.  Ms. Washburn is interesting in and of herself.  She was a substitute teacher, one with training in instructing children with autism spectrum disorders.  (Though who knew substitute teachers got any real training?  I certainly didn't.  In fact, I'm pretty sure they don't in my hometown.)  But she is able to work with Samuel in a way others do not.  I liked her.

The case itself is strange.  A head has gone missing from a Cryonics Institute.  Samuel plays detective of sorts (though he wouldn't look at it that way himself) in attempt to determine who might have stolen the head, where it might be, and who might have committed murder.

I look forward to reading more of this series, which is supposed to have at least two more.