My To Be Read List - November 2015 - Cat Detectives

And the winner by a landslide is... (drumroll)

Check back in a few weeks to see what mischief Owen, Hercules and I have gotten ourselves into this time!  Oh, and Kathleen too, we'll let her come along! ;)
 

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Welcome to my November 2015 edition of My To Be Read List, hosted by Michelle @ Because Reading. This is a monthly meme where we offer up 3 choices from our TBR pile for our readers to pick from to help us make the super hard decision of "what do I read next?" a little easier and to whittle away at the ever growing TBR Mountain! 

Theme: Cat Detectives. Feel free to leave me a comment and tell me what you chose and why.

The poll will stay open through Friday 11/13 , and I'll update this post with the winning book on Saturday 11/14, then post a review on the last Saturday of the month, 11/28.

If you think this sounds fun and would like to join (the more the merrier, because we love voting!) please head on over to Because Reading where Michelle lays out the rules for us!

And the choices are...

From Goodreads: Midnight Louie, the best tomcat in the crime-solving business, and his human partner, petite redheaded publicist Temple Barr, are once again in the thick of things in the city of sin. The manager of the Crystal Phoenix, one of Las Vegas's premier vacation spot, has hired Temple Barr to help clean up the hotel's image, but soon more than the Phoenix's reputation is in danger. The phoenix becomes prey to mysterious saboteurs whose little pranks just happen to keep endangering Temple's life. When Temple tangles with ex-priests, local police, FBI agents, obnoxious reporters, and a passel of semi-reformed mafiosi who wear pastel zoot suits, it's up to Midnight Louie to get her out of knot....before it's too late.

From Goodreads: Curiosity just might be the death of Mrs. Murphy--and her human companion, Mary Minor "Harry" Haristeen. Small towns are like families: Everyone lives very close together. . .and everyone keeps secrets. Crozet, Virginia, is a typical small town-until its secrets explode into murder. Crozet's thirty-something post-mistress, Mary Minor "Harry" Haristeen, has a tiger cat (Mrs. Murphy) and a Welsh Corgi (Tucker), a pending divorce, and a bad habit of reading postcards not addressed to her. When Crozet's citizens start turning up murdered, Harry remembers that each received a card with a tombstone on the front and the message "Wish you were here" on the back. Intent on protecting their human friend, Mrs. Murphy and Tucker begin to scent out clues. Meanwhile, Harry is conducting her own investigation, unaware her pets are one step ahead of her. If only Mrs. Murphy could alert her somehow, Harry could uncover the culprit before the murder occurs--and before Harry finds herself on the killer's mailing list.

From Goodreads: Small-town librarian Kathleen Paulson gets plenty of entertainment from her extraordinary cats, Owen and Hercules. But when a theatre troupe stumbles into more tragedy than it bargained for, it’s up to Kathleen to play detective.... With her sort-of boyfriend Marcus calling it quits and her ex-boyfriend Andrew showing up out of the blue, Kathleen has more than enough drama to deal with—and that’s before a local theatre festival relocates to Mayville Heights. Now the town is buzzing with theatre folk, and many of them have their own private dramas with the director, Hugh Davis. When Davis is found shot to death by the marina, he leaves behind evidence of blackmail and fraud, as well as an ensemble of suspects. Now Kathleen, with a little help from her feline friends Owen and Hercules, will have to catch the real killer before another victim takes a final curtain call.

#MyTBRL

Convergence by Trudie L. Hayes - Guest Post and Giveaway

Description: It was the first day of school and anxieties were running high. For certain​ ​there was the excitement of moving up a grade, but there was also the dread of anything and everything that could go wrong. Not only were the possibilities endless, they were totally out of your control. Whether or not you were accepted rested squarely on the shoulders of the popular kids. Suppose you were too short or too tall; too smart or not smart enough; too rich or too poor; or just plain different? These thoughts were fresh on the minds of Otis, Chandler and Marissa. Three pre-teens whose paths had never crossed, although they lived in the same town in Connecticut. Their backgrounds were so diverse they may as well have lived worlds apart. That was all about to change when on their way to school a series of bizarre events lump them together. Literally! Join them on this unreal journey to alternate realities never before re­vealed. Go back in time to a parallel past, the All Agos. Coexist in a present experience that mirrors your own, the Ne’er Now. Finally and with greater understanding, manifest in a future of your creation, the Will Be Once. Then you will have come closer to achieving ...as it should.

Today I am pleased to present a giveaway and guest post from Trudie L. Hayes in support of her book Convergence.

I asked Trudie to tell us about her inspiration and motivation for writing Convergence and also her favorite childhood authors:

The motivation for Convergence is my life. Strange answer given the premise of the book. But for me it was and still is therapeutic. The actual writing of the book and finishing something I started in and of itself was great. I also have an affinity with each of the characters and see myself in all of them. Not only was completing the actual writing a form of therapy, many of the concepts explored therein are as well. I feel as though I may have attempted to over instill my metaphysical beliefs to the masses, but it is truly something I hold dear and feel so many could benefit from. I don't mean going around reciting mantra 24/7; or getting in the lotus position and shutting out outside influences. Quite the contrary. I use a phrase in the book a lot and I think this sums it up well...from within to its without. Poetry to my ears. The meaning is personal to be interpreted as one sees fit. This has been a great journey I hope to repeat ad infinitum. Favorite childhood authors included the usual--Dr. Seuss and the like. Funny thing is even then so many years ago I was consumed with matters of the mind; watching people, how they behave and listening to stories far beyond my chronological years.

Author Bio:

Trudie L. Hayes’ personal story and family life influenced her mission to spread the core values of self-acceptance, self-esteem, and self-love to children and persons of all ages. An affiliation with physically and mentally disabled adults and children spanning many years is a major contributing factor. The caregiver role has been paramount throughout much of her life, even while furthering her education or working full-time in a corporate setting. These experiences have given her a deep understanding of the trials and struggles associated with a compromised existence. As well as the inspiration and joy derived from living life to one's personal best. It is through these myriad life experiences that Hayes began writing and registering several related trademarks. With a grander vision of promoting confidence and self-worth. Born and raised in Connecticut, Hayes still calls the Nutmeg State home. The oldest of two children, she remains close to her siblings. When Hayes is not writing or managing her business, she dedicates her time to other creative outlets and artistic pursuits. Hayes has a deep appreciation and passion for music in its many forms; she enjoys writing song lyrics, performing, and has an affinity for Jazz.

You can connect with Trudie on Twitter as @LoveYourMe or at her website: LoveYourMe.com

Find Convergence on Amazon

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Wishlist Wednesday #5: The Raven King (Raven Cycle #4) by Maggie Stiefvater

Wishlist Wednesday is a book blog hop where we will post about one book per week that has been on our wishlist for some time, or just added (it's entirely up to you), that we can't wait to get off the wishlist and onto our wonderful shelves. It is hosted by Pen to Paper, just click on the button to the left if you'd like to join us!

From Goodreads: The fourth and final installment in the spellbinding series from the irrepressible, #1 New York Times bestselling author Maggie Stiefvater. All her life, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love's death. She doesn't believe in true love and never thought this would be a problem, but as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she's not so sure anymore. In a starred review for Blue Lily, Lily Blue, Kirkus Reviews declared: "Expect this truly one-of-a-kind series to come to a thundering close."

I have really enjoyed The Raven Cycle so far, so The Raven King, is high up on my wishlist! It is due out February 23rd, 2016. I want to listen to the audio as I've really enjoyed the reader for the last three books.

What books are on your wishlist?  

The Princes of Ireland (Dublin Saga #1) by Edward Rutherfurd

The Princes of Ireland by Edward Rutherfurd
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Edward Rutherfurd has an interesting and different way of telling a story. He takes an area, and instead of making the historical figures the focal point of the stories, he puts them on the periphery so that their influence is felt, but the true story of the land and it's people is told using mostly fictitious people living and interacting in that time period. He encompasses vast amounts of time by telling multiple stories that take place over the course of generations, in the same location, where traits of ancestors are passed on, hair color, eye color, mannerisms, and the stories of those ancestors evolve over time, just as their descendants do. I recommend his books to lovers of the historical epic, who enjoy getting the feel of an area and it's culture. There are always interesting and surprising historical tidbits that arise during the telling.

The Princes of Ireland begins around 430 AD when the Druids are still the ruling religious leaders and ends around 1534 AD during the reign of King Henry VIII. Rutherfurd makes history accessible and shows events from the people's point of view. I always end up going to look up events or people while reading his books, learning even more!

The story continues in The Rebels of Ireland.
 

View all my reviews

Haunted Kansas by Lisa Hefner Heitz

From Goodreads: Lisa Hefner Heitz has traveled the state in search of its ghostly folklore. What she has unearthed is a fascinating blend of oral histories, contemporary eyewitness accounts, and local legends. Creepy and chilling, sometimes humorous, and always engaging, her book features tales about ghosts, poltergeists, spook lights, and a host of other restless spirits that haunt Kansas. Heitz's spine-tingling collection of stories raps and taps and moans and groans through a wealth of descriptions of infamous Kansas phantoms, as well as disconcerting personal experiences related by former skeptics. Many of these ghosts, she shows, are notoriously linked to specific Kansas structures or locations, whether an eighteenth-century mansion in Atchison or a deep - some have claimed bottomless - pool near Ashland.

I've been searching out some local ghost tales this month. I have to say, trying to finish this up at night, down in the basement while walking on my treadmill was probably not the smartest idea ever! I was just sure I was going to see something when I turned around!

It's fun to hear stories from places that you have heard of or even been to. While the previous local ghosts book I read, Haunted Kansas City, Missouri focused on primarily public and often well known places, the stories were often vague or very generalized. In Haunted Kansas, the author tells the stories, often quite detailed, including different versions of the legend and discussing how it changes over time, or the purpose that the story served in the community, grouped by type. While many of the stories are treated with a great deal of skepticism, often the many different versions of the stories undermine their credibility (kind of like the whispered secret game, where the message rarely ends how it starts out), there is still plenty here to give you goosebumps, especially if your setting is ripe! (i. e. cobwebby basement at night, with your back to the room, did I mention that was a bad idea?)  I do wish there had been more photos of locations as there was in Haunted Kansas City, Missouri, but a lot of these stories are set in private places, or areas where there really isn't much to see, or are no longer as they once were, so a lack of images is understandable.

I do recommend them both if you are interested in local Kansas legends, history and hauntings, but of the two, Haunted Kansas was by far the more informative and a meatier read.  There is also a notes and sources section at the back that lends credence to the author's work, giving ideas for further reading if you are interested.

And with this, I think I'll say goodbye to October and to ghosts for awhile!  Happy Halloween everyone! 

In the Shadow of Blackbirds by Cat Winters

From Goodreads: In 1918, the world seems on the verge of apocalypse. Americans roam the streets in gauze masks to ward off the deadly Spanish influenza, and the government ships young men to the front lines of a brutal war, creating an atmosphere of fear and confusion. Sixteen-year-old Mary Shelley Black watches as desperate mourners flock to séances and spirit photographers for comfort, but she herself has never believed in ghosts. During her bleakest moment, however, she’s forced to rethink her entire way of looking at life and death, for her first love—a boy who died in battle—returns in spirit form. But what does he want from her? Featuring haunting archival early-twentieth-century photographs, this is a tense, romantic story set in a past that is eerily like our own time.

I picked this up when it was offered as one of the Big Library Reads from our local library online. It was historical fiction and I've been in a ghostie mood, it being near Halloween, so the spiritualism and ghost photography intrigued me. I was also strongly reminded that we didn't learn everything in school, as I don't recall ever discussing a huge flu epidemic at that time, though we did cover the world wars. I think we focused mostly on what was happening over seas, not here at home in the states.

This is a dark and scary time in history, people were afraid of letting their neighbors see anything that might be taken the wrong way.   Anything German related was suspect. Constant precautions against the flu were prevalent from wearing face covering masks to a steady diet of onions in every imaginable way.  Fear was the everyday norm.  Into this setting we have a young girl sent to live with her aunt, believing it to be safer for her there.  Little did they know it seemed more like she was being dropped into the heart of the fire!  Mary Shelley endures and tries to find out what really happened to Stephen, her lost love, to help him rest.

I hate to say I enjoyed this because it was not a happy story, but it was an engrossing one and I was completely engaged in her struggle to understand what had happened.  My heart breaks for these two young people that would have been very happy together, torn apart by the world, the war, society and their families. They lived in a world and a time that I cannot even begin to understand from my present circumstances, a world I hope I never do come closer to.

I'm definitely interested in more from Cat Winters, I had heard of her The Cure for Dreaming before and In the Shadow of Blackbirds makes me more interested still!  I highly recommend this if you're in the mood for some history, a mystery, and a ghost!

Wishlist Wednesday #4: Staked (Iron Druid #8) by Kevin Hearne

Wishlist Wednesday is a book blog hop where we will post about one book per week that has been on our wishlist for some time, or just added (it's entirely up to you), that we can't wait to get off the wishlist and onto our wonderful shelves. It is hosted by Pen to Paper, just click on the button to the left if you'd like to join us!

From Goodreads: When a druid has lived for two thousand years like Atticus, he’s bound to run afoul of a few vampires. Make that legions of them. Even his former friend and legal counsel turned out to be a bloodsucking backstabber. Now the toothy troublemakers—led by power-mad pain-in-the-neck Theophilus—have become a huge problem requiring a solution. It’s time to make a stand. As always, Atticus wouldn’t mind a little backup. But his allies have problems of their own. Ornery archdruid Owen Kennedy is having a wee bit of troll trouble: Turns out when you stiff a troll, it’s not water under the bridge. Meanwhile, Granuaile is desperate to free herself of the Norse god Loki’s mark and elude his powers of divination—a quest that will bring her face-to-face with several Slavic nightmares. As Atticus globetrots to stop his nemesis Theophilus, the journey leads to Rome. What better place to end an immortal than the Eternal City? But poetic justice won’t come without a price: In order to defeat Theophilus, Atticus may have to lose an old friend.

I love the Iron Druid series a lot!  It's one of the few that I'm actually keeping up to date on, so I'm eagerly awaiting this new addition.  I've listened to the audiobooks so far, read by Luke Daniels, who does a great job of bringing Atticus and the crew to life.  The hardback is due out January 26th, 2016, so hopefully the audiobook will happen soon after!

What books are on your wishlist?

Aunt Dimity Digs In (Aunt Dimity #4) by Nancy Atherton

From Goodreads: The latest in this enchanting and fast-selling series, featuring the beloved ghost Aunt Dimity, opens in a picturesque English cottage where the lovable Lori Shepherd is up to her elbows in pureed carrots and formula bottles, striving to be the perfect mother to twins! Luckily, a beautiful Italian nanny arrives just in time so Lori can help settle the local civil war stirred up by a visiting archaeologist's excavation. With Reginald, the stuffed pink rabbit and Edmond Terrance, the stuffed tiger in tow, Lori hunts down a missing document, and the archaeologist digs up a lot more than artifacts. It is Aunt Dimity's magic blue notebook that provides the key to buried secrets and domestic malice, and shows all the residents of Finch that even the darkest acts can be overcome by forgiveness.

I think this is my favorite Aunt Dimity book yet, for so many reasons! The Archaeology aspect was a draw, and Edmond Terrance, which I'm actually surprised was mentioned in the blurb because to me his existence is such a strong emotional moment, for me at least, that it's almost a spoiler to even mention him in my opinion!  You just never know what mischief Reginald will get up to either!

I don't feel like the blurb gives enough credit to all the action within this story. There are so many things going on, past and present. One thing I love about this series is that they are strong mysteries without a murder to solve. You are pulled in by the intrigues of the small village of Finch and just kept entertained by the villagers different personalities and interactions.  I really feel like I've been there and I can't wait to go back!

I'll definitely be visiting Aunt Dimity for Christmas (that's #5) but I'm saving that for a holiday read-a-thon in November.  I can't recommend this cozy mystery series enough, it's easily one of my favorites!

Wishlist Wednesday #3 - Night Shift (Midnight, Texas #3) by Charlaine Harris

Wishlist Wednesday is a book blog hop where we will post about one book per week that has been on our wishlist for some time, or just added (it's entirely up to you), that we can't wait to get off the wishlist and onto our wonderful shelves. It is hosted by Pen to Paper, just click on the button to the left if you'd like to join us!

From Goodreads: At Midnight’s local pawnshop, weapons are flying off the shelves—only to be used in sudden and dramatic suicides right at the main crossroads in town. Who better to figure out why blood is being spilled than the vampire Lemuel, who, while translating mysterious texts, discovers what makes Midnight the town it is. There’s a reason why witches and werewolves, killers and psychics, have been drawn to this place. And now they must come together to stop the bloodshed in the heart of Midnight. For if all hell breaks loose—which just might happen—it will put the secretive town on the map, where no one wants it to be...

Things are starting to get really interesting in Midnight, Texas!

This is due out May 3rd, next year, so I'll be trying to get on the library list for it as soon as they have one.  I really enjoyed Charlaine's Harper Connolly series, have read most of Aurora Teagarden, and a few of her Sookie Stackhouse books so far.  I'm looking forward to seeing where this one goes!

What books are on your wishlist?

Dewey's 24 Hour Read-a-thon October 17th 2015 - It's Here! It's Here!

What's this? What's this? The books are everywhere! What's this? There's pages in the air!

It's time once again for Dewey's Read-a-thon! Yay! I'm a reader and a cheerleader this year, so I can't wait to go visit my Dogwood team and see what everyone is up to, encouraging them on to reading greatness!

I'll be out for a few hours around lunch time to go see Crimson Peak, but other than that, it's reading, reading, cheering and reading some more!

I'll post all my updates in this thread.  Here are a few of the books I may work on.  I think I'm going to focus on pages read, rather than books finished, because I like to skip around, and I am in the middle of a lot of books right now that I really need to finish!

As a seasoned read-a-thoner, here is some advice: don't put so much pressure on yourself to perform and reach goals that you don't have fun, or lose sight of the awesome thing you are a part of.  You're taking part in an event that includes people all over the world, and we're all in it because we love to read!  It doesn't matter if you read 1 page, or 1,000, you're still wonderful! Also, don't get too comfy, because you'll fall asleep! ;)  Take care of yourself today, your health comes first, it's okay to take that nap, and enjoy every minute of it!


Updates:

7:00 am - starting with Doctor Who #3: The Spear of Destiny to get a quick one under the belt!

8:23 am - just finished with The Spear of Destiny and now starting on Aunt Dimity Digs In.

10:00 am - 18 pages into Aunt Dimity and heading out the door to go see Crimson Peak (Tom Hiddleston *squee*) I'm taking The Door in the Hedge with me that I've already started, since it's on my Kindle and easier to pack in the purse. See you all later for more reading and cheering!

2:24 pm - I'm back from Crimson Peak!  It was beautiful and deliciously creepy, just the right amount of scary without being over the top for me, I highly recommend it! Now it's time to hit the books again!  I want to get a few more pages down and then I'll be out cheering some of you on to victory! :D

4:00 pm - Up to page 80 of Aunt Dimity and got in some steps on the treadmill at the same time!

5:00 pm - I've been doing some cheering and really enjoying visiting different blogs and seeing what others are reading today! Now back to my own reading and contemplating what to have for dinner!  I think I'll focus on The Door in the Hedge for awhile and see if I can get that finished up!

6:00 pn - 35 pages of The Door in the Hedge, no decision on dinner yet! lol!

8:35 pm - Dinner is a BBQ feast!  I have about 6 pages left of The Door in the Hedge, and then I think it's time for a computer game break!

9:30 pm - Done with dinner, done with The Door in the Hedge, done with computer games and ready to get back to it!

10:23 pm - After a bit more cheering, I'd best get to reading some more before I get too sleepy!  I'll hang out with Aunt Dimity some more for awhile, then maybe get into my next Doctor Who short story.

12:00 am - Up to pg 132 on Aunt Dimity, not quite halfway.  I'm probably off for a few hours sleep, and I'll try to make it up a couple hours before the finish line, but we'll see!

11:35 am Sunday - Well, I didn't make it back up in time for the finish line, but I did get 22 more pages read before I fell asleep!  Thanks to everyone for another great read-a-thon!  

Total Pages: 321

Books Finished:
Doctor Who #3: The Spear of Destiny
The Door in the Hedge

Wishlist Wednesday #2: Library of Souls (Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children #3) by Ransom Riggs

Wishlist Wednesday is a book blog hop where we will post about one book per week that has been on our wishlist for some time, or just added (it's entirely up to you), that we can't wait to get off the wishlist and onto our wonderful shelves. It is hosted by Pen to Paper, just click on the button to the left if you'd like to join us!

From Goodreads: The adventures that began with Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children and continued with Hollow City comes to a thrilling conclusion with Library of Souls. As the story opens, sixteen-year-old Jacob discovers a powerful new ability, and soon he’s diving through history to rescue his peculiar companions from a heavily guarded fortress. Accompanying Jacob on his journey are Emma Bloom, a girl with fire at her fingertips, and Addison MacHenry, a dog with a nose for sniffing out lost children. They’ll travel from modern-day London to the labyrinthine alleys of Devil’s Acre, the most wretched slum in all of Victorian England. It’s a place where the fate of peculiar children everywhere will be decided once and for all. Like its predecessors, Library of Souls blends thrilling fantasy with never-before-published vintage photography.

This is such a different series, combined with the vintage style photography.  I'm on the audiobook list for this one at the library, so I hope I'll be listening to it soon!  I recommend them, and also taking a look at the hard copy if you can for the photos, so strange, and intriguing!

What books are on your wishlist?

Wishlist Wednesday #1: Heir to the Jedi by Kevin Hearne

Wishlist Wednesday is a book blog hop where we will post about one book per week that has been on our wishlist for some time, or just added (it's entirely up to you), that we can't wait to get off the wishlist and onto our wonderful shelves. It is hosted by Pen to Paper, just click on the button to the left if you'd like to join us!

I'm excited to join up on this meme, I've been looking for some easy ones to do, and I'm pretty sure that I have enough wishlist material to last several lifetimes, so this is perfect!  Without further ado, here is my first installment!

From Goodreads: A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. . . . A thrilling new adventure set between A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back, and—for the first time ever—written entirely from Luke Skywalker’s first-person point of view. Luke Skywalker’s game-changing destruction of the Death Star has made him not only a hero of the Rebel Alliance but a valuable asset in the ongoing battle against the Empire. Though he’s a long way from mastering the power of the Force, there’s no denying his phenomenal skills as a pilot—and in the eyes of Rebel leaders Princess Leia Organa and Admiral Ackbar, there’s no one better qualified to carry out a daring rescue mission crucial to the Alliance cause. A brilliant alien cryptographer renowned for her ability to breach even the most advanced communications systems is being detained by Imperial agents determined to exploit her exceptional talents for the Empire’s purposes. But the prospective spy’s sympathies lie with the Rebels, and she’s willing to join their effort in exchange for being reunited with her family. It’s an opportunity to gain a critical edge against the Empire that’s too precious to pass up. It’s also a job that demands the element of surprise. So Luke and the ever-resourceful droid R2-D2 swap their trusty X-wing fighter for a sleek space yacht piloted by brash recruit Nakari Kelen, daughter of a biotech mogul, who’s got a score of her own to settle with the Empire. Challenged by ruthless Imperial bodyguards, death-dealing enemy battleships, merciless bounty hunters, and monstrous brain-eating parasites, Luke plunges head-on into a high-stakes espionage operation that will push his abilities as a Rebel fighter and would-be Jedi to the limit. If ever he needed the wisdom of Obi-Wan Kenobi to shepherd him through danger, it’s now. But Luke will have to rely on himself, his friends, and his own burgeoning relationship with the Force to survive.

So far this has not gotten great reviews.  I really love Kevin Hearne's Iron Druid series, and most are saying not to expect that level of greatness.  I'm going into it with an open mind and not many expectations except for a fun Star Wars adventure by an author that I like.  We can't hit home runs all the time and I'm sure even Kevin's worst is better than many other things I've read!  I'm within a few spots on the library audio list, so I should find out soon!

What books are on your wishlist?  

My To Be Read List - October 2015 - Ghosts

Updated 10/31/15: I gave up 125 pages in, a gripping page turner it is not and I found myself just not being insterested any more.  I liked the characters, but it seemed like mostly unexplained political intrigue with characters who all had a history with each other, but that we didn't really know.  So I'm giving it a pass.  Better luck next month!

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 Updated: My October poll is closed, and the winner is Living with Ghosts by Keri Sperring, with 50% of the votes!  I was surprised, I thought Odd Thomas would win hands down, but it was actually the lowest with only 1/8 votes! Check back on 10/24 to see what it's like Living with Ghosts!

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Welcome to the October 2015 edition of My To Be Read List, hosted by Michelle @ Because Reading. This is a monthly meme where we offer up 3 choices from our TBR pile for our readers to pick from to help us make the super hard decision of "what do I read next?" a little easier and to whittle away at the ever growing TBR Mountain! 

Theme: Ghosts -- It is October after all! ;)  Feel free to leave me a comment and tell me what you chose and why.

The poll will stay open through Friday 10/9.  I'll update this post with the winning book on Saturday 10/10, then post a review on Saturday 10/24.

If you think this sounds fun and would like to join (the more the merrier, because we love voting!) please head on over to Because Reading where Michelle lays out the rules for us!

And the choices are...

From Goodreads: "The dead don't talk. I don't know why." But they do try to communicate, with a short-order cook in a small desert town serving as their reluctant confidant. Odd Thomas thinks of himself as an ordinary guy, if possessed of a certain measure of talent at the Pico Mundo Grill and rapturously in love with the most beautiful girl in the world, Stormy Llewellyn. Maybe he has a gift, maybe it's a curse, Odd has never been sure, but he tries to do his best by the silent souls who seek him out. Sometimes they want justice, and Odd's otherworldly tips to Pico Mundo's sympathetic police chief, Wyatt Porter, can solve a crime. Occasionally they can prevent one. But this time it's different. A mysterious man comes to town with a voracious appetite, a filing cabinet stuffed with information on the world's worst killers, and a pack of hyena-like shades following him wherever he goes. Who the man is and what he wants, not even Odd's deceased informants can tell him. His most ominous clue is a page ripped from a day-by-day calendar for August 15. Today is August 14. In less than twenty-four hours, Pico Mundo will awaken to a day of catastrophe. As evil coils under the searing desert sun, Odd travels through the shifting prisms of his world, struggling to avert a looming cataclysm with the aid of his soul mate and an unlikely community of allies that includes the King of Rock 'n' Roll. His account of two shattering days when past and present, fate and destiny converge is the stuff of our worst nightmares, and a testament by which to live: sanely if not safely, with courage, humor, and a full heart that even in the darkness must persevere.

From Goodreads: Penelope Thornton-McClure manages a Rhode Island bookshop rumored to be haunted. When a bestselling author drops dead signing books, the first clue of foul play comes from the store's full-time ghost - a PI murdered on the very spot more than fifty years ago.

From Goodreads: This highly original, darkly atmospheric fantasy novel immerses readers in a world where ghosts and other malevolent spirits seek entry into mortal realms—invisible to all but those who are not entirely human themselves. Drawn into the ancient city of Merafi, yet barred from entering by an ancient pact sealed in blood, these hungry haunts await their opportunity to break through the magical border and wreak havoc on the city’s innocent denizens. And as a priestess and prince weave a sorcerous plot to shatter the pact and bring ruin on Merafi, only a failed assassin-priest who is now a courtesan, a noble lord married into the ruling family of Merafi, an officer of the city guard, a woman warrior who was the former lover of a now-dead lord, and the ghost of that lord himself stand between Merafi and the tidal wave of magic that may soon bring ruin flooding down upon the city.

#MyTBRL

Haunted Kansas City, Missouri by Angie Cox

Haunted Kansas City, Missouri by Angie Cox
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was interested to read some local ghost stories, and this book names many places that I've heard of in the area, though most I haven't been to. I have to say I was hoping for a few more specifics, there were a lot of "could it be this? We'll never know..." and many of the stories were vague and generalized. There were a lot of photos of places and historical tidbits, I think my favorite stories were those for Plattsburgh, MO which I have never been to but may have to visit! Overall an enjoyable read if not a very chilling one, it's still fun to read about places that you know!

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FrightFall Read-a-thon - October 5th - 11th, 2015

It's getting to be that time of year! Why do we like to be scared so much? If you're looking for another read-a-thon, join us for FrightFall hosted by Michelle at Seasons of Reading! New this time is a Facebook Group, and we'll be using #Frightfall on Twitter.  Come join the fun, and get your scary on!

I'm all set for my official scary book this time, I will be reading Haunted Kansas by Lisa Hefner Heitz:

Additional Goals:




I won't get anywhere near finishing all that, but those are what's up next for me, so we'll see how far I get!

10/11/15 - Final Well I didn't get very far!  I did finish reading Soulless which I think I had already started, and I got to pg 78 of Haunted Kansas, but found myself reading for speed and not taking in very much, so I decided to stop!  I did enjoy my reading this week though, glad to be a part of another Frightfall Read-a-thon!  Thanks Michelle!

Kitty Goes to Washington by Carrie Vaughn

From Goodreads: Celebrity werewolf and late-night radio host Kitty Norville prefers to be heard and not seen. So when she's invited to testify at a Senate hearing on behalf of supernaturals, and her face gets plastered on national TV, she inherits a new set of friends, and enemies, including the vampire mistress of the city; an über-hot Brazilian were-jaguar; and a Bible-thumping senator who wants to expose Kitty as a monster. Kitty quickly learns that in this city of dirty politicians and backstabbing pundits, everyone's itching for a fight.

Kitty and I are back from our trip to Washington DC and we had an awesome time! We did some sight seeing, we got to watch a senate hearing in session, we met some good vampires and some not so good vampires, we fought bad guys... Fun was had by all! Okay, well, by me anyway, Kitty might have something to say about how much fun she had, but Luis was pretty hot...

Kitty Goes to Washington is the second in the Kitty Norville series. I had to look back and see how long ago I read #1, and it was in 2008, so 7 years ago, my how time flies! The good thing is that I remembered enough of the first one, or had in story reminders that I had no trouble keeping up. I really like Kitty herself, her intrepid nature, and also her cast of supporting characters, her lawyer Ben, Cormac the bounty hunter, and some of the new friends she meets, Alette and Luis. She may believe herself to be without a pack, but she's formed her own band of loyal people. There were also plenty of baddies of different types and levels of vileness. I enjoy Carrie Vaughn's writing style, it's easy to fall into the story and run along with Kitty.  The pace is good, the action is action-y, but not too much.  I admire Kitty's ability to talk herself down in terrifying circumstances and turn the tables on those taking advantage of her.  This is one wolf who isn't going down without a fight, though her weapon of choice is a microphone rather than teeth and claws.

This story is very pertinent to our current political climate, replace supernaturals with any of today's minority groups seeking to be recognized and given the same rights as everyone else, and it feels just like what I've seen on the news of issues that divide the country in half for various reasons. I'd love to say that Senator Duke is an overblown caricature, but honestly, we have real politicians who are pretty darn close to him in their zeal to stamp out the "others" they are afraid of.

My copy of the book also included a short story called Kitty Meets the Band that was cute and funny.  The band is a little unconventional, with a very interesting bass player who has turned them into a sensation. A fun little addition to Kitty's world.

I definitely recommend this series and am looking forward to more of them, hopefully it won't take me another 7 years to get to #3!  

Blog Ahead - October 2015

I'm taking the plunge and joining the Blog Ahead October 2015 Challenge! This Challenge is hosted by Herding Cats & Burning Soup and Caffeinated Book Reviewer.

Blog Ahead 2015

• Purpose: Increase the number of scheduled blog posts you have ready to publish by 31 posts during the month of October. All post will be scheduled from November 1st or later.
• Who Can Join: Any blogger or author can join. Brand new, been around for years.Blogger, WordPress or other platform. Any heat level, genre or theme, etc. If you blog…you’re welcome to join!
• Types of Posts that Count: Any finished posts count! Meme, review, guest post, interview, discussion. Top Ten Posts, Favorites posts, Shopping Guide Posts, Cooking posts, pet posts, photo posts, etc. Posts do NOT have to be book related.
• Required: The post must be complete and scheduled from November 1, 2015 onward. (So not just blurb, buy links, etc for a review post. The review needs to be complete for the post to count.)

If this sounds like something you'd like to join in on, head on over to the sign up post and check it out!

My Goals:

2016 TBR List Meme posts x 12
Find some other Memes to rejoin or join for the first time x ??
Book reviews x ??

My Progress:

10/9/15:  6 posts

I've prepped 3 of the 2016 My TBR List Meme's
I've joined a Wishlist Wednesday Meme that I've done 1 post for after October
2 book reviews done and scheduled so far

10/22/15:  4 posts = 10 total

2 more book reviews done and scheduled
1 more Wishlist Wednesday post for after October
1 Judging by the Cover - Cover Artist Spotlight scheduled for November

10/31/15: 2 posts = 12 total

1 book review
1 wishlist wednesday

Wrap up: 12 posts ahead, I've never had that much ready to go before!  I'm definitely in for the next one!  Thanks everyone!

My To Be Read List - September 2015 - Series #2's

Updated: My September poll is closed, and the winner is Kitty Goes to Washington by Carrie Vaughn, with 60% of the votes!  Check back on 9/26 to see how our trip to Washington went!

 

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I'm taking part in a new to me Meme! It's called My To Be Read List and is hosted by Michelle @ Because Reading. This is a monthly meme where we offer up 3 choices from our TBR pile for our readers to pick from to help us make the super hard decision of "what do I read next?" a little easier and to whittle away at the ever growing TBR Mountain!  I saw some other participants liked to choose a theme for themselves each month and I think that was a great idea, so I'll do the same!

Theme: My choices are all #2's of a series that I really liked #1, but just never got back to yet.  Please help me decide!  Feel free to leave me a comment and tell me what you chose and why.

The poll will stay open through Friday, and I'll update this post with the winning book on Saturday 9/12, then post a review on the last Saturday of the month, 9/26.

If you think this sounds fun and would like to join (the more the merrier, because we love voting!) please head on over to Because Reading where Michelle lays out the rules for us!

And the choices are...

From Goodreads: Celebrity werewolf and late-night radio host Kitty Norville prefers to be heard and not seen. So when she's invited to testify at a Senate hearing on behalf of supernaturals, and her face gets plastered on national TV, she inherits a new set of friends, and enemies, including the vampire mistress of the city; an über-hot Brazilian were-jaguar; and a Bible-thumping senator who wants to expose Kitty as a monster. Kitty quickly learns that in this city of dirty politicians and backstabbing pundits, everyone's itching for a fight.

From Goodreads: Persephone Alcmedi has been persuaded to compete for the position of High Priestess of the Cleveland, Ohio, coven — now that the former priestess, Vivian Diamond, has strangely gone missing. Unfortunately, there are a few small problems with the idea. Not only does Seph know rather more about Vivian's disappearance than the other witches realize, but the epic struggle she's just survived has left her with some highly unusual powers — ones that could be dangerous to reveal. Despite her reluctance, she agrees to participate, if only to prevent snooty Hunter Hopewell, an obnoxious but talented witch, from ending up in the winner's circle. Can Seph hide her secrets — including her connection to the master vampire-wizard Menessos — from the terrifyingly wise judges? Plus, there's her rock 'n' roll werewolf boyfriend, Johnny, and some angry fairies to deal with.... Once the competition begins, a finalist turns up dead. It looks as if one of the contestants is willing to do anything — including murder — to win. Suddenly Seph has even more on her plate than she thought: from solving a murder to working out what her new powers really are...and exactly why they're creating so much havoc in her love life.

From Goodreads: My name is Raine Benares. Until last week I was a seeker—a finder of things lost and people missing. Now I’m psychic roommates with the Saghred, an ancient stone with cataclysmic powers. Just me, the stone, and all the souls it’s ingested over the centuries. Crowded doesn’t even begin to describe it. All I want is my life back—which means getting rid of the stone and the power it possesses. To sort things out, I head for the Isle of Mid, home to the most prestigious sorcery school, as well as the Conclave, the governing body for all magic users. It’s also home to power- grubbing mages who want me dead and goblins who see me as a thief. As if that’s not enough, Mid’s best student spellsingers are disappearing left and right, and I’m expected to find them. Lives are at stake, goblins are threatening to sue, mages are getting greedier, and the stone’s power is getting stronger by the hour. This could get ugly.

Poll is closed #MyTBRL

The Dalai Lama's Cat and the Art of Purring by David Michie

The Dalai Lama's Cat and the Art of Purring by David Michie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I really love the Dalai Lama's Cat books, they'll definitely be considered as repeat comfort reading at some point in the future. They are gently humorous and thoughtful, bringing to light concepts that we all struggle with and offering insight into how to deal with feelings in perhaps a different way than we normally would. It makes me want to visit McLeod Ganj, and the Himalayan Book Cafe, and spend time with all the endearing characters that are a part of HHC's life. It's also stirred an interest in learning more about Buddhism for me, it seems like such a peaceful and caring life philosophy, that even if you don't adopt it as a religion, you can still learn so much about human nature from it's teachings. I'm definitely looking forward to The Dalai Lama's Cat and the Power of Meow and may look into other of David Michie's books on meditation, which is a complete mystery to me. I wouldn't even know where to start.

A strong recommend to cat lovers, because regardless of whose cat she is, HHC is still A CAT, and her contemplation of the wisdom imparted by His Holiness and the other teachers which is often at odds with her nature is both entertaining and thought provoking, but in an easy way. These are light, but meaningful in content, and for me definitely comfort reading.

COYER SH #55 - features an animal prominently in the story.

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