The Sunday Post (1)

 

Another quiet weekend but work is crazy. The new job is a little more than anticipated and hopefully I will get the hang of things and the stress level will go down. I have my Ocrevus infusion on Friday so that means 9 hour days this week and next to make up the time. 

Recently finished Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney and Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy. Look for reviews soon (I am behind).

Currently reading Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield and The House Across the Lake by Riley Sager Both are good so far and can't wait to see where they go. 

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Stacking the Shelves (2)

 

It was a quiet week for books around here - only my BOTM books were purchased and delivered, but don't worry, next week should be a doozy. 

BOTM were:

My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell (this one I read on NetGalley but I wanted to own it)
Peach Blossom Spring by Melissa Fu
Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty

I have some reviews I have to catch up on, they are:

Book of Night by Holly Black (this one was a DNF unfortunately)
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
Raise High the Roof Beam Carpenters and Seymour the Introduction by J.D. Salinger
Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney
Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy

I have quite a few books coming and will update next week. I look forward to looking at what everyone else is reading Happy Saturday!

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Book Review: Blood Will Tell by Heather Chavez

Title: Blood Will Tell

Author: Heather Chavez

Release Date: April 26, 2022

Publisher: William Morrow

Genre: Thriller

Format: Ebook/Hardcover/Paperback/Audio
Pages: 400
Source: Publisher

Purchasing:

From the author of the acclaimed debut No Bad Deed, a twisty novel about the bond between two sisters—and the crimes one covers up to protect the other. For fans of Lisa Gardner and Harlan Coben.

Schoolteacher and single mom Frankie Barrera has always been fiercely protective of her younger sister Izzy—whether Izzy wants her to be or not. But over the years, Izzy’s risky choices have tested Frankie’s loyalty. Never so much as on a night five years ago, when a frantic phone call led Frankie to the scene of a car accident—and a drunk and disoriented Izzy who couldn’t remember a thing.

Though six friends partied on the outskirts of town that night, one girl was never seen again . . . 

Now, an AMBER alert puts Frankie in the sights of the local police. Her truck has been described as the one used in the abduction of a girl from a neighboring town. And the only other person with access to Frankie’s truck is Izzy.

This time around, Frankie will have to decide what lengths she’s willing to go to in order to protect Izzy—what lies she’s willing to tell, and what secrets she’s willing to keep—because the dangerous game that six friends once played on a warm summer night isn’t over yet . . .

This book was a real whirlwind! I have a sister and am the oldest...and I was able to somewhat relate because my sister got herself into some binds when she was younger.  Even if she didn't know it, I was always looking out for her but most of the time she didn't want my help. Frankie has the same thing with Izzy. 

Izzy got herself in some trouble with a group of 'friends' years ago and one of them ends up missing. Frankie helps Izzy but isn't sure exactly what happened because Izzy was so out of it when she called for help, Frankie just jumped in and did what she could. 

But, when Frankie gets stopped by the police saying her vehicle has been identified in an AMBER alert, and Frankie's son says he remembers her truck being missing that night, Frankie knows there is only one person to look at....and wonders what her sister has done now. 

This was an excellent read, and even though I thought I knew who was responsible for all the bad that had happened, I didn't guess it, which I love! The characters were so well written, and the family dynamic with Frankie, her son, her parents, her sister and her sister's boyfriend/fiancé were really well done too. 

If you are looking for an easy read that will keep you turning pages to find out what really happened, this is definitely one to pick up. 

Meet the Author:

Heather is a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley’s English literature program and has worked as a newspaper reporter, editor and contributor to mystery and television blogs. Currently, she’s employed in public affairs for a major health care organization where she writes human interest stories. She lives with her family in Santa Rosa, California, and is at work on her second novel.

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Stacking the Shelves (1)

 

Hopefully this year I can get on track and start participating in some of these memes - I love reading what other book lovers are up to. Here is what this one is about:

Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks! And audiobooks. Don’t forget audiobooks!

In other words, if you can read it or if it can be read to you – no matter how you got it – it belongs in Stacking the Shelves.

The Stacking the Shelves meme was originally hosted at Team Tynga’s Reviews. For the last few years it’s been co-hosted at Team Tynga’s and here at Reading Reality.

Reading Reality became the one and only host of Stacking the Shelves when Team Tynga’s Reviews closed its virtual doors in 2021.

You are welcome to use my Stacking the Shelves image. I’d like to give a big SHOUT OUT to Michelle@Because Reading – Ms. Limabean Designs herself – for the image.

SO…create your own Stacking The Shelves post. You can use my graphic or your own, but please link back to Reading Reality so more people can join the fun!

I am posting Stacking The Shelves on Saturdays, but feel free to post yours any day that fits you.

Be sure to visit Reading Reality on Saturday and add your link so others can visit you!

Visit other participants’ links to find out what they added to their shelves!

So many books, so little time, and so many glorious stacks!

Another quiet weekend around here, which is fine with me. I have books I have to read and am just looking forward to spending some time with my husband and girls. I am still going through some of Mom's things and also plan on trying to inventory some of my books...recently purchase one I already owned...AGAIN! LOL!

I have some reviews I have to catch up on, they are:

Book of Night by Holly Black
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
Raise High the Roof Beam Carpenters and Seymour the Introduction by J.D. Salinger

Purchased from BOTM:

Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson
The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner
Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid

I have quite a few books coming and will update next week. I look forward to looking at what everyone else is reading Happy Saturday!

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Book Review: The Maid by Nita Prose

Title: The Maid

Author: Nita Prose

Release Date: January 4, 2022

Publisher: Ballantine Books

Genre: Mystery

Format: Ebook/Hardcover/Paperback/Audio
Pages: 280
Source: Netgalley

Purchasing:

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • GOOD MORNING AMERICA BOOK CLUB PICK • “A twist-and-turn whodunit, set in a five-star hotel, from the perspective of the maid who finds the body. Think Clue. Think page-turner.”—Glamour

NEW YORK TIMES EDITORS’ CHOICE • ONE OF THE MOST ANTICIPATED BOOKS OF 2022—Glamour, W magazine, PopSugar, The Rumpus, Book Riot, CrimeReads, She Reads

Molly Gray is not like everyone else. She struggles with social skills and misreads the intentions of others. Her gran used to interpret the world for her, codifying it into simple rules that Molly could live by.

Since Gran died a few months ago, twenty-five-year-old Molly has been navigating life’s complexities all by herself. No matter—she throws herself with gusto into her work as a hotel maid. Her unique character, along with her obsessive love of cleaning and proper etiquette, make her an ideal fit for the job. She delights in donning her crisp uniform each morning, stocking her cart with miniature soaps and bottles, and returning guest rooms at the Regency Grand Hotel to a state of perfection.

But Molly’s orderly life is upended the day she enters the suite of the infamous and wealthy Charles Black, only to find it in a state of disarray and Mr. Black himself dead in his bed. Before she knows what’s happening, Molly’s unusual demeanor has the police targeting her as their lead suspect. She quickly finds herself caught in a web of deception, one she has no idea how to untangle. Fortunately for Molly, friends she never knew she had unite with her in a search for clues to what really happened to Mr. Black—but will they be able to find the real killer before it’s too late?

A Clue-like, locked-room mystery and a heartwarming journey of the spirit, The Maid explores what it means to be the same as everyone else and yet entirely different—and reveals that all mysteries can be solved through connection to the human heart.

Molly is one of the most unique characters I have ever encountered in reading. I have read some reviews that say they think she is possibly on the spectrum and I would have to agree. I thoroughly enjoyed how she was portrayed, very scheduled in what she did every day, and even through the loss of her Grandmother she continues following her routine because it is what she knows and thrives on.

When she finds a guest dead in one of the rooms, and becomes a suspect it is hard to believe. She has become more than friendly over time with the wife of the dead guest and when she finds out the betrayal that she was involved in it changes everything. Thankfully she has some really great friends who are more than willing to go to bat for her and help her in any way they can.

A good mystery, not earth shattering but a book that I would recommend because it was enjoyable and held my interest. 

Meet the Author:

Nita Prose is a longtime editor, serving many bestselling authors and their books. She lives in Toronto, Canada, in a house that is only moderately clean. Follow Nita on Instagram @nitaprose or Twitter @NitaProse 

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Book Review: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

Title: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo 

Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid

Release Date: June 13, 2017

Publisher: Washington Square Press

Genre: Fiction

Format: Ebook/Hardcover/Paperback/Audio
Pages: 398
Source: Barnes & Nobel

Purchasing:

“If you’re looking for a book to take on holiday this summer, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo has got all the glitz and glamour to make it a perfect beach read.” —Bustle

From the New York Times bestselling author of Daisy Jones & the Six—an entrancing and “wildly addictive journey of a reclusive Hollywood starlet” (PopSugar) as she reflects on her relentless rise to the top and the risks she took, the loves she lost, and the long-held secrets the public could never imagine.

Aging and reclusive Hollywood movie icon Evelyn Hugo is finally ready to tell the truth about her glamorous and scandalous life. But when she chooses unknown magazine reporter Monique Grant for the job, no one is more astounded than Monique herself. Why her? Why now?

Monique is not exactly on top of the world. Her husband has left her, and her professional life is going nowhere. Regardless of why Evelyn has selected her to write her biography, Monique is determined to use this opportunity to jumpstart her career.

Summoned to Evelyn’s luxurious apartment, Monique listens in fascination as the actress tells her story. From making her way to Los Angeles in the 1950s to her decision to leave show business in the ‘80s, and, of course, the seven husbands along the way, Evelyn unspools a tale of ruthless ambition, unexpected friendship, and a great forbidden love. Monique begins to feel a very real connection to the legendary star, but as Evelyn’s story near its conclusion, it becomes clear that her life intersects with Monique’s own in tragic and irreversible ways.

“Heartbreaking, yet beautiful” (Jamie Blynn, Us Weekly), The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is “Tinseltown drama at its finest” (Redbook): a mesmerizing journey through the splendor of old Hollywood into the harsh realities of the present day as two women struggle with what it means—and what it costs—to face the truth.

This is my first book by Taylor Jenkins Reid. I have obviously heard so much about all the books she's written, and to be honest I chose this one first because of the cover. 

This was a solid read. I really enjoyed the dynamic between Evelyn and Monique, and although I had a pretty good idea why Evelyn asked for Monique to write more than just an interview for the magazine that she works for, but her life story. I loved the reasoning behind why Evelyn ended up with 7 husbands...you really got a feel for how Hollywood ran and or continues to run. I loved reading the stories about the actors, directos, fans, etc...

I felt like this is a good solid book that does have a twist. Did I think it was predictable? Not completely. I enjoyed the plot and the relationships throughout. 

Meet the Author:

Taylor Jenkins Reid is the author of the New York Times Bestselling novels Malibu Rising, Daisy Jones and the Six and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, as well as One True Loves, Maybe in Another Life, After I Do, and Forever, Interrupted. Her books have been chosen by Reese’s Book Club, Read with Jenna, Indie Next, Best of Amazon, and Book of the Month. Her novel, Daisy Jones and the Six, is currently being adapted by Hello Sunshine into a limited series for Amazon. She lives in Los Angeles.

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Book Blogger Hop - Average Monthly Reads

 

Book Blogger Hop

This is an interesting question. It certainly depends on the month. There have been months where I read a few books and others where I have read 2-3 books a week. I would say I usually read at least 1 book  a week. I have been a little slower lately due to a new job that just seems to wear me out a little more. The hours are a little longer and go later as well so by the time I get home and get supper done I just want to watch a little tv. I do read daily but sometimes it isn't as much as I want.

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Book Review: Comfort Me with Apples by Catherynne M. Valente

Title: Comfort Me with Apples

Author: Catherynne M. Valente

Release Date: November 9, 2021

Publisher: Tordotcom

Genre: Sci Fi/Fantasy

Format: Ebook/Hardcover/Audio
Pages: 103
Source: Netgalley

Purchasing:

Sophia was made for him. Her perfect husband. She can feel it in her bones. He is perfect. Their home together in Arcadia Gardens is perfect. Everything is perfect.

It's just that he's away so much. So often. He works so hard. She misses him. And he misses her. He says he does, so it must be true. He is the perfect husband and everything is perfect.

But sometimes Sophia wonders about things. Strange things. Dark things. The look on her husband's face when he comes back from a long business trip. The questions he will not answer. The locked basement she is never allowed to enter. And whenever she asks the neighbors, they can't quite meet her gaze...

But everything is perfect. Isn't it?

What an incredibly interesting book! I absolutely loved Sophia and the fact that she continued to notice things that were meant to be kept hidden. Who was her husband? And why were there so many rules in Arcadia Gardens? And why, even in her own house, did she continue to find things that didn't make sense, and honestly scared her?

I can't say much more without giving this one away, and even though it didn't end how I wished, the story leading up to the ending and the characters were some that I really enjoyed. 

Meet the Author:

Catherynne M. Valente is an American fiction writer, poet, and literary critic. For her speculative fiction novels she has won the annual James Tiptree, Andre Norton, and Mythopoeic Fantasy Award - winning anthologies Salon Fantastique and Paper Cities, along with numerous "Year's Best" volumes. Her critical work has appeared in the International Journal of the Humanities as well in numerous essay collections. 

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