Top Ten Tuesday – Favourite Series of 2019

For Top Ten Tuesday this week, on the last Tuesday of 2019 ( which is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl)  we are asked to share our favourite books read this year.

I am altering the prompt a bit as I have too many books I loved this year. Instead, I am listing the series I enjoyed – mostly fantasy and  historical romance.

Favourite Series (or parts of series) Read in 2019

1. The Others series by Anne Bishop

2. Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs

3. Alpha and Omega series by Patricia Briggs

4. Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews

5. The Edge / Hidden Legacy series by Ilona Andrews

6. Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas

7. Girl Meets Duke series by Tessa Dare 

8. Castles Ever After series by Tessa Dare

9. The Ravenals series by Lisa Kleypas

10. The Scoundrels series by Sarah MacLean   

 

(But I also enjoyed continuing reading contemporary series by Sarah Morgan, Hope Ramsay, Jodi Thomas, Samantha Chase, Bella Andre, Jill Shalvis, Robyn Carr, Susan Mallery)

 

Connect Five

This will be the last post of the year for Connect Five connections as well as the last for this challenge. Kathryn at Book Date has changed the format for 2020, encouraging us to connect on Fridays. (Check here for more info)
This month I finally completed several more Connect Five connections. Some it took me all year to complete. The fun is in finding the books that fit the chosen connection.
Here are the groupings (as there are so many books this time, I’ll just post the book cover of the book I enjoyed the most from each group):

Date or Dating in the Title

Deja Date by Susan Hatler

Dating-ish by Penny Reid

Save the Date by Jenny B. Jones

Decoy Date by Mira Lyn Kelly

The Wedding Date by Zara Stoneley

 

Wild in the Title

Wild Country by Anne Bishop

The Simple Wild by K.A. Tucker

How to Catch a Wild Viscount by Tessa Dare

Running Wild by Linda Howard

Heiress Gone Wild by Laura Lee Guhrke

 

Wicked in the Title

Wicked and the Wallflower by Sarah MacLean (This was a tough choice as I actually enjoyed them all!)

Slightly Wicked by Mary Balogh

Tall Dark and Wicked by Madeline Hunter

Wicked Highland Ways by Mary Wine

A Week to Be Wicked by Tessa Dare

 

Kisses in the Title

Iron Kissed by Patricia Briggs

Sandcastle Kisses by Krista lakes

White Hot Kiss by Jennifer Armentrout

His Haunting Kiss by Heather Marie Adkins

A Mistletoe Kiss by Jennifer Faye

It’s Monday! What are You Reading?

It’s time once again for Kathryn’s weekly meme “It’s Monday! What are You Reading“, at Book Date, where we share what we’re reading and have read over the past week.

What I Read Last Week
Even with Christmas celebrations, I was able to have a good week of reading – I read 6 books: 2 contemporary romances, 1 historical romance,  2 mysteries (1 YA, the other paranormal) and a fiction novella.

Here are the books I read:

Black in White by J.C. Andrijewski – a paranormal mystery I enjoyed; first in a long series I will be checking out

 

The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin – an older MG mystery that was okay

 

Springtime at Hope Cottage by Annie Rains. This is the second in her series and was a sweet romance

 

Bare Ass in Love by Sasha Burke. I needed a book with a curse word in the title for a challenge– but did enjoy this book

 

Too Tempting to Resist by Erica Ridley – Billed as a gothic romance, but not very scary at all.

 

And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer a short novella by Fredrik Backman

 

What I’m Reading Now

The Dinner by Herman Koch

If Life is a Bowl of Cherries – What Am I Doing in the Pits? By Erma Bombeck

The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman
What’s Up Next
Determined to read these books in January!

Secrets of the Chocolate House by Paula Brackston (2nd in her series)

The Girl in the Letter by Emily Gunnis

The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline

 

 

 

A Fun Book Tag – What’s on Your TBR List

Deb from Deb’s World posted about a fun book tag, one that might just help me tackle those TBR books on my overflowing shelves (see above!)

From Cathy at Confessions of a Book Hoarder

The aim of this Book Tag is to find a book on your To Be Read list (TBR), for every letter of your blog name.

Find an unread book in your TBR (physical or kindle) to match each letter of your blog name. A great way to bring attention back to possibly forgotten books needing some love.

 

With so many books, both on my shelves and on my Kindle, I figured the challenge wouldn’t be too difficult. (It was made easier by using Goodreads list of letters to help narrow the field.) I am choosing my art blog, my original blog for this acrostic-type poem/list.

Here are the 10 books – books I now plan to read this year:

B    Becoming by Michelle Obama
U   Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand
N   Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen

N   Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman

Y   Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood
S   Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen

G   Glass Houses by Louise Penny
I    I am Malalal by Malala Yousafzai
R   Room by Emma Donoghue
L   Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

There is a nice mixture of classics, memoir, fantasy, to historical fiction and contemporary fiction. Looking forward to this new challenge for myself.

Why not join in the fun!

 

It’s Monday! what are You Reading?

It’s time once again for Kathryn’s weekly meme “It’s Monday! What are You Reading“, at Book Date, where we share what we’re reading and have read over the past week.

What I Read Last Week
Even with Christmas shopping and preparations, I was able to have a good week of reading – I read 7 books: 2 picture books, 2 Christmas contemporary romances, 1 historical romance, 1 MG novel, and a memoir.

Here are the books I read:

Feeding My Mother by Jann Arden. I love Jann Arden and her music. Through the pages of her memoir, we see how she faces the increasing dementia of her mother as well as the loss of her father. So moving, in many parts. She even provides some recipes.

 

Wicked Highland Ways by Mary Wine. An absorbing historical fiction, where we really get to appreciate the horrible state of women’s rights in the 16th century.
A Midnight Clear by Hope Ramsay A lovely Christmas novella.

 

Christmas on Mistletoe Lane by Annie Rains. I enjoyed this Christmas novel.

 

The Curious Snowflake by James C. Struck. This was a very interesting allegory/parable, one that should be read to children.

2 enjoyable picture books by Heather Smith

 

         

The Phone Booth in Mr. Hirota’s Garden          A Plan for Pops

 

What I’m Reading Now

The Girl in the Letter by Emily Gunnis
The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline
The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin

 

What’s Up Next
Determined to read this book this month!
Secrets of the Chocolate House by Paula Brackston (2nd in her series)

 

Only days until Christmas – for all those who celebrate, wishing you a joyous Christmas. For those who don’t, may your week be filled with wonderful books!

 

Linking as well with

Inspire Me Monday

Spread the Love

Book Nook Blog Party at Create with Joy

 

Beyond the Bookends Reading Challenge

 

 

The 2020 version of the Beyond the Bookends Reading Challenge was just posted and I am joining in once again. Looks like some great prompts each month.

Check here for more information.

TTT – Winter TBR

This week’s prompt for Top Ten Tuesday, the fun meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl, is Winter TBR. This is a must do list to create at the start of every season. Even if I don’t read them all, it gives me a guide for the season.
As I looked over my Fall TBR, I realized just how few I had actually read, although several will be before the end of December as they are must reads to complete 2 reading challenges (A Man Called Ove, Marrow Thieves, Alchemist)

For this Winter TBR, I want to include several from the fall list as well as some recommended by other bloggers.

1. The Road by Cormac McCarthy

 

2. On Writing by Stephen King

 

3. Becoming by Michelle Obama

 

4. Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert

 

5. Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

 

6. There There by Tommy Orange

 

7. Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

 

8. The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman

 

9. A Wedding in December by Sarah Morgan

 

10. A Royal Holiday by Jasmine Guillory

 

With the reading challenges i plan to participate in, I know there will be other books I will read, but these will be must reads this time around! (fingers crossed!)

 

It’s Monday! What are You Reading?

It’s time once again for Kathryn’s weekly meme “It’s Monday! What are You Reading“, at Book Date,  where we share what we’re reading and have read over the past week

What I Read Last Week
Last week I once again had a great week of reading – I read 11 books: 4 picture books, 3 contemporary romances/women’s fiction, 1 historical romance, 1 MG novel, a mystery and a non-fiction.

Here are the books I read:

Newtown by Matthew Lysiak – about the tragedy/massacre at Sandy Hook. It has now been 7 years since this horrifying event and I finally felt ready to read this book. A necessary read.

Devil’s Daughter by Lisa Kleypas (an enjoyable historical romance from a favourite series by her)

Well Met by Jen De Luca. So enjoyed this sweet romance, taking place at a Renaissance Faire

A Mrs. Miracle Christmas by Debbie Macomber. Macomber doesn’t disappoint with this Christmas tale

Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating by Christina Lauren. This was a fun, funny read. Really enjoyed it.

The Daughter of Sherlock Holmes by Leonard Goldberg. A reimagining of Sherlock Holmes, with the daughter of Holmes and the son of Watson working together to solve a mystery. An okay read.

EBB AND Flow by Heather Smith. This MG novel is written in verse and really moved me. Great read.

4 PBs
High Five by Adam Rubin, illus by Daniel Salnieri

The Great Santa Stakeout by Betsy Bird, illus by Dan Santat. A fun read.

Fly! By Mark Teague. A wonderful wordless book

Who Wet My Pants? By Bob Shea, illus. by Z. O’Hora. Funny of course.

 

What I’m Reading Now
The Girl in the Letter by Emily Gunnis

Christmas on Mistletoe Lane by Annie Rains

 

What’s Up Next
Determined to read these this month!

Secrets of the Chocolate House by Paula Brackston (2nd in her series)

The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline

 

Linking as well with

Inspire Me Monday

Spread the Love

Book Nook Blog Party at Create with Joy

Two Monthly Reading Challenges

Two of my favourite monthly challenges are returning for 2020:

Monthly Motifs                                                     Monthly Key Word

 

Both provide fun challenges each month to meet their prompts. Looking forward to both.

 

Monthly Motif

JANUARY-  Winter Wonderland

FEBRUARY- Seeing Red

MARCH- Sub-Genre Sound Off

APRIL- Classics or Currents

MAY- Author Introduction

JUNE- Name or Number

JULY- Around or Out of this World 

AUGUST- Creature Feature

SEPTEMBER- When Text Just Isn’t Enough

OCTOBER- Thrills and Chills

NOVEMBER- Dynamic Duos

DECEMBER- Sugar, Spice, Everything Nice

 

Monthly Key Word

JANUARY – Water, This, Hello, Sun, New, Six

FEBRUARY – Girl, Any, Love, Red, Note, Throne

MARCH – Dream, Day, In, House, Luck, Friend

APRIL – Lost, Below, City, Jewel, Night, My

MAY – Sky, Name, Blue, Book, Enchant, Is

JUNE – And, Beach, Number, Wish, Down, Word

JULY – Boy, Last, Day, Into, Dear, Summer

AUGUST – Kiss, Flower, When, Happy, North, Right

SEPTEMBER – Star, Cry, She, Window, Forever, Eye

OCTOBER – Haunt, Around, Shadow, Grave, Murder, Deep

NOVEMBER – Look, Forest, Out, Color, Lock, Now

DECEMBER – Sword, Magic, Fly, Of, Silver, Crown

 

 

MMD 2020 Reading Challenge

 

The 2020 reading challenge hosted at Modern Mrs. Darcy has just been posted. This is a challenge I have done for several years now and always enjoy it.

Check here for how to participate.

Here are the prompts for 2020:

Published the Decade You Were Born:

Debut Novel:

Recommended by a Source You Trust:

By a Local Author:

Outside Your (Genre) Comfort Zone:

In translation:

Nominated for an Award in 2020:

Re-Read:

Classic You Didn’t Read in School:

Three Books By the Same Author