FINALLY finished the second book in the Nemesis series - I liked it so I think my slowness was just due to my being distracted a lot. This book was INCREDIBLY dark but redeemed itself in the end. So looking forward to the third and final book, Chrysalis - just put a hold on it at the library.

Next up on #labsoundtrack - I‘m thinking I‘m a bit behind the times on this series.

While this one was missing Vincent D‘Agosta, I‘m glad the authors got back to focusing on just one crime instead of doing family and ward-related troubles for Pendergast.

Checking out the new #wizardsunite app - add me if you want!

Yay - photos are back! Here is a close-up of my awesome new books from the amazing @Chrissyreadit - I‘m so excited to get started on these. Thank you again, Chrissy! Another giant thank you to our wonderful organizer, @BookishMarginalia - all your hard work is very much appreciated! #summersantagoespostal #summersolsticebookexchange #fightevilreadbooks

Chrissy - I am completely blown away by your amazing generosity and how well you matched the books and gifts to me. Everything is absolutely perfect! Even my son was ooh-ing and aah-ing over the gifts. These socks give me life! 🤣 I can‘t wait to take this pillow case up to the lake house and read all day. Thank you so very, very much! #summersantagoespostal #summersolsticebookexchange

Why won‘t Litsy let me make my #summersantagoespostal opening post?!

Next up on #labsoundtrack - the most recent (I think it came out last December) addition to the Pendergast series. I love Agent Pendergast and all his eccentricities. I can‘t wait for this work day to be over, though, so I can open my #summersantagoespostal packages from @Chrissyreadit - time is moving so slowly! 😫

This was so cute although I wanted to punch her brother, sister, and annoying man baby friend in their gaslighting faces. I loved seeing Fixie becoming more confident and strong.

Next up on #labsoundtrack - none of my holds are in so I went searching the ‘Available Now‘ on my Wish List. This book came out not too long ago so I‘m actually surprised it‘s readily available.

It was alright - a nice break after some emotionally tough books lately.

Today‘s #labsoundtrack. 🤣

I actually really liked this book - infinitely readable (or listenable lol) and covers important topics more people need to be aware of. Unfortunately, the ending is probably a little too perfect and neatly wrapped up to be plausible.

My co-worker endorsed this one saying it made her cry. I don‘t usually enjoy Jodi Picoult very much but figured I‘d give it a try. #labsoundtrack

Between a pick and a so-so - it went by really quickly but didn‘t really feel like it advanced the story at all. Doesn‘t look like my library carries the last book in the trilogy so who knows when I‘ll get to pick it up again. #labsoundtrack

Continuing the Silver trilogy now with book two, Dream On. #labsoundtrack

It was so nice to get in some light-hearted fluffness after the heaviness of the last few books I‘ve read. This is the most recent entry into the Ravenels series - book 5, I believe. A nice start to my Monday morning #labsoundtrack.

I started and finished this one today at work while I was examining a creepy mask used in a robbery. Probably not the best idea to listen to creepy books while working on creepy evidence. This guy was such a sickening, delusional, terrifying psycho that it was hard to even enjoy the story. I don‘t know if I can watch the Netflix adaptation.

Somewhere between a pick and a so-so. I do enjoy when the narrative switches between the two characters in a romance novel so that was a plus. It was fun but not a lot of depth.

Just finished up my IRL book club‘s June pick during lunch today - I loved it. It‘s an immensely readable middle-grade book with a diary format. The MC is a 12 year old half-Hindu, half-Muslim girl whose family is living through India‘s independence from Britain, which divided India into two countries, India and Pakistan. This was a subject I didn‘t know much about and the book was really well-done. A Newbery Honor Book.

Next up on #labsoundtrack - definitely needed a lighter read after all these heavy books.

Thankfully, this book is more about the start of the gun safety movement by the Parkland students rather than the actual school shooting. I love that their way of coping with their trauma was to go after something this country is sorely lacking and try to prevent these tragedies from happening again. One thing I really liked was that the perpetrator‘s name was never used - it was always referenced to as ‘the killer‘ or ‘the shooter‘.

Yesterday and today‘s #labsoundtrack - I haven‘t read Columbine yet but it‘s on my TBR. I‘m taking this one slowly as it‘s emotionally heavy and I can‘t cry too much in the lab. #neveragain

Even though this book has no crossover from the first book other than the Cemetary of Forgotten Books, I enjoyed it. They fixed the problem of the first audiobook with its overloud and distracting music over the narration. I heard the third book returns to some of the original characters so I‘m excited to move forward. #labsoundtrack

Today‘s #labsoundtrack - thankfully they‘ve learned to not play the godawful elevator music over the narration. I think that‘s why I did not enjoy the audio of TSOTW, even though when I read the physical copy years ago, I loved it.

I think this may be my favorite Chief Inspector Armand Gamache novel yet. I loved how it jumped from story to story, from setting to setting, from time to time. Plus, it was interesting to see the Chief Inspector as a flawed individual for the first time, rather than some all-knowing perfect detective.

Getting back into the swing of things after a long, sad, and exhausting week. I went back to Three Pines for distraction during laundry, cleaning, and meal-prepping. Cozy perfection.

I got my second package yesterday - thank you so much! I‘m going to have to hide these away. The temptation is strong! #summersantagoespostal #summersolsticebookexchange

Look what arrived today - well, technically yesterday but I‘ve been helping set up for my nephew‘s birthday party tomorrow for the last 12 hours! #summersantagoespostal #summersolsticebookexchange

I‘ve been a bit quiet the last few days. We lost my grandpa on Sunday and I just got back into town from the funeral. Even though I probably need the distraction, I‘m finding it so hard to read right now. Instead, I‘m distracted by all the memories in these 80s photos (did everyone own this ugly brown bird and flower couch?). My grandpa was an ornery jokester and I‘m going to miss him a lot. 💙

Has anyone else had problems with USPS?? I mailed my #summersantagoespostal package from my local post office (in suburban Cincinnati) last Wednesday afternoon, paid over $25 for 3 day (June 1 delivery) insured shipping with a tracking number, and now have no updates other than it‘s ‘in transit, arriving late‘. It didn‘t even leave Cincy until 3 days after I mailed it! No estimated arrival date, no info about where it is. Grrrrrrrr. 😡

Why, yes, I did pick up a new edition of the #SSDGM book at last night‘s Sit Crooked and Talk Straight event at Barnes & Noble even though I already had a copy from Amazon. It had a bonus Q&A section, okay?! Even though I‘ve been listening to the podcast for years, this book gave an even more in-depth look at their lives and how they‘ve gotten to where they are. I really enjoyed it.

Up next on Overdrive audio - yet another series that I never finished!

Angie Thomas is an amazing writer - her second book was just as good as her first. The audio is very well done! I‘m hoping they make this one into a movie as well.

Today‘s #labsoundtrack - my hold finally came in. I‘m loving it so far!

I had a hard time choosing my #BOTM because there were SO MANY GOOD BOOKS. What‘s a girl to do but splurge?!

I LOVED this book when I read the physical copy. I just did a re-read but as an audio this time and didn‘t enjoy it as much. I don‘t think the audio was done very well and it did the one thing that grates on my nerves more than anything - play obnoxiously loud music while the author is narrating and continue for several loooooong minutes. Does that annoy the heck out of anyone else? I‘m here for the story, not obnoxious elevator music!

Doing some sneaky reading in the corner of my cubicle because it‘s another slow day. I signed up for the Barnes and Noble event this evening so I‘m trying to get as far into the book as possible. #ssdgm #mfm

Hefty box (a whopping 13+ pounder!) is heading up north to the state that‘s practically Canada. It‘s set to arrive on June 1st so here‘s hoping it makes it okay. I hope my match loves all the goodies - I love shopping for people! #summersantagoespostal #summersolsticebookexchange

All wrapped, packed, and ready to head north tomorrow! #summersantagoespostal #summersolsticebookexchange

Of course I signed up for the Sit Crooked and Talk Straight event at my local Barnes and Noble! Anyone else going to one? #murderino #ssdgm #mfm #myfavoritemurder

I‘m a little behind on my #summersantagoespostal - just finished wrapping my extra goodies and now I‘m ready to start wrapping the books! It‘ll be off to the post office tomorrow!

Today‘s #labsoundtrack is a series I never finished - so I‘m going back to the original to catch up.

Today‘s #labsoundtrack while I‘m busy with serology is a translated work. I listened to her other trilogy (I think it‘s called jewels or something) and they were pretty fun. This one is entertaining me so far.

Patiently (kinda) awaiting my turn to watch Game of Thrones with this continuation of this post-apocalyptic YA techno-thriller. 🤔 I generously offered to let my sister and brother-in-law use my HBO Now account to watch GOT first since he has to get up at 4. I‘m counting down the minutes to find out how the show is going to let me down this week. 🤣

Even though my son is 10 and has been able to read on his own for years, he still loves our nighttime ritual of me reading to him. We‘re about a third of the way through Order of the Phoenix now - I‘d forgotten this one was the longest!

What??? Noooooooooooooooooooooooo.

I feel ya, TV Face.

Wow, I read this one at the perfect time. The overall subject is about abortion and the pro-choice/life movements. Could it BE any more relevant??

Just trying to get some reading in but they don‘t seem as keen on it. #dogsoflitsy #outsidereading