#StoryGraph: fiction mystery thriller mysterious crime short-story
73 pages • first pub 2012

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

I kind of lost track of where I was on Karin Slaughter‘s Will Trent series. But, when the TV series started up, it reminded me to go back and read where I left off. I am really glad I did. I forgot how much I enjoy the characters in this series — especially Betty. 🐕 Now on to number 6 (hopefully, sooner rather than later).

#MMD 2023 Spring Book Preview

#StoryGraph: fiction crime mystery thriller
368 pages • first pub 2022

DESCRIPTION

It's time to solve the murder of the century...

Forty years ago, Steven Smith found a copy of a famous children's book, its margins full of strange markings and annotations. He took it to his remedial English teacher, Miss Isles, who became convinced it was the key to solving a puzzle.

Weekly Reading Report
March 19 - 25, 2023

#Goodreads #BooklyApp #StoryGraph #Bookstagram #MMDBookClub #OUABC #ReesesBookClub

Hey y‘all, if you‘re a fan of Dickens like me, you may want to watch this.

(Alex Cross Series No. 29)

Dr. Alex Cross and Detective John Sampson venture into the rugged Montana wilderness—where they will be the prey.

They‘re not on the job, but on a personal mission.

Until they‘re attacked by two rival teams of assassins, controlled by the same mastermind who has stalked Alex and his family for years.

Darkness falls. The river churns into rapids. Shots ring out through the forest.

No backup. No way out. Fear no evil.

#LMPBC #LMPBCRound17GroupW
@5feet.of.fury @DGRachel

@suvata has mailed a book to @IndoorDame

Alice goes on a bender on the night of her 40th birthday. When she wakes up the next morning somehow back in 1996, it isn't her 16-year-old body that is the biggest shock, or the possibility of romance with her adolescent crush, it's her dad: the vital, charming, 49-year-old version of her father with whom she is reunited. Now armed with a new perspective on her own life and his, is there anything that she should do differently this time around?

#StoryGraph: fiction historical mystery group-read
352 pages • first pub 2003

(Being the 7th Jane Austen Mystery)

Jane Austen finds her crime-solving mettle put to the test in a confounding case of intrigue, murder, and high treason. Among the haunted ruins of an ancient abbey, Jane is drawn into a shadow world of dangerous secrets and traitorous hearts where not only her life is at stake--but the fate of England.

#StoryGraph: fiction contemporary emotional reflective sad
217 pages • first pub 2022

Edi and Ash have been best friends for over forty years. When Edi is diagnosed with terminal cancer, Ash's world reshapes around the rhythms of Edi's care. Yes, this is a very sad book, but it‘s worth the read for all the emotions.

💚🤍🧡🇮🇪

⏰ This is a reminder for those participating in #LMPBC Round 17. There are only about two weeks left to read your book, mark it up, and get it into the mail by the end of the month. Can‘t wait to read the next book. 😎

#Story Graph: fantasy historical mystery adventurous dark mysterious magic

This was an enchanting ghost story. It‘s been a long time since I‘ve read a book in which one of the main characters was an inanimate object (Whimbtel House). It took awhile to get into the story, but once I did, I cared about the characters so much that I had to keep reading so I could find out what happened to them. I am anxiously awaiting the second book in this series.

Expected publication: June 23, 2023.

Seven women stand in a hotel room gazing at a severed head. A head that belongs to the recently departed, Jamie Spellman. All of these women have been mistreated by Jamie in the past. All have reasons for wanting him dead. As their stories unfold their connections become clear. Now their only mission is to protect one another and try to find out who killed him. Fantastic debut novel! 3.5 Stars, rounded to 4.

#StoryGraph: nonfiction graphic-novel memoir middle grade emotional funny lighthearted
224 pages • first pub 2019

This is a middle-school graphic-novel about the internal physical affect when children hide their fears. Very well done with admirable sensibility … Bonus: It‘s fun!

A retelling of Poe's classic "The Fall of the House of Usher." My impression throughout was that I would be rating it 4-stars at best. But, after I read the author‘s note at the end, it became a 5-star read. All of the questions I had and all of the concepts that bothered me were cleared up by those notes. Please, people, when you read a book, DO NOT skip the prologue, epilogue, or author notes. If you do, you may be missing more than you think.

#StoryGraph: fiction mystery thriller emotional reflective medium-paced
352 pages • first pub 2023

DESCRIPTION

Two couples, two close friends, one missing husband…

Jake Hayes is missing. This much is certain. At first, his wife, Nina, thinks he is blowing off steam at a friend‘s house after their heated fight the night before. But then a day goes by. Two days. Five. And Jake is still nowhere to be found.

#MMD ModernMrsDarcy Flight Pick for March 2023

#StoryGraph: magical realism reflective southern supernatural

When Zoey comes to claim her deceased mother's apartment on Mallow Isalnd, she meets her quirky and secretive neighbors: a girl on the run, two estranged sisters, a lonely chef, a legendary writer, and three ghosts. Each with their own story, Each with their own longings. Each whose ending isn't written yet. ~ Publisher

Charlotte Brontë declines a marriage proposal with her own version of “it‘s not you, it‘s me.”

Article at: https://link.lithub.com/view/602eac142f4efa64c524cc4biatcf.2iub/c00c83ea

I almost passed this book up because of the title. I‘m glad I didn‘t. (3.5 stars)

A heartbreaking yet hilarious memoir by iCarly star Jennette McCurdy. After taking the lead in Sam & Cat (spinoff) her mother dies of cancer. She then discovers therapy and quits acting. Jennette embarks on recovery and decides for the first time in her life what she really wants. Told with refreshing candor and dark humor this is an inspiring story of resiliency.

#MMD Pick for March 2023

#StoryGraph: fiction contemporary literary magical realism emotional reflective medium-paced
368 pages • first pub 2022

Please note, I am a big fan of magical realism and dark humor. If you like that kind of book this one will please you.

Publisher‘s blurb:
A lost young woman returns to small-town New Hampshire under the strangest of circumstances in this one-of-a-kind novel of life, death, and whatever comes after.

Welcome to #LMPBC Round 17!

Hopefully you have picked out the book you want to share by now. It‘s time to start reading and marking-up passages you want to highlight. Be creative and don‘t forget to introduce yourself in the front of the book. I will send out a few reminders during the month and then a final one at the end of the month to remind you to mail it out to the next person in line.

Happy Reading!

According to #StoryGraph, in February 2023 @suvata mainly read:
• fiction books that are reflective, mysterious, dark, and emotional.
• typically chooses medium-paced books that are 300-499 pages long

Read in February 2023 ...
#Goodreads #BooklyApp #StoryGraph #Bookstagram #MMDBookClub #OUABC #ReesesBookClub

#StoryGraph: fiction historical dark emotional sad race southern
320 pages • first pub 2021

“Mary Monroe crafts a provocative story set in the Depression-era Deep South about a woman determined to get the life and respect she wants—at any cost...”

“The daughter of a prostitute mother and an alcoholic father, Maggie Franklin knew her only way out was to marry someone upstanding and church-going.” ~ Publisher

Ready ... Set ... Mail! #LMPBC

It‘s that time again. Please return all Round 16 books ASAP. Round 17 starts March 1st. Hope y‘all had fun. Thank you to everyone who participated.

Here are the mailing dates for those participating in Litsy Markup Postal Book Club #LMPBC Round 17

Hurry. Hurry. Hurry. Step right up and join us for Round 17 of #LMPBC.

There is still plenty of room but only 1 day left. Remember, your group must have at least three people in order to participate.

Details and sign up:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080444AEAD2CA0FF2-litsy17

#StoryGraph: fiction mystery lighthearted mysterious
304 pages • first pub 2016

A cozy mystery, about book, set in Scotland — How could I not love it? 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

“Never an adventurer, no one was more surprised than Delaney Nichols when she packed her bags and moved halfway across the world to Edinburgh, Scotland to start a job at The Cracked Spine, a bookshop located in the heart of the city.” ~ Publisher

#StoryGraph: fiction mystery dark mysterious tense crime

• Once Upon a Book Club #OUABC January 2023 Monthly Box (Special Edition Hardcover 314 pages)

“When a reporter‘s sister is found dead in a swanky Baltimore hotel, the police suspect suicide. Determined to prove them wrong, she partners with a detective who knows more than he admits about her sister, the hotel, and its history of death.⁠” ~ Once Upon a Book Club
⁠

This story is told from dual perspectives by two women in the 1950s. Ruby is in Philadelphia where she is working to be the first person in her family to graduate from college. Eleanor lives in Washington DC where she‘s training to be a library archivist. Both women fall in love before they finish their goals and are looking for redemption. This bittersweet tale intertwines race, social status, family, and love in one dramatic and riveting novel.

• Read for Black History Month

#StoryGraph: nonfiction classics poetry challenging reflective medium-paced race
128 pages • first pub 1925

DESCRIPTION

Nearly ninety years after its first publication, this celebratory edition of The Weary Blues reminds us of the stunning achievement of Langston Hughes, who was just twenty-four at its first appearance.

#Pemberlittens #JaneandtheExcellentReadalong
@Crinoline_Laphroaig @BarkingMadRead

“In her sixth engrossing outing, Jane Austen employs her delicious wit and family ties to the Royal Navy in a case of murder on the high seas. Somewhere in the picturesque British port of Southampton, among a crew of colorful, eccentric, and fiercely individual souls, a killer has come ashore. And only Jane can fathom the depths of his ruthless mind....” ~ Publisher

What are y‘all waiting for? Time is running out.

• TBR since May 15, 2020

Dannie and Bella have been lifelong friends. Now, both in their 30s, they have fantastic careers, loving boyfriends and are living their best lives. Bella, thinking she is pregnant, discovers that she actually has third stage ovarian cancer. The story couldn‘t get any sadder from that point on. I rarely cry while reading a book but, this one truly broke my heart. It was such a good book I would recommend it to everyonne.

#LMPBC #LMPBCRound16GroupC
@vonnie862 @smalldogs_bigbooks2419

@suvata has mailed a book to @Bookwormjillk

• Read in February 2023 for Litsy Markup Postal Book Club #LMPBC Round 16 - Group C

#StoryGraph: fiction contemporary adventurous emotional reflective slow-paced india lgbtqia society-and-culture
336 pages • first pub 2018

Pival Sengupta has booked a trip with the First Class India USA Destination Vacation Tour Company in order to travel to New York City where she hopes to uncover the truth about her missing son, Rahi.

#LMPBC Group T still has room for one more member.

Details and sign up:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080444AEAD2CA0FF2-litsy

#LMPBC Group M still has room for one more member.

Details and sign up:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080444AEAD2CA0FF2-litsy17

GAME TIME
This is what I am currently reading. Who can guess the four books behind it?

#LMPBC Round 17 - Group W
@suvata @IndoorDame @5feet.of.fury @DGRachel

It looks like we have a consensus. Let me know if any of this needs to be changed. I‘m excited to read with you.

#OUABC 2023 Challenge: Prompt: 7. A Book borrowed from the library

Five years ago I read the first book in the Detective Gamache series. At the time, I really didn‘t enjoy it. So, I never read anymore from the series. I picked up this one (No. 18) because the cover intrigued me. Guess what? I really am a Louise Penny fan. Never abandon a book or a series completely. Maybe, just maybe, if you go back later, you‘ll find out you really do like it.

#LMPBC Round 17 - Group W
@suvata @IndoorDame @5feet.of.fury

This is how group W is looking so far. We need one more “witchy“ person to join and @5feet.of.fury can start selecting books anytime she wants. No hurry. No pressure.

Anyone want to join me for some witchy fun in Round 17 of #LMPBC? Any witch will do — cutesy witches, evil witches, Salem witches … I‘m anxious to share The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna with y‘all.

Details and sign up:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080444AEAD2CA0FF2-litsy17

@smalldogs_bigbooks2419 #LMPBC
Just wanted to let you know I received the book today. As soon as I finish the book I‘m reading now, I will start it and pass it on. Thanks.

#StoryGraph: fiction contemporary emotional funny hopeful fast-paced rom-com-chick-lit
384 pages • first pub 2023

Reading this book made me feel like I was dropping in on a train wreck just to see what was going on. But, I say that in a good way because, even though I see that a lot of people did not enjoy this book, I thought it was hilarious with just the right amount of snark. “To each, his own.”

#Pemberlittens #JaneAdjacent February 2023 Read #ChapterADay @StayCurious

#StoryGraph: nonfiction history informative regency
442 pages • first pub 2020

“Ian Mortimer turns to what is arguably the most-loved period in British history - the Regency, or Georgian England. A time of exuberance, thrills, frills and unchecked bad behaviour, it was perhaps the last age of true freedom before the trarrival of the stifling world of Victorian morality.”

Are y‘all ready for Round 17 of #LMPBC?

Details and sign up:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080444AEAD2CA0FF2-litsy17

When you fill out the comments, it is a good idea to mention what types of books you like to read. That way, people who like the same genre can try to be in the same group. Reserve your spot now!

Parings will be sent to you periodically during the sign up process as the groups fill up.

• #ModernMrsDarcy book club flight pick for February 2023 #MMDBookClub

⭐️⭐️💫 Meh! Not my kind of book.

• #StoryGraph: nonfiction sociology informative medium-paced self-help 336 pages • first pub 2022

• #OUABC 2023 Reading Challenge: 40 Prompts (14. A Book in your least favorite genre)

DESCRIPTION

Is understanding the science of attachment the key to building lasting friendships and finding “your people” in an ever-more-fragmented world?

• TBR since August 7, 2020

#StoryGraph: fiction thriller dark mysterious
413 pages • first pub 2020

13 years ago, they were the middle-bullies. Now, these six successful women are mysteriously committing suicide — or is someone picking them off one-by-one? Gripping thriller that I would recommend to anyone who likes this genre.

The premise of this book piqued my interest — a story of three families living in Ireland. These couples have a tenuous relationship. The proverbial shite hits the fan when they learn that one of them is manipulating all of them. I enjoyed this book, but I don‘t think it quite hit the mark with what it was trying to achieve. It will be interesting to find out what others think once it is released. Stories like this always spark lively discussion.