In Death Series Reading Challenge: April 2013.

Interested in joining the Challenge? Anyone is welcome to join in at any time of the year at wherever in the series you currently are. See the sign up post HERE and join the fun!

Did you read any In Death series books this month?

I debated posting a link-up this month since once again I failed. I have Kindred In Death on my nightstand, but alas did not get to it at all. Besides.. just because I missed this month, doesn't mean you all didn't read an In Death book in April! So if you did, spill! Which one did you read and what did you think?

CHALLENGE PARTICIPANTS:
Link up any In Death posts you made this month here. If you made a post on your blog, whether it be a review or commentary, please grab the link to your post and link it up with Mr.Linky below so we can find each other's latest In Death posts easily. You can also just use the link to your goodreads or other virtual bookshelf as well.

BOOK REVIEW:
Alas, none. I did consider re-reading Naked in Death at one point during the month, but really.. how many times does a girl really need to read the same story over and over again? Okay, you're right! Once more is never enough! :)

SERIES DISCUSSION:

Do you have a favorite book in the series?

My favorites are Naked in Death (#1), Survivor in Death (#20), Innocent in Death (#24), Promises in Death (#28). I have to admit I have a little trouble remembering details from the earliest books, so there is that.

Don't forget to link up any In Death posts you made this month!

Library Loot LXVI {book sale}

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Claire from The Captive Reader and Marg from The Adventures of an Intrepid Reader that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write up your post-feel free to steal the button-and link it using the Mr. Linky any time during the week. And of course check out what other participants are getting from their libraries! 

It's been a whole week since my last post. I'm still not finding (making?) as much time as I'd like to blog. I have been reading a lot, which is definitely good, but unfortunately I'm just not juggling my time well and so I'm not sharing my thoughts on books, food, exercise, anything really. I have a few projects going on at home that are consuming a lot of my time and mental focus. While the idea of writing up a blog post is there, when the end of the day rolls around, I'd rather just decompress with a book. I'm sure many of you can relate.

This month's book pick for my online book club is Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. Have you read it? I feel like I'm the only one who hasn't. Anyway, my library has seven copies of this book. Yes, seven. I've been at the top of the holds list since the beginning of the month and still don't have this book checked out. I see on the online system that two people are overdue returning their copy. Driving me nuts. I should have just bought the book by this point, but now that I've waited three weeks and I'm next, I'm determined to get it from the library. You know as soon as I buy it, the library will call me and tell me they've got it waiting for me. Especially since it looks like the other five people all need to return theirs within the next couple of days. By the way, have you read it?

Last Friday I went to a used book sale at a local library and came home with this short stack of books:

I think it's a fairly eclectic mix of books, although it does reveal my love of romance novels.

The Honey is Bitter by Violet Winspear
The Lost by J.D. Robb et. al.
Mr. Cavendish, I Presume by Julia Quinn
First Impressions by Nora Roberts
Swimming Home by Deborah Levy
The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeiser
The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls

Have you read any of these? 

That little book at the top - The Honey is Bitter by Violet Winspear is a 1967 Harlequin romance! I couldn't believe it... older than me! I just had to have it. Paid 50 cents for it. I flipped through it and read a few passages. Not sure I can bring myself to read the whole thing. So archaic.. the language and the stereotypes. Ugh. But an interesting find, nonetheless.

Mr. Cavendish, I Presume by Julia Quinn. Kind of serendipitous that I spotted this one because I was actually reading the pre-cursor to this novel, The Lost Duke of Wyndham (which I adored!), at the time. Of course, I came home to discover that I already had this book on my to-be-read shelf. A signed copy, no less. Ah oh well. Another 50 cents to a good cause. (I finished reading this one, now, too. Not as good as The Lost Duke).

That's about it for my library looting. How about you?

REVIEW: Any Man of Mine by Rachel Gibson

Published April 2011 by Avon.

The theme for this month's TBR Challenge hosted by Wendy the Super Librarian is 'New to You Author.' At first, I had planned to read a different book for the challenge, but ended up picking up Any Man of Mine by Rachel Gibson off my TBR pile instead, completely on a whim. I'm glad I did--it was a quick and entertaining read. I bought Any Man of Mine at the 2011 NJ RWA book sale and literacy signing where Ms. Gibson signed my copy. I don't know why, but I always feel extra-accomplished when I read a book that I own that was signed by the author.

Any Man of Mine is the sixth and most recent book in Rachel Gibson's Chinooks Hockey Team series. I haven't read any of books 1-5 in this series, but I can assure you that Any Man of Mine can be read as a stand alone novel. On a series side note, a prominent secondary character in Any Many of Mine goes on to be the leading guy in Rescue Me by Rachel Gibson, the third book in her Lovett, Texas series.

WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS . . .
DOESN'T ALWAYS STAY THERE.

Several years ago, Autumn Haven treated herself to a much deserved vacation in Las Vegas to catch some shows and play the slots. What she didn't expect was to meet the sexy and charming Sam LeClaire. He relentlessly pursued her and over several days they have a great time together experiencing the thrills of Vegas and heating up the sheets. On a slightly drunken impulse, they get hitched at a chapel, only for Sam to be long gone by morning. Dazed, confused, and heartbroken, Autumn heads home and is shortly delivered divorce papers through a lawyer. Soon after, she finds out she's pregnant. Despite their tense and pretty much non-existent relationship, Sam owned up to his responsibility, pays a generous child support and visits with Conner as much as his busy hockey schedule allows, which isn't really all that much.

Conner is now five year old when Sam and Autumn bump into each other at a wedding where Sam is a guest and Autumn is the wedding planner. They try to avoid each other as a rule, but it's not so easy. By the end of the evening, Sam actually helps Autumn out by taking Conner that night when Conner's sitter has to bail. Sam starts to realize that he hasn't been the most attentive father to his son, just like his own father behaved towards him, so he becomes determined not to do the same to his own son. This change in attitude brings Sam more into Autumn and Conner's lives, which at first is a little awkward, but soon turns out to be so good for all of them. They start to function as a family and there's no denying that Sam and Autumn really do belong together. It's a rocky road getting there, but what a sweet ride it is!

This is a reunited lovers story that worked well for me because it came across so realistically. The struggles Autumn faces as a single mom rang true - both as a mom and simply as a 30 year old single woman. I have to admit Sam came across as an arrogant jerk most of the time. Charming and sexy, but definitely selfish and cocky. He comes around, though, and does get more grounded as the story progresses. As he starts to prioritize his relationship with his son, he also discovers that there's still something about Autumn that makes him want to be with her. He's still attracted to her - not just physically, but emotionally, too. It takes him a little while to figure out the emotional part, but the same goes for Autumn. Thank goodness Conner gave these two reason to come together again happily ever after once and for all.

4 out of 5 stars

GRADE: B

Have you read any of Rachel Gibson's books? 

If yes, what's your favorite? 

Library Loot LXV

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Claire from The Captive Reader and Marg from The Adventures of an Intrepid Reader that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write up your post-feel free to steal the button-and link it using the Mr. Linky any time during the week. And of course check out what other participants are getting from their libraries! 

It's library loot time, again. As always, I brought home more books than I can reasonably read over a couple of weeks, but oh well. I'm happy to have them on my shelf and hope to squeeze them all into my April reading list. Here's what I have out from my local libraries right now: 

My current library loot

Top 10 Iceland
A DK Eyewitness Travel Book
This is a colorful and informative guide to the 10 Best of Everything in Iceland. Yes, yes, I know.. you're thinking "Didn't you just get back from there? Shouldn't you have borrowed this book before your trip.. not two weeks after the fact?" Absolutely. BUT I just wanted to look at more pictures and read more about this lovely island country that I fell in love with. Now I can make a mental list of the places to go and things to do on my next trip there.

French Milk by Lucy Knisley 
Inspired by Beth F's review of Knisley's most recent book, Relish, for last weekend's Weekend Cooking post. I've never heard of this author before, but she sounded interesting. The library didn't have Relish but did have French Milk, so of course I grabbed it. 

Mirror Mask by Neil Gaiman & Dave McKean 
Found myself in one of the local libraries browsing their graphic novel shelves for the first time and had to bring this one home. It's a novella graphic novel based on the film MirrorMask of which I have no idea what it's about. I'll find out, though! 

The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami 
Reading this one for a Group Read-Along hosted by Ti who blogs at Book Chatter. Visit her blog HERE for more information. This will also count for one of my big books for orannia's Big Book Challenge 2013. I need to get cracking! ;) 

Mercy Thompson: Homecoming by Patricia Briggs
A graphic novel prequel story to her Mercy Thompson series, of which I'm a huge fan. I started reading this book as soon as I came home from the library and didn't stop until I finished it. I loved it. If you're a fan of the series, you'd probably like it, too. 

Tales From Outer Suburbia by Shaun Tan. 
It's Shaun Tan. That's enough of a reason, right? This, too, is a graphic novel. 

And that's about it! I've got bookmarks in four books right now.. reading bits and pieces from each one every day and not progressing nicely in any one of them. Time for me to focus and make some headway in the list of books I want to read this month! Wish me luck. :) 

What are you reading right now? 
Have you read any of my library books?

My Book Bingo Scorecard

Remember the super-duper cool Book Bingo Reading Challenge I joined in the beginning of the year? Would you believe it's time for the first quarter check-in already?! Well it is!

Below is my Book Bingo Scorecard so far. I used buttons in the spaces I've completed. Beneath the scorecard, I list the categories by column and the books I've read for those categories so far. Participants can browse my list of books that I've read for this challenge so far for ideas of what to read for the center FREE SQUARE on their board--which is technically not a free space. This space gets crossed off when you read a book that someone else has already read for this challenge. So listing our books is critical for every one's success here.

Books highlighted below in BLUE are completed squares.

Read From Your TBR Pile: [15] [see 1st column]
ONE book:
1. Surrender At Dawn by Laura Griffin

TWO books:
2. Promises in Death by J.D. Robb 
3. A Rogue By Any Other Name by Sarah MacLean

THREE books:
4.
5.
6.

FOUR books:
7.
8.
9.
10.

FIVE books:
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.

Read Books in a Series: [15] [see 2nd column]
ONE Book in a Series:
1.

TWO Books in a Series:
    The Works Series by Marie Harte 
1. Bodywork by Marie Harte 
2. Working Out by Marie Harte

THREE Books in a Series:
   The Princes Trilogy by Elizabeth Hoyt 
1. The Raven Prince by Elizabeth Hoyt
2. The Serpent Prince by Elizabeth Hoyt
3.

FOUR Books in a Series:
   Elemental Assassin Series by Jennifer Estep 
1. Spider's Revenge by Jennifer Estep
2. Thread of Death by Jennifer Estep [novella]
3. By A Thread by Jennifer Estep
4.

FIVE Books in a Series:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Read 2013 Releases: [12] [see 3rd column]
ONE book:
1. Sins & Needles by Karina Halle

TWO books:
2. Crystal Cove by Lisa Kleypas 
3. On Every Street by Karina Halle

THREE books:
4.
5.
6.

FOUR books:
7.
8.
9.
10.

FIVE books:
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.

FREE SQUARE: [middle square]
Read ONE book someone else has read for this challenge
1.

Read Books Everyone Else Has Read: [15] [see 4th column]
ONE book:
1. The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley

TWO books:
2.
3.

THREE books:
4.
5.
6.

FOUR books:
7.
8.
9.
10.

FIVE books:
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.

Re-Read books: [15] [see 5th column]
ONE book:
1. The Governess Affair by Courtney Milan

TWO books:
2.
3.

THREE books:
4.
5.
6.

FOUR books:
7.
8.
9.
10.

FIVE books:
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.


If you'd like to join Book Bingo, it's not too late! Sign up with Kristilyn & Anne HERE and start filling your board. Come on... you know you want to!