Eleni's reading for October 2018

A mixed bag this month. Lots of books seem to come through at the library at once for my series reads. Happy to have read 3 print TBR books this month.


Read: 20               (up 4)
Series: 12              (down 1)
TBR:   5                (down 4)
Audio: 3                (up 1)
AWW: 5               (down 1)
Graphic novels: 1  (no change)

Historical Romance

• The Viscount Who Loved Me (Bridgertons #2) by Julia Quinn | 5 stars | 2009

Anthologies

• Little Gems Short Story Anthology 2009: Turquoise by Romance Writers of Australia Inc. | 4.5 stars | 2009

Romantic Suspense / Crime

• Pros and Cons (Fox and O'Hare #0.5) by Janet Evanovich & Lee Goldberg (audio narrated by Scott Brick) | short story | 4 stars | 2013
• The Shell Game (Fox and O'Hare #0.25) by Janet Evanovich & Lee Goldberg (audio narrated by Scott Brick) | short story | 4 stars | 2014
• Full Scoop (Full #6) by Janet Evanovich & Charlotte Hughes (audio narrated by Lorelei King) | 4.25 stars | 2006

YA

• Drama by Raina Telgemeier | 4 stars | graphic novel | middle grade | 2012
• The Girl with the Red Balloon (The Balloonmakers #1) by Katherine Locke | 4.5 stars | YA | 2017
• The Transfer (Divergent #0.1) by Veronica Roth | 5 stars | short story | YA | 2013

Urban Fantasy / Paranormal Romance / Sci-Fi with Romantic Elements

• Birthright (Beacon #1) by Valerie Parv | 4.25 stars | 2012
• Soul Stealer (The Anomaly #3) by Anna Hackett | 5 stars | 2013
• The Given (Celestial Blues #3) by Vicki Pettersson | 4.5 stars | 2014

Fantasy

• The Uncrowned King (King Rolen's Kin) by Rowena Cory Daniells | 4.5 stars | 2010

Children's

• Marvin K. Mooney Will You Please Go Now! by Dr. Seuss | 5 stars | children's - picture book | 1971
• Matilda by Roald Dahl (audio narrated by Kate Winslett) | children's | 5 stars | 1988
• The Cat in the Hat Comes Back by Dr. Seuss | 5 stars | | children's - picture book | 1958
• The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill | 4.25 stars | children's | 2016
• Gregor and the Marks of Secret (Underland Chronicles #4) by Suzanne Collins (audio narrated by Paul Boehmer) | 4.75 stars | children's | 2008

Non-fiction

• No Plot? No Problem! Revised and Expanded Edition: A Low-stress, High-velocity Guide to Writing a Novel in 30 Days by Chris Baty | 4.5 stars | non-fiction | 2014

Other

• What Matters Most by Dianne Maguire | 4.5 stars | 2015
• Very Good, Jeeves (Jeeves #4) by P.G. Wodehouse (audio narrated by Jonathan Cecil) | 4.25 stars | 2008 <1930>

~Happy Reading~

2016: Discovering New-to-me Authors

There are always those books that stay with you for various reasons even long after you've read it. They tend to be the ones I mark with 5 stars. 

In 2016, I discovered some 'new-to-me' authors, who I plan on reading more from. 

Tessa Dare 

Dare's Spindle Cove series is a fun historical romance series. Spindle Cove is known as Spinster's Cove - a refuge for women who don't fit in society and are unusual. There's choas and hilarity as the world of the ladies and the new militia merge together.

• A Night to Surrender (#1)
• Once Upon a Winter's Eve (#1.5)
• A Week to Be Wicked #(#2)
• A Lady by Midnight (#3)

Susan Elia MacNeal
The Maggie Hope Mystery series follows Maggie Hope who is a secretary for Winston Churchill. I've only listened to the first one and enjoyed it immensely. Maggie is a spit fire in war torn London and I want to see what she does next for her country.

• Mr. Churchill's Secretary (Maggie Hope Mystery, #1)

Jeaniene Frost

I was on the fence about this one initially but the dry humour did win me over. Cat is a half vampire and she makes it her mission to rid the world of vampires. Vampire bounty hunter Bones enters her life and they form an unlikely partnership.

• Halfway to the Grave (Night Huntress, #1)
• Reckoning (Night Huntress, #0.5)

Carrie Vaughn
I met Carrie Vaughn at WorldCon in 2010. It's taken me this long to get to the book I got her to sign! And it really is a great book. Kitty has spunk but also it's interesting to see the pack dynamics from such a low member of it. Great premise of having a DJ coming out on a radio show that she's a werewolf and a talk show is about this and other paranormal things. Most think it's a publicity stunt but those who know the truth have now got a place to get advice.

• Kitty and the Midnight Hour (Kitty Norville #1)

Veronica Roth
I've seen the first two movies and thought I'd like to see where they came from. A teen who's gutsy but is also scared witless with life. The way she deals with things is a combination of her upbringing and her wanting to break free from this upbringing. At heart she is a good person who must hide what she is if she's to survive.

• Divergent (Divergent, #1)

Aaron Blabey

I discovered The Bad Guys series via an 8 year old. This is a fabulous children's book series about a group of misunderstood 'bad guys' - a wolf, shark, piranha, snake. Seriously hilarious. Text and images work hand in hand to tickle the funny bone.

• The Bad Guys: Episode 1
• The Bad Guys: Episode 2 Mission Unpluckable
• The Bad Guys: Episode 3: The Furball Strikes Again

I love discovering new authors but my To Read pile is groaning at the addition of more titles. :)


Happy Reading!