*Stacking the Shelves* 31 March 2018

(Titles link to Amazon via Amazon Affiliate links)

Stacking The Shelves is a feature/weekly meme created by Tynga’s Reviews in which you share the books you are adding to your shelves, both physical and virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical stores or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

Now, I already have a monthly post I do featuring the books I get in the mail (and it's a lot because I have a serious Goodreads First Reads giveaway addiction), and I'm posting my monthly Read-A-Thon posts again too, which covers the books I receive through Netgalley. And since I am currently technically a displaced person (all my things are packed up on a boat and I don't have a home to call my own at the moment), I'm not currently buying any physical books. So my STS post will feature all the books I've been one-clicking on Amazon. 

On that note, here are the books I picked up this week. *All Goodreads ebook wins unless otherwise specified.*

Satyr's Son by Lucinda Brant
Lord I Surrender by Dr. Esther Ula Cofer
Hell's Princess by Harold Schechter - This was my Kindle First selection for March. 
The Waking Land by Callie Bates - Snagged this on sale for $1.99 (still on sale). This book originally snagged my attention because my Facebook wife suggested I write a fake review on my other blog, Whose Review Is It Anyway, for it. And I just love the cover. 
Croaked by T.E. Antonino
He's Gone Now What? by Gregg Michaelsen
Lifeline by Abbey Nash
Betrayal of Blood by Franca Ogbonnaya
Choosing the Strong Path by Fred Bartlit, Steven Droullard, and Marni Boppart ScD
Times Square by Rich Walls
The Fifth Doll by Charlie N. Holmberg - I snagged this audiobook for $2.95 as an Audible Daily Deal. I have a thing for matryoshka dolls, so the cover called to. 
The Chemist by Stephenie Meyer - I snagged this on sale for $3.99 (no longer on sale). I've heard good things about this book. 
The Black Witch by Laurie Forest - I snagged this on sale for $1.99 (no longer on sale). The title really appealed to me and I'm a fan of fantasy novels in general. 
The Hills Report by Shawn Sprague 
Molar Pregnancy: 70+ Questions Answered by Lydia Kariuki
Breadcrumbs by Francis J. Shaw
Home Life Around the World by Anita Martinez Baijer
Can Job by Kirsten Mortensen
The Roving Mind by Anthony Simola
The Moon Shines Red by Pamela Sparkman
My Dear Hamilton by Stephanie Dray
Wait With Me by Amy Daws - So hype really works on me, and this book has gotten TONS of it. Brief backstory, the author wrote the entire book in a tire store and that story kind of blew up on social media. 
The Rival Queens: Catherine de' Medici, Her Daughter Marguerite de Valois, and the Betrayal that Ignited a Kingdom by Nancy Goldstone - I snagged this on sale for $2.99 (no longer on sale). I really enjoy reading about kings and queens in history. 
The Nightingale Murder by Leena Lehtolainen
Gunning for Angels by C. Mack Lewis
The Immigrant Wife by Madhu Bazaz Wangu
To Wed in Scandal by Liana Lefey - I snagged this for just 99 cents because I was eligible for a $3 promotion from Amazon for the purchase of a book from a limited selection. 
Casimir Bridge by Darren Beyer
Devil's Run by AR Simmons
Get Glad: Your Practical Guide to a Happier Life by Harry Hoover 
The Last Plane by Robert Hirzer
Through Fisher's Eyes by Paul Nelson
The Assembly of Thirteen: The First Two Companions by Omayra Velez
Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson - I snagged this audiobook for just $2.95 as an Audible Daily Deal. My son has started getting interested in listening to audiobooks, so I'm trying to expand the suitable selections in my audio library to accommodate that. 
For a Pint of Mother's Milk by Avishek Sahu
Shanghai Fools by Vann Chow
Memorizing Pharmacology by Tony Guerra
Zeus is Dead by Michael G. Munz
The Interpretation of the Second Seal by Clive Richards
Run Away by Adnan Arduman
Be Careful What You Joust For by Ryan Hauge and Ivy Smoak

So that's all the new books I added to my Kindle this past week (or you know, just my Amazon library because my Kindles would be getting mighty full if every book went straight to one. What new books have you added to your shelves this past week. - Katie 

*If you're stopping by from the linkup, please be sure to leave a link to your post below so I can stop by and see all your new pretties.*

*Book Blogger Hop* 30 March 2018

We are on to a new week for the Book Blogger Hop hosted by the lovely folks over at Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer. This weeks questions is:

How many book clubs do you belong to? If you do belong to an in-person book club, do you have meetings in the day or evening? Do you meet at someone's house or meet at a local restaurant or coffee house?  (submitted by Elizabeth @ Silver's Reviews)

At the time of answering this question (which is near the end of January) zero because we just moved back stateside from Germany and I'm a temporarily displaced person until we close on a house in our new location. There is no point joining a bookclub in my parents hometown for about a month.

In the past I've been part of bookclubs that met in the evenings at restaurants most of the time, but occasionally at people's houses (I've hosted a couple of the meetings at my house).

I'm hoping that by the time this is the question I will be part of a proper bookclub again.

*Edit: I'm still not a member of a proper bookclub now that we're at the end of March. I'm about ready to post on the Nextdoor app to see if there are any in my town, or find out if there is interest in starting one.*

What about you? - Katie

*If you're stopping by from the linkup, please be sure to drop a link to your answer below so I can stop by and see what you had to say.*

*Top Ten Tuesday* Books that Take Place in Another Country

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. Joood - Hooligan of Platypire reviews bossed me into doing this, so I guess this is a thing I do now. 

This weeks theme is books that take place in another country. This topic would have been so much easier for me if it had come up in 2017, when I was living in Germany (except maybe that would have made it harder because it would have opened up ALL the books set in the US which do make up the bulk of my reading material). But now I'm back in the states, so I'll have to focus on books set elsewhere. So here we go.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams - Sure, most of this book takes place in space and on other worlds, but it starts in England (and if the other worlds don't count as another country that's hardly fair too.)

I Know I Am, But What Are You by Samantha Bee - This memoir mostly takes place in Canada, because Samantha Bee is Canadian. It totally counts.

Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty - Set in Australia, although the vibe could probably totally be California or Florida.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor - Mostly set in Prague, Czech Republic, although there are some scenes in other countries (one of which is the US I think), but the bulk of the story does take place outside of the US.

Artemis by Andy Weir - Alright, so this one takes place on the moon, but the moon city is under the control of an African nation (Kenya I think, but I don't remember now) which basically makes it part of Africa if you ask me.

It Takes Death to Reach a Star by Stu Jones and Gareth Worthington - This dystopian novel mostly takes place in Siberia, with a bit of time spent in outer space. It was a proofread and is currently available for pre-order, but I highly recommend it.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak - Set in Germany during WWII (couldn't have used this one while living in Germany.)

Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor - This book is set in Nigeria, and has a bit of a Harry Potter feeling to the story.

Honorable Mentions

A House for Happy Mothers by Amulya Malladi - This book only half counts because it's only half set in India and the other half is in California.

Cooking for Picasso by Camille Aubray - While I feel like the bulk of this story takes place in France, New York plays a significant part in setting as well, so I'm not fully counting it.

A Very Mer-Merry Holiday by Ginna Moran - This book is mostly set in Australia, but I've included it in the honorable mentions section because I already had Australia in my main list (and I was really trying to not have duplicate countries.)

Now I'm not going to sit here and tell you those are my actual Top Ten Books set in other countries, because that would probably be a lie, but trying to sift through all the books I've read and then rank the ones set in other countries to come up with a legitimate top ten is not on my list of fun activities to do, so instead, I've given you my ten (eleven) most recent reads set in countries that are not the US.

So what about you? What are some of your favorite books set in other countries? - Katie

*If you're stopping by from the linkup, please be sure to drop a link to your post below so I can see your recommendations.*

*Stacking the Shelves* 24 March 2017

(Titles link to Amazon via Amazon Affiliate links)

Stacking The Shelves is a feature/weekly meme created by Tynga’s Reviews in which you share the books you are adding to your shelves, both physical and virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical stores or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

Now, I already have a monthly post I do featuring the books I get in the mail (and it's a lot because I have a serious Goodreads First Reads giveaway addiction), and I'm posting my monthly Read-A-Thon posts again too, which covers the books I receive through Netgalley. And since I am currently technically a displaced person (all my things are packed up on a boat and I don't have a home to call my own at the moment), I'm not currently buying any physical books. So my STS post will feature all the books I've been one-clicking on Amazon. 

On that note, here are the books I picked up this week. (All Goodreads ebook wins unless otherwise specified.)

Living with an Addict: Understanding the Hell of Addiction - Alcohol and Drug Abuse by Biella Blom
Dante's Garden: Magic and Mystery in Bomarzo by Teresa Cutler-Broyles
Spurious Transmissions: Six Diverse Tales of Short Speculative Fiction by Mitchell Christian
Manic Kingdom: A True Story of Breakdown and Breakthrough by Erin Stair
Matriarch: Queen Mary and the House of Windsor by Anne Edwards - I snagged this audiobook as an Audible daily deal for just $5.95, and I'm pretty interested to listen to it. 
Lulu's Cafe by T.I. Lowe - I snagged this as a freebie (no longer free). I'm guessing it was shared by one of the lovely ladies at Celebrity Readers, although I'm not entirely sure. 
The Naked Truth About Self-Publishing by Jana DeLeon - I snagged this as a freebie (maybe still free). Not sure how I heard about it, but it was free and apparently that's all it takes for me to one-click. 
Sleepless by Tracey Ward - I snagged this as a freebie (no longer free). This one I'm about 97.4% sure was recommended by Lenoreo at Celebrity Readers. I totes love the cover too. 
Kymiera: Purity by Steve Turnbull - I snagged this as a freebie (maybe still free). Not sure how I heard about it, but it's a book I one-clicked. 
Holes in the Ground by J.A. Konrath and Iain Rob Wright - I snagged this as a freebie (no longer free), where I saw it escapes me at the moment. 
The Federalist Papers by assorted Founding Fathers - I snagged this for $1.99 (still that price) because it seems like a book that would be relevant to read at this point in time with the current political climate in America. Knowledge is power, right.
The Locksmith by Jo Ullah - I got a free copy of this book because I nominated it on Kindle Scout and it was selected for publication. 
Love and Other Phobias by Emma Nichols - I got this book for free by nominating it on Kindle Scout, it too was selected for publication. 
Tomb of Aradia by Antony Davies - I got a free copy of this book for nominating it on Kindle Scout and it being selected for publication. 
Ghostly Paws by Leighann Dobbs - I snagged this as a freebie (no longer free). I'm guessing I saw it shared on someone's STS post last weekend, maybe. 
Barking Bad!: Woofin' Wurst by Kathy Branden
The Roads to Damascus by Lynda McDaniel
Never Complete: Becoming Who We Were Meant to Be by David Schaub
The Confessions of Socrates by R.L. Prendergast
The Etymology of Fire by Keith D. Jones
Before the Ripcord Broke by Charlie Close
A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo by Jill Twiss and John Oliver - I snagged this audiobook because it's narrated by an all-star cast and is only $1.39. I found out about this book when I saw it on a segment of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver. It seems like an amazing book and all of the proceeds are going to charity. 
The Pillow Parade by Edward Dron - I snagged this as a freebie (no longer free). Not sure how I heard about it though. 
My Paris Kitchen: Recipes and Stories by David Leibovitz - I snagged this book on sale for $3.99 (no longer on sale and way more expensive than I would have thought, so I think I got a good deal) because I'm interested in getting more recent recipes for French food than Julia Child wrote. 
The Purpose of Socks by Naomi Griffin
Age of Azmoq: The Valantian Imperium by Rajamayyoor Sharma
The Women in the Castle by Jessica Shattuck - I snagged this audiobook for $3.95 when it was the Audible daily deal because while I've been reading my physical copy that I won through Goodreads ages ago, it's been taking a while because I don't have much time for fun reading. I have loads of time for listening while doing things like washing dishes and folding laundry though. 
Double Knot by Gretchen Archer - I snagged this book on sale for 99 cents (no longer on sale) because I've read the second book in this series and found it amusing. Sure, this is like book six, but it's not like I started out by reading them in order in the first place. 
City of Cats by Max Diksztejn
Guarding Her Heart by Jade Webb
The Atomic City Girls by Janet Beard - I snagged this on sale for $2.99 (no longer on sale) because I've been on a bit of a reading kick regarding the roles women played in America during WWII lately. This just seemed like the next step after finishing listening to Code Girls. 
Checking Out by Nick Spalding
Bridge of Souls by K.R.M. Morgan
Stingray: You Can't Hide Forever by Gary Zeiger
Quint: The Boy, the Book, and the Buildings by JD LaFrance
The Savage Earth by P.T. Hylton
A Three-Year Minute by Joseph Legaspi
The Halleluiah Baby by Kathleen Martin
Of Half a Mind by Bruce M. Perrin
Kyle in the Corner by Jason Srebnick

And that's all the books that I picked up or won this past week. It's a much more substantial haul than last week, although it does include more actual purchases (or freebie one-clicks at least) as well, which helps. 

What books have you added to your shelves this past week? - Katie 

*If you're stopping by from the linkup, please be sure to drop a link to your post below so I can stop by to see all your new pretties.*

*Book Blogger Hop* 23 March 2018

We are on to a new week for the Book Blogger Hop hosted by the lovely folks over at Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer. This weeks questions is:

When meeting with friends, do your discussions usually turn to books? (submitted by Maria @ A Night's Dream of Books)

No actually, which is incredibly weird since for the past three years when I was meeting with friends, it was my bookclub, for our monthly meetings, but we almost never talked about the books. It ended up just being like a three hour gab fest with delicious food, but since I mostly needed a reason to get out of the house without the kids in the first place, it was still perfect for me, even if I did wish we'd talk a little bit about each of the books.

Do your discussions with friends usually turn to books? - Katie

*If you're stopping by from the linkup, please be sure to drop a link to your post below so that I can stop by and see your answer too.* 

*Top Ten Tuesday* Books on my Spring TBR

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. Joood - Hooligan of Platypire reviews bossed me into doing this, so I guess this is a thing I do now. 

This weeks theme is books on my spring TBR. Y'all remember that I'm absolutely horrible at sticking to a TBR right? And you know that my ongoing Platypire Read-A-Thon list that I post each month is already out of control, yes? On top of that, I'm still trying to get my house unpacked (I'm slow, okay!)  But the process of unpacking is reminding me of books that I was so excited about winning at the time that I have yet to read, so I think that's what I'm going to try to focus on this spring. With that in mind, here we go.

After Alice by Gregory Maguire - Guys, I squealed when I got the notification that I'd won this book through Goodreads, and I squealed even more when the book arrived. I made a point of keeping the book handy for reading so it wouldn't get lost in my masses of books, and I NEVER got around to reading it. I even took it on vacation with me in 2016 and didn't read it then, but this spring, I'm finally going to get to it, maybe.

The Fifth Petal by Brunonia Barry - So first of all, this book has an amazingly beautiful cover, although after reading the synopsis, it's a bit deceptive. Apparently it's a thriller/suspense novel, and I'm not super into those in general, but the cover keeps calling to me, so I'm going to have to give this book a shot anyway. We shall see how I like it.

You Don't Look Your Age...And Other Fairytales by Sheila Nevins - So I'm a huge fan of fairytales in general, although I realize this is more of a self-help type book than anything. But as I'm nearing my mid-thirties (I know, I know, I don't look a day over 21), I imagine I'll be able to relate to some of what Ms. Nevins writes about, or at least be able to view it as a cautionary tale so I can stop the aging process before I get too far along.

The Book of Summer by Michelle Gable - I had huge intentions to read this book last year in preparation of summer. The cover on my copy is way better than the current cover on Amazon (in my opinion) even. It makes me think this is going to be a fun book to read, and for some reason, I just keep putting off that fun. Shame on me.

The People We Hate at the Wedding by Grant Ginder - With a title like that, how could I NOT want to read this book? With any luck, this book will make me glad that I wasn't able to attend either of my siblings' weddings because we were living in Germany at the time.

Dear Reader by Mary O'Connell - I have to read this book. It was written for me. It says so, right there in the title. Even though I have no idea who Mary O'Connell is, she clearly wrote this book with me in mind. It would be rude not to read it, right?

The One That Got Away by Melissa Pimentel - This book is published on the good paper, and it has a cover that makes me think of cheesy Christmas movies (there's no snow or anything that would indicate it's set during Christmas, so I don't know why it makes me think of cheesy Christmas movies). I'm pretty sure I'm going to regret not reading it sooner.

My Fairy Godmother is a Drag Queen by David Clawson - Do I even need to explain why I want to read this book?

Dividing Eden by Joelle Charbonneau - The cover is this book is exquisite and has always made me think of Frozen, except it's pretty clear that this kingdom is in much more danger than Arendelle. I just need more hours in the day, okay.

Christmas in London by Anita Hughes - I know that spring is a weird time to be wanting to read Christmas books, but my Christmas this past year was not very festive, what with moving during the holiday season. So I just kind of need a little wintery pick-me-up.

So what about you? What books are on your Spring TBR? - Katie

*If you're stopping by from the linkup, please be sure to drop a link to your post below so I can stop by and see what you plan on reading.*

*Stacking the Shelves* 17 March 2018

(Titles link to Amazon via Amazon Affiliate links)

Stacking The Shelves is a feature/weekly meme created by Tynga’s Reviews in which you share the books you are adding to your shelves, both physical and virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical stores or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

Now, I already have a monthly post I do featuring the books I get in the mail (and it's a lot because I have a serious Goodreads First Reads giveaway addiction), and I'm posting my monthly Read-A-Thon posts again too, which covers the books I receive through Netgalley. And since I am currently technically a displaced person (all my things are packed up on a boat and I don't have a home to call my own at the moment), I'm not currently buying any physical books. So my STS post will feature all the books I've been one-clicking on Amazon. 

On that note, here are the books I picked up this week. *All Goodreads ebook wins unless otherwise specified.*

Understand and Disempower the Bully: You are Good as You Are by Biljana Ognenova
The Richest Girl in England: Katherine Manners, Duchess of Buckingham by Lita-Rose Betcherman
False Flag by F.W. Rustmann
In the Presence of Knowing by Valarie Savage Kinney - I snagged this book for free (no longer free) so that when I finally find the time to finish reading this book, it will count as a verified review on Amazon. I previously did a live Facebook reading of the first chapter of this book and really enjoyed it. 
The Male's Purpose: How to be the Man that God Wants You to Be by Tony Nzaka (I'm so not the target audience for this book.)
I Know Coffee: Harvesting, Blending, Roasting, Brewing, Grinding & Tasting Coffee by Jessica Simms (Not really the target audience for this one either!)
Mother of Chaos by John Patrick Kennedy - I snagged this book on sale (maybe) for $1.99 (still $1.99). It's the third book in a series that I have the first two books of, so I kind of needed it, right?
The Imam of Time: A Novel of Then and Now by F.W. Burleigh
Christian Controversies: Seeking the Truth by Scott Haraburda
Fortune in Blood: A Los Angeles Crime Heist Mystery Thriller Novel by Phil Philips (currently free)
Mercy Dogs by Tyler Dilts
Racino: Book 3 in the Michael Butler Saga by Peter P. Sellers
The Cave Maze: Wizard Warrior Quest by C.A.A. Allen
Fearless by Nicole Coverdale
Quiver (Angels and Demons Series Book 2) by Beth Green
Panteria Chronicles: Carnage by L.B. Sisk

So that's all the books I won or one-clicked this past week. Kind of a small haul, especially considering the fact that it includes the 15th which at least used to be a big win day on Goodreads. It would seem that the novelty of being able to offer ebook prizes for giveaways is starting to wear off and fewer authors are forking over the dough to do even that. 

What new books have you added to your shelves this week? - Katie 

*If you're stopping by from the linkup, please be sure to drop a link to your post below so I can check out all your new pretties.*

*Deja Revu* 11 March 2018

Déjà Revu is a weekly review round-up that is open to all book review blogs.

Meme

• TTT: Books I Could Re-Read Forever - Katie @Just Another Girl and Her Books
• Stacking the Shelves: 3 March 2018 - Katie @Just Another Girl and Her Books
• Book Blogger Hop: 2 March 2018 - Katie @Just Another Girl and Her Books
• Stacking the Shelves -- March 3rd, 2018 - Lenoreo @Celebrity Readers
• TTT: Favorite Book Quotes - Katie @Just Another Girl and Her Books
• State of the ARC: February 2018 - Katie @Just Another Girl and Her Books
• Platypire Read-A-Thon: January/February Results - Katie @Just Another Girl and Her Books
• Platypire Read-A-Thon: March 2018 - Katie @Just Another Girl and Her Books
• Book Blogger Hop: 9 March 2018 - Katie @Just Another Girl and Her Books
• Stacking the Shelves: 10 March 2018 - Katie @Just Another Girl and Her Books
• Stacking the Shelves -- March 10th, 2018 - Lenoreo & Curly Carla @Celebrity Readers

 

Romance

• Memphis by Ginger Scott - Lenoreo @Celebrity Readers
• Behind the Bars by Brittainy C. Cherry - Lenoreo @Celebrity Readers
• The Score by Elle Kennedy - Lenoreo @Celebrity Readers
• Punk 57 by Penelope Douglas - Lenoreo @Celebrity Readers
• The Goal by Elle Kennedy - Lenoreo @Celebrity Readers

Suspense/Thriller

• Consequence by Rachel Higginson - Lenoreo @Celebrity Readers

 

Paranormal

• Daring Fate by Megan Erickson - Lenoreo @Celebrity Readers
• Chasing Destiny by Megan Erickson - Lenoreo @Celebrity Readers

Romance

• Fighting Irish by Katy Regnery - Lenoreo @Celebrity Readers
• Changing His Game by Megan Erickson - Lenoreo @Celebrity Readers
• Playing For Her Heart by Megan Erickson - Lenoreo @Celebrity Readers
• Tied to Trouble by Megan Erickson - Lenoreo @Celebrity Readers

Suspense/Thriller

• Boots by Megan Erickson - Lenoreo @Celebrity Readers

 

*Book Blogger Hop* 16 March 2018

We are on to a new week for the Book Blogger Hop hosted by the lovely folks over at Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer. This weeks questions is:

Who is your favorite children's books author and why? (submitted by Kitty @ Vicarious Bookworm)

It's a tie between Roald Dahl and Shel Silverstein. Matilda was my absolute most favorite book when I was a kid (I read my copy of it literally to pieces), so Roald Dahl had to make my list. But I also super adore Shel Silverstein's funny poetry and hope that I can use it to inspire a love of poetry in my children (once I find my copies of his books**, or buy new ones if mine have legitimately disappeared).

Who is your favorite children's book author? - Katie

*If you're stopping by from the linkup, please be sure to drop a link to your post below so I can stop by and see your answer too.*

**The books have been found. Turns out they were in a box in my closet for four years. Thank goodness for moving.

*Top Ten Tuesday* Books that Surprised Me

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. Joood - Hooligan of Platypire reviews bossed me into doing this, so I guess this is a thing I do now. 

This weeks theme is books that surprised me. This is not an easy topic for me because I don't want to slag on books, and I tend to go into books expecting the best. Not that I think every book is going to be a five star read, but pretty much every book does start out that way in my mind. So I'm going to go back to around the time I first started this blog to highlight a few of the indie books that redeemed my faith in indie's (after a very horrible indie experience years before).

Bully by Penelope Douglas - This one was an easy choice for me because it is responsible for me giving self-published books a second chance. You see, Penelope is my cousin through marriage, so way back when Bully was a self-published title and temporarily free on Amazon, I downloaded it as this huge favor to her (I was an ass) and even deigned to read it (seriously, so full of myself). I am so glad I read it though, because it restored my faith in self-published books, and ultimately led to me starting a book blog in the first place. Without this book, I wouldn't be here.

Save My Soul by K.S. Haigwood - This was one of the first book review requests I received after starting this blog and it made me a K.S. Haigwood fan. I haven't been doing a very good job of keeping up with her most recent releases, but I have at least read all the books in this particular series so far.

Minutes Before Sunset by Shannon A Thompson - Not only is this author a child (not really, she's reached the age of majority, but she is several years younger than me and I barely consider myself an adult most days), but she also went to KU, which is a major strike against her in my book (again not really because of the two major Kansas universities, KU has the better English program, but I'm being petty here!). So imagine my surprise when I finished this book and wanted to be this author when I grow up.

Separation Anxiety by Lisa Suzanne - I've never been big on the whole book boyfriend thing. Like a male character may appeal to me while I'm reading the book he's in, but I have no problem ditching him for the next guy when the book is over. I just never really feel too attached to them. They're basically one-night stands in book form. Except Jesse Drake. I still want a Jesse Drake of my own and I read this book over four years ago.

Intractable Souls by Tricia Daniels - I felt like this book took me forever to read (four months at a time when I was actually doing a somewhat decent job of sticking to my TBR list) because it felt so real, and it got rather deep.

And I'm going to wrap this post up here at five (it's the new ten after all, I declared that last week, I think). If I kept searching my Goodreads read shelf, I could probably fill it out, but I'm having some eye issues again and need to stop staring at this screen and save my eye for proofreading later today.

What are some books that really surprised you when you read them? - Katie

*If you're stopping by from the linkup, please be sure to drop a link to your post below so I can be sure to check out your list too.*

*Stacking the Shelves* 10 March 2018

(Titles link to Amazon via Amazon Affiliate links)

Stacking The Shelves is a feature/weekly meme created by Tynga’s Reviews in which you share the books you are adding to your shelves, both physical and virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical stores or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

Now, I already have a monthly post I do featuring the books I get in the mail (and it's a lot because I have a serious Goodreads First Reads giveaway addiction), and I'm posting my monthly Read-A-Thon posts again too, which covers the books I receive through Netgalley. And since I am currently technically a displaced person (all my things are packed up on a boat and I don't have a home to call my own at the moment), I'm not currently buying any physical books. So my STS post will feature all the books I've been one-clicking on Amazon. 

On that note, here are the books I picked up this week. (All Goodreads ebook wins unless otherwise noted.)

Jackson and Franklin by Shawn Sprague
Resilient Health: How to Thrive in Our Toxic World by Valencia Porter MD MPH
Kat and Maus by Brad Chisholm and Claire Kim
Perdido Street Station by China Mieville - I snagged this book on sale for $1.99 (maybe still on sale) because my brother highly recommends it. 
Fallen Heir by Erin Watt - I got this beauty on sale for 99 cents (maybe still on sale) because I already own most of the other books in the series...I haven't read them yet, but I own them. 
Marathon Renegade by Dr. Kirk Mahoney
Dagobert Goes to the Dentist by Jean-Paul Colemonts
Beauty and the Vampire by Zoey Hunter
Falco the Dark Angel by Randall Moore
Modern Day Fables by Jason Petersen and Aarti Patel 
Boys South of the Mason Dixon by Abbi Glines - Snagged this book for free (maybe still free) after seeing a sponsored post for it on Facebook. 
Prodigal Girl by Emma Wright
Veronica and the Volcano by Geoffrey Cook
Softlife by James R. Hardin
Never Surrender: How to Overcome Life's Greatest Challenges by Joseph B. George
Crystal Secrets by James Funfer
Verbs that Move Mountains edited by Claire Trevien
Code Girls: The Untold Story of the American Women Code Breakers of WWII by Liza Mundy - I got this audiobook as the Audible Daily Deal for just $4.95. After recently finishing listening to Hidden Figures about the African American women who helped us win the space race (whose jobs mostly started with work on airplanes during WWII), I'm interested to learn about these women who I previously didn't know existed as well. 
Return of the First by M.A. Maggiano 
The Caretaker's Legacy by Michael Villa
There is a Generation II: Kids of the Greatest Generation by WH Buzzard

So that's all the books that I bought or won this past week. Next week's post will probably be a bit longer as it includes the middle of the month when there are usually more giveaways ending. 

What new books did you add to your shelves this week? - Katie 

*If you're stopping by from the linkup, please be sure to drop a link to your post below so I can stop by and see all your new pretties.*

*Book Blogger Hop* 9 March 2018

We are on to a new week for the Book Blogger Hop hosted by the lovely folks over at Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer. This weeks questions is:

Do you enjoy reading retellings of, or 'sequels' to, classic novels? Why or why not? (submitted by Maria @ A Night's Dream of Books)

So much yes. It's like getting to dive back into a familiar story without reading the exact same thing, and I'm not big on rereading. Also, when I really love a story, I always want more even if the author didn't really want to give us more (or wasn't able because they died and haven't figured out how to write for us in the afterlife). Retellings of fairy tales and other stories from my childhood (like Alice in Wonderland) are my serious weak spot.

Do you like reading retellings of classic stories? - Katie

*If you're stopping by from the linkup, please be sure to include a link to your post below so I can stop by and see your answer.* 

*Platypire Read-A-Thon* March 2018

Photo courtesy of Platypire Maribel

March is here (and has been for over a week, boy am I behind) which means it's time for me to update my Platypire Read-A-Thon list. I've been rather out of sorts lately with moving which has left me even less organized than normal (I didn't realize that was possible to be perfectly honest, but apparently it was). So now I find myself desperately trying to play catch-up on pretty much everything blog related (and swearing that I'm never going to get behind again. HA!)

But without any further ado, here is my updated list (that I'm really hoping to make some sort of dent in before the month is over, but I'm not going to hold my breath). 

R - Read

C - Currently Reading

T - To Be Read
NR - Needs Reviewed

Read

Reviewed
*Titles link to reviews*

Needs Reviewed

NR - Mary Ting Proofread (Not yet listed on Goodreads)
NR - Alexandrea Weis Proofread (Not yet listed on Goodreads)
NR - Bicycle Thieves by Mary di Michele (March)
NR - Alexandrea Weis Proofread (Not yet listed on Goodreads)
NR - Mary Ting Proofread (Not yet listed on Goodreads)
NR - Damned by Alexandrea Weis and Lucas Astor (July)
NR - ISAN by Mary Ting (2016)
ISAN by Mary Ting (October) (This was a re-read, but it should still count for my numbers)
NR - The Witches: Salem 1692 by Stacy Schiff (July)*
NR - Cooking for Picasso by Camille Aubray (July)*
NR - Son by Lois Lowry (May)*
NR - The Library of Fates by Aditi Khorana (June)
NR - Impossible Views of the World by Lucy Ives (July)
NR - It Takes Death to Reach a Star by Stu Jones and Gareth Worthington (Oct.)
NR - Crown of Draga by Emma Dean (September)
NR - A Very Mer-Merry Christmas by Ginna Moran (October)
NR - Jinxed by Thommy Hutson (September)
NR - Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan (October)
NR - The Witchwood Crown by Tad Williams (June)*
NR - Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor (2016)*
NR - Love's Embrace by Mary Reason Theriot (October)
NR - Back Blast by Mark Greaney (2016)*
NR - Charlie Foxtrot by Jillian Ashe (December)
NR - Precious Bones by Irina Shapiro (December)
NR - I Know I Am, but What Are You? by Samantha Bee (December)
NR - Between This One and the Next by Ginna Moran (December)
NR - Jacob T. Marley by R. William Bennett (December)
NR - Give Me Your Answer True by Suanne Laqueur (2015)*
NR - The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams (December)
NR - The Souls of Black Folk by W.E.B. Dubois (December)
NR - You Can't Hide by Dan Poblocki (December)
NR - Jasmine of Draga by Emma Dean (November) 
NR - Seventh Decimate by Stephen R. Donaldson (Oct.)
NR - Devoted by Ginna Moran (January '18) 
NR - Bound by Alexandrea Weis and Lucas Astor (February '18)
NR - Ginna Moran Proofread (February '18) (Not yet listed on Goodreads)
NR - Ginna Moran Proofread (February '18) (Not yet listed on Goodreads)
NR - Jonas Saul Proofread (February '18) (Not yet listed on Goodreads)
NR - Punk 57 by Penelope Douglas (January '18)
NR - The Princess Diarist by Carrie Fisher (January '18)
NR - This is Just My Face: Try Not to Stare by Gabourey Sidibe (February '18)
NR - Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt (February '18)
NR - Carry On by Rainbow Rowell (February '18)
NR - Maybe in Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid (February '18)
NR - Crosstalk by Connie Willis (February '18)

Currently Reading

C - The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd (2015)*

C - The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin (2016)*

C - Sweetwater: The Kihn by Rivi Jacks (2015)*

C - The Voyage by Tammie Painter (2015)*

C - Black Earth: The Holocaust as History and Warning by Timothy Snyder (2015)*

C - The Road Home by Kathleen Shoop (2015)*

C - Troll by Ashley C. Harris (2015)*

C - The Sanctum of Souls by R.K. Pavia (2015)*

C - The Travelers by Chris Pavone (2015)*

C - Back of Beyond by Neeny Boucher (2016)*

C - The Things We Wish Were True by Marybeth Mayhew Whalen (2016)*

C - Letter's From Paris by Juliette Blackwell (2016)*

C - An Exaltation of Larks by Suanne Laqueur (2016)*

C - River of Ink by Paul M.M. Cooper (Jan)*

C - The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco (Jan)*

C - My Sister's Grave by Robert Dugoni (Feb)*
C - Everything Belongs to Us by Yoojin Grace Wuertz (Feb)*
C - Eleanor Roosevelt: The War Years by Blanche Wiesen Cook (Feb)*
C - What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty (April)*
C - The Women in the Castle by Jessica Shattuck (May)*
C - Handbook for Mortals by Lani Sarem (Sept.)
C - Beauty and the Mustache by Penny Reid (Sept.)
C - The Salt Line by Holly Goddard Jones (September)
C - The Christmas Tree Guy by Rainy Stone (November)
C - The Gift by Cecelia Ahern (December)
C - Spellbook of the Lost and Found by Moira Fowley-Doyle (August)
C - Every Dog Has His Day by Jen McKinlay (November)
C - The Red Umbrella by Christina Gonzalez (January '18)
C - Jillian Ashe Proofread (February '18)
C - Yes Please by Amy Poehler (March '18)
C - Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi (January '18)

To Be Read

T - The Devil's Prayer by Luke Gracias (Feb)

T - Courage to Soar by Simone Biles (March)
T - In Such Good Company by Carol Burnett (March)
T - The Idea of You by Amanda Prowse (April) 
T - The Radium Girls by Kate Moore (April)
T - Betwixters: Once Upon a Time by Laura C. Cantu (June)
T - Emma in the Night by Wendy Walker (July)

T - Everything We Left Behind by Kerry Lonsdale (July)
T - Zoonauts by Richard Mueller (July)
T - Cooking for Ghosts: The Secret Spice Cafe by Patricia V. Davis (July)
T - The Scary Train Ride by Marlene Bischoff (July)
T - Skyward Bound: Hot-Air Ballooning by Alese & Morton Pechter (July)
T - Roxie the Doxie Finds Her Forever Home by Jody A. Dean, Ph.D. (July)
T - Gerome Sticks His Neck Out by L.S.V. Baker (July)
T - The Adventure of Thomas the Turtle by Stuart Samuel (GR) (July)
T - The Fable of the Snake Named Slim by Doug Snelson (August)
T - How to Behave in a Crowd by Camille Bordas (August)
T - Ramses the Damned by Anne Rice & Christopher Rice (August)
T - Nyxia by Scott Reintgen (August)
T - Beasts Made of Night by Tochi Onyebuchi (August)
T - A Thousand Rooms by Helen Jones (August)
T - The Border by Steve Schafer (August)
T - Berserker by Emily Laybourne (August)
T - Nemesis by Anna Banks (August)
T - The Vengeance of Mothers by Jim Fergus (August)
T - Sneak Peek: The Returning Tide by Liz Fenwick (September)
T - Sneak Peek: Little Sister by Isabel Ashdown (September)
T - Lords of the Underworld Sampler by Gena Showalter (September)
T - The Screaming Staircase by Jonathan Stroud (September)
T - Sneak Peek: Nadiyah's British Food Adventure by Nadiyah Hussain (September)
T - How to Find Love in a Bookshop by Veronica Henry (September) 
T - A Conspiracy in Belgravia by Sherry Thomas (September)
T - Sneak Peek: The War I Finally Won by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley (Oct.)
T - Sneak Peek: Children of the Fleet by Orson Scott Card (Oct.)
T - Sneak Peek: Origin by Dan Brown (Oct.)
T - A Darker Sea by James L. Haley (Oct.)
T - CS Wilde Proofread (November)
T - Skipping Christmas by John Grisham (December)
T - A Christmas Hope by Joseph Pittman (December)
T - Blue Christmas by Mary Kay Andrews (December)
T - All I Want for Christmas by Jenny Hale (December)
T - Kissing Under the Mistletoe by Marina Adair (December)
T - Christmas at the Vicarage by Rebecca Boxall (December)
T - A Festival of Murder by Tricia Hendricks (December)
T - The Philosopher's Flight by Tom Miller (January '18)
T - Gods of Howl Mountain by Taylor Brown (January '18)
T - Sometimes I Lie by Alice Feeney (January '18)
T - Boys Keep Swinging by Jake Shears (January '18)
T - The 53rd Card by Virginia Weiss (January '18)
T - Wintersong by S. Jae-Jones (January '18)
T - The First Kiss of Spring by Emily March (January '18)
T - How to Walk Away by Katherine Center (January '18)
T - The Italian Party by Christina Lynch (January '18)
T - Indecent by Corinne Sullivan (January '18)
T - The Lightning Stenography Device by M.F. Sullivan (January '18)
T - Enchantress of Numbers by Jennifer Chiaverini (January '18)
T - A Treacherous Curse by Deanna Raybourn (January '18)
T - The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory (January '18)
T - A False Report by T. Christian Miller and Ken Armstrong (January '18)
T - School for Psychics by K.C. Archer (January '18)
T - White Houses by Amy Bloom (February '18)
T - The Subway Girls by Susie Orman Schnall (February '18)
T - Love and Ruin by Paula McClain (February '18)
T - Tell Me No Lies by A.V. Geiger (March '18)
T - Ginna Moran Proofread (March '18)
T - Tomorrow Will Be Different by Sarah McBride (March '18)
T - A Tokyo Romance by Ian Buruma (March '18)
T - Nothing Left to Burn by Heather Ezell (March '18)
T - The Punishment She Deserves by Elizabeth George (March '18)
T - Patriot Number One: American Dreams in Chinatown by Lauren Hilgers (March '18)
T - Six Basic Cooking Techniques by Jennifer Claire (March '18)

So I've added 12 new books to my list since January, but that's only an average of six books per month, which is absolutely progress (as long as I do a better job of sticking to my list than normal). Unfortunately most of the books that I've been "reading" lately have been audio because I can listen while I work on unpacking my house (and washing all the dishes and folding ALL the laundry). I mean, that at least means that I'll have books to review, but it doesn't do much for putting a dent into my reading list. Fingers crossed that I'll suddenly become a different person after I get my house all sorted out. - Katie