What Have You Been Reading Lately?

What are you reading and what’s up next for you? I’m reading Tara Lush’s A Bean to Die for, and I’m sad that this is the last in this series. I loved her new mystery, Gator Queen. Who knew alligator wrangling could be so much fun.

I also recently finished Diane Kelly’s Four-Alarm Homicide and Olivia Blacke’s Rhythm and Clues. Both cozy series are well worth the read.

There are so many books and so little time. I just love Ellen Byron/Maria DiRico and all of her series, Linda Reilly, Mindy Quigley, Tara Lush, Olivia Blacke, Diane Kelly, and Kallie E. Benjamin (V. M. Burns). You cannot go wrong with any of their books.

I really, really enjoyed Daphne Silver’s debut mystery, Crime and Parchment, and she recently won the Agatha Awar for Best First Novel at Malice Domestic. Congratulations! What a fun start to a new series set on the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland. Lots of quirky characters and a twisty plot.

Lee Goldberg’s traditional mysteries are always a hit. If you like police procedurals and twisty mysteries, you need to read Goldberg's Eve Ronin series. Hollywood, heists, reality TV, murder, and mayhem...

T. G. Herren/Greg Herren and Jennie Marts are new-to-me authors. I enjoyed both of these cozies, and I look forward to reading more of their books.

What have you been reading lately?

Do I Have a Twin? Doppelganger?

A Millennial called me Mrs. Frizzle the other day. Okay, I didn’t get the reference, and I was pleasantly surprised to learn that Professor Valerie Felicity Frizzle, PhD, a former fourth grade teacher, is the central character in the Magic School Bus books and shows. And she loves creativity, learning, and field trips.

Originally created by Joanna Cole and Bruce Degen from Scholastic, Dr. Frizzle appears in books, video games, The Magic School Bus (1994-1997), and The Magic School Bus Rides Again (2017-2021).

I checked out the program on YouTube, and I may have my Halloween costume for this fall. Check out Mrs. Frizzle and let me know what you think.

It's Read in the Bathtub Day!

Happy Read in the Bathtub Day! I have never actually done that. I’m way too concerned about getting my book or digital reader wet. But, it sounds like a fun, relaxing afternoon.

What has been on your reading list for 2024? I am working my way through all the great books that I received for Christmas. My year started out with book 3 in Mindy Quigley’s Deep Dish Mystery series. What a fun read. Who could ask for more…pizza, quirky characters, and a whole lot of mayhem and murder.

I also really enjoyed Tara Lush’s Live and Let Grind, part of her Coffee Lovers’ Mystery series. I love her zany characters, and the quaint Florida beach town where chaos seems to break out every time her amateur sleuth is around.

I’m catching up on Olivia Blacke’s the Record Shop Mysteries. What fun! Music, coffee, murder, mayhem, Texas bluebonnets, and a cow.

And I switched things up from my normal cozy reading with Nicolette Lemmon’s Write. Market. Succeed: An Author’s Marketing Playbook. This is a thorough workbook and plan for new and seasoned authors.

I highly recommend all of these, and up next for me is Lee Goldberg, Linda Reilly, Sarah Fox, and Kallie E. Benjamin.

What Have You Been Reading This Fall?

What have you been reading this fall? I’ve been in my editing cave a lot lately with the two books that are coming out early next year, so I haven’t been reading as much as I like to. And there are so many new books out there that look like a lot of fun. So far this fall, I’ve been reading Eve Calder, Catherine Bruns, Julie Anne Lindsey, Jenn McKinlay, Spencer Quinn, Vivien Chien, Lee Goldberg, Kristin Kisska, Libby Klein, Tina Kashian, Sarah Fox, and Paige Shelton. All are great reads. If you haven’t already, add them to your TBR list.

Recently I finished John Grisham’s THE EXCHANGE and Janet Evanovich’s DIRTY THIRTY. I recently found Eve Calder’s series on the Cookie House. What fun. I can’t wait to read more.

What has been your fall favorite?

What Have You Been Reading This Summer?

What were your favorite summer reads? I love all kinds of books, but I always gravitate to mysteries and thrillers. Lee Goldberg is one of my new favorites.

This summer, I went back and read all of the Michael Connelly books I had missed. I am such a fan of Bosch and the Lincoln Lawyer. And I like how his Renee Ballard character is evolving. Now, I am all caught up and can’t wait for the next one.

I am such a fan girl of S. A. Cosby. I love his stories, and I get so excited every time a new one comes out. He is a must read if you like southern suspense.

Some of my favorite cozy mysteries this summer were by Maddie Day, Vicki Delany, Barbara Ross, Mindy Quigley, and Maria DiRico.

What’s your next read?

What's in your TBR Pile?

What have you been reading lately? I have finally caught up to present day with Louise Penny and Robert Crais’s novels. I love them all.

I’m still working my way through Michael Connelly’s series, but I’m getting closer. I love Harry Bosch, Mickey Haller, and Renee Ballard. All of his novels are well worth the read (and the TV/movie interpretations are good, too.)

I also found a Patricia Cornwell novel that I hadn’t read, BLACK NOTICE. It was good. She was living in Richmond when we moved here, and I remember driving around town looking for the local spots in her books.

Recently, I read Mia Manansala’s ARSENIC AND ADOBO. What a great mystery, and I can’t wait to read more of her work. I also forgot how funny Laura Levine is. Her mysteries are engaging, fast reads.

And on the thriller side, I absolutely loved Steve Berry’s THE OMEGA FACTOR. This heist story with religious and historic implications has so many twists and turns. It’s fast-paced and packed full of adventure.

What have you been reading lately?

What I've Been Reading Recently

My TBR piles grow every week. Every time I think I’ve made a dent, there are so many new things to add. Here’s what I’ve been reading so far this summer. It’s an eclectic mix of mysteries, suspense, thrillers, police procedurals, and classics.

I have finally caught up with all of Louise Penny’s novels. I love all of my visits to Three Pines. The stories are well done, and the characters are old friends by now.

After watching the new Lincoln Lawyer and the Bosch reboot, I realized that I haven’t read all of the Michael Connelly books. I love the Lincoln Lawyer and Harry Bosch. Renee Ballard is growing on me. Connelly is a master with characters and action, and I’m working my way through his collection.

Elle Cosimono’s Finlay Donovan is a very funny character. Her adventures are fun reads. Nancy Cole Silveman’s The Navigator’s Daughter, is a page-turning historical mystery.

My favorite cozies this spring/summer are from Ellen Byron’s new Vintage Cookbook Mysteries, Julie Anne Lindsey/Bree Baker, Sherry Harris’s Chloe Jackson Mysteries, Libby Klein’s Poppy McAllister Mysteries, anything by Diane Kelly, and Jackie Layton.

I track my recent reads on Goodreads and BookBub. Hop over for the reviews and favs. Follow me there. I’d love to keep up with what you’re reading.

Goodreads

BookBub

What are your recent recommendations?

What I Learned from My Favorite Characters

We celebrated National Read Across America Day and Dr. Seuss’s birthday this week. Here’s what I’ve learned from some of my favorite characters through the years.

Charlotte and Wilbur - Everyone needs friends. Treasure the special relationships. Writing is a solitary venture. Make sure you have a crew to share celebrations and road bumps with.

Charlie Brown and Snoopy - Everyone needs a sidekick. Our pets are our family, and they are our special protectors, comforters, and friends.

Nancy Drew - The girl sleuth had a car, good friends, and the curiosity to solve problems that adults couldn’t. Always be curious and ask questions.

Hermione Granger - Study hard and learn your craft. Do your homework. Hard work pays off.

Stephanie Plum - Perseverance is necessary. You may not succeed at something during the first (or the fifth) attempt but keep at it. This is especially true if you’re on a writing journey.

Grover (from the Monster at the End of the Book) - It’s okay to be a little scared sometimes, but often you’ll find that the thing you’re scared of isn’t as bad as you imagine it.

Sam-I-Am - It’s always a good idea to try new things. Be open minded and give new and “strange” a chance. You may find out that you just might like it.