Thursday Bookish Things & Reading Challenge Confession

  

Thanks to Tina at Mommynificent and Katherine at Katherine's Corner for hosting these wonderful link-ups!  Click on the buttons to see the other participants and link-up!

TT&HH is a meme hosted by Lexxie at (un)Conventional Book Reviews.  All y'all readers out there are welcome to share a food or drink related quote from a book you are reading or have read.  Click the button above to get the full details and to link up your post(s)!

~~~oOo~~~

I just finished reading Perception earlier this evening.  Here's a picture of the book cover (linked to GoodReads), the synopsis and my HH quote.

SYNOPSIS

The PERCEPTION series is a YA dystopian romance that takes place in the not too distant future. A world scarred by climate change, natural disasters and impending wars, a society where scientific breakthroughs cause class divisions. Zoe and Noah explore the differences that bring us together or tear us apart.

The first book of the PERCEPTION trilogy, 17year-old Zoe Vanderveen is a GAP—a genetically altered person. She lives with other equally beautiful people who have prolonged life-spans in the security of a walled city on the water. Tragedy tears Zoe from her perfect world when her brother Liam goes missing. It turns out that the only man who can help her, is the one who she should trust the least.

Noah Brody is a natural who lives on the Outside. He leads protests against the GAPs and detests their contributions to the increasing class gap. He doesn’t like girls like Zoe, and he has good reason not to trust her, but drawn by motives he doesn’t yet understand, he helps her take on the Outside.

~~~oOo~~~

HUNGRY HEARTS

The fish cooked on the fire, and it smelled terrific.

I was starving, and I was pretty sure Zoe must be, too.  I flipped the fillets over on the grill and thought about that last kiss.  It was different than the one Zoe had surprised me with that morning in the car.

I felt fairly certain it wasn't just a test for her anymore.  We were making progress.

I placed the food on plastic plates and offered her one before sitting down on the log near her.  The fire crackled, bright against the darkening sky.  The flames cast warm light against Zoe's skin.  I refrained from a sudden impulse to reach over and stroke her face.

"This is really good," she said after taking her first bite.  "Is there anything you can't do?"

"Besides stay away from you?"  I shook my head while taking another bite.  I was flirting with her and by the smile that formed on her face, I could tell she knew it.

"I have a surprise," I said.  "Marshmallows.  Not exactly creme brule, but it works for dessert."

I took the knife out of the backpack and chiseled off the end of a thin tree branch.  I pushed a marshmallow onto the tip and handed it to her.  Zoe placed it over the fire.

"Tell me stories," she said as she rotated the marshmallow.  Its white skin bubbled to a sugary brown.

"You mean scary campfire stories?"

"No, the stores."  She stared hard at me.  "Our stories.  Did we always like each other?"

I stoked the fire with my marshmallow stick.  "Not really.  We kind of grew on each other."

~~~oOo~~~

And the confession?

Hello, my name is LuAnn and I am a:

Here's my (current so far) list as of yesterday:

1.  Dystopia Reading Challenge

2.  Monthly Keyword Reading Challenge

3.  Shelf Love Reading Challenge

4.  New Release Reading Challenge

5.  COYER Blackout Reading Challenge

6.  52 Books in 52 Weeks Reading Challenge

7.  YA Reading Challenge
8.  Paranormal Reading Challenge
9.  Follow the Clues Mystery Reading Challenge
10.  Vintage Mystery Scavenger Hunt Reading Challenge
11.  Color Coded Reading Challenge
12.  Read One Million Pages (Perpetual) Reading Challenge
13.  European Reading Challenge
14.  BetterWorldBooks Reading Challenge
15.  Book Challenge by Erin
16.  Cloak and Dagger Reading Challenge
17.  Women Reading Challenge
18.  Purrfect Reading Challenge
19.  Cruisin' thru the Cozies Reading Challenge
20.  Let's Read Indie Reading Challenge

Unknown to History: a story of the Captivity of Mary of Scotland by Charlotte Mary Yonge

Notes from the Charlotte Mary Yonge Fellowship (CMYF):

According to some accounts, Mary Queen of Scots bore a child to her last husband, the earl of Bothwell, while imprisoned at Loch Leven. In Unknown to History C.M. Yonge weaves the story of this child, linking it with that of her mother. According to the novel, the child is christened Bride, and put on a ship bound for France. However, the ship is wrecked on the Yorkshire coast. Bride, the sole survivor, is rescued by one Captain Talbot. He and his wife rechristen her Cicely, and rear her as their own. They are high-principled and loving, and Cicely has a happy and secure childhood at their manor house.

My 2017 #LetsReadIndie Reading Challenge Sign-up

Thanks to Tina from As Told By Tina and RaeAnne for hosting this challenge.  Below are a few things to keep in mind, and you can click on the button above  to get all the details and sign up for the challenge yourself!

~~~oOo~~~

• Read at least 1 Indie book a month (it doesn’t matter the genre just make sure it is indie).
• 
  
• Review at least 1 Indie Book a month in order to qualify for the giveaway that we are hosting! We will have linky posted on our blogs at the end of each month.
• 
  
• The books you read can either be ebook, audio, physical or ARCs.

~~~oOo~~~

As you commit to read at least one book a month to qualify for the giveaway they are sponsoring, so points me toward the Indie Fan (2nd) Level of 11-20 books.

There's also a bingo card for those who like having some place to cross things out!

~~~oOo~~~

MY BOOK LIST

1.  

2.  

3.  ...

(possibilities)

The 9th Hour by Claire Stibbe

Craving for Love (Snow Kissed Love #1) by Violet Vaughn

Lease on Love (SKL #2) by Violet Vaughn

Rush for Fove (SKL #3) by Violet Vaughn

In the Dark by Pamela Burford

Code Name Camelot by David Archer

The Unflappable Miss Fairchild by Regina Scott

Then Came You by Windy Lindstrom

Once a Wife by Patricia Keelyn

Highland Fire by Tanya Anne Crosby

Hushabye (Kate Redmon #1) by Celina Grace

The Abducted: Odessa by Robert Hayden

...

Monday Bookstuff/My 2017 Cruisin' thru the Cozies RC Sign-up

     

   

Thanks to Stephanie of Tynga's Reviews, Kathryn at Book Date, Ramona at Create With Joy and Janice at Mostly Blogging for hosting these respective link-ups!  (Click on the buttons to go to the respective blogs.)

~~~oOo~~~

STACKING THE SHELVES

I hope this week I've done a better job of sticking with the purpose of the link-up better.  I've decided to post one for each day of the last week, book name linked to GoodReads:

Sunday, 1 January - 25 Mysteries to Die For (anthology-various authors)
Monday, 2 January - Highland Fire: Guardians of the Stone #1 by Tanya Anne Crosby
Tuesday, 3 January - Craving: A Willow Creek Vampire by Stephanie Summers
Wednesday, 4 January - A Friend of Silence (Roger & Bess Mystery #1) by M. Lee Prescott
Thursday, 5 January - Zoey's Post It Notes by Jeff & Zoey Steiner
Friday, 6 January - (I MUST HAVE FORGOTTEN MY MORNING CUP OF COFFEE)
Saturday, 7 January - Carpe Bead'em by Tonya Kappes

~~~oOo~~~

IT'S MONDAY! WHAT ARE YOU READING

dystopian, post-apocalyptic, YA

I'm on page 27 of 188 and anticipate being done by the time Monday rolls around, and will probably be on to this one:

paranormal romance

As always, the covers link to GoodReads.

~~~oOo~~~

THE INSPIRE ME TWINS

~~~oOo~~~

Cruisin' thru the Cozies Reading Challenge is hosted by Yvonne at the Socrates' Book Reviews blog.  Click on the button to go to the sign-up page.

Level one (Snoop) - Read one book in each of these cozy sub-genres (total of 10 books)

- One from culinary (anything dealing with food:  restaurants, baked goods, etc.)
- One from animal related (cats, dogs, birds, etc.)
- One from craft related (any kind of hobbies - knitting, crocheting, scrapbooking, etc.)
- One from paranormal (witches, vampires, etc.)
- One from British cozy mysteries (example:  Belinda Lawrence series)
- One career-based cozy mystery (housekeeping, wedding planner, etc.)
- One holiday based (set during any holiday - Christmas, Thanksgiving, Valentines, etc.)
- One travel mystery (character could be on a cruise, touring another area, etc.)
- One historical mystery (any mystery not set in the present)
- One is your choice!  (freebie!)

Level two (Investigator) - Read all the books in level one plus an additional 10 cozy books of your choice (total of 20)
Level three (Super Sleuth) - Read two books from each sub-genre in level one plus an additional 10 cozy books of your choice (total of 30 books)
Level four (Sleuth Extraordinaire) - Read two books from each sub-genre in level one plus an additional 20 cozy books of your choice (total of 40 books)

I think I'll put in for Level two - Investigator.

MY BOOK LIST:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

QUESTION:

What book have you recommended most in the past?

(My Answer) - I don't know that I've 'formally recommended' any one book in the past, but The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck has been my favorite for years.

My 2017 Purrfect Reading Challenge Sign-Up

The Purrfect Reading Challenge is hosted by Yvonne at Socrates' Book Reviews.

Here are the levels she has set up:

Purring - Read 1-10 cat mysteries

Kneading - Read 11-20 cat mysteries
Meowing - Read 21-30 cat mysteries
Catnip - Go crazy and read at least 31 and go as high as you'd like - the sky is the limit!

The 'biggie' requirement is that the books are to be mysteries in which cats play a major role.  No, seriously.  Stumped?  There's a list on CozyMystery.com.

I'll be going for the first level (Purring 1-10 cat mysteries).  I love mysteries.  We have five cats.

If you are a cat loving reader, click the button at the top to go to the sign up page!

~~~oOo~~~

MY BOOK LIST

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
9.
10.

~~~oOO~~~

  
I do quite a number of link-ups, mostly of them on M, T, TH and F.  Saturday was looking kind of lonely, so I went looking and found the above link-ups in The Ultimate Link-up Party List by Julie at Girl on the Move blog!  If you like link-ups you really need to see that list!

Anyway, since some of them are about food, they might think...why is she linking up a reading challenge about cats?  Well, sometimes the twain DOES meet:

SYNOPSIS

The small town of Frog Ledge, Connecticut, has wholeheartedly embraced Kristan "Stan" Connor's new business--preparing quality organic treats for dogs and cats. On a healthy diet, the animals may live longer. . .but one local farmer won't be so lucky. 

As Halloween approaches, Stan is asked to cater a doggie costume party hosted by the Happy Cow Dairy Farm. Part of a local co-op, Happy Cow specializes in organic dairy products, and farmers Hal and Emmalee Hoffman have started opening up the farm for parties, offering a "haunted" corn maze as an added attraction.

When Hal's lifeless body is found in the maze, the police at first suspect his wife, but Stan soon learns the dairy farmer had plenty of enemies--from bitter family members to shady business associates. If Stan can't extract a kernel of truth from the labyrinth of lies, she may be the next one to buy the farm. . .

Includes Gourmet Pet Food Recipes!

The Wave at Hanging Rock by Gregg Dunnett - #review

JESSE is just twelve years old when his dad dies and his mum moves him from the Sunshine Coast in Australia, to a village in Wales where it never stops raining. And that’s where his luck really runs out.

He’s stuck with a grieving mother, classmates who won’t accept him, and worst of all - no-one to go surfing with. Until he meets John. Cool, handsome, confident. He’s head boy at the nearby private school, and a keen surfer. Jesse is so keen to make friends he barely notices the little things that aren’t quite right. Will Jesse realize what he’s getting close to before it’s too late?

Friday Bookish plus My 2017 Women Reading Challenge Sign-up

    

Thanks to Freda from "Freda's Voice" and Gilion at "Rose City Reader" for hosting these bookish link-ups!  Click one of the buttons to go to the link-up page.

   

Thanks to Billy B at the "Coffee Addicted Writer" for hosting this link-up!  Click on the buttons above to go to his blog.

Question:  Where's your favorite place to read? (submitted by Ronyell @ Rabbit Ears Book Blog

My Answer:  There's a small 'porch' on the north side of our home that used to be a carport.  There's a nice little table and the bench seat from FIL's van (because it was converted to a wheelchair van).  So yes, it's about as hillbilly as you can get ... but I love it.  Except for this week, because it's bitter, bitter cold out.  I'd love to get a papasan chair for indoors, but it would have to be a room that the animals (cats and dogs) never, ever visit.  They're a rowdy bunch, bless 'em!

        

Thanks to Ramona at Create With Joy, and Janice at Mostly Blogging for these fun link-ups!  Click on the button to visit the sites to join in!  The more the merrier...really! :O)

~~~oOo~~~

All kinds of stuff going on today...5 link-ups and a book challenge sign-up.

Thanks to Peekabook blog for hosting this challenge.  (The majority of books I read are by women authors.  My two favorite genres are cozy mysteries and historical fiction and many of the authors in those genres are women.)

Levels:

Level 1: BABY GIRL - read 5 books written by a woman author

Level 2: GIRLS POWER - read 6 to 15 books written by a woman author

Level 3: SUPER GIRL - read 16 to 20 books written by a woman author

Level 4: WONDER WOMAN - read 20+ books written by a woman author

I'm starting with the lowest level (Baby Girl) and hoping to move up during the year.

BOOK LIST:
1.  The Parting (Courtship of Nellie Fisher 1) by Beverly Lewis
2.  Unknown to History: a story of the captivity of Mary of Scotland by Mary Charlotte Yonge
3.  Every Trick in the Rook by Marty Wingate (NetGalley, to be published March 2017)
4.  ...
5.  ...

And I thought I'd give y'all a little sneak peek:

(the cover is liked to Amazon as the book does not appear on GoodReads yet.)

SYNOPSIS

Julia Lanchester is flying high. She’s nesting with her boyfriend, Michael Sedgwick, and she’s found her niche as manager of the tourist center in her picturesque British village. Thanks to all her hard work, visitor traffic was up—way up. Her reward is an even more hectic schedule. Michael’s busy, too, traveling all over as the personal assistant to Julia’s father, celebrity ornithologist Rupert Lanchester. With precious little time together, Julia’s romantic weekend with Michael can’t come soon enough.

But the getaway is spoiled when Julia’s ex-husband is found murdered on her boss’s estate. And after a witness reports seeing Michael near the scene of the crime, the press descends, printing lies and wreaking havoc. To protect Julia, Michael vanishes into thin air, leaving her to pick up the slack on Rupert’s show and track down the real killer—even if it means putting herself in the flight path of a vicious predator.

BOOK BEGINNINGS

A distinctly steamy atmosphere filled the church hall at St. Swithun's on that early April Thursday evening, created by met mackintoshes, dripping umbrellas and leather boots that would not dry out until July, all combined with six oil-filled radiators plugged in along the walls.

FRIDAY 56

...I heard one of the men suggesting they remove the entire door and take it with them. I heard myself shouting something about destruction of private property and how this was a Grade II-listed building and I'd have Historic England down their throats in a second if they touched a single hinge. That was when Tess suggested I go upstairs and dress.

So what are you reading today?