Stacking the Shelves (523)

Posted on November 19, 2022November 18, 2022 by Marlene Harris | Author : Marlene Harris | Stacking the Shelves

It’s not just me, is it? This year is going by really, really fast? The Thankful for Books Giveaway Hop starts on OMG MONDAY! and Thanksgiving is less than a week away! I know “time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana” but this year has just zipped by. At warp speed!

I swear I did not simply cut off this stack after the letter ‘C’ although it sure looks that way! This is what I have covers for so far. And so far, the covers for the Saffron Everleigh series, which started with A Botanist’s Guide to Parties and Poisons, certainly win the prettiest cover award!

botanists guide to flowers and fatality by kate khavari

caribbean heiress in paris by adriana herrera audio

For Review:
All the Queen’s Spies (Agents of the Crown #3) by Oliver Clements
Arca (Five Queendoms #2) by G.R. Macallister
Atalanta by Jennifer Saint
The Blood Gift (Blood Gift Duology #2) by N.E. Davenport
A Botanist’s Guide to Flowers and Fatality (Saffron Everleigh #2) by Kate Khavari
Camp Zero by Michelle Min Sterling
Canary Girls by Jennifer Chiaverini
The Carnivale of Curiosities by Amiee Gibbs

Purchased from Amazon/Audible:
A Caribbean Heiress in Paris (Las Léonas #1) by Adriana Herrera (audio)

If you want to find out more about Stacking The Shelves, please visit the official launch page

Please link your STS post in the linky below:

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 11-13-22

Posted on November 13, 2022November 10, 2022 by Marlene Harris | Author : Marlene Harris | The Sunday Post> Virtual Nightstand

Everyone needs their own Spot, at least according to a print by Mary Engelbreit. Here’s George in the George spot at the end of the couch:

Sadly, this used to be the Freddie spot until Freddie went to the Rainbow Bridge. Occasionally, now it’s the Tuna spot, which sometimes ends in it being the spot where an epic battle takes place between George and Tuna over who gets possession of the spot. But it’s a very cozy spot, and I often end up reading on the couch with George in his spot near my feet. (Little does he know that I’m usually hiding my slippers under that blanket to keep him from chewing on them!)

Current Giveaways:

$10 Book or $10 Gift Card in the Thanks a Latte Giveaway Hop (ENDS TUESDAY!!!)
$10 Book or $10 Gift Card in the Fall 2022 Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Super Stocking Stuffer Giveaway Hop

Blog Recap:

A+ Review: When the Angels Left the Old Country by Sacha Lamb
Super Stocking Stuffer Giveaway Hop
B+ Review: A Matter of Happiness by Tori Whitaker
A- Review: Conqueror by Anna Hackett
Veterans Day 2022
Stacking the Shelves (522)

Coming This Week:

Under a Veiled Moon by Karen Odden (blog tour spotlight + excerpt)
Cold Fear by Brandon Webb and John David Mann (review)
In All Things Give Thanks Giveaway Hop
The Girl with the Emerald Flag by Kathleen McGurl (blog tour review)
Death on a Winter Stroll by Francine Mathews (blog tour review)

Stacking the Shelves (522)

Posted on November 12, 2022November 10, 2022 by Marlene Harris | Author : Marlene Harris | Stacking the Shelves

A few more books this week because last week a faithful follower of Reading Reality recommended Combined Operations as a readalike for Steel Fear. And I was tempted…

In other reading notes, someone in my reading group made the observation that publishers have been using “romcom” as a replacement description for “contemporary romance” – even though not all contemporary romances are romcoms. Far from it. But the observation continued that the cartoon-style, drawn, cover art seems to be leading everyone down a primrose path of thinking that the stories within are lighter in tone than they actually are. I’m thinking in particular of A Proposal They Can’t Refuse of a few months back, which was, most definitely, a romance, but deals with a lot of very serious stuff and isn’t really a comedy at all.

I’m curious if anyone else has any thoughts on the matter?

death comes to marlow by robert thorogood

mr clarkes deepest desire by sophie barnes

perfect day with explosions by dorothy grant

For Review:
The Archive Undying (Downworld Sequence #1) by Emma Mieko Candon
Death Comes to Marlow (Marlow Murder Club #2) by Robert Thorogood
Full Exposure by Thien-Kim Lam
Good Night, Irene by Luis Alberto Urrea
Mr. Clarke’s Deepest Desire (Enterprising Scoundrels #2) by Sophie Barnes
Playing it Safe (Electra McDonnell #3) by Ashley Weaver

Purchased from Amazon/Audible:
Between Two Graves (Combined Operations #4) by Dorothy Grant
Blood, Oil and Love (Combined Operations #2) by Dorothy Grant
Going Ballistic (Combined Operations #1) by Dorothy Grant
A Perfect Day, With Explosions (Combined Operations #3) by Dorothy Grant

If you want to find out more about Stacking The Shelves, please visit the official launch page

Please link your STS post in the linky below:

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 11-6-22

Posted on November 6, 2022November 5, 2022 by Marlene Harris | Author : Marlene Harris | The Sunday Post> Virtual Nightstand

Galen has been away most of this week (he’s back now) which leaves me alone to tend to FIVE very demanding felines. Tuna is on overwatch every single time I prepare their food. This is literal, as his head is at my waist when he stands at the table next to me watching every step and scoop. It’s a bit daunting.

I swear I saw him acting as Lucifer’s food tester the other night as well. Not that Tuna scarfed the old boy’s food. That he watched me put it down, took a sniff and one nibble, then moved out of the way for our Elder Statescat to get his due. It’s adorable and disconcerting at the same time.

And I looked down to THIS the other day while I was peacefully working at my desk. (Tuna on the left, Luna on the right with her white feets.) Aren’t they adorable? And don’t you wonder what they’re really up to? I certainly did!

Stacking the Shelves (521)

Posted on November 5, 2022November 4, 2022 by Marlene Harris | Author : Marlene Harris | Stacking the Shelves

Out of a mere nine books, I have one I’ve just finished, one I’ve been waiting for for months, one that requires me to check to see if I’m caught up with it’s series and one book in a new series by a favorite author that I’m terribly curious to read. All of that, and the prettiest cover this week goes to Moonlight and the Pearler’s Daughter which is none of the above. A short stack filled with absolutely oodles of intriguing choices!

queens of wonderland by gama ray martinez

moonlight and the pearlers daughter by lizzie pook

For Review:
Conqueror (Galactic Kings #4) by Anna Hackett
The Fourth Enemy (Daniel Pitt #6) by Anne Perry
Hel’s Eight by Stark Holborn
In the Lives of Puppets by TJ Klune
Moonlight and the Pearler’s Daughter by Lizzie Pook
The Peacekeeper (Good Lands #1) by B.L. Blanchard
Queens of Wonderland (Defenders of Lore #2) by Gama Ray Martinez
The Three Dahlias (Dahlia Lively #1) by Katy Watson
The White Lady by Jacqueline Winspear

If you want to find out more about Stacking The Shelves, please visit the official launch page

Please link your STS post in the linky below:

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 10-30-22

Posted on October 30, 2022October 29, 2022 by Marlene Harris | Author : Marlene Harris | The Sunday Post> Virtual Nightstand> Winner announcement

As I’m typing this, it seems to be an “out of sorts” kind of day. I’m not quite sure why. I certainly had plenty of good books this week!

But even George seems a bit out of sorts. Here’s a picture of George making what we call his “George face” – not that his face isn’t always a George face, but he likes to prop his chin on the back of the couch from his “George spot” and just watch the proceedings – even if not much is going on at the time. George is basically just “Georging”.