Sunday Post: Wrapping Up September & October TBR List Poll

The Sunday Post is hosted by the wonderful Kimba, the Caffeinated Book Reviewer, and gives us all a chance to recap our week, talk about what we are reading, share any new books that have come our way, and whatever else we want to talk about. 

Happy October! Once October hits, the rest of the year seems to go by so fast. I hope you are all enjoying the weekend. What are you up to today?

Mouse had a better week at school. I was so pleased to find all her homework done most days this week before she got home. It's like someone from the afterschool program had read my blog post and took mercy on me. Haha. She even practiced her popcorn letters all on her own!

This past week I got the chance to hear Regina Louise, author of Somebody's Someone speak at a work event. She is a dynamic speaker with a powerful message. I don't think there was a dry eye in the auditorium when she was done talking.


In the Mail This Week: (I know not bookish, but I had to share anyway.)

A birthday present from my mother-in-law, 

painted by my mother-in-law.

Wrapping Up September: 

Books Read/Listened To: 5

• Blame It On the Cowboy by Delores Fossen
• Fractured by Catherine McKenzie
• The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman
• Naked in Death by J.D. Robb (Audio)
• The Masked City by Genevieve Cogman

I am smitten with Genevieve Cogman's series featuring Irene, a Librarian spy and her apprentice Kai. Of the two books I read by her this past month, The Masked City was my favorite.

What I Am Reading:  I am in the middle of Rich Zahradnik's A Black Sail, the third in the Coleridge Taylor mystery series set in 1976 New York. I enjoy hitting the pavement with crime reporter Taylor as he tries to get to the truth of whatever story he's chasing, and this time is no different.


What Am I Listening To: I am just over halfway through Glory in Death by J.D. Robb, narrated by Susan Erickson. I have the third in the series in audio too, but think I will take a break after this one.

What I Am Watching:  I really liked this past week's episode of Fear of the Walking Dead. I admit I am not a big fan of Travis, but I appreciated his frustration with his son in the episode. I was happy to see Code Black is back. I do not think any episode has ever left me dry-eyed. My daughter and I are watching Voice together this season (thanks to the DVR). I have only ever seen a season once before--about a year or so ago. Does anyone else watch it? I am not big on reality television, but I don't mind this one.

Around the Blogosphere:

• Berls from Fantasy Is More Fun poses the question: Can you stop anywhere? I wasn't always able to, and while it isn't my preference, I find I can nowadays when I have to. What about you?
• A post in which Trish from Love, Laughter, and a Touch of Insanity discusses Assigned Kiddo Reading Time
• A reminder that I need to pick this one up soon! - Review - The Guest Room by Chris Bohjalian by Tea Time with Marce
• Because I love to color (but haven't made time for it in awhile, sadly), I immediately bookmarked Beth Fish Reads post about 4 Adult Coloring Books You Won't Want to Miss
• Litha Nelle of Victorian Soul Book Critiques raises some very good points: SFF: The 5 Reasons You Need More Than One Patronus

This Past Week In Reading Mews:

• Sunday Post: A Little Rain, A Lot of Magic, Kindergarten Challenges
• From the Archives: A Blogging Retrospective - September 2006
• Where Is Your Bookmark? (Including My Top Ten Fall TBR Books)
• Mini Reviews: The Sixth Idea by P.J. Tracy & Lost in Geeklandia by E.J. Russell

Every Friday Coffee Addicted Writer from Coffee Addicted Writer poses a question which participants respond on their own blogs within the week (Friday through Thursday). They then share their links at the main site and visit other participants blogs.

Do you encourage other reading friends to start a blog or at least put their thoughts/reviews on public reading sites such as Goodreads, Amazon, etc?(submitted by Elizabeth) 

My book blogging is not something I talk about much with those outside of the blogging community. I am very shy about my blog and do not even talk about it with my family (other than my husband who used to blog himself). So, no. I cannot say I encourage other reading friends to blog or write reviews. My reader friends who are not already bloggers tend to fall into two categories: they are just casual readers or they are heavy duty readers who consider review writing too much like a chore they'd rather not bother with. However, if I thought a reader friend was leaning in that direction, I would jump at the chance to encourage them and help them in any way I could.

What about you? Have you encouraged other reading friends to start a blog or review books?

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Help me decide what book from my TBR collection I should read next:

My TBR List is a meme hosted by the awesome Michelle at Because Reading. It’s a fun way to choose a book from your TBR pile to read. The 1st Sunday of every month, I will list 3 books I am considering reading and take a poll as to which you think I should read. I will read the winner that month, and my review will follow. While I will attempt to post my review that same month, I make no promises--it may go up the following month. 

For some reason, October feels like the perfect month for cozy mysteries. I can't explain why. Most people are running for books that have the scare or creep factor, while I want to curl up on the couch under a blanket, a mug of hot chocolate in hand, and lose myself in a cozy. I thought I would enlist your help in choosing my October cozy read.

Here are my choices:

A Dark and Stormy Murder (A Writer's Apprentice Mystery #1) by Julia Buckley 

 Goodreads Synopsis:  

Camilla Graham’s bestselling suspense novels inspired Lena London to become a writer, so when she lands a job as Camilla’s new assistant, she can’t believe her luck. Not only will she help her idol craft an enchanting new mystery, she’ll get to live rent-free in Camilla’s gorgeous Victorian home in the quaint town of Blue Lake, Indiana.

But Lena’s fortune soon changes for the worse. First, she lands in the center of small town gossip for befriending the local recluse. Then, she stumbles across one thing that a Camilla Graham novel is never without—a dead body, found on her new boss’s lakefront property.

Now Lena must take a page out of one of Camilla’s books to hunt down clues in a real crime that seems to be connected to the novelist’s mysterious estate—before the killer writes them both out of the story for good...

The Madness of Mercury (Zodiac Mystery #1) by Connie Di Marco 

Goodreads Synopsis:  

San Francisco astrologer Julia Bonatti's life is turned upside down when she becomes the target of the city's newest cult leader, Reverend Roy of the Prophet's Tabernacle. Driven out of her apartment in the midst of a disastrous Mercury retrograde period, she takes shelter with a client who's caring for two elderly aunts. One aunt appears stricken with dementia and the other has fallen under the spell of the Reverend Roy. To add to the confusion, a young man claiming to be a long lost nephew arrives. The longer he stays, the more dangerous things become. Is the young man truly a member of the family? Can astrology confirm that? Julia's not sure, but one thing she does know is that Mercury wasn't merely the messenger of the gods—he was a trickster and a liar as well.

The Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum by Kirsten Weiss 

Goodreads Synopsis:

When Maddie Kosloski’s career flatlines, she retreats to her wine-country hometown for solace and cheap rent. Railroaded into managing the local paranormal museum, she’s certain the rumors of its haunting are greatly exaggerated. But a new ghost may be on the loose. A fresh corpse in the museum embroils Maddie in murders past and present.

With her high school bully as one of the officers in charge, Maddie doubts justice will be served. When one of her best friends is arrested, she’s certain it won’t be.

Maddie grapples with ghost hunters, obsessed taxidermists, and the sexy motorcyclist next door as outside forces threaten. And as she juggles spectral shenanigans with the hunt for a killer, she discovers there truly is no place like home.

Which one do you think I should read?

I hope you all have a great week! Happy Reading!

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