Reading Right Now! (343)

 It has been a week. Work has been a lot of filling in, and I've had family visiting. I haven't gotten as much reading done as I hoped for.

What I'm Reading Right Now! is...

Rapture in Death (In Death #4) by J.D. Robb -- I've been in a mood reading mood this month, and I just decided I wanted to read the next Eve Dallas book. I started the series this year, and I've been enjoying it.

I'm almost finished with this one. The majority of the book has been Eve trying to find out what killed her victims. 

These books tend to have a lot of triggers with child abuse, child sexual assault. This one had a rape like scene, so take that as you well. They involve murders and crimes, so it shouldn't be surprising that they are full of darker things.

The World of Lore: Wicked Mortals  by Aaron Mahnke -- I've been slowly making my way through this one and really enjoying it. This book is stories taken from the podcast. I've never listened to the podcast. This tells of bad people in history. None of the stories can be taken as 100% true, things have been exaggerated and made bigger through the years, but they are all very interesting, and terrifying!

That's what I'm Reading Right Now! What are you reading?

SPOTLIGHT: Somewhere Sisters: A Story of Adoption, Identity, and the Meaning of Family by Erika Hayasaki

 I'm excited to be a part of the Blog Tour and share a Spotlight for Somewhere Sisters: A Story of Adoption, Identity, and the Meaning of Family by Erika Hayasaki! I was provided with a free copy for honest review from the publisher. Thanks so much to Algonquin Books and Erika Hayasaki for letting me be a part of the tour!

Title: Somewhere Sisters: A Story of Adoption, Identity, and the Meaning of Family

Author: Erika Hayasaki

Published by: Algonquin Books

Released: October 11, 2022

Source: Review Copy Provided by Publisher

Goodreads         Amazon

 

Synopsis: Identical twins Isabella and Hà were born in Vietnam and raised on opposite sides of the world, each knowing little about the other’s existence, until they were reunited as teenagers, against all odds.
 The twins were born in Nha Trang, Vietnam, in 1998, where their mother struggled to care for them. Hà was taken in by their biological aunt, and grew up in a rural village, going to school, and playing outside with the neighbors. They had sporadic electricity and frequent monsoons. Hà’s twin sister, Loan, spent time in an orphanage before a wealthy, white American family adopted her and renamed her Isabella. Isabella grew up in the suburbs of Chicago, with a nonbiological sister, Olivia, also adopted from Vietnam. Isabella and Olivia attended a predominantly white Catholic school, played soccer, and prepared for college.

But when Isabella’s adoptive mother learned of Isabella’s biological twin back in Vietnam, all of their lives changed forever. Award-winning journalist Erika Hayasaki spent years and hundreds of hours interviewing each of the birth and adoptive family members and tells the girls’ incredible story from their perspectives, challenging conceptions about adoption and what it means to give a child a good life. Hayasaki contextualizes the sisters’ experiences with the fascinating and often sinister history of twin studies, the nature versus nurture debate, and intercountry and transracial adoption, as well as the latest scholarship and conversation surrounding adoption today, especially among adoptees.

For readers of All You Can Ever Know and American Baby, Somewhere Sisters is a richly textured, moving story of sisterhood and coming-of-age, told through the remarkable lives of young women who have redefined the meaning of family for themselves. (Synopsis from Goodreads)

 

Erika Hayasaki is a journalist based in Southern California, the author of The Death Class, and a professor in the literary journalism program at the University of California, Irvine. A former Los Angeles Times national correspondent, her writing has appeared in the New York Times Magazine, the Atlantic, Wired, and other publications. She has been a Knight-Wallace Reporting Fellow and an Alicia Patterson Fellow, and she has received awards and recognition from the Association of Sunday and Feature Editors, the Society for Features Journalism, the American Society of Newspaper Editors, and The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2019. She is the mother of a daughter and twin boys.

Thanks so much for checking out my Spotlight Post for Somewhere Sisters: A Story of Adoption, Identity, and the Meaning of Faith by Erika Hayasaki! Thanks so much to Algonquin Books and Erika Hayasaki for letting me be a part of the tour. This was such an interesting nonfiction story and I'd definitely recommend it.

BLOG TOUR: Station Eternity by Mur Lafferty

I'm excited to be a part of the Blog Tour for Station Eternity by Mur Lafferty! I received a free electronic copy for honest review from the publisher. Thanks so much to Ace and Mur Lafferty for letting me be a part of the tour!

 

 

Title: Station Eternity (The Midsolar Murders #1)

Author: Mur Lafferty

Published by: Ace

Released: October 4, 2022

Source: Electronic Review Copy Provided by Publisher

Goodreads        Amazon

 

Synopsis: From idyllic small towns to claustrophobic urban landscapes, Mallory Viridian is constantly embroiled in murder cases that only she has the insight to solve. But outside of a classic mystery novel, being surrounded by death doesn’t make you a charming amateur detective, it makes you a suspect and a social pariah. So when Mallory gets the opportunity to take refuge on a sentient space station, she thinks she has the solution. Surely the murders will stop if her only company is alien beings. At first her new existence is peacefully quiet…and markedly devoid of homicide.

But when the station agrees to allow additional human guests, Mallory knows the break from her peculiar reality is over. After the first Earth shuttle arrives, and aliens and humans alike begin to die, the station is thrown into peril. Stuck smack-dab in the middle of an extraterrestrial whodunit, and wondering how in the world this keeps happening to her anyway, Mallory has to solve the crime—and fast—or the list of victims could grow to include everyone on board…. (Synopsis from Goodreads)

 

My Thoughts: I was really excited to read this one! I love science fiction and murder mysteries are fun. This was a combination of both of those, so I knew I was in for a good time. Mur Lafferty always comes out with books that just sound good to me.

I enjoyed this one. My favorite things about it were the setting and the characters. I love a space story, so I really enjoyed the journey of Mallory making her way to this sentient space station. There were also a lot of fun characters that made this entertaining to read.

I love the idea of a closed room mystery in space. The mystery in this veered all over the place. It could be hard to wrap my head around at times.

I'm intrigued to see how this series continues. I can definitely see myself picking up the next one.

 

Mur Lafferty is an author, podcaster, and editor. She has been nominated for many awards, and even won a few. She lives in Durham, NC with her family.

Thanks so much for checking out my Blog Tour Stop for Station Eternity by Mur Lafferty! Thank you to Ace and Mur Lafferty for letting me be a part of the tour. This is definitely recommended for people who want a murder mystery in space.

BLOG TOUR: If You Could See the Sun by Ann Liang

 I'm excited to be a part of the Blog Tour for If You Could See the Sun by Ann Liang! I received a free electronic copy for honest review from the publisher. Thanks so much to Inkyard Press and Ann Liang for letting me be a part of the tour!

Title: If You Could See the Sun

Author: Ann Liang

Published by: Inkyard Press

Released: October 11, 2022

Source: Electronic Review Copy Provided by Publisher

Goodreads        Amazon

 

Synopsis: Alice Sun has always felt invisible at her elite Beijing international boarding school, where she’s the only scholarship student among China’s most rich and influential teens. But then she starts uncontrollably turning invisible—actually invisible.
 When her parents drop the news that they can no longer afford her tuition, even with the scholarship, Alice hatches a plan to monetize her strange new power—she’ll discover the scandalous secrets her classmates want to know, for a price.
 But as the tasks escalate from petty scandals to actual crimes, Alice must decide if it’s worth losing her conscience—or even her life.

In this genre-bending YA debut, a Chinese American girl monetizes her strange new invisibility powers by discovering and selling her wealthy classmates’ most scandalous secrets. (Synopsis from Goodreads)

 

My Thoughts: I really was hooked by the idea for this story. I always love a book that has a little bit of magic sprinkled in. I also love the cover for this one. This was a great debut. I can't wait to see what Ann Liang comes out with next.

I really enjoyed how Alice used her power for her own means. She took her skill and used it for blackmail. It was very diabolical and fun. 

I really enjoyed the team up of Alice and Henry. The chemistry was definitely there.

This book was a ton of fun and I had a great time reading it. I think a lot of people will enjoy this one.

Ann Liang is an undergraduate at the University of Melbourne. Born in Beijing, she grew up travelling back and forth between China and Australia, but somehow ended up with an American accent. When she isn’t stressing out over her college assignments or writing, she can be found making over-ambitious to-do lists, binge-watching dramas, and having profound conversations with her pet labradoodle about who’s a good dog. This is her debut novel.

Thanks so much for checking out my Blog Tour Stop for If You Could See the Sun by Ann Liang. Thank you to Inkyard Press and Ann Liang for letting me be a part of the tour! This is one you should definitely add to your to be read pile!

BLOG TOUR: That Summer in Berlin by Lecia Cornwall

 I'm excited to be a part of the Blog Tour for That Summer in Berlin by Lecia Cornwall! I received a free electronic copy for honest review from the publisher. Thanks so much to Berkley Books and Lecia Cornwall for letting me be a part of the tour!

Title: That Summer in Berlin

Author: Lecia Cornwall

Published by: Berkley Books

Released: October 11, 2022

Source: Electronic Review Copy Provided by Publisher

Goodreads        Amazon

 

Synopsis: In the summer of 1936, while the Nazis make secret plans for World War II, a courageous and daring young woman struggles to expose the lies behind the dazzling spectacle of the Berlin Olympics.

German power is rising again, threatening a war that will be even worse than the last one. The English aristocracy turns to an age-old institution to stave off war and strengthen political bonds—marriage. Debutantes flock to Germany, including Viviane Alden. On holiday with her sister during the 1936 Berlin Olympics, Viviane’s true purpose is more clandestine. While many in England want to appease Hitler, others seek to prove Germany is rearming. But they need evidence, photographs to tell the tale, and Viviane is a genius with her trusty Leica. And who would suspect a pretty, young tourist taking holiday snaps of being a spy?

Viviane expects to find hatred and injustice, but during the Olympics, with the world watching, Germany is on its best behavior, graciously welcoming tourists to a festival of peace and goodwill. But first impressions can be deceiving, and it’s up to Viviane and the journalist she’s paired with—a daring man with a guarded heart—to reveal the truth.

But others have their own reasons for befriending Viviane, and her adventure takes a darker turn. Suddenly Viviane finds herself caught in a web of far more deadly games—and closer than she ever imagined to the brink of war. (Synopsis from Goodreads)

 

My Thoughts: This was a really interesting and compelling read, I enjoyed it a lot! This book is different from other historical WWII stories in that it takes place before the War has started. It covers some historical events that I was not even aware of, and I found them to be really interesting.

I loved hearing about the 1936 Olympics. All the tension that was going on in the world. The gut feeling that Germany was about to be a main player in another World War. 

Viviane's story was so interesting. I loved the spy story she had going on, but the danger she was in made me nervous. I also had no idea that Debutantes were sent to Germany for political machinations during that time.

It was just a really engrossing story and I enjoyed my time reading it. This is an easy recommendation for historical fiction fans.

 Lecia Cornwall, acclaimed author of numerous historical novels, lives and writes in the beautiful foothills of the Canadian Rockies with four cats and a wild and crazy ninety-pound chocolate Lab named Andy. She has two grown children and one very patient husband. When she is not writing, Lecia is a dedicated volunteer at the Museum of the Highwood in High River, Alberta.

Thanks so much for checking out my Blog Tour Stop for That Summer in Berlin by Lecia Cornwall. Thank you to Berkley Books and Lecia Cornwall for letting me be a part of the tour. If you love historical fiction, I'd definitely recommend giving this one a read!

BLOG TOUR: Miss del Rio by Barbara Mujica

 I'm excited to be a part of the Blog Tour for Miss del Rio by Barbara Mujica! I received a free electronic copy for honest review from the publisher. Thanks so much to Graydon House and Barbara Mujica for letting me be a part of the tour.

Title: Miss del Rio

Author: Barbara Mujica

Published by: Graydon House

Released: October 4, 2022

Source: Electronic Review Copy Provided by Publisher

Goodreads      Amazon

 

Synopsis: 1910, Mexico. As the country’s revolution spreads, Dolores, the daughter of a wealthy banker, must flee her comfortable life in Durango or risk death. Her family settles in Mexico City, where, at sixteen, she marries the worldly Jaime del Río. But in a twist of fate, at a party she meets an influential American director who recognizes in her a natural performer. He invites her to Hollywood, and practically overnight, the famous Miss del Río is born.

Dolores’s star quickly rises, and her days become a whirlwind of moviemaking and glamorous events. Swept up in L.A.'s glitzy inner circle, she takes her place among film royalty such as Marlene Dietrich and Orson Welles. But as her career soars, her personal life becomes increasingly complicated, with family tragedy, divorce, and real heartache. And when she’s labeled box office poison amid growing prejudice before WWII, Dolores must decide what price she’s willing to pay to achieve her dreams and if her heart and future instead lie where it all began…in Mexico.

Spanning half a century and narrated by Dolores’s fictional hairdresser and longtime friend, Miss del Río traces the life of a trailblazing woman whose legacy in Hollywood and in Mexico still shines bright today. (Synopsis from Goodreads)

 

My Thoughts: This was a really interesting story that I really enjoyed reading. This was set during the time of Old Hollywood, where everything seemed glamorous. We follow Dolores del Rio, watching her become a movie star.

I liked this a lot. I love learning about people in history that I wasn't aware of, and Dolores definitely had an interesting life.

This is an easy reading recommendation. I like it.

 Bárbara Mujica is the bestselling author of four novels, including Frida, which was translated into 17 languages. She is also an award-winning short story writer and essayist whose work has been published in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Miami Herald, among others. A professor emerita of Spanish at Georgetown University, she lives in Bethesda, Maryland.

Thanks so much for checking out my Blog Tour Stop for Miss del Rio by Barbara Mujica. Thank you to Graydon House and Barbara Mujica for letting me be a part of the tour. This is definitely one that should be read.

BLOG TOUR: Home Sweet Christmas by Susan Mallery

 I'm really excited to be a part of the Blog Tour for Home Sweet Christmas by Susan Mallery! I received a free electronic copy for honest review from the publisher. Thanks so much to HQN and Susan Mallery for letting me be a part of the tour!

Title: Home Sweet Christmas (Wishing Tree #2)

Author: Susan Mallery

Published by: HQN

Released: October 4, 2022

Source: Electronic Review Copy Provided by Publisher

Goodreads        Amazon

 

Synopsis:  With twinkling humor and heartfelt Christmas spirit, two friends find love in a town called Wishing Tree…

Until Camryn Neff can return to her “real” life in Chicago, she’s in Wishing Tree to care for her twin sisters. She’s not looking for forever love, not here. But handsome hotelier Jake Crane is a temptation she can’t resist, so she suggests they pair up for the season. No golden rings, no broken hearts. At his side, she sees her hometown through Christmas-colored eyes. The cheer is cheerier, the joy more joyful. She thought she had put her future on hold…but maybe her real life was here all along, waiting for her to come home.

New in town, River Best is charmed by Wishing Tree’s homespun traditions and warmhearted people. When she’s crowned Snow Queen, she’s honored but wary. Dylan Tucker, her king, seems like the stuff of sugarplum dreams, but she can’t shake the feeling that he’s hiding something big. As they perform their “royal” duties—tasting cookies, lighting trees—Dylan’s good humor and melty kisses draw her to the brink of love. But she can’t let herself fall until she uncovers his secret, even if her lack of faith means losing him forever. (Synopsis from Goodreads)

 

My Thoughts: Cute, cute, cute! If you're wishing for some Christmas, this is the perfect story to read. It has a magical small town Christmas, as well as some romance.

This is just a good time book, and I had a good time. It's sweet.

There were times where I wished characters hadn't been so stubborn, but they had to realize things in their own time.

I really enjoyed Home Sweet Christmas. If you're looking for small town cuteness, give this a read!

#1 NYT bestselling author Susan Mallery writes heartwarming, humorous novels about the relationships that define our lives―family, friendship, romance. She's known for putting nuanced characters in emotional situations that surprise readers to laughter. Beloved by millions, her books have been translated into 28 languages. Susan lives in Washington with her husband, two cats, and a small poodle with delusions of grandeur. Visit her at SusanMallery.com.

Thanks so much for checking out my Blog Tour Stop for Home Sweet Christmas by Susan Mallery. Thank you to HQN and Susan Mallery for letting me be a part of the tour. If you're looking for something sweet, I'd definitely recommend this one.

BLOG TOUR: The Empress of Time by Kylie Lee Baker

 I'm really excited to be a part of the Blog Tour for The Empress of Time by Kylie Lee Baker! I received a free electronic copy for honest review from the publisher. Thanks so much to Inkyard Press and Kylie Lee Baker for letting me be a part of the tour.

Title: The Empress of Time (The Keeper of Night #2)

Author: Kylie Lee Baker

Published by: Inkyard Press

Released: October 4, 2022

Source: Electronic Review Copy Provided by Publisher

Goodreads        Amazon

 

Synopsis: Half British Reaper, half Japanese Shinigami Ren Scarborough is no longer the girl who was chased out of England—she is the Goddess of Death ruling Japan’s underworld. But her problems have never been greater. Her Shinigami see her as a foreigner on the throne. Her brother, Neven, is gone, lost in the deep darkness. And her fiancé, Hiro, has been killed by her own hand.

Then Ren receives the most troubling news yet—Reapers have been spotted in Japan, and it’s only a matter of time before Ivy, now Britain’s Death Goddess, comes to claim her revenge.

Ren’s last hope is to appeal to the god of storms and seas, who can turn the tides to send Ivy’s ship away from Japan’s shores. But he’ll help Ren only if she finds a sword lost thousands of years ago—an impossible demand.

Together with the moon god Tsukuyomi, who shares an uncanny resemblance to his brother Hiro, Ren ventures across the country in a race against time. As her journey thrusts her into the middle of scheming gods and dangerous Yokai demons, Ren will have to learn who she can truly trust—and the fate of Japan hangs in the balance. (Synopsis from Goodreads)

 

My Thoughts: Fantastic! I greatly enjoyed this sequel. This book concludes this duology, and I'm glad I got to read it. I just really enjoyed the paranormal aspects of the story. Death gods and Shinigami are just a lot of fun to read about.

This story takes place 10 years after the events in Book 1, which was a little bit of a surprise. The first book ended on a cliffhanger, so I wasn't expecting that big of a time jump.

There was a lot of stuff happening in this story. I was never bored, I was always engaged. I needed to find out what was going to happen.

I enjoyed my time reading this. I'd definitely recommend this series.

 

Kylie Lee Baker is the author of The Keeper of Night. She grew up in Boston and has since lived in Atlanta, Salamanca, and Seoul. Her writing is informed by her heritage (Japanese, Chinese, and Irish), as well as her experiences living abroad as both a student and teacher. She has a BA in creative writing and Spanish from Emory University and a master of library and information science degree from Simmons University.

Thanks so much for checking out my Blog Tour Stop for The Empress of Time by Kylie Lee Baker. Thank you to Inkyard Press and Kylie Lee Baker for letting me be a part of the tour! I'd definitely recommend picking up this series and giving it a read.

BLOG TOUR: A Match Made at Christmas by Patricia Davids

 I'm really excited to be a part of the Blog Tour for A Match Made at Christmas by Patricia Davids! I received a free electronic copy for honest review from the publisher. Thanks so much to HQN Books and Patricia Davids for letting me be a part of the tour!

Title: A Match Made at Christmas

Author: Patricia Davids

Published by: HQN Books

Released: October 4, 2022

Source: Electronic Review Copy Provided by Publisher

Goodreads        Amazon

 

Synopsis: Christmas comes to a small Amish community—and brings new beginnings with it.

Karl Graber is too busy struggling with his hardware store and two young daughters to indulge local matchmaker Rose Yoder’s schemes. After his wife’s death, the thought of loving and perhaps losing another woman holds no appeal. So while he’s relieved to learn he’s not on Rose’s list of potential husbands for new schoolteacher Sophie Eicher, he’s also surprised. Despite himself, Karl can’t help wondering what Rose thinks he lacks—and why outspoken, attractive Sophie has so little interest in marriage.

After surviving breast cancer, Sophie is hoping to make a fresh start in Harts Haven. Perhaps the handsome widower next door would make a good match for her sister, but Sophie won’t burden any man with her uncertain future. But when Karl offers to help her to create a “living nativity” Christmas program for the schoolchildren, she gratefully agrees.

It’ll take a bold plan and help from Karl’s children to make this chaotic Christmas play a success. And as friendships deepen, hearts open and hopes are rekindled, two unlikely people may discover the healing gift of love.

The Matchmakers of Harts Haven

Book 1: The Inn at Harts Haven
Book 2: A Match Made at Christmas (Synopsis from Goodreads)

 

My Thoughts: This was a sweet story that I enjoyed reading. It deals with two people who have endured a lot with life already. Karl is a widower, and Sophie is a breast cancer survivor. They both have some baggage when it comes to being open to love. Then there is a nosy matchmaker who has her sights set on new targets.

This is also an Amish romance, which I do enjoy from time to time. The Amish live such a foreign kind of life, a life that's a little hard to imagine, so it's always interesting to read about.

I thought this book was really sweet. It's a second chance at life and love romance. I'd recommend it.

USA Today best-selling author Patricia Davids was born in Kansas. After forty years as an NICU nurse, Pat switched careers to become an inspirational writer. She now enjoys laid back life on a Kansas farm, spending time with her family and playing with her dog Sugar, who thinks fetch should be a twenty-four hour a day game. When not throwing a ball, Pat is happily dreaming up new stories where love and faith conquer all. Contact her at pat@patriciadavids.com.

Thanks so much for checking out my Blog Tour Stop for A Match Made at Christmas by Patricia Davids. Thank you to HQN Books and Patricia Davids for letting me be a part of the tour. If this one sounds like your kind of book, I'd definitely recommend giving it a read.