July Reads

21.  Our House (Candish)  ~ 4/5

22.  The Lying Game (Ware) ~ 3/5

23.  The Best Kind of People (Whittall) ~ 3/5

24.  A Gathering of Secrets (Castillo) ~ 4/5

25.  Goldilocks and the Infinite Bears (McNamee) ~ 2.75/5

Monthly - Yearly

Audiobooks:  2 - 12

Books:  0 - 7 

eBooks:  3 - 6 

New-to-Me Authors:  3 - 12  

Short Story Collection:  0 - 0

DNF:  0 - 0

GOLDILOCKS AND THE INFINITE BEARS

Author:  John McNamee

Genre:  Graphic Comic, Standalone

Published:  2018

Personal Rating:  2.75/5 (eh +)

Format:  eBook

Yearly Count:  25

From NetGalley:

Pie Comics began as a college comic strip way back is the mid '00s, when flip phones roamed the earth. But it wasn't until a shoulder injury forced John to simplify his drawing style and improvise the comics instead of actually sitting down and writing them that Pie Comics became the beloved strip it is today! This collection showcases some of the funniest and most trenchant of Onion writer John McNamee's online comic strips.

I didn't know about this author's comic strip, so I went in blind.  The comics are based on fairy tales, books/movies and some general life.  Like most comics, some are better than others.  Ultimately, I smiled here and there, some were not familiar to me, and others I didn't really care for.  The drawings are minimal, but they get the point across.  I would read more by him, but I wasn't super impressed either. 

Thoughts of Joy

My thanks go to Lion Forge and NetGalley for providing me with this eGalley.

A GATHERING OF SECRETS

Author:  Linda Castillo

Genre:  Thriller, Kate Burkholder Series #10

Published:  2018

Personal Rating:  4/5 (very good)

Format:  eBook

Yearly Count:  24

From NetGalley:

When a historic barn burns to the ground in the middle of the night, Chief of Police Kate Burkholder is called in to investigate. At first, it looks like an accident, but when the body of eighteen-year-old Daniel Gingerich is found inside—burned alive—Kate suspects murder. Who would want a well-liked, hardworking young Amish man dead? Kate delves into the investigation only to find herself stonewalled by the community to which she once belonged. Is their silence a result of the Amish tenet of separation? Or is this peaceful and deeply religious community conspiring to hide a truth no one wants to talk about? Kate doubles down only to discover a plethora of secrets and a chilling series of crimes that shatters everything she thought she knew about her Amish roots—and herself.

As Kate wades through a sea of suspects, she’s confronted by her own violent past and an unthinkable possibility.

Not much of a surprise that I enjoyed this book.  This series has been a winner for me.  It's not too light.  It's not too dark.  It's just right for a comfort read that keeps me interested and connected.  I really enjoy the procedural part of the investigations - all the thoughts and questioning of suspects lets me into the mind of an investigator.  I'm not into the storyline of Kate discovering herself or any of that, but overall, this was a very good quick read.

Thoughts of Joy 

My thanks go to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for providing me with this eGalley.

THE BEST KIND OF PEOPLE

Author:  Zoe Whittall

Genre:  Fiction, Standalone

Published:  2017

Personal Rating:  3/5 (just okay)

Format/Narrator:  Audiobook/
Cassandra Campbell

Yearly Count:  23

From NetGalley:

The Woodburys cherish life in the affluent, bucolic suburb of Avalon Hills, Connecticut. George is a beloved science teacher at the local prep school, a hero who once thwarted a gunman, and his wife, Joan, is a hardworking ER nurse. They have brought up their children in this thriving town of wooded yards and sprawling lakes.

Then one night a police car pulls up to the Woodbury home and George is charged with sexual misconduct with students from his daughter’s school. As he sits in prison awaiting trial and claiming innocence, Joan vaults between denial and rage as friends and neighbors turn cold. Their daughter, seventeen-year-old Sadie, is a popular high school senior who becomes a social outcast—and finds refuge in an unexpected place. Her brother, Andrew, a lawyer in New York, returns home to support the family, only to confront unhappy memories from his past. A writer tries to exploit their story, while an unlikely men’s rights activist group attempts to recruit Sadie for their cause.

This left me with the thought of ho-hum.  The beginning was enticing, and I was curious as to the outcome; however, it wasn't just about George.  The greatest focus was on his daughter and all her escapades.  After rereading the title, I realized that it states "people."  With many people in the mix, I didn't find much satisfaction in (what I thought was) the main storyline.  Although, it was my bad.

Thoughts of Joy

My thanks go to Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing me with the eGalley.

Blogiversary

Sad, not sad.  Reading has been lower on the To Do List this past year, and I'm currently behind on my weekly goal of a book a week; however, it has been fabulous for other hobbies.  I still absolutely love to read and listening to books.  They continue to be part of my every day life, but it doesn't monopolize most of my free time anymore.

To cull or not to cull.  Last summer I culled some of my bookshelves, and this summer I plan to delve into the hiding places (closets and boxes).  I've decided to keep only the books that are true favorites or memorable reads . . . brilliant concept, I know!  😝  The most difficult culling project is addressing the TBR piles of books.  I suppose the first glance through will be easy enough (automatically know that I will not read it), but after that . . . eek!  The amount that gets bagged up is to be determined, but a donation of a couple bags to my local library will be a great start.

Thank you to those that continue to comment.  With life constantly changing, 12 years of consistent blogging seems quite incredible, and I truly appreciate your continual support.  

May all your reading goals be met with pleasure. 

Thoughts of Joy

THE LYING GAME

Author:  Ruth Ware

Genre:  Mystery, Standalone

Published:  2017

Personal Rating:  3/5 (just okay)

Format/Narrator:  Audiobook/Imogen Church

Yearly Count:  22

From NetGalley:

On a cool June morning, a woman is walking her dog in the idyllic coastal village of Salten along a tidal estuary known as the Reach. Before she can stop him, the dog charges into the water to retrieve what first appears to be a wayward stick, but to her horror, turns out to be something much more sinister...

The next morning, three women in and around London—Fatima, Thea, and Isabel—receive the text they had always hoped would NEVER come, from the fourth in their formerly inseparable clique, Kate, that says only, “I need you.”

The four girls were best friends at Salten, a second rate boarding school set near the cliffs of the English Channel. Each different in their own way, the four became inseparable and were notorious for playing the Lying Game, telling lies at every turn to both fellow boarders and faculty, with varying states of serious and flippant nature that were disturbing enough to ensure that everyone steered clear of them. The myriad and complicated rules of the game are strict: no lying to each other—ever. Bail on the lie when it becomes clear it is about to be found out. But their little game had consequences, and the girls were all expelled in their final year of school under mysterious circumstances surrounding the death of the school’s eccentric art teacher, Ambrose (who also happens to be Kate’s father).

This book never grabbed me.  I thought I'd really enjoy the English backdrop and the boarding school aspect, but the story slogged along and didn't pan out in the end either.  I didn't necessarily dislike anything, though.  I have Ware's next book (The Death of Mrs. Westaway) in line, but I think I'm going to put some time in between.

Thoughts of Joy

My thanks go to Gallery/Scout Press and NetGalley for providing me with the eGalley.

OUR HOUSE

Author:  Louise Candlish

Genre:  Thriller, Standalone

Published:  2018

Personal Rating:  4/5 (very good)

Format:  eBook

Yearly Count:  21

From NetGalley:

There's nothing unusual about a new family moving in at 91 Trinity Avenue. Except it's her house. And she didn't sell it.

When Fiona Lawson comes home to find strangers moving into her house, she's sure there's been a mistake. She and her estranged husband, Bram, have a modern coparenting arrangement: bird's nest custody, where each parent spends a few nights a week with their two sons at the prized family home to maintain stability for their children. But the system built to protect their family ends up putting them in terrible jeopardy. In a domino effect of crimes and misdemeanors, the nest comes tumbling down.

Now Bram has disappeared and so have Fiona's children. As events spiral well beyond her control, Fiona will discover just how many lies her husband was weaving and how little they truly knew each other. But Bram's not the only one with things to hide, and some secrets are best kept to oneself, safe as houses.

Oh my.  I have such mixed feelings about this book.  I'm sticking with a "very good" rating due to its intrigue.  I looked forward to my evening read and was engaged all along the way.  The mixed feelings are based on the ending.  It's two-fold, though.  I loved a portion of it, but hated another.  I'm so tempted to give it a higher rating because it has had me thinking about it since I finished it.  But, NO.  The 4/5 remains.  I'm curious as to what others think.  Now, I'm off to see what other books this author wrote.

Thoughts of Joy

My thanks go to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing me with this eGalley.