It's Monday! What Are You Reading? - Aug 10

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week. It's a great post to organize yourself. It's an opportunity to visit and comment, and er... add to that ever growing TBR pile! So welcome in everyone. This meme started with J Kaye's Blog and then was taken up by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at the Book Date.

Well, August sure came in like a lion. Tropical Storm Isaias visited us Tuesday. Some residents just got power back this weekend. We still have downed trees around town, but clean up is ongoing. Other than no power and no internet, the only bad thing that happened is our arbor fell into the garden and pulled up my grape vine and squashed the tomato plants. I blogged about feeling like Charles Ingalls when he lost his wheat crop. You can read that here.

I am trying to stay caught up on reading since I have three more book reviews for August.


I finished this book yesterday. Look for my review on August 21.

These two are being reviewed the last week of August.

These three reviews are coming in September.

I would like to read these to review at my children's book blog.

After that, I am hoping to take a break from review books and focus on these.

By that time, I should really be ready for some seasonal reading material--which I never seem to get to. 

What are you reading right now? What is a book you have been wanting to read for a while, but never seem to get to it?

Short Story Review: A Whiskered Perspective by M. G. Spear

Life through the eyes of a loyal black cat is what the reader will find in this short story titled "A Whiskered Perspective" by M. G. Spear.

This furry warrior has come close to using up his nine lives when he is rescued by a woman who he calls Miller.

Glad to leave his warrior ways behind, Miller and Pumpkin create a special and loving bond. When Miller starts dating a man named Rob, Pumpkin is glad to see her happy. Then Rob changes, and Pumpkin is determined to stick by Miller's side no matter what.

This is a much darker story than I expected. If you read the description for the Kindle version, you'll have an idea of what I mean.

Told entirely from Pumpkin's perspective, this short story is about the special bond between a woman and her cat; but it is also about how one woman's desire to be loved by another person goes terribly wrong. It is a story of how someone can hide their true colors until it's too late.

A story of this length doesn't leave a lot of room for character development, so Miller's friends' dislike for Rob didn't make sense. It isn't until the reader witnesses Rob's behavior that it all comes together. If the length of the story had been closer to novella or novel length, that problem may have solved itself. The author switches between past and present tense regularly, which interrupts the flow of the story. It also ends on a cliffhanger, so the reader must wait for the sequel to learn how things turn out for Miller and Pumpkin. I admit cliffhanger endings like that never sit well with me.

What I like about "A Whiskered Perspective" is Pumpkin's personality and his loyalty toward the woman who rescued him. The author, through Pumpkin's eyes, explored how a woman like Miller could be attracted to a person like Rob. She created a plausible explanation in a short period of time.

If you enjoy reading about human and pet relationships or dark stories, you might consider "A Whiskered Perspective."

File Size: 1259 KB
Print Length: 37 pages
Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
Publication Date: June 4, 2020
Sold by: Amazon.com Services LLC
Language: English
ASIN: B089QTSVY6

I received a digital copy of this book from the author through Pump Up Your Book. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books with the Color Red in the Titles

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

What a great topic for this week. Jana's actual topic is Top Ten Books with Colors in the Titles, but since I love the color red so much I am sticking with that one to make it more challenging.

Great movie, but couldn't get through this book because Clancy is so technical. 

I saw this movie, too, but didn't read the book. 

This is in my TBR pile.

I have not read a single book in this series. Shocking!

I really want to read this book.

Also want to read this book.

Sounds fascinating. 

I have only read Winnie the Pooh. I should explore Milne's other work.

Did you find any of your books on my list? Did you stick with one color or did you use a variety? What books on my list did you read? Which ones could you recommend? 

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? - Aug 3

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week. It's a great post to organize yourself. It's an opportunity to visit and comment, and er... add to that ever growing TBR pile! So welcome in everyone. This meme started with J Kaye's Blog and then was taken up by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at the Book Date.

Welcome to August. Hard to believe we are starting the last full month of summer. Our girls go back to school at the end of the month. Not quite to the fanfare of usual starts to the year, but virtual events to welcome the kids back and a hybrid of in-person and online learning.

As far as reading goes, I am reading these two. I am almost done with the first one.

These two will be reviewed this month.

I signed up to review this book in September.

I would like to read these to review at my children's book blog.

I am also keeping this on the list, because it's the one I want to read as soon as I am done with books for review. 

What are you looking forward to reading this month? 

Books from the Backlog - July 30

Books from the Backlog is hosted by Carole's Random Life in Books. It is a fun way to feature some of those neglected books sitting on your bookshelf unread. If you are anything like me, you might be surprised by some of the unread books hiding in your stacks.

To join in, visit the weekly link at Carole's blog to enter the link to your post. Then spend time visiting some of the other posts.

Happy Thursday. The week is almost over. Are we even paying attention anymore?

Jean Stone started our local writing group. That's how we met. She has since moved out of the area, but she returned in 2018 for a book reading of A Vineyard Christmas at our local Barnes and Noble when the publisher released it.

The fourth book in the Vineyard series is due out next year.

This week's neglected book

In the midst of a Christmas blizzard: A baby on the doorstep.

It's taken a long time and a little heartache, but Annie Sutton is finally following her dream of living on Martha's Vineyard. She fell in love with the island's singular beauty while using it as a setting for two of her novels. In her cozy rented cottage on Chappaquiddick, she's settling in for her first Vineyard winter--complete with a fierce nor'easter on the way, forecast to bring high winds and deep snow. But the blizzard also brings something unexpected to Annie's front porch: a basket, encircled by a ribbon, containing a baby girl. The note reads: "I named her Bella, after my grandmother. Please help her, because I can't."

Adopted as a child, Annie is grateful for wonderful parents who raised her as their own. Yet she also hopes to spare little Bella the feelings of abandonment that still haunt her. And so, rather than take the baby to the police, Annie decides to keep her and try to find the birth mother, giving her a chance to change her mind.

But it's not easy keeping a secret in a close-knit, island community, especially amid the bustle of Christmas. Before the holiday ends, there will be revelations, rekindled hope, and proof that families--the ones we are born into and the ones we claim for ourselves--are the gifts that truly matter . . .


What do you think of this novel? Would you read it? Have you read any Christmas stories yet this year?

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Reasons I Like Cozy Mysteries

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

This week is a freebie, so bloggers get to choose their topics. I chose this one because cozy mysteries have been a part of my life as long as I can remember. Here are the:

Top Ten Reasons I Like Cozy Mysteries

• They give a voice to often overlooked people

Though Scooby Doo started off as a television series, my favorite mystery-solving pooch wound up with dozens of books. He and the "meddling kids" he calls his friends solve mystery after mystery with seemingly supernatural causes. These are cozy mysteries with teenage and dog antics and tons of humor. I'm still a fan of the Scooby gang.

The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew Mysteries are also from my younger years. These two series also featured teenagers, like its animated counterpart, Scooby Doo. Like other cozy mysteries, the boys live in a small city/town near the water. 

Both these series allow teenagers to shine, as they solve mysteries that often stump the adults.

Then there are cozy mysteries that feature senior sleuths. I haven't read a ton of Miss Marple, but I did read The Case of the Bouncing Grandma. 

• They are set in neat places

Duffy Brown's Cycle Path Mystery series is set on Mackinac Island, a cozy resort town where everyone rides around on bicycles. 

Wouldn't you like to live in Cabot Cove, Maine, home to author and crime-solver Jessica Fletcher in the Murder, She Wrote series? 

• They have tons of interesting themes

From herbs to magic and everything in between, new cozy mystery themes crop up all the time.

• They have animal characters

Though cats and dogs seem to be the most popular, you'll even find horses, birds, and other animals in cozy mysteries.

• The female sleuths really kick butt

No matter their ages, female sleuths know how to hold their hold and catch the bad guy. 

• They lend themselves to series - which means plenty of reading material
• They force you to pay close attention to the clues so you can figure out the killer
• Many of their characters have everyday careers: librarian, real estate agent, psychologist, etc.
• They often include quirky characters
• They can be light/funny or serious

Do you enjoy cozy mysteries? What is your favorite cozy mystery? Are there other reasons you can think of to like cozies?