For the Love of Reading.....What's on Your Bookshelf

Welcome to my What's On Your BookShelf post. The #WOYB link party is hosted by Deb, Jo and Sue....all gals I follow on a few other link parties. I love their blogs. Go check them out. #whatsonyourbookshelfchallenge

My rating system:

⭐ DNF (which there's a reason), story lacking any depth, grammatical or spelling errors (too many), just did not enjoy it and enough to it that I wouldn't recommend. Don't bother reading

⭐⭐ Story line is a bit all over the place, struggle to read it but maybe it had some redeeming parts. Characters  or story line weren't believable or too unrealistic. I wouldn't want to read it again. Too many storylines going on at the same time. Read it or don't read it.

⭐⭐⭐ Solid story line and characters. I liked it but didn't necessarily LOVE it, but I didn't HATE it either. I may have felt that it dragged on, or had parts that weren't necessary to the story. Maybe was a little hard to follow. Probably wouldn't recommend but it wasn't a total disaster.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ A really great read that I enjoyed picking up each time. I enjoyed it from front to back. The characters and storyline were really good.  As someone said "a truly good book, but missing the cherry on top".  Go ahead and read it

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ This book knocked it out of the park and I couldn't put it down. OR it was a book that really opened my eyes to something or taught me something about someones life. One I have bookmarked and even taken notes. It left me wanting to read more by the author or more in the series. Definitely go read. 

March was not as heavy of a reading month as February was, but hey, we all have those months. April might be even less, we'll see. I'm still working on being okay with not finishing books that I just really can't get into. I'll update my 52 book challenge next month since I'll have a few books I can add to it by then. 

What I read in March: 

Snow Time To Die (Northwoods Mystery Book 3) by Annie McEwen ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Annie McEwen is another author I was introduced to last year and I have loved her books. The third installment of the Northwoods Mystery brought together Emmy's past and her present. In the previous books, you were given glimpses into what caused her to go back home, but this one put a bow on that. I won't give anything else away, but again, another great read from Annie. 

In the Wild Light by Jeff Zentner ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This was the book I read for my Pass Along book club. I wasn't sure if I'd like it at first. The main characters, Cash and Delaney are teenagers when the book starts and it follows them into young adulthood (college age). The story is beautiful and heartbreaking, revolving around family dysfunction, poverty and  finding your place in the world. The story examines grief, found family and young love. 

You're Not Listening: What You're Missing and Why it Matters by Kate Murphy ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This was an audiobook. I can't remember if someone in the WOYBS group read it it or I just happened to find that it was available. It was a good listen. The narrator was great and there were some great takeaways. The author takes a long look at how the digital world and technology have the ability to hinder our ability to listen...is it making us lonelier, ore isolated and less tolerant? Weaving psychology, science, sociology and experience together, it was a thought provoking book. 

Death at the Scottish Broch: A Mia Reid, Archaeologist, Mystery by Rose Kerr ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I read this book for my Murder, They Write reading challenge. Marches book was, it has an archaeologist. I read one in February for Marches as well, but since I jumped the gun and started and finished it before March started, I read this one. This was the first book in this series. I had a bit of a hard time getting into it at first, but did end up really enjoying it. It follows Dr. Mia Reid as she arrives on the Isle of Skye for a summer dig. However, she discovers upon arrival that her colleague, whom she was to meet, has been murdered...she and fellow students continue the dig, but also work to uncover who could've "done it and why". She teams up with her former lover Luke Forbes who is working on the case with the police. It was interesting and I liked learning some things about archaeology. I was always fascinated with it as a kid. 

Case of the Bleus: A Cheese Shop Mystery book 4  by Korina Moss ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I am caught up on this series and looking forward to book 5 coming out in a week. I plan to read it on my vacation. Anyways, book 4 didn't disappoint. Willa is excited that the Northwest Cheese Invitational takes place in Yarrow Glen and she'll get to see her old coworkers. Sadly, her mentor has passed away and while in town, one of her old coworkers is murdered. Suspicions fly when it's assumed one of these characters stands to inherit a secret from their mentor. Had me guessing the whole time!

What I'm Currently Reading:

When the Moon Turns Blue by Pamela Terry

I chose this one for one of the 52 book prompts "I think it was blue". I'm not quite halfway done and I do hope it picks up. A story about family, friendship, conflict, division and sometimes learning things about the people in our lives that we never really knew. It follows Marietta after the death of her husband and the destruction of a landmark that has caused division amongst those she knows in her community and cares about. 

The Things We Do For Love by Kristin Hannah

This book is for my Pass along book club and I'm about 1/2 way done. I'm not sure I'll get it finished before I have to send it along. I think this one could also be used for the prompt "found family" for the 52 book challenge. It follows Angela Desaria Malone as she heads back to her family town after some great losses. She tucks in to help her family's struggling restaurant and a young girl. I'm hoping this will end up more happy than the last Kristin Hannah book I read, that left me more sad than anything. Stay tuned. 

Clover Covered Corpse by Jackie Layton

This is book two in the Flower Farmer Series. I'll share the first book next month since I finished reading it in April. This series follows Emma Justice. A woman following a dream after leaving the corporate world and becoming a flower farmer, supplying flowers to those in her community. Emma goes on the trail of a killer when friends become suspects in the latest murder. It's a good series that I'm enjoying and I love flowers.

Glad You're Here: Two Unlikely Friends Breaking Bread and Fences by Walker Hayes and Craig Cooper

If you don't know, Walker Hayes is a newish country singer, mostly known for his song "fancy like". I follow him on social media and he seems to be a real down home, family guy. I saw this book while I was searching for available audiobooks and thought "hey, why not listen to it". It follows Walker and his wife as they begin his dream and the struggles that come along, including some hard things he went through, a friendship that has stood the test of time and helped pull him out of the pit. 

With Joy Unquenchable,

Kirstin