For the Love of Reading......#shareyourshelf and #WOYBS

Welcome to my What's On Your BookShelf post. The #WOYB link party is hosted by Deb, Jo, Jennifer and Bernie....all gals I follow on a few other link parties. I love their blogs. Go check them out. #whatsonyourbookshelfchallenge You can link up on the third Thursday of the month.

I also decided to link this with #shareyourshelf hosted by some great bloggers I follow, like Joanne. I'll link it on the week they post theirs, which is the first Thursday of each month. 

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 because maybe it wasn't my type of book. If I can't get into it after 1/4 of the way (or less), I don't want to waste my time. 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. Grammar wasn't "realistic". 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. 

I've probably already said it....I love my rating system, but I'm not always great at following it. I hate leaving low ratings...lol.

June Reads:

Philly Barker Investigates (Philly Barker Investigates) by Joanne Tracey ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This was the first I read in the series and I really enjoyed it. The characters were fun and quirky. I would definitely read more. 

Island Shadows (Emerson Moore Book 21) by Bob Adamov  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

I chose this book to read on my trip to Ohio to visit family. I love finding books that take place where I'm going to be visiting. This was an author local to the area in Ohio and the book is set on two islands, Put-in-Bay/South Bass Island, and Kelley's Island (which is where one of my aunts lives). It's always fun to read books and know the locations that are being mentioned. This book is I think, number 22 in the series. It follows an investigative reporter who inserts himself in a case to get a story. There are twists and turns to the plot and it took a turn at the end I wasn't expecting. I would read more. 

Homicide on the Range (Hometown Mysteries Book 6) by Rosalie Spielman ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

 This is one of my favorite cozy series. This book did not disappoint. This series took place off the normal location as the cast of characters heads to help at a dude ranch run by a fellow veteran for other veterans. Of course there's murder and surrounding forest fires keep them and the murderer confined to the ranch. I did not guess who the culprit was. 

Finding Grace by Loretta Rothschild ⭐⭐

This book was just too weird. I shared about it last month using an online description. I just couldn't follow it well, and was more often confused than not. 

The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion: Vol. 2 by Beth Brower ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I am LOVING this fun series. I've been listening to it and that's the best way to enjoy it! The first book was shorter, but they appear to get longer. I'm on hold for volume 3.

Death on Deck by Courtney Bradley ⭐⭐⭐

This was my first by this author and I did enjoy it. I'd read more. A group of "senior" friends...I say senior loosely, they're all barely in their 60's...take time out of their lives to go on a cruise together, hoping to relax and enjoy their friendship. When the body of  another passenger (who was a jerk) is discovered (by the friends), they insert themselves into the case. There are definitely questionable characters and potential suspects. I had an idea of who might be involved. 

The Jane Austen Society (Jane Austen Society #1) by Natalie Jenner ⭐⭐⭐⭐

I really enjoyed this book. I admit, I've never read any Jane Austen books but after reading this, I might give it a try. The characters were really fun and I enjoyed the references to the books and characters that Jane Austen wrote about. This says book 1 but I'm not sure more were written. The author did write a few other books, but they don't seem to connect with this one. 

Live and Let Chai (Seaside Cafe Mystery #1) by Bree Baker ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This was my first by this author but it was a really fun cozy. The characters were fun. The protagonist was sassy, as were her two great aunts, who basically raised her. Everly moves back to her hometown to open a tea shop in an old house that she has loved since childhood. There's a death and she becomes a possible suspect. The new detective becomes a possible love interest. 

Currently Reading:

Like, Follow, Subscribe: Influencer Kids and the Cost of a Childhood online by Fortesa Latifi 

I've barely started it. It was mentioned on one of the IG pages I follow and I had heard other people also talking about it (maybe someone on here). She was curious what anyone else thought about it so I thought I'd read it. The gist of the book is an investigation into the child influencer industry and the perils of childhood internet fame. I think it'll be an interesting read. I think there's a fine line when it comes to family's and internet. I've seen some great and some that cross the line. 

I just wish I had a Bigger Kitchen: And Other Lies I think Will Make Me Happy by Kate Strickler

I'm listening this on audio and it's been interesting. Again, pointing to social media and the effects it has on our lives, especially when it comes to comparison. The book lines out 10 lies about relationships, money, time, and home life. 

Death in the Park (Firefly Junction, #1) by London Lovett

I chose this cozy mystery to go along with Rosalie Spielman's reading challenge. July's theme is A genre not your norm. While I read cozy's regularly, this one is more of a paranormal bent which I don't really read. Sunni packs up and joins her sisters in Firefly Junction in hopes of opening a B & B on the property they all share.  She is momentarily working as a newspaper reporter. There's going to be a dead body, and apparently a ghost and an "appealing" detective. 

Life is Funny Until It's Not: A Comic's Story of Love, Loss, and Lunacy by Chonda Pierce. 

I used to love Chonda Pierce when I was younger. A Christian comedian who always made me laugh. The book chronicles her life and all the ups and downs she experienced. I'm listening this on audio. I wish she was reading it, but it's fine. 

White Chrysanthemum by Mary Lynn Bracht

This is my July pass along book club read. I haven't even opened it up, but still added it here. According to Good Reads "In the Spirit of Lilac Girls, the heartbreaking history of Korea is brought to lie in this deeply moving and redentive debut that follows two sisters separated by WW II." 

I'm doing okay with the reading challenges I'm doing. I'm about 6 books behind in the Goodreads reading challenge. I set a goal for 110, and hopefully I can catch up, but I'm not going to stress over it. 

With Joy Unquenchable,

Kirstin