I read a little of everything this past month- thrillers, crime, mystery, romance and non-fiction/self help. Going back to the office definitely ramped up my audio book time because the daily commute to work is back and the routine of getting ready and listening while I get ready is also back. It was a good reading month.
I read a lot in Kindle, via Kindle Unlimited and I read and listen to audio books via Scribd. I also currently have an Audible subscription.
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On to the books I read:
Savannah Breeze- Mary Kay Andrews The second in a series about Savannah natives and friends, Weezie and Bebe. Bebe gets swindled out of her home and money by an attractive con artist and ends up with a run down motel on Tybee Island, as well as it’s handy man and tenant. Bebe and Weezie go on a trip to Florida to track down the con artist and get Bebe’s money back. This is a pretty fast paced, funny story with some romance in between the hilarious drama. I read and listened on Scribd. 4 stars
Devoted by Dean Koontz- This is my first Dean Koontz novel. I think I tried to read something of his over 25 years ago, but couldn’t get into it and don’t remember what it was. I decided to give Koontz a try again. This is the story of Woody, an autistic boy who has never spoken, and Kip, a dog with special senses and abilities. Kip is part of a group of special dogs who can read and communicate. Kip’s owner passes away and he is drawn telepathically to Woody who is in danger from a couple of different sources. My husband makes fun of some of the thrillers I read that have crazy plot twists, yet he likes Koontz! There are a couple of stories going on here, but they all tie together well. I read and listened on Kindle Unlimited/ Audible. 4 stars
All Your Perfects by Colleen Hoover A story about Quinn and Graham and their marriage troubles caused by infertility and Quinn’s obsession to have a child. The story bounces back and forth between their meeting and early years and the current time. Like many of Hoover’s romances, this one is full of emotion, happy and sad. The characters are adorable but frustrating at times. You want to scream at Quinn, “Just talk to him” but that’s easier said than done sometimes, right? Read and listened via Scribd 4 stars
In Her Tracks Tracy Crosswhite #8 by Robert Dugoni- 5 stars. I love the Crosswhite character and this series of books. This time Tracy finds herself reassigned to the cold case unit upon returning from maternity leave. She begins to review the disappearance of a five year old girl whose parents where in the middle of a nasty divorce. She also finds her former partner pulling her back into an active investigation into the disappearance of young woman who was jogging. All kinds of secrets are unveiled in a quiet little middle class neighborhood as they investigate both cases. 5 stars
Watchers by Dean Koontz – This one has been around for a while, published in 2003. My husband reread it when I started Devoted and insisted I read it. I ended up reading his paperback copy and listening via Audible. Two creatures escape from a government lab. One is a highly intelligent dog who can read and communicate with humans and the other is a violent disfigured creature who was created for killing. The two have a telepathic link and the creature is hunting down the dog. Einstein, as he is named by Travis who discovers him in a park, plays matchmaker and savior for Nora, a recluse, timid character burdened by her past. In another plot, there is a hired hit man killing off the doctors who worked in the lab and hunting Einstein for himself to use as a pawn. Lots of drama and action, but also a great story about the power of animals/pets in our lives. 5 stars
The Winemaker’s Wife by Kristen Harmel- Told between modern day Liv whose French grandmother takes her to France to reveal family secrets and Celine and Ines living as young women in World War II. “Inès has just married Michel, the owner of storied champagne house Maison Chauveau, when the Germans invade. As the danger mounts, Michel turns his back on his marriage to begin hiding munitions for the Résistance. Inès fears they’ll be exposed, but for Céline, the French-Jewish wife of Chauveau’s chef de cave, the risk is even greater—rumors abound of Jews being shipped east to an unspeakable fate.
When Céline recklessly follows her heart in one desperate bid for happiness, and Inès makes a dangerous mistake with a Nazi collaborator, they risk the lives of those they love—and the vineyard that ties them together.” As most WW II stories, this one is heart wrenching at times. Ines is a wreckless immature character but later redeems herself, but never forgives herself for the betrayal she made and the consequences it created for many lives. 4 stars
A Slice of Heaven (The Sweet Magnolias #2) Sherryl Woods This book focuses on Dana Sue, one of the three Sweet Magnolias, and her daughter, who has an eating disorder. When Annie ends up in the hospital, Dana Sue has no choice but to call her ex husband him and bring him back to Serenity. Little does she know that he had already decided he would go back and win her over to reunite. I really enjoyed this one and I plan to read the rest of the series. All three of the “Sweet Magnolias” friends are so adorable. Read on Kindle and listened to parts on Scribd 4 stars
Goals! How to Get Everything You Want Faster Than You Ever Thought Possible Brian Tracy I listened to an audio version on Scribd. Tracy tells you not only how to set goals, define and measure them, but explains the right mindset for achieving goals. Much of this was information I have read before on this topic, but the one thing that differs is that Tracy recommends reviewing and rewriting goals DAILY! Many systems will recommend quarterly reviews but I found this approach to daily reviews to be unique and something that might work for me. Reviewing daily helps you fine tune goals to what is really important. I also like the way Tracy presents information and I like his narrations style. 4 stars
One Million Followers: How I Built a Massive Social Following in 30 Days Brendan Kane. Read via Scribd I have seen a lot of hype on this one but it did not deliver for me. It took me forever to read and although he tells you what to do, he didn’t really tell the how. 3 stars
Linking up with Show Us Your Books. I can’t wait to see what you’ve read.
Check out my favorite books of 2020.
Do you have certain reading goals or plans for the month? Or do you just read whatever strikes your fancy at the moment?
I have a loose plan that includes reading 1-2 non-fiction books per month, reading one hardback or paperback in my TBR stack and whatever strikes my fancy from there. To make sure I’m getting my money’s worth from my subscriptions I try to read two Kindle Unlimited books and two Scribd (read or audio) per month. What’s your game plan when it comes to reading?