The Meandering Reader
Like most things in my life, my reading journey proceeds in a convoluted and undirected fashion. The reading cut ends up being about 75% romance, 25% everything else. Almost all of the books will have been supplied by the publisher in return for an honest review.
Monday, August 3, 2026
Spy x Family, Vol. 12 by Tatsuya Endo, translator Casey Loe
Our favorite family is dealing with a world post-Anya's class being kidnapped. Anya has to go back to schoole while Yor and Lloid go back to work. Yor's coworkers are skeptical when she refuses to speak ill of her husband so she creates problems that don't really exist. Meanwhile, Lloid is also dealing with her brother Yuri as both sides race to get to super spy Winston Wheeler before the other.
Sunday, August 2, 2026
Harvest Season by Brynne Weaver
Nolan and Harper are back again. Less killing in this book but they are still having to deal with all of the deaths in the first book. The true crime group who lost two members in the first book are in town trying to figure out what happened to their friends. There was also a big reveal at the end of the last book that is having consequences in this book. Consequences that leave Nolan and Harper at odds at the end of this book.
Three and a half stars
Seasons of Carnage Trilogy #2
Follows by Tourist Season
This book came out June 9, 2026
Borrowed as audiobook from Libby
Opinions are my own
Saturday, August 1, 2026
Probable Caws by Donna Andrews
The book is off to a galloping (pun, har) start when Meg gets a phone call from her father. A local horse rescue has been pushed off their land and are being moved to Ragnar's property. All hands are needed.
There are a few prickly characters in this book including Abel, the man whose land the horses were on, his brother George, who thinks he inherited half the property and wants the horses off, and Helen, the woman who runs the Hoof and Hearth nonprofit. There is a death but it was not anyone I expected at first.
A lot of our favorite returning characters are away for this book which was fine. The mystery was a bit thin and the solution a bit improbable but I still enjoyed the reading.
Four stars
Meg Langslow #39
Follows Five Golden Wings
Followed by Jay to the World
ARC of ebook kindly provided by MacMillan and Edelweiss
Friday, July 31, 2026
July 2026 Rereads
A Quiet Life In The Country by T. E. Kinsey
Three and a half stars
Lady Hardcastle Mysteries #1
Followed by In the Market for Murder
Lady Hardcastle Mysteries #1
Followed by In the Market for Murder
This book comes out October 4, 2016
A Super Scary Narwhalloween by Ben Clanton
Four stars
A Narwhal and Jelly Book #8
Follows Narwhalicorn and Jelly
Identity by Nora Roberts
Four stars
This book comes out May 23, 2023
Hard copy from library
Opinions are my own
Odie Unleashed! by Jim Davis
Odie gets his own book? Delightful. All of the strips in this book include Garfield's best frenemy. They certainly weren't pals when Odie first showed up with Jon's friend, Lyman. But, when it comes down to it, Garfield is always going to protect his pal. Or show just how empty his head is. But Odie occassionally gets his own back and it is just as funny.
Four stars
This book came out September 27, 2005
This book came out September 27, 2005
Borrowed as ebook from Libby
Opinions are my own
Thursday, July 30, 2026
The Secret of Shadow Ranch by Carolyn Keene, Mildred Benson (Ghostwriter)
Nancy is meeting Bess and George at their aunt and uncle's ranch. There's a phantom horse causing issues across the ranch and they are close to having to abandon the ranch altogether. But is there really a phantom? And does it have anything to do with the notorious outlaw Dirk Valentine who is reported to have hidden a treasure somewhere on the ranch?
Nancy gets knocked out in this book. This seems to happen to the poor girl so many times. This book is definitely dated - fascination with the old west, some of the clues wouldn't be as well known today, bit it is a fun book with a glimpse into the time the book was written.
Nancy gets knocked out in this book. This seems to happen to the poor girl so many times. This book is definitely dated - fascination with the old west, some of the clues wouldn't be as well known today, bit it is a fun book with a glimpse into the time the book was written.
Three and a half stars
Follows The Mystery at Lilac Inn
Followed by The Secret of Red Gate Farm
This book came out in 1931
Borrowed as audiobook from Libby
Opinions are my own
Monday, July 27, 2026
Murder at First Slice by Valerie Burns
Michael and Madison are getting married. But not until after Baby and Daisy. Madison has recovered from that and from the hangover left after her bachelorette party when she gets another shock. One of the invited guests is someone that her favorite baker (and Micahel's aunt), Miss Hannah, absolutely hates. And this is one one of her good days from the dementia that is ravaging her mind.
As they get to know Dorothy Wilson, it soon becomes clear that she is probably one of the family members that should not have been invited. She is not only rude, she manages to piss off almost everyone she meets. So, it's no surprise that she's the one to die in this book. The larger surpise is who is standing over her with a wedding gift that was given to Madison just the day before.
There was a lot crammed into a small number of days in this book which made it somewhat hard to follow but was still a fun book to read.
Four stars
This book comes out July 28, 2026
Baker Street #5
Follows Icing on Murder
ARC kindly provided by Kensington Publishing and NetGalley
Opinions are my own
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