Sunday, May 31, 2026

May 2026 Monthly Reread




Connections in Death by J.D. Robb
Three and a half stars
In Death #48
Follows Leverage in Death
Followed by Vendetta in Death
This book came out February 5, 2019
Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Vendetta in Death by J.D. Robb




Vendetta in Death by J. D. Robb
Three stars
In Death #49
This book came out September 3, 2019
Borrowed as audiobook from Libby


Golden in Death (In Death, #50)
Golden in Death by J. D. Robb
Three stars
In Death #50
Follows Vendetta in Death
Followed by Shadows in Death
This book came out February 4, 2020
Borrowed as audiobook from Libby



Shadows in Death (In Death, #51)

Shadows in Death by J. D. Robb
In Death #51
Followed by Faithless in Death
This book comes out September 8, 2020
Borrowed as audiobook from Libby




Faithless in Death by J.D.Robb
In Death #52
This book came out February 2, 2021
Borrowed as audiobook from Libby




Forgotten in Death by J.D. Robb
In Death #53
Four stars
Followed by Abandoned in Death
This book came out September 7, 2021
Borrowed as audiobook from Libby




Abandoned in Death by J.D. Robb
In Death #54
Follows Forgotten in Death
Followed by Desperation in Death
This book came out February 8, 2022
Borrowed as audiobook from Libby



Forgotten in Death by J.D. Robb
In Death #55
Followed by Encore in Death
This book came out September 6, 2022
Borrowed as audiobook from Libby



Encore in Death by J.D. Robb
Four stars
In Death #56
Followed by Payback in Death
This book came out February 7, 2023
Borrowed as audiobook from Libby




Payback in Death by J. D. Robb
Four stars
In Death #57
Followed by Random in Death
This book comes out September 5, 2023
Borrowed as audiobook from Libby




Random in Death by J. D. Robb
Four stars
In Death #58
Followed by Passions in Death
This book came out January 23, 2024
Borrowed as audiobook from Libby




Passions in Death by J. D. Robb
Four stars
In Death #59
Followed by Bonded in Death

This book came out September 3, 2024
Borrowed as audiobook from Libby







Saturday, May 30, 2026

Garfield at Large by Jim Davis

The Garfield origin stories. He looked a little different in the beginning, but his love of lasagna has been around since then. So has his fear of baths. And his laziness.
We also get to see when Odie is introduced. While their relationship eventually mellows, it was more than a bit contentious at first.

Four stars
Garfield #1
Followed by Garfield Gains Weight 
This book came out in 1980
Borrowed as ebook from Libby
Opinions are my own

Friday, May 29, 2026

The Curious Inheritance of Blakely House by Joanna Davidson Politano

Sydney Forrester has never known her mother. But little did she know that a search for the woman would lead her to a new life. While more or less happy in London, Sydney is given the chance to change her life at Blakely House when she learns that she's the sole inheritor of the place. She assumes it's a small cottage but instead, it is a large house on a small island and it is feared by the neighbors.

She arrives with her cat, Micah, in the middle of a storm. She is saved (?) by a one-armed Frenchman but finally makes it into the house where she is immediately charmed by all of the movement, then immediatley after scared by the servants. It's then that she finds out that she is not actually the sole inheritor but one of four. Now it's up to her to figure out not only the machinations in the house, but in person.
The ending to the main story was a little overwrought but an overall okay story.

Three and a half stars
This book came out Aprill 15, 2025
Borrowed as ebook from Libby
Opinions are my own

Thursday, May 28, 2026

Apprentice in Death by J.D. Robb

The book opens with two people entering a hotel room. They have a direct line of sight to a nearby park, the place where their target is ice skating. By the end of the prologue, three people are dead, the target and two more.
It's up to Eve and her team to work on discovering who the LDSK (long distance serial killer) is/are and what the thread is among the people they've murdered.
It was really interesting to me that Eve seems to pick up almost immediately on the fact that this isn't just random killings, that someone seems to be targeted. I was also a little bummed that we didn't get much character movement in this novel. It was pretty much the same team without much except Bella's birthday going on behind the scenes. Not like the last book where we got a nice glimpse of the Miras, especially Dennis.

Four stars
In Death #43
Follows Brotherhood in Death
Followed by Echoes in Death
This book came out September 6, 2016
Borrowed as ebook from Libby
Opinions are my own

Wednesday, May 27, 2026

Replaceable You by Mary Roach

I usually read Roach's books in hard copy but the audiobook was available sooner. I'm not sure if that contributed to my not enjoying this book as much as usual. Like in most of her books, Roach does a deep dive into a particular topic, this time in the ways that we enhance and recreate our own bodies. Some are practical ways like new hearts or intubation but there are also skin grafts, hair transplants, and plastic surgery that she explores. A lot of it was matter-of-fact but I was surprised to hear that one person told Roach that being intubated was a relief as it allowed her to breathe for the first time in awhile. 

Three stars
This book came out September 16, 2025
Borrowed as ebook from Libby
Opinions are my own

Monday, May 25, 2026

Blood Rites by Jim Butcher

Harry has been asked to help a director who seems to be under a curse. At the same time, he's still dealing with the threat from the vampires. Although not all vampires since Thomas, a recurring character in this series, is the one to ask for his help. 
Harry will, of course, have a number of battles, will end up bruised and bloodied. But he will also come out of this book with some unexpected family. However, he will live to fight another day. 


Three stars
Dresden Files #6
Follows Death Masks
Followed by Dead Beat
This book came out August 3, 2004
Borrowed as ebook from Libby
Opinions are my own

Sunday, May 24, 2026

Ode to the Bones by Carolyn Haines

Sarah Booth Delaney and Tinkie are on the hunt for a missing farmer. Oscar had to foreclose on his family's farm and is now concerned that the young man, Danny, is missing. 


Three stars
Sarah Booth Delaney #30
This book comes out May 26, 2026
ARC kindly provided by St. Martin's Press and Edelweiss
Opinions are my own