I read (and listened to) a number of great books this month–and even a bunch of new releases!

I listened (again) to Sergei Lukyanenko‘s Night Watch series so I could read the final book in that series, Sixth Watch. I really love that series and highly recommend it. On our drives were listening to Andrea Camilleri‘s Inspector Montalbano series (I’d been trying to get Michael to read it for years) and although Michael gets thrown by all the names (it’s easier for me to read because of that) it is a fun series. Although the earliest books are the best, I never regret reading even an average Andrea Camilleri mystery.

I read two good historical romances, which were extremely different from each other. KJ Charles’ series is MM and full of boinking, but the main character in An Unseen Attraction made the whole book. He’s half Indian, is neurodivergent, and both of those things made the story excellent, allowing for atypical issues between the heroes, and the historical setting adds an extra layer to the whole thing, since homosexuality was a crime. C.E. Murphy‘s Bewitching Benedict is almost a polar opposite, with no boinking and barely any kissing, but like An Unseen Attraction, the characters made the book, and I look forward to more books about the other characters in the story.

Fantasy, Urban

Sixth Watch (2015/2016) Sergei Lukyanenko translated by Andrew Bromfield 8/10 (Night Watch)

Fantasy, Supernatural

Burn Bright (2018) Patricia Briggs (Alpha & Omega)

Mystery, Police

The Temptation of Forgiveness (2018) Donna Leon 7/10 (Commissario Guido Brunetti)
The Killings at Badger’s Drift (1987) Caroline Graham 7.5/10 (Chief Inspector Barnaby)

Mystery, Historical

A Brush with Shadows (2018) Anna Lee Huber 7.5/10
A Conspiracy in Belgravia (2017) Sherry Thomas 7/10 (Lady Sherlock)
Bess Crawford
A Bitter Truth (2011) Charles Todd 7/10
An Unmarked Grave (2012) Charles Todd 7.5/10
A Question of Honor (2013) Charles Todd 5/10
An Unwilling Accomplice (2014) Charles Todd 5/10
A Pattern of Lies (2015) Charles Todd 5/10

Romance, Historical

An Unseen Attraction (2017) KJ Charles 8/10 (Sins of the City)
Bewitching Benedict (2017) C.E. Murphy 8/10 (Lovelorn Lads)

Audio Book

The Terra Cotta Dog, Audio Edition (1996/2002/2007) Andrea Camilleri translated by Stephen Sartaelli narrated by Grover Gardner 8/10 (Inspector Montalbano)
Night Watch
Day Watch, Audio Edition (1999/2006/2010) Sergei Lukyanenko translated by Andrew Bromfield and narrated by Paul Michael 9/10
Twilight Watch, Audible Version (2006/2007/2010) Sergei Lukyanenko translated by Andrew Bromfield narrated by Paul Michael 10/10
Last Watch, Audible Edition (2009/2010) Sergei Lukyanenko translated by Andrew Bromfield narrated by Paul Michael 9/10
New Watch, Audible Version (2012/2014) Sergei Lukyanenko translated by Andrew Bromfield narrated by Paul Michael 8/10

Short Story

Opal (2018) Maggie Stiefvater 7/10

And now: The stats!

eBook : 14
Audio : 5
Multiple Formats : 5
Re-read : 8

Not as many re-reads this month–and more than half of those were audio books (I can’t listen to fiction unless I’ve already read the book. No patience. But I love audio books when I’m walking on we’re on long car rides.) No paper books this month.

Fantasy : 7
Mystery : 10
Romance : 2
YA : 1

I’ve been in a mood for mysteries. I mean, I frequently am, but right now a good mystery (or even a story arc that’s a good mystery) will draw me in more than anything else.

Male : 6
Female : 8
Joint : 6

Female authors pull slightly ahead this month, but not that far ahead for the year.

And that’s the past month in books!

Yay reading!