Sunday Reading Roundup #12

Welcome back! In this edition...

• Today's Book Beview
• Currently Reading
• On My TBR List
• Stacking the Shelves
• 52 Week Challenge Update
• Happening In Real Life
• Weekend Blog Hops

Book Review: The Judge's List by John Grisham

When I read, I usually post updates on my progress on Goodreads. Here's what I wrote after passing the point of no return. (That is, when I either give up on a novel that is a bit sluggish or decide to power through. That's anywhere from 20 to 40 percent.)

"About 40% into the novel and they're finally starting the investigation. Kind of repetitive so far, explaining the plot 3 or 4 times that there's a serial killer judge on the loose. I have to admit I'm a bit bored even though I like Grisham's style of writing. Hope there's a twist coming."

Here's my 60% update: "Good writing as per Grisham but not much tension. The stakes were set from the beginning and now we're just trudging along until the end, it seems."

And my final impression: 

Prose is certainly Grisham-esque and typically entertaining, at times...though having read almost all of his novels, I've grown slightly weary of his snarky clip.

The central plotline, however - that there's a serial killer judge on the loose and here are his suspected victims - was repeated so often as to become monotonous. We reviewed the cases at least four times. So hardly any tension or suspense; no real build up. And disappointingly, no twist or surprise revelation was to be had. The novel was one long denouement - the climax found in the blurb itself.

And at about 350 pages, it was just too long. Maybe this one would have made a good novella because I like the set-up and premise. It just didn't have the energy of previous Grisham novels. 

If you are a super fan of his like me, then you'll eventually get to it, but if you want to experience the author at his best, maybe try those earlier books from the '90s like The Firm, The Client, and The Pelican Brief.

I'd give this one 3 stars based on feels though it wasn't a bad book. It's a kind of sequel to The Whistler which I gave 3.5 stars to. My review of that first one, which has more courtroom drama than this followup, is on Goodreads here. BTW, Grisham also wrote a prequel short story to The Whistler called Witness to a Trial which I liked very much. Very short review is here.

Amazon affiliate link to The Judge's List by John Grisham (2021).

~*~

Currently Reading
+ XLZABK001 by Jon Zaremba (fantasy and sword & sorcery collection)
+ Laws and Prophecies (Sword's Edge Book 3) by L.S. King (sword and planet)

+ The Troubleshooters by William W. Johnstone (western vigilenta justice)

+ Razored Land: Blackest of Hates by Charles Allen Gramlich (dystopia) 

On My TBR List 

+ Boy Battles Bot (Space Invaders #1) by A.K. Meek (MG sci-fi adventure) 

+ Skallagrim: In the Vales Of Pagarna by Stephen R. Babb (sword/sorcery) 

+ The Song of Sangr by Gustavo Bondoni (sword/sorcery)

Stacking the Shelves

Normally, I don't keep track of the books I obtain (collect on my Kindle is more like it! lol). But I see other readers cop to their obsession, so I looked back on my recent acquisitions and am so embarrased! Quite a few additions since March 1st that I probably won't get to for some time, I'm sure!

• Where They Lie by Joe Hart - thriller (my Prime book of the month pick for April)
• Tower of Light by Darin Calhoun - sword/sorcery (Ashonn the Slayer Book 2)
• Concho: The Complete Series by A.W. Hart (all 6 cont. westerns for 99 cents!)
• Dragon Sim-13 by Bob Mayer - special ops (Green Berets/Dave Riley Book #2)
• Penance on the Prairies by R.L. Syme - cozy mystery (found it free someplace)
• Death in the English Countryside by Sara Rosett - mystery (free from the author)
• XLZABK001 by Jon Zaremba - fantasy/sword & sorcery (from author to review)
• Savage Tribes of Venus by Rex Mundy - old school adventure (Gavin Chappell, ed.)
• All He Has Left by Chad Zunker - police prodedural (Amazon Prime pick for March)

That's 9 books last month! Actually, 14! Yikes. (But only 3 in Febuary, so do you forgive me? ha!) Anyway, looks like I have some reading to do. Fortunately, I'm in the midst of a 52 week challenge...

My 52 Week Challenge: Read and Review 52 Books in 2023 (Week 14)
(Books listed in reading order, not review order. And I'm behind, lol.)

1. Razored Land by Charles Gramlich - post-apocalypse (review TBD)
2. The Stroke of Winter by Wendy Webb - mystery (reviewed Jan 11)
3. Feast of Fools and Other Tales - S&S anthology (reviewed Jan 19)
4. Clovel Sword Saga (Vol 1&2) by Gordon Brewer - S&S (review TBD)
5. The Hike by Susi Holliday - mystery/thriller (reviewed March 7)
6. Valengetrix: Ghost of Aratania by J.R. Cason - sword & sorcery (reviewed Feb 25)
7. Swords & Heroes - Sword & Sorcery Anthology (edited by me! review TBD)
8. The Viking Gael Saga by J.T.T. Ryder - historical fiction (reviewed March 15)
9. Blackfoot Dawn by John Legg - a mountain man western (reviewed March 10)

10. Across the Winding River by Aimie K. Runyan - historical drama (reviewed April 1)

11. The Judge's List by John Grisham - legal thriller (reviewed above)

Happening in Real Life

+ Went to a Coffee and Chocolate Expo at the San Juan Convention Center a few weeks back. Very yummy, but very crowded. My wife Julie blogs about it at our Boom Travel website.

Ready for some cafe y chocolate!

+ Attended a more liturgical church for Palm Sunday last week. It was good, but a bit far to drive each week and we want to get involved and serve our local community. So we'll likely stick with the one we're attending now which is closer to our home. And whenever I feel the liturgical itch, we'll head to San Juan and maybe make a day trip of it like we did this past Sunday when we took a short ferry ride from Cataño to Viejo San Juan for only 50 cents each one way! If you visit PR, you should try it!

+ No progress on our washer and dryer. Still heading to the laundromat each Tuesday. Sigh. The other bad news is that a portion of our ceiling crashed down our upper stairwell. We have a rooftop patio and it's flat, of course, but there's drainage - the problem is it leaks and does damage inside. What a mess. We assume insurance will take care of the damages, but that whole process is long, I'm sure.

Plaster broke off from the ceiling and crashed down the spiral stairwell a few days ago.

+ Finally, we've planned the week's adventures for when our two daughters and their husbands visit the first week in May. We're going ziplining, midnight kayaking (at a biobay), hiking in a rainforest, waterfall swimming, beaching it a few times, taking the ferry again to Old San Juan, and catching a cocao farm tour. Whew! We may run those youngsters ragged while they're here! Should be fun though.

Well, that's about it. Happy Easter - Blessed Resurrection Day! 

~*~

Weekend Blog Hops

+ Sunday Post from Caffeinated Reviewer

+ Sunday Salon from Readerbuzz

+ Stacking the Shelves from Reading Reality

+ It's Monday, What Are You Reading? from The Book Date

Drop a comment and a link to your blog and tell me what you're reading! Have a great weekend.

(BTW, this is Sunday Roundup #12)

Sunday/Monday Post

My 52 Week Challenge: 

Read and Review 52 Books in 2023...

1. Razored Land by Charles Gramlich - post-apocalypse (not yet published, review forthcoming)

2. The Stroke of Winter by Wendy Webb - mystery (reviewed Jan 11)

3. Feast of Fools and Other Tales - S&S anthology (reviewed Jan 18)

4. Clovel Sword Saga (Vol 1&2) by Gordon Brewer - sword & sorcery (review forthcoming)

5. The Hike by Susi Holliday - mystery/thriller (will review this novel next week)

6. Valengetrix: Ghost of Aratania by J.R. Cason - sword & sorcery (reviewed below)

(I'm a little behind schedule. We're starting Week #9 of the year and I've only read 6 books!)

Welcome to Book Date Monday (even though it's Saturday when I posted this). I think this is Book Date Monday #10 for me (over a period of a few years - I'm very inconsistent, lol). If you want to join the fun, be sure to link to your book reviews and reading updats at some of the following blog hops:

• Sunday Post from Caffeinated Reviewer
• Sunday Salon from Readerbuzz
• Stacking the Shelves from Reading Reality
• And Book Date Monday from The Book Date

Currently Reading...

+ Laws and Prophecies by L. S. King - sword and planet, book 3 in Sword's Edge Chronicles. I"m just getting started but enjoying getting reacquainted with the characters I met in books 1 and 2. Solid writing and storytelling. She's a friend and you can visit her website here.

+ Back to Zero by Franklin Ard - YA coming of age novel with a bit of supernatural? Backed this project from Kickstarter last year but forgot to read it! I'm about 1/3 of the way in and it's pretty good so far. Content warning, though - a bit too mature for middle grade readers.

+ Reaper Walks the Garden by Gordon Brewer - hardboiled crime mystery. I just read Brewer's "Ray Irish Mystery Case File #1" - Death Stalks the Runway. This is case file #2. I will review them together as they are both novellas. I enjoyed the first one very much, but it's a bit gritty.

+ Also, still reading Blackfoot Dawn by John Legg - western, book 2 in Mountain Times trilogy. I'm about half-way through and it's pretty rough and violent. Language warning as well, which is what I didn't care for in book 1, Winter Rage (reviewed on Goodreads here).

In my TBR Pile...

+ The Song of Sangr by Gustavo Bondoni - sword and sorcery novel. I also want to get to a few other S&S projects in the next few months, including: With a Silken Fist by Tom Doolan; Sinbad and the Great Old Ones by Gavin Chappell; Skallagrim by Stephen R. Babb, along with a few others. My  sword and sorcery plate is full!

+ Point of View - Better Writing through Stronger Narrative: Drake's Brutal Writing Advice by Maxwell Alexander Drake - non-fiction book on writing. I actually started this - so I guess it should be in my "currently reading" pile - but I'm putting it on hold for a bit as I have too many books going!. 

What tomes are currently taking up space in your house? Drop me a comment.

Now for the review...

Valengetrix: Ghost of Aratania by J.R. Cason (August, 2022, about 140 pages, Amazon affiliate link)

This book is a collection of 5 short stories (or novelets, introduced by an opening epic poem called “The Lay of Auropia”) that form a loose story arc, giving the individual adventures context as Valengetrix makes his way back to his homeland. He was exiled at some point prior to these tales and seeks vengeance against his enemies. Assumed dead, his return is like that of a ghost as he prepares to enter his home city and confront the emperor who has driven out the more noble families of the realm.

Assisting Val in his quest is a ‘soul’ (ancestral spirit) that lives in the jeweled hilt of the sword he carries. This spirit being, Ashren by name, needs to ‘feed’ in battle, and when it strikes it sucks out the life source of those it defeats, turning the dead opponent into a pile of ashes. This makes for some great action and exciting situations. These are buddy tales, after a fashion, and the dialog between Val and Ashren is sly, witty, and humorous. Some great chemistry between the two.

As for the stories themselves, there’s a nice variety of sword and sorcerous encounters in this short volume – from stealing back a precious medallion from a cannibal chief who worships a snake god to confronting an arctic giant while accompanying a shape-shifter unawares, then on to a pirate fight on the high seas while facing monsters from the deep, before finally arriving back to his homeland in Aratania.

Here’s a quick summary from the book’s blurb, which is quite descriptive and enticing:

In the savage realm of Auropia, lurks a ghost in the form of a man. Valengetrix, exiled from his mysterious homeland, seeks redemption in the eyes of his people as he sets out to retrieve lost relics of the once renowned empire of Aratania. Accompanied by a sentient blade, forged from the soul of an ancient warrior of his race, Valengetrix begins to understand that the price for returning home must be paid in blood and treasure.

…With the aid of his ancestral blade, and the various peoples of this world he encounters along the way, the name of Valengetrix becomes a name widely revered by his allies, and feared by his many adversaries. (According to the author’s notes on Amazon, “this short story series [is] set nearly two millennia before the events in the Legends of Atlameria: Harbinger of World's End.”)

Overall, I enjoyed these serial tales (kind of like an ‘episodic novel’), especially “Blood in the Snow” and “Caught in the Undertow.” The action was strong, the characters well-drawn, the individual plots and monsters and crises were exciting and intriguing. A few of the stories began with a lot of world-building and descriptive set-up, so I had to adjust my expectations a bit and ‘get into’ the setting before being rewarded with the action I was looking for. So I might say some parts were a little slow for me. But again, in general, the collection was a fun and fulfilling find.

Plus, as mentioned, the rest of the characters are well-described. Although the storytelling is a bit ‘pulpy’ at times, the players aren’t cardboard characters, especially some of the females that make an appearance. 

As one reviewer on Goodreads notes: “The leading ladies aren't particularly awed by our barbarian hero and have agency other than being love interests. Yes, [this collection has] its share of friendly tavern maids…and gleaming manly thews….” But, it is sword & sorcery after all.

“Ghost of Aratania” ends with Val and Ashren at the city gates of his homeland, and I assume book 2 in this series, “Valengetrix: Lion of Auropia”, will provide continued adventures and wrap up the storyline of vengeance and redemption. 

I look forward to reading the second series of stories. I recommend this collection to other S&S fans – or really any fantasy pulp readers who like discovering new worlds and heroes and diving into the high adventures they provide. 

<><

(This is Sunday Roundup #9)

Sunday Book Roundup #3

August 21, 2022 - Sunday Post / Sunday Salon / Stacking the Shelves 

In Today's Edition - Personal Update / Stacking the Shelves / Blast from the Past

Personal Update:

Some friends on FB tell me they are living vicariously through our adventure of selling everything and moving from Kansas to Puerto Rico. So far, it's been quite the adventure!

(Yes, we sold pretty much everything. Took 2 suitcases each and our cat Charlie. Althought I do have a few things in storage - like books! - that I can't get rid of. lol)

We've been here two months now, and if you enjoy travelogues, I've written 5 blog posts detailing the why and how and what and posted them on my wife's website: Boom Travel & Wellness. (Link is to last update which include links to all the other posts.)

For those who want to skip the details, here's a picture from our rooftop terrace with an ocean view. We are settling in, and most importantly, our 19 yo Charlie is adjusting to the heat and humidity!

Stacking the Shelves: 

I sometimes go on a search for a new-to-me writer in various genres that I get a hankering for. Recently, I was on the lookout for some crime or espionage and came across a guy named Thomas Sewell who writes military thrillers. Close enough! I like this genre even though I've never served in the military.

New to me author, Thomas Sewell's military thrillers.

Haven't read them yet, but will probably start with the Sam Harper book (Ranger Selection) as it's a prequel story to, according to Goodreads, three books in the series. Do any of you like military thrillers?

As for what I've read and #amreading, see this past Monday's Book Date Monday #6. I'm tyiing to number them so I can easily reference my previous entries. So far, I'm far from consistent! 

Blast from the Past:

I was a pretty avid book blogger about 15 years ago. When I was searching for my Sunday Roundup posts so I could start numbering them, I came across one of my very first roundups - from 2007! 

It's a TBR roundup. And glancing over the list, I'm embarrassed to say that I have not in the last 15 years gotten to them all yet! LOL I'll come back and update this post with how many of those books I  have actually read. (Update: See comments below. I read 8 of the 13, so not bad, lol.)

But for now, happy reading! Tell me what's on your shelf recently, currently, or for the future.

Oh! And PS - What I'm Writing...

My latest cozy adventure (maybe mystery? lol) goes live on September 1st. It's called Ma Tutt's Secret Spice. If you are a cozy reviewer and want a free ARC, let me know! Working on the next book in the series now, Ma Tutt's Christmas Cookies (will pubish by mid-October, I hope!).

Book Date Monday - #AmReading Aug 15

 

Book Date Monday #6

In today's blog post...

• What I've Read
• What I'm Reading
• Books on My TBR
• Stacking the Shelves
• What I'm Writing
• Participate in Today's Blog Hop

What I've Read: Just finished The Inside Job by J.D. Weston. I wasn't familiar with the author, but evidently he has a number of books in his Stone Cold Thriller series. This prequel novella, in which one of Weston's MCs is born (Harvey Stone) at the end of the story, was kind of hard to follow. It jumped from scene to scene without much transition; and there were a lot of POVs. 

Wasn't sure who I should be cheering for as all the characters seemed to be bad guys trying to pull one over on the other criminals mixed up in the caper. Also wasn't sure who Stone was until the end, so ultimately this story just didn't work for me. (I found it in a free bundle of 7 thrillers called, Into the Silence.)

Now one story I did enjoy recently was a novelet by Cliff Hamrick titled, Poison in the Dark: A Jarek the Scholar Adventure. It's a classic fantasy story; a clever, thieving adventure and quite enjoyable. It features Jarek (my first exposure to this character and first story I've read by Hamrick), a scholar, thief, and rogue. From the short story I read, he seems a likeable character.

Confession: This was free for a short time on Amazon and it was short. I really didn't look at the cover, lol, and when I started reading it I thought I'd stumbled upon sword and sorcery erotica the way the story opens (so reader beware!). But the tale quickly unfolds into a fun and plot-twisty romp. Very well done and a series I may want to get into.

What I'm Reading: Still reading Colin Dexter's first Inspector Morse mystery, Last Bus to Woodstock. Also, Rick Partlow's military SF adventure, Home Front (Drop Trooper #5). 

But one book I forgot to mention last week is an ARC I received from indie writer, J. W. Walker called Insubordinate. It's a sequel to his YA dystopian novel, Champion. He has his own publishing website called Time Space Publishing with a few freebies on his site.

So far, Insubordinate is okay. The series is basically "Hunger Games Meets Ancient Roman Gladiators Run by Skynet." (That's my take, so if I'm wrong, blame me, lol.) It's a bit on the juvenile side of things for my tastes, but given the setting and theme, it's relatively clean and might make for good reading for those into this YA genre.

Books on My TBR: Still trying to get to a sword and planet novel that's been on my virtual nightstand for a few weeks now. It's L. S. King's Laws and Prophecies. This novel is book three in the author's Sword's Edge Chronicles. I liked the prequel novel and books 1 and 2, so I know I'll enjoy this one when I finally get to it. 

I also want to get to the final novel in the free bundle of 7 thrillers I downloaded a long time ago (mentioned above, called Into the Silence.) This last one is by Sandra Woffington and is titled, Merlot and Murder. I believe this is a prequel story to her Wine Valley Mysteries Series that evidently runs 10 books. I've not heard of her before, so I'm looking forward to reading this.

Stacking the Shelves: Only got one extra freebie recently, one for my Nook App from B&N called No Mercy, a Valerie Law FBI Suspense Thriller (Book 1) by Blake Pierce. I've not read him before but man, this guy has tons of books in a whole bunch of different series. Check out his website. 

What I'm Writing: Finally, for today's wrap up, let me just share what I post at the end of my #amwriting updates. If you want to follow along as I write Secrets & Scents, here's my latest blog post with links to the earlier entries. I'm basically journaling each day I write, so it's sort of fun.

Thanks for reading! Drop a comment with a link to your Book Date Monday post or just tell me what you're reading currently. - Lyn

~*~

Here's a placeholder image for Secrets & Scents - A Kelli & Jo Candle Shop Mystery by yours truly. I'll be launching a Kickstarter Campaign in September, 2022, for cozy mystery fans to acquire their exclusive pre-release edition of my latest novel with a brand new, professionally designed cover. Watch for details. 

In the meantime, if you become a Patreon Subscriber, you'll be able to read Secrets & Scents as I write it! New chapters of my WIP every week, plus a backlist novel a month and bonus short stories exclusive to patrons.

Stacking the Shelves - Weekly Roundup for Aug 1 to 6

Stacking the virtual shelves with cozies this past week.

Grabbed three new cozy mysteries this week - the first 2 listed from among over 60 freebies via an August Bookfunnel Promo. Check it out - "Free Cozy Mystery Books." 

• Bed & Breakfast & Burglary by Sally Bayless
• And Then There Were Bones by Adriana Licio
• Arson and Americanos by Justine Maxwell

I could have downloaded a dozen more that interested me, but then I'd also be signing up for the author's newsletters. Which isn't a bad thing...I'm just on a lot of newsletter lists right now! Are you?

What's your approach when getting free ebooks and getting on an author's mailing list - do you feel you should keep getting their newsletter for awhile or do you quit right away?

I usually give the newsletter about a month and if it stays interesting, I keep it. Otherwise, I unsubscribe without comment. I just hate it when people unsubscribe from my newsletter! lol 

The third ebook I grabbed for free was Arson and Americanos and I found it by exploring Maxwell's 2nd book in the series, Murder and Macchiatos. Amazon's "Look Inside" feature revealed this line in the front matter: "To read a free novella showing how Hazel got started with her mobile coffee business, click here!" Which led to her Bookfunnel landing page. Another newsletter, but that's okay!

Looks like I've got some reading to do this next week - plus some newsletters to catch up on!

As for my current #AMREADING entry, I'm half way through a paperback by Colin Dexter, the creator of Inspector Morse. In fact, this is the first Inspector Morse mystery, Last Bus to Woodstock. 

The novel Morse is a slightly different character than who we got to know on PBS, and quite a lot different than Endeavor (our younger Morse, also on PBS). But maybe it's the first novel jitters. ;-)

Very much enjoying the mystery, though. It's a slow burn so not a lot of action yet. Not gruesome, the murder occured off the page. And Sargent Lewis is very likeable. 

Last Bus was first published in 1975, and I like the omniscient story telling that took place back in that era. People call it head hopping today, but when done well it really helps move the story along and provides interesting insight into the characters actions and motives.

So that's it for me this week. Be sure to visit the following book bloggers and add your links if you want to participate in the weekly blog hops. Comment below and let me know what's on your shelf!

• Sunday Post
• The Sunday Salon
• Stacking the Shelves

~*~

Hello! I'm Lyn Perry, a spec-fic writer living in Puerto Rico. I'm a former pastor and current husband, father, coffee drinker, and cat-wrangler. My wife and I are semi-retired and enjoying life on the beach where I get to write full time. It's crazy.

I'm currently working on my own series of cozy mysteries featuring Ma Tutt who owns a bakery in Sugar Pine Station. Her mysterious feline friend, Mack the Magical Cat, lends a helping paw as her strange recipes get her in and out of trouble!

This series, which started wtih Ma Tutt's Donut Hut, continues with Book 2, Ma Tutt's Secret Spice, available for pre-order now, arriving Sept 1, 2022. Are you a cozy reviewer? Are you interested in an ARC? Contact me and let me know. I would love a few reviews when Secret Spice hits the online stores in a few weeks! 

Email me at lyngperry at yahoo dot com. You can also find me almost anywhere online, so check out my various Linktree Locations and say hello!