2015 End of the Year Wrap Up Post!!

I can hardly believe that 2015 is coming to a close!! This year has really gone by way too swiftly for me! But it has been a really good year for me overall, so can't really complain as I have much to be thankful for in my life.

In terms of my reading goals this year, I set the bar high and aimed to read 100 books in 2015. The good news is that I surpassed my reading goal and read 102 books this year!! The books I chose to read this year were fairly diverse in nature as I read both fiction and nonfiction in a wide variety of genres.

Some of the books I read were really good, some weren't so hot, and still others fell somewhere in between. This year I managed to listen to 27 audiobooks, read 54 eBooks, and 21 physical books!

It was difficult to select my favorite reads for 2015, but my ten favorite books this year are as follows:

1. The Story of Sushi: An Unlikely Saga of Raw Fish and Rice by Trevor Corson
2. Cat Daddy by Jackson Galaxy
3. Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert
4. Hot Target by Suzanne Brockmann
5. Rain Gods by James Lee Burke
6. I Am Livia by Phyllis T. Smith
7. Appaloosa Summer by Tudor Robins
8. Mortal Heart by Robin LaFevers
9. The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg
10. Getting Things Done by David Allen

I also enjoyed attending some fabulous author signings and the 2015 Bay Area Book Festival this year!! Plus, other bookish related  things.

National Steinbeck Center
Author Event/Signing with Paula Hawkins --- The Girl on the Train

Garth Stein Author Event & Signing!!

A Very Special Evening with the Remarkable Judy Blume

2015 Bay Area Book Festival

Amy Stewart @ Rakestraw Books in Danville, California!!

Please share your favorite reads for 2015 with me!

Happy new year wishes to you and see you in 2016!!

A Fatal Twist of Lemon by Patrice Greenwood

Unabridged Audiobook

The last book I finished reading/listening to in 2015 was A Fatal Twist of Lemon by Patrice Greenwood. A Fatal Twist of Lemon by Patrice Greenwood is a cozy mystery novel and the first in the Wisteria Tea Room Mystery Series. 

I listened to the unabridged audio version of A Fatal Twist of Lemon, which is narrated by Dina Pearlman. Listening length for A Fatal Twist of Lemon is 8 hours, 14 minutes.

I love cozy mystery novels and I also love drinking tea. The idea of using a tearoom as a setting for a murder was also intriguing... So, choosing to listen to A Fatal Twist of Lemon by Patrice Greenwood was a no brainer for me.

First let me comment on the narrator's performance for A Fatal Twist of Lemon. I thought that Dina Pearlman did an alright job of narrating this cozy mystery novel... I didn't dislike Ms. Pearlman's narration, but I didn't love it either. I felt that she was very average in terms of her narration.

As far as A Fatal Twist of Lemon itself goes, I liked the setting for this novel as it takes place in Santa Fe, New Mexico. I enjoyed hearing about Santa Fe, New Mexico. I also enjoyed hearing about the tearoom itself and the various food and teas served in the tearoom. I also enjoyed that I wasn't able to guess whodunnit until near the end of A Fatal Twist of Lemon.

As far as the characters themselves go, I was not overly thrilled with the leading character, Ellen Rosings... She's smart, but makes too many references to Miss Manners (which makes her seem old fashioned) throughout A Fatal Twist of Lemon. Also, Ms. Rosings doesn't stand up Detective Tony Aragon early on in the novel and puts up with his rude manners and outrageous behavior. 

I also wasn't a fan of Detective Tony Aragon either. He has a major chip on his shoulder throughout the novel, but does redeem himself a little bit later on in the novel. The remaining characters in A Fatal Twist of Lemon didn't really stand out that much for me either.

The following is the plot summary for A Fatal Twist of Lemon by Patrice Greenwood from Audible:

Cops drink coffee. They don't belong in Ellen Rosings's Victorian tearoom. But when her opening day thank-you tea ends in the murder of the president of the Santa Fe Preservation Trust, the police invade her haven. Enter Detective Tony Aragon: attractive and unsympathetic, with a chip on his shoulder that goes beyond the murder investigation, and Ellen's delicate bone china cup is full. Is the murderer one of her honored guests, or the ghost rumored to haunt the building? Will Ellen solve the mystery, or will the Wisteria Tearoom's premiere turn out to be its - and Ellen's - finale?

I liked A Fatal Twist of Lemon, but didn't love it. I am giving A Fatal Twist of Lemon by Patrice Greenwood a rating of 3 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore

During our visit to San Diego to see my parents for Christmas this year, my husband and I made a visit to the Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore!! I've wanted to make a visit to this independent bookstore for almost two years now. I am glad that we finally made the trek to this lovely, indie bookstore that specializes in the horror, mystery, science fiction, and fantasy genres.

The Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore is well laid out, has friendly staff members, plenty of wonderful books in stock for purchase, signed books, and plenty of author events!! I also loved the t-shirts for sale on hand and other wonderful book themed items for sale.

I only wished we lived closer to the Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore, so that I could visit it more frequently.

Until my next post, happy reading!

Casino Royal by Ian Fleming

Paperback Edition

I've seen most, if not all of, the James Bond films made at some point in my lifetime... But, I've never read a James Bond/007 novel by Ian Fleming, until now!

I decided to read Ian Fleming's Casino Royale as it's the first novel to introduce James Bond to the world at large.

No surprise, but James Bond is very different in the novel than in the movie versions! In Casino Royale, James Bond drives a Bentley instead of an Aston Martin. He looks differently than I expected and behaves differently too.

I am glad that I took the opportunity to read a James Bond novel by Ian Fleming, but to be honest, I won't be rushing out to read another Ian Fleming novel. His writing style just wasn't for me. 

I am giving Casino Royale a rating of 3 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Friday Finds #106

Friday Finds is a book meme hosted by Jenn at A Daily Rhythm. Friday Finds is a chance to share and show off the books you discovered during the week and would like to add to your reading list... 

Or a place to simply feature the books you've actually purchased throughout the week and have added to your to be read pile!

The following books are ones that I've added to my ever growing reading pile this week:

1. Thankless In Death by J. D. Robb (Audio Version)
2. The Kill byAllison Brennan
3. The Prey by Allison Brennan
4. Mystery at the Hot Pond by David Devowe

Which books have you added to your 'to be read' pile or wishlist?

Merry Christmas 2015!!

Merry Christmas to all of you!! I hope you have a fabulous day today celebrating the Christmas holiday with loved ones this year. Here's to making unforgettably happy memories, celebrating the season, and enjoying life's many wonderful gifts!!

Top Ten Tuesday --- Top Ten Books I Wouldn't Mind Santa Leaving Under My Tree This Year

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This feature was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

Each week we will post a new Top Ten list that one of our bloggers here at The Broke and the Bookish will answer. Everyone is welcome to join. All we ask is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND add your name to the Linky widget so that everyone can check out other bloggers lists! If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment. Have fun with it! It's a fun way to get to know your fellow bloggers.

Here's my list of books that I wouldn't mind waiting for me under the Christmas tree this year!

Go Set A Watchman by Harper Lee
Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina by Misty Copeland

The Walls Around Us by Nova Ren Suma

The Girl With All The Gifts by M. R. Carey

Knitting Rules! by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee

The Kewpie Killer by Falafel Jones

Trouble by Non Pratt
Front Roe by Louise Roe
A Few Deadly Sins by Susan Weber Cyr

Book Image of the Day!!

Unfinished Reads

Okay, let's discuss the topic of unfinished reads! 

I am the type of person who usually doesn't stick to reading a single book at a time. I usually have an audiobook, an eBook, or physical book that I am reading at any given time and the book may be fiction or nonfiction depending on my interest at the moment. Most of the time, I finish reading a book in a timely manner. If the book isn't something that I am enjoying, then most of the time I won't finish reading it and move along to another book.

At the moment, I currently have six books that I began reading at some point or another earlier this year, but have yet to finish reading the books this year for one reason or another. I have every intention of finishing these books, as I am still interested in reading them... But somehow, I lost the reading momentum for each of these books and moved on to read other books. 

Honestly, I don't like having so many unfinished reads by the end of the calendar year!! One or two books that I haven't finished reading would be acceptable to me, especially if I'd started reading them at the end of the year. But having six unfinished reads is kind of daunting. I like to start fresh in the new year with a clean slate and begin reading all new books. 

I feel confident that I can finish reading one of the six books by the end of the year, which is a good thing. But, I do have the following conundrum though... At the start of the new year, do I begin reading a new book that I am interested at the moment or do I try and finish reading the books I have yet to finish this year?

How about you? Do you have books that you have yet to finish reading this year? Do you end up reading more than one book at a time? What are your reading habits like?

Holiday Heat by Noelle Adams

Erotica Novella ~ eBook Edition

Holiday Heat by Noelle Adams marks the 100th read for me in 2015!! I have now officially met my reading goal for 2015, which thrills the book nerd within me to no end... For awhile there, I wasn't sure if I was going to met my personal reading goal I'd set for myself this year, as I'd been busy knitting gifts for family and friends for Christmas the past two months. 

Holiday Heat by Noelle Adams is a an ebook novella approximately 99 pages in length. It's also a holiday themed read, which I enjoy reading this time of the year with Christmas almost upon us. It's also an erotica read as well, which is a genre I enjoy reading every so often as well.

I would also like to note that I was able to download Holiday Heat by Noelle Adams for free to my Kindle from Amazon. My review of this novella is my unbiased thoughts and feelings about it.

Noelle Adams is a new to me author. I enjoy reading novellas by new to me authors, as this allows me to discover new writer to see if I like their writing style without having to make the commitment of reading a full length novel. Once I determine whether I like a new to me author or not, I then can move forward with reading a full length novel by them.

Holiday Heat by Noelle Adams is a very quick read as I was able to read it in a single afternoon. I wouldn't say that there was anything exceptional about the writing of Noelle Adams or the storyline itself. It is just your basic romance/erotica novella. But, for awhile there I didn't like one of the main characters, Matt, at first, because he was so cocky and full of himself. Matt seemed more like a stalker initially than what I'd call dating material. He also put down/say sarcastic things to the other main character, Carrie, which I didn't like. So, I almost gave up on reading this novella. In the end, Matt redeems himself and ends up being a good guy. The last half of the book ended up being my favorite part of Holiday Heat.

The following is the plot summary for Holiday Heat by Noelle Adams from the author's website:

After being hit with heartbreaking tragedy, Carrie has thrown herself into a hot, secret relationship with Matt. With Christmas approaching, she realizes she might want even more from her sexy, damaged artist, but the boundaries around their relationship make anything deeper than sex impossible.

Matt was the rising star of the art world, but he hasn't painted since a tragic accident two years ago. His passion for Carrie finally inspires him, but first he must convince her that the heat between them is far more than just sex.

I am giving Holiday Heat by Noelle Adams a rating of 2 stars out of 5 stars as it was just okay overall read for me.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

2016 Audiobook Challenge Sign Up Post!!

Yay, I am excited to be participating in the 2016 Audiobook Challenge!! Thank you to Jennifer @ The Book Nympho and Loupe @ Hot Listens for hosting this fun filled annual event.

Below are the details of the 2016 Audiobook Challenge taken from the Hot Listens blog site.

Challenge Details

• Runs January 1, 2016 – December 31, 2016. You can join at anytime.
• The goal is to find a new love for audios or to outdo yourself by listening to more audios in 2016 than you did in 2015.
• Books must be in audio format (CD, MP3, etc.)
• ANY genres count.
• Re-reads and crossovers from other reading challenges are allowed.
• You do not have to be a book blogger to participate; you can track your progress on Goodreads, Shelfari, Facebook, LibraryThing, etc.
• If you’re a blogger grab the button and do a quick post about the challenge to help spread the word. If you’re not a blogger you can help by posting on Facebook or Tweeting about the challenge.

Levels

• Newbie (I’ll give it a try) 1-5
• Weekend Warrior (I’m getting the hang of this) 5-10
• Stenographer (can listen while multi-tasking) 10-15
• Socially Awkward (Don’t talk to me) 15-20
• Binge Listener (Why read when someone can do it for you) 20-30
• My Precious (I had my earbuds surgically implanted) 30+
• Marathoner (Look Ma No Hands) 50+

Please feel free to join in on the fun of listening to audiobooks by signing up to participate in 2016 Audiobook Challenge!

A Very Russian Christmas (Her Russian Protector 3.5) by Roxie Rivera

eBook Download

I couldn't resist reading at least one Christmas themed book this time of year. I'm happy I chose to read A Very Russian Christmas (Her Russian Protector 3.5) by Roxie Rivera as I've already enjoyed reading the first three novels in the 'Her Russian Protector' series by Ms. Rivera. So, it only seemed logical to read this book as it's the next installment.

I really enjoyed reading A Very Russian Christmas. It's 169 pages in length and is filled with 9 short stories featuring the men of 'Her Russian Protector' and their love interest. Each story is a complete one that makes for a fun, steamy and spicy read. Each story featured in A Very Russian Christmas makes for a teaser to entice the reader to read the full length novel featuring each couple.

I am giving A Very Russian Christmas (Her Russian Protector 3.5) by Roxie Rivera a rating of 4 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Friday Finds #105

Friday Finds is a book meme hosted by Jenn at A Daily Rhythm. Friday Finds is a chance to share and show off the books you discovered during the week and would like to add to your reading list... 

Or a place to simply feature the books you've actually purchased throughout the week and have added to your to be read pile!

The following four books are ones that I've added to my ever growing reading 'to be read' pile this week:

1. Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
2. A Very Russian Christmas by Roxie Rivera
3. Sizzle by Olivia Aycock
4. Holiday Heat by Noelle Adams

So, which books did you add to your 'to be read' pile or reading wishlist this week?

2015 Audiobook Challenge Wrap-up Post

Once again I've had a blast participating in the annual audiobook challenge hosted by Loupe @ Hot Listens and Jennifer @ The Book Nympho!! Many thanks to both Loupe and Jennifer for hosting the audiobook challenge each year.

Last year, I listened to a total of 48 audiobooks in all reaching the "My Precious" level as defined by the ladies at Hot Listens & The Book Nympho. 

This year, I had set an ambitious audiobook listening goal for myself and set my sights on listening to 50+ audiobooks in attempts to oust last year's personal audiobook listening record. Unfortunately, I didn't reach my intended audiobook listening goals for 2015. 

However, the good news is that I did listen to a total of 27 audiobooks in 2015 reaching the "Binge Listener" level as defined by the ladies at Hot Listens & The Book Nympho.

Here's a highlight of the audiobooks I enjoyed listening to (in no particular order of importance) in 2015: 

1. Rain Gods by James Lee Burke
2. Hour Game by David Baldacci
3. Garden of Beasts by Jeffery Deaver
4. Crusader's Cross by James Lee Burke
5. Innocent In Death by J. D. Robb
6. Hot Target by Suzanne Brockmann
7. Cat Daddy by Jackson Galaxy
8. The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg
9. Getting Things Done by David Allen

The first seven books listed are works of fiction and the last three audiobooks are nonfiction. Click on the links above to read my review of each book listed.

As a side note, I thought actor, Will Patton, was the best narrator, hands down, out of all the narrators I listened to in 2015. He narrated both Crusader's Cross and Rain Gods. I also thought that Mike Chamberlin did an excellent job of narrating The Power of Habit. Did you discover any excellent narrators this year? If so, share which narrators made your listening experience to a book all that much better?

Which audiobooks did you enjoy listening to this year?

A Fatal Thaw by Dana Stabenow

Unabridged Audio Version

Over the course of the past three days, I listened to the unabridged audio version of A Fatal Thaw by Dana Stabenow and narrated by Marguerite Gavin. A Fatal Thaw is the second novel in Kate Shugak Mystery series. Listening to A Fatal Thaw was my first experience with anything written by Dana Stabenow.

I should start my review with the narration/narrator of A Fatal Thaw... I wasn't thrilled with Marguerite Gavin as a narrator. Ms. Gavin started out reading this novel way too fast for the first 20% of this novel. Either I became accustomed to her rapid fire narration that never seemed to cease, slow down, or transition between scenes, etc... Or the her reading speed finally slowed down through the remainder of A Fatal Thaw. Either way, a narrator sets the tone for a novel and the narration for A Fatal Thaw didn't sit well with me for the entire novel. Narrators (and also audio productions) can make or break one's listening experience when it comes to audiobooks.

As far as the story goes for A Fatal Thaw. It was okay. I didn't much like the leading character of Kate Shugak or that of her dog, Mutt. The other characters in this novel were okay, with a few of them coming across as being downright goofy. The killer was easy to identify, so no mystery there as to whodunit.

The ending of A Fatal Thaw, although very descriptive in terms of describing the surrounding nature, was not anything to write home about... In fact, the ending was a let down. I do not plan on reading or listening to another novel by Dana Stabenow.

I am giving A Fatal Thaw by Dana Stabenow a rating of 1 star out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Persepolis 2: The Story of a Return by Marjane Satrapi

Earlier this year, I read Persepolis 1: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi. Essentially, I had read Persepolis 1: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi because I had heard so many wonderful things about this book and also because it has been a banned book and wanted to see what all the fuss was about it. 

I liked reading Persepolis 1: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi, so, I decided to continue reading the follow up graphic novel, Persepolis 2: The Story of a Return by Marjane Satrapi.

I actually liked reading Persepolis 2: The Story of a Return by Marjane Satrapi more than I did the first novel. Once again, I found the artwork inside Persepolis 2: The Story of a Return to be wonderfully expressive... A picture is worth a thousand words as they say!

The following is a blurb about Persepolis 2: The Story of a Return from Goodreads:

In Persepolis, heralded by the Los Angeles Times as “one of the freshest and most original memoirs of our day,” Marjane Satrapi dazzled us with her heartrending memoir-in-comic-strips about growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. Here is the continuation of her fascinating story. In 1984, Marjane flees fundamentalism and the war with Iraq to begin a new life in Vienna. Once there, she faces the trials of adolescence far from her friends and family, and while she soon carves out a place for herself among a group of fellow outsiders, she continues to struggle for a sense of belonging.

Finding that she misses her home more than she can stand, Marjane returns to Iran after graduation. Her difficult homecoming forces her to confront the changes both she and her country have undergone in her absence and her shame at what she perceives as her failure in Austria. Marjane allows her past to weigh heavily on her until she finds some like-minded friends, falls in love, and begins studying art at a university. However, the repression and state-sanctioned chauvinism eventually lead her to question whether she can have a future in Iran.

As funny and poignant as its predecessor, Persepolis 2 is another clear-eyed and searing condemnation of the human cost of fundamentalism. In its depiction of the struggles of growing up—here compounded by Marjane’s status as an outsider both abroad and at home—it is raw, honest, and incredibly illuminating.

I am giving Persepolis 2: The Story of a Return by Marjane Satrapi a rating of 4 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Snowman Christmas Book Tree!!

I've been wanting to make a Christmas tree from books the past few years, but have yet to do so! I think this snowman Christmas tree made from books takes the cake... Maybe, I should try to making this book tree next year?

Top Ten Tuesday --- Top Ten Best Books I Read In 2015

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This feature was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

Each week we will post a new Top Ten list that one of our bloggers here at The Broke and the Bookish will answer. Everyone is welcome to join. All we ask is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND add your name to the Linky widget so that everyone can check out other bloggers lists! If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment. Have fun with it! It's a fun way to get to know your fellow bloggers.

1. The Story of Sushi: An Unlikely Saga of Raw Fish and Rice by Trevor Corson
2. Cat Daddy by Jackson Galaxy
3. Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert
4. Hot Target by Suzanne Brockmann
5. Rain Gods by James Lee Burke
6. I Am Livia by Phyllis T. Smith
7. Appaloosa Summer by Tudor Robins
8. Mortal Heart by Robin LaFevers
9. The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg
10. Getting Things Done by David Allen

I found it interesting that half of my favorite books this year were nonfiction, while the other half were fiction.

So, which books are your best reads for 2015? 

Bookish Quote of the Day!!

The Winter Ghosts by Kate Mosse

Unabridged Audiobook

I been wanting to read (or listen to) The Winter Ghosts by Kate Mosse for quite awhile. So, I was happy that I finally listened to the unabridged audio version of The Winter Ghosts by Kate Mosse and narrated by Julian Rhind-Tutt over the course of four days.

I thought The Winter Ghosts by Kate Mosse was really well narrated by Julian Rhind-Tutt... I also found the plot for The Winter Ghosts by Kate Mosse itself was fairly intriguing. Even though I thought that the plot was good one, it was slow in parts and I felt myself tuning out in parts of the storyline. The best part of The Winter Ghosts was the ending, as it wrapped up the plot nicely.

The following is a plot summary for The Winter Ghosts by Kate Mosse from Audible:

By the author of the New York Times-best-selling Labyrinth, a story of two lives touched by war and transformed by courage. 

In the winter of 1928, still seeking some kind of resolution to the horrors of World War I, Freddie is traveling through the beautiful but forbidding French Pyrenees. During a snowstorm, his car spins off the mountain road. Dazed, he stumbles through the woods, emerging in a tiny village, where he finds an inn to wait out the blizzard. There he meets Fabrissa, a lovely young woman also mourning a lost generation.

Over the course of one night, Fabrissa and Freddie share their stories. By the time dawn breaks, Freddie will have unearthed a tragic, centuries-old mystery, and discovered his own role in the life of this remote town.

I am giving The Winter Ghosts by Kate Mosse a rating of 3 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Bookish Quote of the Day!!

Bookish Ornaments For Your Christmas Tree

Calling all book lovers!! Looking for way to add a literary spin to your Christmas tree this year? Then check out these holiday themed ornaments for one's Christmas tree that I discovered through and article on Bustle's website titled 17 Bookish Ornaments For Your Christmas Tree by Sadie L. Trombetta. Click on the above link to see these 17 lovely ornaments!

Looking to become a published author?

Well, the question of 'What Should Authors Expect to Earn?' is the title of an article by Brooke Warner, which was published on The Huffington Post website and addresses this very question. In her article, Warner writes:

I see two types of independent authors: The first batch are those who have a legacy project they want to publish beautifully and be proud of. They want their book out in the world and for it to have a fighting chance at getting reviewed, being carried in bookstores, and selling a decent number of copies (maybe 1000 or more). These authors have a very good chance of achieving their goals. The other subset are those who aspire to be career writers. These authors expect to earn out their expenses and to turn a profit on their investment. They want the other things too--to be in bookstores, to be reviewed, etc.--but their expectations are generally higher, and wrapped up in money, because earning out and selling a predetermined number of books is tied together with their perception of success. Thus, more is at stake, and they expect to succeed.

If you're in this latter category, there's good news/bad news. The good news is that it's possible to earn out your expenses and turn a profit on your investment. The bad news is that there's a very slim chance that this will happen with your first book. You need to keep creating content and stacking up more product (in the form of new books) to generate five-digit sales numbers. Very few independent authors reach 10,000 sales, and when they do, they're typically scooped up by traditional publishers. Rusch makes the incredibly good and valid point that the most successful type of authors are those who are publishing every which way they can. Sometimes called "hybrid authors," these are writers who publish traditionally, who self-publish, and who publish in between--perhaps through other independent models, or perhaps publishing some digital-only books.

I found Warmer's article fascinating. I hope you do as well. Click on the above link to read the full story.

Bookish Quote of the Day!!

Friday Finds #104

Friday Finds is a book meme hosted by Jenn at A Daily Rhythm. Friday Finds is a chance to share and show off the books you discovered during the week and would like to add to your reading list... 

Or a place to simply feature the books you've actually purchased throughout the week and have added to your to be read pile!

This week, I received two Advanced Reader Editions from Goodreads Giveaways!! Nothing like receiving free books!

Here's a list of books I've added to my ever growing 'to be read pile' this week:

1. Under The Influence by Joyce Maynard
2. The Opposite of Everyone by Joshilyn Jackson

Then I also downloaded an audiobook from Audible as follows:

3. A Fatal Twist of Lemon by Patrice Greenwood

So, which books have you added to your reading pile this week?

Death of A Rug Lord by Tamar Myers

Cozy Mystery Novel

I love cozy mystery novels and have been busy over the past few years reading the 'A Den of Antiquity Mystery' series by Tamar Myers. With the exception of the first novel in the series, I have not been reading this series in any kind of order.

I recently read Death of a Rug Lord by Tamar Myers, which is the 14th cozy mystery novel in the 'A Den of Antiquity Mystery' series. All I can say is that Death of a Rug Lord by Tamar Myers is the worst novel in the series that I've read thus far... It took me forever to read this book as the humor is bad and so is the storyline. I'm truly surprised that I actually finished reading this novel.

The following is a plot summary for Death of a Rug Lord by Tamar Myers from Goodreads:

Business isn't booming for antiques dealer Abigail Timberlake Washburn. A local rug store is luring away her customers with its rock-bottom prices. Eager to check out the competition, Abby is delighted to find a priceless Persian amid the cut-rate carpets—and shocked when Gwendolyn Spears, the store's beleaguered owner, begs her to take it home! Abby feels more than a little guilty about getting such a great deal . . . especially when Gwendolyn is found dead the next morning.

Investigating the brutal murder, Abby soon discovers that the prized Orientals of Charleston's society dames are nothing more than cheap fakes . . . and that a dangerous thief will do anything to pull the rug out from under her.

I have two more novels left to read before I am finished with the 'A Den of Antiquity Mystery' series. I'm hoping that the remaining two novels in this mystery series aren't as disappointing as this one is. 

I am giving Death of a Rug Lord by Tamar Myers a rating of 1 star out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Bookish Quote of the Day!!

The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business by Charles Duhigg

Unabridged Audio Version

I listened to the unabridged audio version of The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business by Charles Duhigg and narrated by Mike Chamberlin. Listening time for this unabridged audiobook is 10 hours, 57 minutes.

A couple people I know have read The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business by Charles Duhigg and really enjoyed this book. 

I've been wanting to change several of my own habits to improve my overall lifestyle. So, I finally made the time to listen to the Audible download of The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business by Charles Duhigg on my Kindle. 

Wow, am I ever impressed with what I heard and learned while listening to this audiobook. The writing and research is really engaging and Mike Chamberlin is an awesome narrator!! I am very tempted to listen to this audiobook again before the year is up. There is tons of information contained within this book. As I was listening to this audiobook, I wasn't sure how I was going to put all the information together in order to help myself change the habits I want to change... Thank goodness, the very last section in the book wraps up by discussing how to change one's personal habits!! Now, I too, can use the techniques from The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business by Charles Duhigg to create positive change in my life.

I am giving The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business by Charles Duhigg a rating of 5 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Top Ten Tuesday --- Top Ten New-To-Me Favorite Authors I Read For The First Time In 2015

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This feature was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

Each week we will post a new Top Ten list that one of our bloggers here at The Broke and the Bookish will answer. Everyone is welcome to join. All we ask is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND add your name to the Linky widget so that everyone can check out other bloggers lists! If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment. Have fun with it! It's a fun way to get to know your fellow bloggers.

Judy Blume

Leslie Leigh

Tudor Robbins

Phyllis T. Smith

Suzanne Brockman

Trevor Corson

James Lee Burke

Gord Rollo

Liz Kessler

Lauren Blakely

Which new to you authors have you read books by this year?

Bookish Quote of the Day!!

Fooling Around With Cinderella by Stacy Juba ~~ Book Blast

Enter to Win a 

Custom Pink-Beaded Cinderella Charm Bracelet

FOOLING AROUND WITH CINDERELLA

Storybook Valley #1

Stacy Juba

Released November 9th, 2015

Self Published

What happens when the glass slippers pinch Cinderella's toes?

When Jaine Andersen proposes a new marketing role to the local amusement park, general manager Dylan Callahan charms her into filling Cinderella’s glass slippers for the summer. Her reign transforms Jaine’s ordinary life into chaos that would bewilder a fairy godmother. Secretly dating her bad boy boss, running wedding errands for her ungrateful sisters, and defending herself from the park’s resident villain means Jaine needs lots more than a comfy pair of shoes to restore order in her kingdom.

First in the Storybook Valley series, a blend of sweet romance, chick lit, and fairy tale fun.

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Stacy Juba got engaged at Epcot Theme Park and spent part of her honeymoon at Disneyland Paris, where she ate a burger, went on fast rides, and threw up on the train ride to the hotel. In addition to working on her new Storybook Valley chick lit/sweet romance series, Stacy has written books about ice hockey, teen psychics, U.S. flag etiquette for kids, and determined women sleuths. She has had a novel ranked as #5 in the Nook Store and #30 on the Amazon Kindle Paid List. 

When she’s not visiting theme parks with her family, (avoiding rides that spin and exotic hamburgers), or writing about them, Stacy helps authors to strengthen their manuscripts through her Crossroads Editing Service. She is currently writing the next book in the Storybook Valley Series, Prancing Around with Sleeping Beauty.

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20,000 Secrets of Tea by Victoria Zak

Paperback Book

I'm a huge fan of drinking tea for pleasure, as well as the amazing benefits of drinking tea.

I discovered 20,000 Secrets of Tea by Victoria Zak some time ago and finally spent time reading the virtues of drinking tea.

I really like how this book is organized.Plus, it contains a lot useful information. It was nice to read about the history of tea. 

Here's a summary for 20,000 Secrets of Tea by Victoris Zak from Amazon's website:

Fight Colds and Flu
Lower Cholesterol
Beat Depression
Banish Fatigue
Enhance Memory
Lose Weight
And More!

An ancient Chinese legend: Once there was a man who knew 100,000 healing properties of herbs. He taught his son 80,000 secrets. On his deathbed, he told his son to visit his grave in five years, and there he would find the other 20,000 secrets. When the son went to his father's grave, he found, growing on the site, the tea shrub....

Teas are the gentle, natural, most beneficial way to absorb the healing properties of herbs--easily and inexpensively. A simple cup of tea not only has the power to soothe and relax but to deliver healing herbal agents to the bloodstream more quickly than capsules, tinctures, or infusions. Feeling tired? Rose hip tea will rev you up and beautify your skin. Need some help with your diet? Ginger tea will provide the boost you need and help aching joints too. Hot or iced, these pure and simple drinks offer delicious ways to stay healthy and revitalize you from the inside out. This unique guide offers:
An A-Z listing of common ailments followed by the teas best used to treat them. 

Instructions on how to create your own medicinal kitchenAdvice on creating your own tea blendsDescriptions of the top 100 herbs and their secret healing properties 

And much, much more!

I am giving 20,000 Secrets of Tea by Victoria Zak a rating of 4 stars out of 5 stars. Until my nect post, happy reading!!