March 2019 Contenders

So time sure does fly.  I can't believe it's already March 7th as I type this.  Guess that means the post is late as usual.  Oh well, it's been a busy week so I'm not beating myself up too much about it.  I'm hoping for another strong reading month but then I could say that about every month.  Here's a look at some things that might get read this month.

So there you have it - dogs and horror.  Sounds just about right.  What are you reading this month???

Can't Wait Wednesday (200)

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Wishful Endings to spotlight highly anticipated books.  It is based on the Waiting on Wednesday meme which used to be hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

FROM GOODREADS: The Last Magician meets A Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue in this thrilling tale filled with magic and set in the mysterious Carpathian Mountains where a girl must hunt down Vlad the Impaler’s cursed ring in order to save her father.

Some legends never die…

Traveling with her treasure-hunting father has always been a dream for Theodora. She’s read every book in his library, has an impressive knowledge of the world’s most sought-after relics, and has all the ambition in the world. What she doesn’t have is her father’s permission. That honor goes to her father’s nineteen-year-old protégé—and once-upon-a-time love of Theodora’s life—Huck Gallagher, while Theodora is left to sit alone in her hotel in Istanbul.

Until Huck arrives from an expedition without her father and enlists Theodora’s help in rescuing him. Armed with her father’s travel journal, the reluctant duo learns that her father had been digging up information on a legendary and magical ring that once belonged to Vlad the Impaler—more widely known as Dracula—and that it just might be the key to finding him.

Journeying into Romania, Theodora and Huck embark on a captivating adventure through Gothic villages and dark castles in the misty Carpathian Mountains to recover the notorious ring. But they aren’t the only ones who are searching for it. A secretive and dangerous occult society with a powerful link to Vlad the Impaler himself is hunting for it, too. And they will go to any lengths—including murder—to possess it. 

WHY I CAN'T WAIT:  I love the historical elements and am always intrigued when I see Vlad the Impaler mentioned.  I hope it isn't too filled with romantic angst between Theodora and Huck though.

WHAT BOOK CAN'T YOU WAIT FOR THIS WEEK????

TTT - Characters I'd Like to Be

The top 10 weekly meme used to be hosted by The Broke and the Bookish they  handed over the reins to ThatArtsyReaderGirl wky ers we'd like to switch places with.  I'm not completely sold on this topic but let's see what I can come up with today. 

Veronica Speedwell.  She is very intelligent and snarky and goes on all kinds of adventures.  And yea, there IS Stoker.

Christopher Robin.  As a kid I never really played with dolls, it was always stuffed animals for me - go figure right?  And there was nothing I wanted more than for them to come to life and talk to me.  So yea, it would have been a blast to be Christopher Robin.

Cameron Cripps-Hayman.  She gets to live in a great small town, owns lots of dogs, has a cool sheriff husband and is always getting in some kind of trouble.  She also has a quirky but neat cast of family and friends.

Lindsey Norris.  She is head librarian in a coastal town and has some great friends.  What book blogger wouldn't want to work in a library???

Mercy Thompson - strictly because she's a mechanic and then I could work on my own cars.

Pam Swynford De Beaufort - and yes I had to look that one up.  She's such a badass and she gets to kill bad people.

So I'm kind of cheating because I've never actually read this series (I'm waiting for the last one to be published because I don't think it ever will be) but I'd love to be Khaleesi, Mother of Dragons, at least for a day.

And because I can't think much more, please take this last one with a grain of salt.  

Anita Blake - only through book 5.  Then I would end up getting killed - on purpose, so the darn series would end before it started getting REALLY REALLY bad.

And yep, I know that's only 8 but I'm fighting a cold and thinking is becoming too hard.

I can't wait to see some of this topics answers!

February Down For the Count

Considering it's such a short month, I have to admit I'm kind of surprised at how much I read.  I think once I got "The Passage" finished, I kind of kicked it in gear.  Goodreads continues to mock me but it's not as bad as it was and I'm convinced I'm going to beat the heck out of it in March.  Also, the challenges are looking pretty good as well.

The Passage (The Passage #1): Justin Cronin 4/5

(Dancing with Fantasy - Set In Our World)

An Unwanted Guest: Shari Lapena 4/5

(Cloak & Dagger, Library Lovers)

Who Killed the Fonz?: James Boice 3/5

(Cloak & Dagger)

The Pit List Murders (Barkside of the Moon #3): Renee George 4/5

(What an Animal, Cloak & Dagger)

A Dog Called Jack: Ivy Pembroke 5/5

(What an Animal)

Blossom 666 Issue 1 (Cullen Bunn) 3/5

(Library Lovers)

No Exit: Taylor Adams 5/5

(Cloak & Dagger, Library Lovers)

Magic Burns (Kate Daniels #2): Ilona Andrews 4/5

(What an Animal, Library Lovers)

Gabriel and Mr. Death: Susan J. Kroupa 4/5

(What an Animal, Library Lovers)

So overall it was a really great reading month.  Only one 3/5 rating and the rest for 4/5 and 5/5.  I did have two absolutely stand out reads which were "A Dog Called Jack" and "No Exit."  I would highly recommend them both.  

TOTAL PAGE COUNT: 1527

Did you get everything read you hoped for???

What's Happening...(03-01-19)

So I'm doing things a tad bit differently this year and will be combining all of my regular weekend posts.  This will enable me to add more content on Fridays and it is just starting to make more sense.  I'll still be linking up with Stacking the Shelves at Tynga's Reviews and Sunday Post at Caffeinated Reviewer.  Both blogs are awesome so make sure you check them out.

So I'm having a hard time accepting it's March 1st as I type this but the calendar say so so it must be true!  And it seems like our regularly scheduled March snowstorm is on its way and should arrive Sunday.  According to all the weather reports, we are due to get anywhere for 2-8.  They can't make up their minds so I think if that's the case, we shouldn't get any.


As far as TV, we've managed to get half way through Season 2 of The Oath so the end is near.  I liked Season 1 better but this season is still good.  We also watched "The Possession of Hannah Grace" this week.  As far as possession movies goes, this one took a different angle and I really enjoyed it.  Although it starred one of the "Pretty Little Liars" but I won't hold that against it.  I'm trying to convince Mr. Barb to watch "Bohemian Rhapsody" this weekend.  We're not HUGE Queen fans but do like the occasional song here and there.

The pups are doing well.  Booker T has a small cut on his elbow but I think he had an itch and dug it.  It isn't bad, it just happens to be the elbow Cass mauled a few years back.  We put antibiotic on it.  We've also started him on joint medication because our little boy will be 9 in a few months.  Where has the time gone?  Also, Mr. Barb is having his gall bladder out Wednesday.  He's put it off for years but it has to be done.  I'm sure it will go well but he's a tad anxious about it.  I keep telling him if I can do it, he can.

So this week as usual I want to get some reading done.  Saturday will be kind of full with errands and such but I think Sunday should be low-key.  Here's the books I'd like to focus on for the upcoming week.  

I had a hold come in at the library and while I was there, just had to look at the new release shelf - since it's right by the entrance.  Thus, two more came home with me.  I've been hearing a lot about "Looker" and it's relatively short.  I'm on a good run with thrillers so we'll see.  "Ship of Smoke and Steel" is what I originally went in  for and will be used for one of my challenges.  And I think I saw a blogger I regularly follow raving about "The City in the Middle of the Night" but then again I might be wrong.

And finally I picked up a freebie or two which I think are worth sharing.  As usual, check before you click.  "Dating an Alien Pop Star" was a complete title grab.  Aren't you curious too?  I know it's usually dogs you see but I love all animals so that's why I grabbed "Jubilee The Love Story" when I saw it.  And "Good Intentions" involves paramedics in Memphis and a little horror thrown in.  Don't know if it's fantastical horror or real-life horror.  Great cover though.  

So there you have it.  If you are in the path of storms - snow or rain - stay safe.  And what books and TV will be occupying your time???

They Call It Puppy Love Challenge Wrap Up

So I want to thank everyone who signed up for the Challenge.  It was fun checking out the reviews on the blogs and seeing what everyone chose to read.  I'm sure we all added a book or two to our TBR's too.  I managed to read only three but I pretty much include dog books all year long, as well as participate in a Dog Days of Summer Challenge so I'm not really too stressed.  I read the following and will also link my reviews:

The Pit List Murders

Gabriel and Mr. Death

A Dog Called Jack

I also posted a discussion about animal cruelty in books as well as a few upcoming releases and a few animal books I've hauled.  All in all a good month.

So I'm adding a link up down below for everyone's wrap up.  I'll take all the entries and have Booker T pick a winner for the $10.00 Gift Card on March 8th.  That gives you a week.  Also, if you have any trouble linking up, let me know and leave a comment with your link and I'll add you to the drawing.  Good luck!

They Call It Puppy Love Wrap Up

Now That's How to Write A Thriller - No Exit Review

TITLE: No Exit
AUTHOR: Taylor Adams
PUBLISHER: William Morrow
PUBLISHING DATE: January 15, 2019

FROM GOODREADS: A kidnapped little girl locked in a stranger’s van. No help for miles. What would you do? 

On her way to Utah to see her dying mother, college student Darby Thorne gets caught in a fierce blizzard in the mountains of Colorado. With the roads impassable, she’s forced to wait out the storm at a remote highway rest stop. Inside, are some vending machines, a coffee maker, and four complete strangers. 

Desperate to find a signal to call home, Darby goes back out into the storm . . . and makes a horrifying discovery. In the back of the van parked next to her car, a little girl is locked in an animal crate. 

Who is the child? Why has she been taken? And how can Darby save her? There is no cell phone reception, no telephone, and no way out. One of her fellow travelers is a kidnapper. But which one? 

Trapped in an increasingly dangerous situation, with a child’s life and her own on the line, Darby must find a way to break the girl out of the van and escape.  

But who can she trust?” 

With exquisitely controlled pacing, Taylor Adams diabolically ratchets up the tension with every page. Full of terrifying twists and hairpin turns, No Exit will have you on the edge of your seat and leave you breathless. 

MY THOUGHTS: Now honestly this is how I wish more thrillers were done.  I didn't know a while lot about "No Exit" going into it other than that a lot of bloggers whom I value their opinions have read and loved it.  I'm so glad I requested this from my library and reading it was a perfect was to spend a weekend.

Darby Thorne is attending college and is prepared to spend Christmas on campus rather than risking another run-in with her mother.  However, news from her sister that her mother is terminally ill leads her to trek across the state in a snowstorm to try to mend fences before it's too late.  The snowstorm, as well as Bing Crosby, gets the best of her and she is forced to stop at a rest stop, where she becomes stuck with four other individuals.  Darby quickly discovers a young girl being held captive in a van outside and then all hell breaks lose!

"No Exit" is like a rollercoaster ride from start to finish.  It also happens to contain one of my favorite settings - stuck in a snowstorm.  Considering there isn't really a large cast of characters, there's really no one the reader can trust.  Except maybe Darby since she DOES NOT fall into the unreliable narrator trope.  I found Darby to be highly likable.  She was flawed and sarcastic and basically puts her life on the line for this kid, all the time questioning why she is doing so because she really doesn't like kids anyway.  There are also some truly despicable characters in this book and I loved to hate them. There's no way I'd really want to run into any of them in a rest stop.

I have to go on record now and say "No Exit" is screaming for a movie adaptation.  If it can work for "Gone Girl" and "The Girl on Train," neither of which I liked, then "No Exit" would be a hit I'm sure.  In fact, in my head I've already cast Darby as Anna Kendrick because that's how I imagined her throughout the whole book.  Seriously, how can you not like a character who in her spare time makes art from rubbings of headstones? 

If you are interested in a great thriller, please give "No Exit" a chance. I honestly don't think you'll be disappointed.

RATING: 5 PAWS