Final Check-in 2024 Challenges & 2025 Sign-ups

I'm a little late posting my challenge check-ins and setting my new goals, but here they are. I made all of my goals. Here's my totals:

The challenge is hosted by Caffeinated Reviewer  again & That's What I'm Taking About. Thank you ladies!

I signed up for 125-150 I Can't Hear You (earbuds are always in) books and managed 149 books.  Here are a few of my standout listens:

(Click on cover for Goodreads link/title below for my review)

Pitch Dark (Mike Bowditch #15) by Paul Doiron narrated by Henry Leyva

You'll Never Find Me by Allision Brennan narrated by Hillary Huber

Wrong Place, Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister narrated by Lesley Sharp

My Life as a White Trash Zombie by Diana Rowland narrated by Allison McLemore

Mind Games by Nora Roberts narrated by January LaVoy

Winter Lost (Mercy Thompson #14) by Patricia Briggs narrated by Lorelei King

I'm signing up for I Can't Hear You (earbuds are always in) 125-150 books again. Click HERE for details if you'd like to join in, too!

Library Love Challenge is hosted by Anne @Books of My Heart and Angel's Book Nook. Thank you ladies! 

You can sign up for the 2025 Challenge HERE.  

I signed up for Library Card on Fire 60+ books and made it with 71.

Here are some of my favorites:

Fated (Alex Verus #1) by Benedict Jacka

The Bitter Past (Porter Beck #1) by Bruce Borgos 

Death in Kew Gardens (A Below Stairs Mystery #3) by Jennifer Ashley

I sign up for the Goodreads Challenge every year. My goal was 175 books and I surpassed it with 191 books. I signed up for 175 again for 2025. 

I am signing up for Susan's Bookish Books Reading Challenge. Thank you Susan! (click HERE for info on the challenge) this year with:

Toe in the Door 1-10 Books

I need to make a list of books to read for this one. Any ideas?

Well, that's the end of my challenges. Are you participating in any challenges this year?

Review: Lies on the Serpent's Tongue by Kate Pearsall

 

Lies on the Serpent's Tongue (Bittersweet in the Hollow #2) by Kate Pearsall

Publication Date: January 7th 2025 by G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers

Pages: 320

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★½

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Libro.fm | Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Rowan James is fiercely protective of her family which is one of the reasons Hadrian Fitch, their family’s farm hand, rubbed her the wrong way. Rowan can detect lies, and knew Hadrian wasn’t being truthful. But it was more than Hadrian’s lies that got under Rowan’s skin. They had an ongoing back and forth (mostly thanks to Rowan) in the last book. I knew they were going to make a great couple!

 

The James women and residents of Cabal Hollow are still recovering after the shocking events of the summer. Also, Rowan is still bitter over the vandalism of their family’s diner that caused so much damage and almost put them out of business. The case is still unsolved, and Rowan is determined to find those responsible. However, Rowan’s grandmother has had enough of her attitude and decides to send her on a volunteer assignment for the Forestry Service where they need help repairing a lookout cabin. Rowan will have to stay there on and off to complete the work.

 

Rowan encounters danger on a few fronts. Ginseng poachers, with the payouts so high are willing to do just about anything to illegally harvest the roots and strange happenings with the Bone Tree. Then there’s the people intent on tracking and proving the existence of the Moth-Man and the Wampus Cat, one particularly annoying group there for a podcast.

 

It’s hard to write a review that does this story justice because the story is so unique and layered! Magical gifts, interesting characters, a gorgeously described setting, more than one mystery with a suspicious death (or two), and beautiful writing! So many things to recommend and I loved every page!

 

Lies on the Serpent’s Tongue is book two in the series, with a separate romance and mystery, but I highly recommend reading Bittersweet the Hollow first because the events in the last book factor in heavily into this one. Utterly loved both stories!

4.5 Stars

Book Description:

In this haunting companion novel to Bittersweet in the Hollow, a girl who can smell the lies of others uncovers the incendiary mysteries of her small Appalachian town.

Everybody lies. And in knowing their lies, I become the keeper of their secrets.

As Caball Hollow slowly recovers from a tumultuous summer, the James family must also come to terms with their own newly revealed secrets.

18-year-old Rowan James has spent her whole life harboring unpleasant truths—that’s what happens when you can smell lies on the teller’s breath—and building walls around herself to block them out. Like her younger sister, Linden, who can taste the feelings of others, Rowan has long struggled with her gift, which has taught her that everyone distorts the truth, and no one is who they seem to be. So when her old rival Hadrian Fitch shows up on her front porch—bloodied and bruised and asking for the kind of help only she can provide—her first instinct is distrust.

Except Hadrian’s attack isn’t the only strange occurrence. Now small items are disappearing, but rather than report the losses the owners act as if their missing things never existed. Rumors of a new monster prowling the Hollow begin to swirl. But how can Rowan smoke out the culprit in a town full of secrets? And worse, how can Rowan trust beautiful, solemn Hadrian when every other word he speaks has the distinct burnt smell of a lie?

About the author:

Kate Pearsall is a creative thinker, an award-winning copywriter, and a storyteller. She has a degree in business and public relations and has written for magazines and newspapers. Bittersweet in the Hollow and Lies on the Serpent's Tongue were inspired in part by a childhood listening to her mom’s stories about growing up in the Appalachian Mountains and visiting family in West Virginia.

Connect with Kate Pearsall:

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads

Review: See How They Hide by Allison Brennan

 

See How They Hide (Quinn & Costa #6) by Allison Brennan

Publication Date: January 7th 2025 by MIRA

Pages: 400

Source: Publisher 

Rating: ★★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Goodreads | Libro.fm | Audible

My Thoughts:

The sixth installment of the Quinn & Costa series was an intense one and fast paced! The story starts out with two murders on opposite sides of the country, committed in the same puzzling way, happening within hours of each other. Havenwood, a previously unknown community, cult-like in its setup, is at the heart of the investigation. Figuring out its past and location becomes key to stopping their murder spree. Calliope, the leader, was something else! I felt for her daughter, Riley, who becomes a crucial part of the team’s investigation.

 

I was happy at the personal progress made with Kara and Matt, with Kara finally opening up, which has been a long time coming. Catherine who’s been a thorn in Kara’s side from the beginning, and pretty much a witch, IMO, has finally acknowledged some important things! I haven’t been a fan of Catherine at all, so hopefully this progress will move her into the likeable category in the future.

 

Love this series, and really anything Allison Brennan writes! I recommend starting with book one.

5 Stars

Book Description:

No matter how far you run, some pasts never let you go…

Two people were murdered—at the exact same time, in the same gruesome manner, bodies covered in the same red poppies…but on opposite sides of the country.

With Detective Kara Quinn investigating in Oregon and Special Agent Matt Costa in Virginia, the Mobile Response Team digs deep to uncover more about each victim. What is the link between the two, and why were they targeted?

Yet their search unearths more questions than answers—until they meet Riley Pierce, the only person still alive who might be able to help them find the killers.

Soon, it becomes clear this case is nothing like they’ve seen before as their investigation leads them to the hallowed grounds of Havenwood—an eerily beautiful place rooted in a terrifying past.

As more bodies turn up, all tied to the same community, Kara and Matt are desperate to piece the puzzle together before Havenwood’s leader sacrifices everything to keep her secrets buried.

Photo Credit: Brittan Dodd

About the author:

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Allison Brennan believes life is too short to be bored, so she had five children and writes three books a year. Reviewers have called her “a master of suspense” and RT Book Reviews said her books are “mesmerizing” and “complex.” A native of northern California, she moved to Arizona with her family and pets in 2019 and now calls Phoenix home.

Allison has written 45 books and numerous short stories. She has no intention of stopping anytime soon! The fifth book in the Quinn & Costa FBI series, The Missing Witness, is currently available, and See How They Hide will be out in January of 2025. The first book of an all-new Phoenix set series about a family of private investigators, You’ll Never Find Me, is out now. 

Connection with Allison Brennan:

Website | Facebook | X | Instagram | Goodreads

Sunday Post #278-Late Edition

 

The Sunday Post is hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated reviewer book blog, and is a post to recap my bookish and non-bookish things from the last week. I'm also linking up to The Sunday Salon hosted by Deb Nance @Readerbuzz.

Happy Sunday! We got in from Montana last night/morning at 2am, so I'm tired! It was a fun trip with ice skating, sledding, card games and fireworks. It was cold, but it didn't feel as cold as I thought it would. 

Montana at dusk

We sat by the outdoor fire despite the temps! 

The weather here at home is gorgeous with sun and highs in the upper 50s. I didn't get as much reading done, but that was expected.

Two weeks worth of reading:

(Click on cover for Goodreads link)

Schemes & Scandals (A Rip Through Time #3.5) by Kelley Armstrong-4 Stars

Lies on the Serpent's Tongue (Bittersweet in the Hollow #2) by Kate Pearsall-4.5 Stars

The Lost House by Melissa Larsen-3.5 Stars

Favours (Alex Verus #6.1) by Benedict Jacka-4 Stars

Veiled (Alex Verus #6) by Benedict Jacka-5 Stars

Cold Shadows (Ellie Jordan, Ghost Trapper #2) by J.L. Bryan-4 stars

See How They Hide (Quinn & Costa #6) by Allison Brennan-5 Stars

Received:

Thank you to Park Row, Berkley and Harlequin Audio!

Instagram:

My one and only Instagram post this week!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Rachel (@wavesoffiction)

How was your week?

Favorites of 2024 (part 3): Romance/Historical Romance/Women's Fiction

I didn't read as much in the Romance category as I have in the past. I think my reading preferences have changed.

Favorite Romance/Historical Romance/Women's Fiction Reads for 2024:

(Click on cover for Goodreads link)

How to Age Disgracefully by Clare Pooley

The Banned Books Club by Brenda Novak

The Love of My Afterlife by Kirsty Greenwood

Look on the Bright Side by Kristan Higgins

Love at First Book by Jenn McKinlay

The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center

The Summer Swap by Sarah Morgan

Once Persuaded, Twice Shy by Melodie Edwards

The Sweet Blue Distance by Sara Donati

A Beach House Beginning by RaeAnne Thayne

Funny Story by Emily Henry

The Lily of Ludgate Hill (Belles of London #3) by Mimi Matthews

Always Remember (Ravenswood #3) by Mary Balogh

Business Casual (Lovelight #4) by B.K. Borison

What are some of your favorites of 2024?

Favorites of 2024 (part 2): Fantasy/Urban Fantasy/Science Fiction

I read quite a bit of Fantasy/Urban Fantasy but most were part of a series and I'm just including the first book of each series. I'll be posting my Romance/Women's Fiction favorites next.

Favorite Fantasy/Urban Fantasy SF Reads for 2024:

(Click on cover for Goodreads link)

The Alex Verus series by Benedict Jacka

Fated is book one and I've read through book 6 and started book 7 but stopped because things got intense and I need to listen straight through. Can't do that while on vacation with family!

An Inheritance of Magic by Benedict Jacka

This is his new series and only two books are out now. An Instruction in Shadow is the newest release and after reading these I went back and started the Alex Verus series.

Winter Lost (Mercy Thompson #14) by Patricia Briggs

My all-time favorite UF series!

My Life as a White Trash Zombie (White Trash Zombie #1) by Diana Rowland

I've wanted to read this series for a long time and was pushed to do it with Anne @Books of My Heart read-along. The audios are fantastic!

Disturbing the Dead (A Rip Through Time #3) by Kelley Armstrong

This was hard to categorize since it's mostly a historical mystery, but as the main character traveled back in time I put it in the fantasy category. 

The Tainted Cup (Shadow of the Leviathan #1) by Robert Jackson Bennett

Very original!

Four Minutes by Brian Andrews & Jeffrey Wilson

Fun and fast paced! The only science fiction book on my list. Need book two!

Ellie Jordan, Ghost Trapper (Ellie Jordan, Ghost Trapper #1) by J.L. Bryan

I've listened to book two as well and will be continuing the series.

Bride by Ali Hazelwood

I've had some hit and misses with Hazelwood, but loved this one!

Are any of these on your list?