Weekly Wrap-Up, 12-18 September 2022

I missed last week’s Weekly Wrap-Up post as I was down with a tummy bug and high fever. I spent the whole of Friday night throwing up and ended up with a high fever by Saturday morning. In the past 15 years, I have hardly had a bout of fever.

I fell sick thrice this year, and all three times I was down with high fever. First two were in Jan, covid-19 vaccine side-effects and a week later, an Omicron infection. And then, last week. I have had some health issues since the Omicron infection but diet, exercise and medicines have helped. Anyhoo, I am better now and that is what matters, right?

Rant over, let’s chitchat about the books I read this past week.

My reading speed is still slow. Sometimes, I manage to read a book a day, and sometimes, it takes me almost 3 days to finish one. I am still catching up on the NetGalley ARCs and books I received for the upcoming blog tours.

I read The Santa Killer by Ross Greenwood on Monday. It’s about a serial killer who dresses up as Santa and attacks single mothers. This is the sixth book in DI Barton series and the previous installments are based on a similar theme – killings around festive season. Overall, this was a good read. I am looking forward to catching up on the series. Turns out, this is the final book in the series as the author will be concentrating on writing a new series.

Do you prefer long series? Or, do you want the series to get over in 5-6 books? Well, for me, it depends on the author and the series in question. Bellairs’ Littlejohn series has almost 50 books. Then there’s Holmes, Miss Marple and Poirot – love the short as well as full length novels (Marple & Poirot). But when it comes to modern mysteries, I prefer short series. It gives the author to experiment on a new series and possibly, a new genre too. What say?

I also read a romance/women’s fiction novel this week – Let It Snow by Beth Moran. I have read another book by this author and was really looking forward to reading more of her works. I loved the story – at times, it felt like there were a lot of side stories. But overall, this was a refreshing read – and a nice change as I was tired of reading crime and thrillers. Haha!

I finished reading Someone’s Watching Me by Zoe Rosi on Friday. It’s a psychological thriller with stalker-ish tones. The story gets very creepy at times and might make you a tad paranoid too. Imagine someone deliberately trying to ruin everything you have in life. Reason? Unknown. I know, right. Chills!

I also read a cozy mystery this week – Murder Up To Bat by Elizabeth McKenna. This is the second book in the series. I remember reading the series debut three years ago and I was looking forward to catch up on the series. The series features a Chicago Tribune reporter who moves to small town – she falls in love with the place and…um, the local detective. *wink* I really loved the story – amateur sleuthing and a dash of romance, that’s what makes a cozy mystery ‘cozy’, right?

I am currently reading Ballistics at the Ballet by B.J. Bowen. I started it on Friday evening but was caught up in some art project so couldn’t finish it sooner. I am planning to complete the book by tonight so that I can start the next tomorrow. New week, new bookish list. 😀

Reviews on the blog this week:

Rough Diamonds by Gillian Godden

The Santa Killer by Ross Greenwood

Madame Storey by Hulbert Footner

Murder in Myrtle Bay by Isobel Blackthorn

Let It Snow by Beth Moran

Under the Cloud by B.R. Erlank

When We Were Young by Dawn Goodwin