Fortnightly Update #46: Flowers, Flowers Everywhere (But No Brandon To Be Found)

Since May 16th, I have been preoccupied with helping my mom around the house. She had a successful knee replacement surgery and only spent one night in the hospital. I am so grateful I didn't have to use my power of attorney privileges to decide anything serious and it seems she is well on her way to having full mobility again. I've also retained the full use of my legs, so I'm a relatively happy camper these days.

Recent Acquisitions (or the Piling of the-Piles):

the-pile Additions:

The Kennedy Debutante by Kerri Maher

Expected publication: October 2nd, 2018

This is from a giveaway I came across in the Shelf Awareness Pro newsletter- and my second historical fiction involving one of the Kennedys this year. There must be some nostalgia for political dynasties going around because I really don't remember this much historical fiction being penned about the Kennedys in previous years (or maybe these are just better promoted?). This book revolves around Kathleen "Kick" Kennedy's life in London in 1938.

the-invisible-pile Additions:

In Shock: My Journey from Death to Recovery and the Redemptive Power of Hope by Dr. Rana Awdish

As I am a fan of medical memoirs, I figured it was prudent to add this to my list of them. The extra layer here is that the patient was a doctor first and noticed the difference in perspective (as far as matters of life and death) from doctor to patient.

Sabriel (Abhorsen #1) by Garth Nix

I recall this book being all the rage when I was in middle school, so I may as well do some remedial reading now and see if I would've liked it.

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet (Wayfarers #1) by Becky Chambers

Many bloggers are fans of this book, so I may as well catch up with the fad on the interwebs too. Also, sci-fi is usually a win with me as long as there's some form of alternative thinking.

Throne of the Crescent Moon (The Crescent Moon Kingdoms #1) by Saladin Ahmed

This one has been on my wishlist on Amazon forever and it is finally on sale (at least, the US Kindle version is). I can't recall who recommended this one to me, but I am a fan of the author's tweets, so that's something.

Currently Reading:

The Kennedy Debutante by Kerri Maher

I am on the first few pages so no "true" impression yet, other than that I love the cover.

The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K. Le Guin

Since this is a short sci-fi book, I decided to start this one too. So far I am enjoying it.

Finished These Books:

The Summer I Met Jack by Michelle Gable

Expected Publication: May 29th, 2018

With some luck, I may have a review up for this one on the 29th. Although I thought I would enjoy it more, it turned out to be less of a political historical fiction and more of a celebrity historical fiction that erred on the side of romance. It is still a solid read, but manage your expectations if you think it will be more about JFK and less about Alicia Corning Clark.

Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage

Expected Publication: July 17th, 2018

Normally, I would never request a thriller, as they aren't my usual genre and they tend to disappoint me. However, Baby Teeth kept me on the edge of my seat and bordered on horror, so it was a win. If you're a thriller fan, consider requesting it if you still can.

Say Yes to the Marquess (Castles Ever After #2) by Tessa Dare

This was a historical romance that I picked up last year. Someone mentioned on Twitter that the hero had ADHD and I was intrigued by that, so I finished reading it. Although it was interesting and I liked it, I wouldn't consider it among my favorites. I did enjoy one of the secondary characters, Phoebe, more than the main heroine, so maybe that was my issue with it.

In My Life:

Flowers, flowers everywhere, and lots of pollen to boot.

Ah-choo, my garden and some of my minion army (see upper and lower right)

This year has been easier on the garden-front for me- although I did raise most of my annual flowers from seeds, many of the perennials we've planted require little to no care. The exception to that were the rosebushes (I believe we have 16 now) which I had to prune back and fertilize back in April. I guess I've become so accustomed to growing things and caring for them now that if I didn't have plant seedlings every year, I would need to find a more intensive hobby. Gardening is not for the faint of yard.

Which hobbies are you excited to partake in this summer? Are any of my reads on your TBR list?