Books I Am Reading This Week plus Weekly Book Haul – October 4, 2023 #wwwwednesday #ReadersCommunity #BookTwitter #BookLover

Welcome to WWW Wednesday! This meme was formerly hosted by MizB at A Daily Rhythm and revived on Taking on a World of Words. Just answer the three questions below and leave a link to your post in the comments for others to look at. No blog? No problem! Just leave a comment with your responses. Please take some time to visit the other participants and see what others are reading. So, let’s get to it!

  • What am I currently reading?
  • What did I just finish?
  • What am I reading next?

Long Past Dues by James J. Butcher (son of Jim Butcher) is the second book in a series that, luckily, Berkley sent me the first book of – Dead Man’s Hand (which I loved!). I’ve been looking forward to reading this book and so far it’s just as enjoyable as the first. I’ll post reviews of both books in the series next week.

  • Genre: Urban Fantasy
  • Pages: 401 pages
  • Publisher: Ace (Berkley)
  • Publication Date: October 10, 2023
Grimsby, the newest Auditor in the magical Department of Unorthodox Affairs, finds himself in hot water when he intercepts a friend’s case in this fast-paced and thrilling urban fantasy. Against all odds, Grimshaw Griswald Grimsby has become an Auditor, enforcing laws about magic for Boston’s Department of Unorthodox Affairs. But Grimsby soon realizes the daily grind of his job is far removed from the glamour he imagined. Overlooked for every exciting case, Grimsby tires of being told to handle mundane magical troubles, and appropriates a case file intended for a friend. Alongside Leslie Mayflower, the temporarily unretired Huntsman, Grimsby aims to crack the case and discover the origin of a strange, unfinished ritual—one that seems to imitate the handiwork of a foe Mayflower put down twenty years ago. Together, they’ll have to deal with escaped werewolves, a cursed artifact, and a perilous journey to the mysterious subterranean city below Boston, all to uncover the shocking truth. At any cost, Grimsby must stop this ritual from finally being completed. Yet the cost may be paid not by himself but by his friends. . . .

A Cold Highland Wind by Tasha Alexander is my first foray into a long running series. Fortunately this book could easily be read as a stand alone. And it’s a wonderful historical mystery. My review will be posted tomorrow.

  • Genre: Historical Mystery
  • Pages: 294 pages
  • Publisher: St. Martin’s Press (Minotaur)
  • Publication Date: October 3, 2023
In this new installment of Tasha Alexander’s acclaimed Lady Emily series set in the wild Scottish highlands, an ancient story of witchcraft may hold the key to solving a murder centuries later. In the summer of 1905, Lady Emily, husband Colin Hargreaves, and their three sons eagerly embark on a family vacation at Cairnfarn Castle, the Scottish estate of their dear friend Jeremy, Duke of Bainbridge. But a high-spirited celebration at the beginning of their stay comes to a grisly end when the duke’s gamekeeper is found murdered on the banks of the loch. Handsome Angus Sinclair had a host of enemies: the fiancée he abandoned in Edinburgh, the young woman who had fallen hopelessly in love with him, and the rough farmer who saw him as a rival for her affections. But what is the meaning of the curious runic stone left on Sinclair’s forehead? Clues may be found in the story of Lady MacAllister, wife of the Laird of Cairnfarn Castle, who in 1676 suddenly found herself widowed and thrown out of her home. Her sole companion was a Moorish slave girl who helped her secretly spirit her most prized possessions—a collection of strange books—out of the castle. When her neighbors, wary of a woman living on her own, found a poppet—a doll used to cast spells—and a daisy wheel in her isolated cottage, Lady MacAllister was accused of witchcraft, a crime punishable by death. Hundreds of years later, Lady Emily searches for the link between Lady MacAllister’s harrowing witchcraft trial and the brutal death of Sinclair. She must follow a trail of hidden motives, an illicit affair, and a mysterious stranger to reveal the dark side of a seemingly idyllic Highland village.

Enemies to lovers – count me in! I’ve met very few stories using that trope that I didn’t enjoy, so fingers-crossed that Love Interest by Claire Gilmore keeps that pattern up.

  • Genre: RomCom
  • Pages: 342 pages
  • Publisher: St Martin’s Press
  • Publication Date: October 10, 2023
Love Interest is Clare Gilmore’s sparkling debut, a co-worker enemies-to-lovers rom-com that proves falling in love is the risk and the reward. Casey Maitland has always preferred the reliability of numbers. Now a twenty-four-year-old finance expert working in Manhattan, she wonders if the open project manager position at her company—magazine powerhouse LC Publications—is a sign from the universe to pursue a career with a little more sparkle. That is, until she’s passed over for the job in favor of the board chairman’s son. Alex Harrison is handsome, Harvard-educated, and enigmatic. Everybody loves him—except for Casey. But when the two are thrown on the same project, what they discover about their company might change everything—including the dreams each of them is chasing and their mutual love interest.

Did I really take six books this week? They all fit into my schedule but I really need to be putting those widgets in a file and stop downloading the books. I’m slapping my own hand right now! Someone I’m in a chat with on IG mentioned that she puts the books that she has widgets for in a file on NetGalley. That is such a great idea, so I’ve started one too! It’s a lot more manageable than my email folders.

What are you reading? Do you love it?

24 responses to “Books I Am Reading This Week plus Weekly Book Haul – October 4, 2023 #wwwwednesday #ReadersCommunity #BookTwitter #BookLover”

  1. Jenny Mcclinton Avatar

    Lovely book haul this week and great looking reads, hope you enjoy them all 💕

    1. Tessa Pulyer Avatar

      Thank you!

  2. nickimags @ Secret Library Book Blog Avatar

    Fab haul glad you’re enjoying them! 😀

    1. Tessa Pulyer Avatar

      So far, so good 😊

  3. Joanna @ TheGeekishBrunette Avatar
    Joanna @ TheGeekishBrunette

    Love Interest looks cute! I hope you enjoy it!

    1. Tessa Pulyer Avatar

      Me too!

  4. bluereadergal Avatar

    Great WWW Wednesday!

    1. Tessa Pulyer Avatar

      Thank you!

  5. Janette Avatar

    I’m definitely looking forward to your reviews of the James Butcher books. They do sound good

    1. Tessa Pulyer Avatar

      I loved the first one. The second one is good so far too!

  6. Jonetta | Blue Mood Café Avatar

    Ooh, seeing a lot of romance in your near future! Looking forward to seeing what you think for these new-to-me authors. Nice haul, Tessa💜

    1. Tessa Pulyer Avatar

      I love exploring new-to-me authors. It’s so fun finding new writers to love 💕

  7. CJRTB Books Avatar

    Enjoy your reads Tessa!

    1. Tessa Pulyer Avatar

      Thank you!

  8. energyrae Avatar

    Such a great reading week and an awesome haul!

    1. Tessa Pulyer Avatar

      I’m loving it!

  9. Mae Clair Avatar

    How did I miss Jim Butcher’s son was writing books?
    I’m going to have to look into that series.
    A Cold Highland Wind sounds intriguing, too.

    I’m currently reading The Ice Line and waffling between being glued to the pages and being annoyed with it. 🤪

    1. Tessa Pulyer Avatar

      I love his writing style. It’s so immersive and quirky. The humor is just so wonderful.

      1. Mae Clair Avatar

        Sounds just like his dad, LOL!

  10. Teri Polen Avatar

    Widgets in a file on NetGalley? I didn’t know that was even possible.

    1. Tessa Pulyer Avatar

      If you click on the widget link (and don’t push the Read Now button) – instead select a file to file it in. It lists them and shows the status as “invited”. It’s such a great use of the file function.

  11. writerravenclaw Avatar

    I am reading into the water, it has about five different points of view. An interesting story, but it can get confusing at times. I do love the family drama, seen from two generations, one daughter and one sister, who have both suffered the loss. Also, nothing much changing for women for either of them.

    1. Tessa Pulyer Avatar

      Family drama is the best because who can’t relate to that. Hope you continue to enjoy it!

  12. Hooked By That Book Avatar

    Hope you enjoy all your books. Yes, sometimes keeping track of books and the review due dates are a nightmare.

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