It's Monday 10/17! What Are You Reading?

Doing better here & getting back into my normal routine. My Lyme disease came back about two weeks ago, and I restarted treatment about a week ago. Luckily, I caught it quickly this time (the symptoms are unmistakable for me now), so I am already feeling a lot better. My younger son came home from college with a sinus infection this week, but we got him into the doctor right away and onto antibiotics, so he is doing better now, too. Otherwise, it was an OK week, with plenty of writing time (since I couldn't do much active stuff), and a very nice weekend with both family and friends.

As always, we all enjoyed our books last week:

• I finished A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick, though I missed the library's discussion of it last week. It fit in perfectly with my RIP XI Challenge for this spooky season. A wealthy, successful man in the early 1900's in rural Wisconsin places an ad looking for "a reliable wife." Catherine, the woman that answers and is chosen, says in her letters that she is a "simple, honest woman," but she is anything but. We know from the start that she plans to poison and kill her new husband but not why or who she really is. It was good and full of surprises, with a very dark and creepy tone perfect for this month!
• Now, I am reading a review book, The River of Kings by Taylor Brown, a novel with an intriguing mix of adventure, family drama, and historical fiction. It's about two brothers in Georgia who are kayaking the length of a river to honor their father's memory. He lived his whole life on the river, and they are carrying his ashes on their journey. Chapters of their kayaking trip alternate with flashbacks of their father's life on the river and scenes from the 1500's when the first French settlers came to this area and encountered Native Americans, illustrated by real drawings made by those explorers. I'm really enjoying it so far. It is due out in March.
• On audio, I am listening to The Hunt by Megan Shepherd, a teen/YA novel and sequel to The Cage, which I enjoyed. This series takes place in another world, where a group of teens from Earth are being held captive. Gripping suspense and intriguing concepts here!
• My husband, Ken, finished one of the new books I gave him for his birthday, Dark Matter by Blake Crouch, author of the books that were made into the Wayward Pines TV series. In this intriguing novel, a man is knocked out and abducted and wakes up with a completely different life - different wife, no kids, everything changed. Ken said it was great and very weird. I definitely want to read this one, too (those are the best kind of gifts to give!).
• Last night, Ken started Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King. Last year, we inherited my dad's collection of Stephen King and Dean Koontz books, but the first book in this series was missing. So, Ken bought a copy on our vacation a couple of weeks ago, and is looking forward to reading this novel that my dad enjoyed so much. We both miss him a lot, and reading his favorite books helps us feel close to him.
• Jamie, 22, is still reading book 3 in the Scott Lynch series Gentleman Bastards, The Republic of Thieves, which he bought this summer. He loves this series (so does my husband) and says it is about con men in Medieval times. 

 On the blog last week:

TV Tuesday: Dexter - a creepy, unique, gripping show about a serial killer (who is actually the good guy) - perfect for the season!

New Travel Article: Stay in a Treehouse in Oregon - my latest travel article about one of our all-time favorite vacation stops

Fiction Review: Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte - a dark and twisty Gothic classic

Middle-Grade Review: Swing Sideways by Nanci Turner Steveson - a warm, moving story of friendship and healing

Saturday Snapshot: Kayaking at Janes Island State Park - Eastern Shore of Maryland

Weekend Cooking: Paleo Pumpkin Coffee Cake - delicious for dessert or breakfast & perfect for fall!

What are you and your family reading this week?    

What Are You Reading Monday is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date, so head over and check out her blog and join the Monday fun! You can also participate in a kid/teen/YA version hosted by Unleashing Readers.