By Tessa Pulyer Posted on

What Am I Reading This Week – January 19, 2022? #WWWWednesday #amreading #CurrentlyReading

I’m over halfway done and, boy, what a compelling story. I really wasn’t sure what to expect or if I would be invested in a story about a violin but it seem that I am. There’s mystery, history, and a lot of greedy people to hold my attention.

  • Genre: Mystery/Thriller (Black & African American)
  • Pages: 334 pages
  • Publisher: Anchor Books
  • Publication Date: February 1, 2022
Growing up Black in rural North Carolina, Ray McMillian’s life is already mapped out. If he’s lucky, he’ll get a job at the hospital cafeteria. If he’s extra lucky, he’ll earn more than minimum wage. But Ray has a gift and a dream—he’s determined to become a world-class professional violinist, and nothing will stand in his way. Not his mother, who wants him to stop making such a racket; not the fact that he can’t afford a violin suitable to his talents; not even the racism inherent in the world of classical music. When he discovers that his great-great-grandfather’s beat-up old fiddle is actually a priceless Stradivarius, all his dreams suddenly seem within reach. Together, Ray and his violin take the world by storm. But on the eve of the renowned and cutthroat Tchaikovsky Competition—the Olympics of classical music—the violin is stolen, a ransom note for five million dollars left in its place. Ray will have to piece together the clues to recover his treasured Strad … before it’s too late. With the descendants of the man who once enslaved Ray’s great-great-grandfather asserting that the instrument is rightfully theirs, and with his family staking their own claim, Ray doesn’t know who he can trust—or whether he will ever see his beloved violin again.

What an action-packed second book in what I presume will be a trilogy. I found the change in narrators from the first book to be a mixed bag of thoughts and feelings for me, but the story held my attention without fail.

  • Genre: Fantasy (YA)
  • Pages: 297 pages
  • Publisher: Inkyard Press
  • Publication Date: February 1, 2022
Banished from the Winter Court for daring to fall in love, Prince Ash achieved the impossible and journeyed to the End of the World to earn a soul and keep his vow to always stand beside Queen Meghan of the Iron Fey. Now he faces even more incomprehensible odds. Their son, King Keirran of the Forgotten, is missing. Something more ancient than the courts of Faery and more evil than anything Ash has faced in a millennium is rising as Evenfall approaches. And if Ash and his allies cannot stop it, the chaos that has begun to divide the world will shatter it for eternity.

I’ve been looking forward to this second Finlay Donovan book ever since the ARC came out and I was approved soon after. This thriller series has a big dash on tongue-in-cheek and dark humor, and I love that. ❤️❤️❤️

  • Genre: Mystery Thriller
  • Pages: 360 Pages
  • Publisher: Minotaur Books (St. Martin’s Press)
  • Publication Date: February 1, 2022
“A funny and smart, twisty and surprising series.”—Megan Miranda. Finlay Donovan is—once again—struggling to finish her next novel and keep her head above water as a single mother of two. On the bright side, she has her live-in nanny and confidant Vero to rely on, and the only dead body she’s dealt with lately is that of her daughter’s pet goldfish. On the not-so-bright side, someone out there wants her ex-husband, Steven, out of the picture. Permanently. Whatever else Steven may be, he’s a good father, but saving him will send her down a rabbit hole of hit-women disguised as soccer moms, and a little bit more involvement with the Russian mob than she’d like. Meanwhile, Vero’s keeping secrets, and Detective Nick Anthony seems determined to get back into her life. He may be a hot cop, but Finlay’s first priority is preventing her family from sleeping with the fishes… and if that means bending a few laws then so be it. With her next book’s deadline looming and an ex-husband to keep alive, Finlay is quickly coming to the end of her rope. She can only hope there isn’t a noose at the end of it…

What are you reading? Do you love it?

Welcome to WWW Wednesday! This meme was formerly hosted by MizB at A Daily Rhythm and revived on Taking on a World of Words.

26 Replies to “What Am I Reading This Week – January 19, 2022? #WWWWednesday #amreading #CurrentlyReading”

  4. Teri Polen says:

    I was also a little disappointed in the change in narrators with Kagawa’s book – I loved Puck’s snark. Ash was okay, but I still prefer Puck.

    Liked by 1 person

  5. Mae Clair says:

    I really like the sound of The Violin Conspiracy. I’ll be looking TBR your review, but it sounds TBR worthy.

    Right now I’m 80% through a novel called The Reunion by Kierstein Modglin. A good psychological suspense novel about a class reunion 10 years after high school graduation.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lady Tessa says:

      I can’t wait to start it. I saw a conversation with the author last week and it sounds even better than the first one.

      Liked by 1 person

    1. Lady Tessa says:

      It’s been sitting in my Kindle app just calling to me for so long. I am definitely happy to finally read it! I heard in an author chat with Elle Cosimano that it’s even more wild than the first.

      Like

  10. Louise H says:

    Are the Finley Donovan books standalone reads? It sounds just the change of pace and genre I need at the moment.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lady Tessa says:

      The first one – definitely! This next one, I will have to see. I would think it could, just by the nature of it. But I definitely recommend Finlay Donovan is Killing It, the first one.

      Liked by 1 person

  11. WendyW says:

    I loved the second Finlay Donovan! Hope you do too! I thought it was as good, or better than the first.

    Liked by 1 person

  12. Carla says:

    The Violin Conspiracy sounds intriguing, glad you are enjoying it. I started Finlay Donovan today and am about 1/4 of the way into it, it is good. I think it is better than the first one so far.

    Liked by 1 person

  13. dinipandareads says:

    Wow, The Violin Conspiracy sounds soooo good! I don’t think I’ve heard of a mystery like it before and that synopsis makes me want to pick it up right away! I hope you continue to enjoy it 😃

    Liked by 1 person

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